We are going to Germany and Austria over Christmas. Because we are traveling with another couple and space in the trunk of the car is limited we have been thinking about sharing a 26-27 inch suitcase and paying the airline to check it. I have been wondering if we would be better off taking 2 22 inchers and carrying them on. Obviously it makes it more crowded in the trunk of the car but saves on the checkking fee. Your thoughts.

Do you pay to check bags on an international flight? Thought it was domestic only but I haven't looked it up lately. Check the airline.

I wouldn't want to share a suitcase with anyone but that's just me.

You normally are entitled to one free checked bag per passenger on Transatlantic flights.
You pay for a second piece of checked luggage.
It may depend on the airline but certainly the legacy airlines allow that.

I would opt for the 22 inch carry on personally. I prefer to have my own bag with my own things and not to check it unless forced to. IMO you have will more room in 2 smaller cases than in one large one. And if the airline looses it, you are both out of luck.

You don't say where you are flying from but I've never heard of an airline charging for one checked bag. Check your airline's website... they will have details there.

If you are concerned about space in the car take bags that are soft rather than rigid or ones with frames like roller bags. You can push and stuff soft bags to fit irregularly shaped trunks.

I've never paid for checked bags on an international flight, not to say the daily rule changes makes this still in effect though.

What airline do you fly, I thought you were an airline expert (re screenname). I've never paid to check a suitcase, either, on an international flight. Haven't flown anything but Air France in the last couple years, though, to Europe.

I've never paid a thing to check a bag on an international flight, and I've flown lots of airlines. At any rate, I sure wouldn't want to share a suitcase with another couple. I want my dirty socks in my OWN bag.

Which airline are you flying? I have flown Delta and United fairly recently (in the time of the checked bag fees) to Europe and never had to pay.

I'd go with the 2 smaller suitcases as well. I don't like sharing a suitcase.

Can you carry on a 22"? Some airlines quote 21" as carry on limit.

Why is it sneaky?

I hate big suitcases (somebody has to lift and pull/tote it around), and I don't like sharing a suitcase, even with DH. I usually check a small suitcase and have a small carry-on. However, if we check everything, we do each put one change of clothes in the other's suitcase, so if one case is lost, we each have something. Usually, though, I put one change of clothes in my carry-on tote, and check the other bag. You have to figure out what works best for you.

We recently flew American to LHR and British Airways to Europe. We were allowed to check one bag apiece. We also traveled with another couple, rented an intermediate car, and were able to get all four 22" + one carry on each in the trunk. It was a little tight - took some careful arranging, but we managed. And, of course, there were purchases too as the weeks progressed. So it can be done. We done this same thing several trips, and it has always worked out okay.

Two smaller suitcases are easier to deal with, regardless of whether you check them or carry them on.

They would also be easier to arrange into the trunk of a car than one huge one.

In addition to size, be sure to check your airline's weight restrictions if you decide to carry-on. Our experience with Lufthansa has been that they do enforce their 8kg (just over 17 lbs) limit of one carry on per person, and will likely weigh any wheeled carry on bags. Weighing of backpacks seems to be hit or miss, unless they look really stuffed. I found it impossible to pack with just one carry on under the 8kg limit-my wheeled 22" usually weighs around 25#.

If you really want flexibility and are sure you are going to carry-on only, go with a non-wheeled duffle bag. They weight almost nothing and would be more easy to squish into the trunk of a car.

Thanks for all the input. We are flying Delta (KLM) from Seattle to Munich by way of Amsterdam. Another bug is the 5 hour layover in Amsterdam when we might run into town for a quick visit. If we are carrying the suitcases of any size we would need to stash them at the airport to save lugging them around. We also swap a change of clothes to the others suitcase in case there is a luggage snafu. We also have a smushed flat baggie in our carry-on that has socks, undies, toothbrush and razor. Those baggies have been loaded and locked for several years and about a hal a dozen trips. That means no snafus so far, keep you fingers crossed.

I think you will find that putting 4 small cases inmost trunks is a lot easier than 2 larger ones (which together may be too large in one of the dimensions). With 4 you have a lot more options of arranging them.