# No checked baggage (US domestic flights)



## Bob Loblaw (Mar 9, 2006)

I am sure this crosses the mind of everybody as they await the baggage carousel after a flight. Likewise, I am sure this was discussed before. In light of newer TSA regulations as well as charges for baggage being implemented, perhaps the topic could be revisited.

Does anyone accomplish a no checked baggage personal or professional trip? If so, how are you doing this? I was thinking of wearing a sports coat or suit on the plane depending upon the type of travel ( I seldom need more than one unless attending a multi-day conference).


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## Holdfast (Oct 30, 2005)

I always try to go hand-luggage only if I can these days. I think it's very possible to do a two day business trip or 3-4 day pleasure trip without checking stuff in. The key is versatility.

For business - wear a versatile subtle suit onto the plane, but hang up the jacket (or fold gently) during the flight. Shirts - one worn, one different colour packed. Shoes - one pair of black captoes - worn. Ties - 2 (either one worn or both packed). Underwear, socks & 2 small toiletry bags for other sundries. Job done. If you want to stretch the wardrobe a little, you can also carefully pack a hard-wearing non-wrinkly sportsjacket into the hand luggage. It all fits, believe me. If you're also taking a laptop bag on board, you can sneak a few other things into that.

For pleasure all you need is - a few polos +/- T-shirts, an OCBD, a regular collar shirt, jeans, one smarter pair of trousers, one tie, one non-wrinkly sportsjacket, and a selection of underwear, socks, and the same toiletry bags as previously, pair of boots, pair of smart shoes. Pair of shorts, swimming trunks and flip-flops/sandals if you're heading to the beach. Wear the jeans, boots and sportsjacket on the plane.

Make use of the hotel laundry and you can stretch the above to a 3 day business trip (or even 4 day business trip if one day is non-suit wearing and you pack the sportsjacket) and a 5-6 day pleasure trip. 

Of course, some places, you may want/need a more extensive wardrobe, in which case I'm afraid you're going to need to check a bag in. But if you're willing to travel light for convenience and aren't intending on majorly dressing up at the other end, it can be done very lightly.


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## encyclopedia (Jan 3, 2008)

I can make it about a week carry-on only, No hotel laundry, not much variety in formality tho. In addition to wearing a sportcoat and sweater on the plane (plus my outercoat if applicable) the trick really is to get a big enuf carry-on bag.

Get something hardshelled with basically no lining that is the max size allowed. Too many bags have padded linings or aren't as big as they cud be.

Toilitries r another matter...its not the 100ml rule or anything, its the space they take. I recommend only going to places where u know its already sorted 

Oh, and don't spill anything on urself because u don't have any xtra clothes!


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## cdavant (Aug 28, 2005)

I'd disagree about hardshell. I can get a week's stuff in a carry-on that isn't a total hardshell. The back and sides are solid but it has an expansion zipper that adds up to another 25% in capacity. That makes it too big for the bin, but allows us to shop a bit and check it only on the way home.


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## Penang Lawyer (May 27, 2008)

I travelled for business and I was never gone for more than 5 weekdays. Never on wekends. One bag to fit in the overhead compartment. Two suits (wearing one) 6 shirts white or light blue (wearing one) four ties, two pairs of shoes (wearing one) one pair of casual trousers, 6 sets of underwear and one raincoat. In my briefcase were the toilet articles which had to be shown. Why so little was I would be in a different office or town each day. See the various sites on how to pack. Now I am retired but If the travel plans are less than 7 days. I pack similar amounts. Yes there are times when I do check my luggage and pray that it is not lost. Rules; similar colors or those that blend, layer clothing for warmth, think of throw away items you don't need. I save all my old undrwear and dispose them as I travel.


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## suitsyousir (Aug 8, 2008)

Space-saving secrets:
- Space bags for clothing
- Ziplock bags for other items
- Travel-sized fluid containers for hygiene items


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## alphadelta (Oct 2, 2007)

Very easy -- Fed Ex.

I pack everything in a durable box and ship it Fed Ex to my hotel the day before. I arrive at the airport with just a briefcase and eliminate waiting at carousels for bags upon arrival.

My "laptop" is a 8GB USB drive which I plug into a borrowed computer at my client's office or at the hotel's business center. Considering airlines are now charging $15+ for a checked bag, I'd rather spend it on FedEx and eliminate airport hassles.

AD


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## AlanC (Oct 28, 2003)

Behold the Air Boss. Combine that with OneBag.com and you're good to go. Add a personal bag, too, and you have all sorts of room.

I packed this way for a three week overseas trip and it worked fine. You have to be brutal in what you don't take, though.


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## KeithR (Sep 5, 2006)

AlanC said:


> Behold the Air Boss. Combine that with OneBag.com and you're good to go. Add a personal bag, too, and you have all sorts of room.
> 
> I packed this way for a three week overseas trip and it worked fine. You have to be brutal in what you don't take, though.


Thanks for the tip on both sites. I think a new bag is in order.


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## LaoHu (Sep 16, 2006)

*Contrarian viewpoint*

Checked baggage still works........ at least it does on Southwest. I recently went on a week's vacation, checking a 50 lb hard sided suitcase going and coming at no extra charge. The wait at the baggage carousel was less than ten minutes at both Providence and Midway.

Perhaps the choice of airline and airports made it a good experience, but I think the avoidance of checked baggage by so many travelers may be an overreaction.


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## JayJay (Oct 8, 2007)

In June I used a wheeled carry-on bag and a personal bag for a two-week trip to Europe. I packed 3 suits, 2 pairs of shoes, shirts, etc. I wore a db blazer on the flight. I had clothing laundered while there a couple of times.

It was great to carry everything onboard with ease.


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## gnatty8 (Nov 7, 2006)

Just please gentlemen, whatever you do, do not be the a**hole with the almost full size suitcase holding up boarding and exiting as you push and pull and twist and force your bag into the overhead; doing me the extra favor of forcing me to find overhead space over another seat for my tiny briefcase. There is a special place in hell for jerks like that.


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## marlinspike (Jun 4, 2007)

gnatty8 said:


> Just please gentlemen, whatever you do, do not be the a**hole with the almost full size suitcase holding up boarding and exiting as you push and pull and twist and force your bag into the overhead; doing me the extra favor of forcing me to find overhead space over another seat for my tiny briefcase. There is a special place in hell for jerks like that.


+1 :icon_cheers:


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## AlanC (Oct 28, 2003)

By the way, Tom Bihn provides options to Red Oxx. Here are their various carryon bags. I plan on getting one of the .


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## JayJay (Oct 8, 2007)

gnatty8 said:


> Just please gentlemen, whatever you do, do not be the a**hole with the almost full size suitcase holding up boarding and exiting as you push and pull and twist and force your bag into the overhead; doing me the extra favor of forcing me to find overhead space over another seat for my tiny briefcase. There is a special place in hell for jerks like that.


Amen!!! There is nothing that angers me more. I like quick exits, especially, and get very frustrated when someone is holding up the process.


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## ilikeyourstyle (Apr 24, 2007)

Obviously no one here dresses according to mood. I like to carry extra options just in case I'm feeling Morning Mist when I had planned for Autumn Harvest. This means I require checked luggage.


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## alphadelta (Oct 2, 2007)

For international travel (when FedEx is not an option) I use this one-bag carry-on.

Holds a lot, meets all airline carry-on regs, weights nothing empty, expands, and is priced right.

https://www.ebags.com/a_saks/expand...itcase/product_detail/index.cfm?modelid=86274

AD


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## Daveboxster (Dec 30, 2006)

*What I carry*



JayJay said:


> Amen!!! There is nothing that angers me more. I like quick exits, especially, and get very frustrated when someone is holding up the process.


Amen, Amen, Amen. The new cost for baggage on a lot of airlines will bite them at some point. BTW, fly Southwest if you don't want to be nickeled-and-dimed and actually want to get some kind of small snack. If you are saying "No way on Southwest... they are no frills and their boarding process is inhumane," then you haven't tried them and should. They are one of the best airlines right now.

I usually travel 3 days a week at most. A lot trips are overnight or two nights. I can fit everything in a Briggs and Riley roller board. Here's what I would take for a 4 day trip. I dress business casual, and occasionally wear a blazer. I usually travel in early mornings so I would wear my blazer. For a two day trip, I would bring:

- 3 button down dress shirts. These will get wrinkled and require ironing. Or not if you are lazy and not worried about wrinkles.

- 2 pairs of dress pants. I find that I can get two days wear out of them. May need to press them after one day of travel.

- Gym shoes (trainers, whatever you want to call them). I put shoe trees in these (see next comment).

- Two sets of gym clothes (t-shirt, shorts, exercise-style socks)

- The dress shoes that I wear when I leave. Sorry folks, I do take only one pair. I use the shoe trees placed in the gym shoes.

- 3 pairs of socks, 3 pairs of underwear.

- One golf/baseball style hat to wear when I work out.

- Stupid plastic bag with liquids for the TSA Nazis.

- Toiletries bag that I can put into my luggage.

I usually take off my blazer. I've found that high-quality blazers are easy to fold and will not wrinkle much when removed. An overnight hanging usually takes out most wrinkles.

If I did wear a suit, I would take two for a 3 day trip. It would be no problem to wear one and pack the other. A high quality suit won't wrinkle that much. One technique for wrinkles: Put a dry cleaning bag over your shirts/suits/pants. That seems to help.

On checking bags. Some people won't check bags because "the airlines will loose my luggage." I don't remember the last time an airline lost my luggage in the last 15 years. They have damaged my luggage and broken my favorite golf club. Look at the statistics for loosing luggage and you'll find that it's pretty small.


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## AlanC (Oct 28, 2003)

For carry-on bag reviews and tips try the .

FYI, Red Oxx and Tom Bihn products are all Montana and Seattle made, respectively.


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## Cardcaptor Charlie (Jul 7, 2008)

Daveboxster said:


> On checking bags. Some people won't check bags because "the airlines will loose my luggage." I don't remember the last time an airline lost my luggage in the last 15 years. They have damaged my luggage and broken my favorite golf club. Look at the statistics for loosing luggage and you'll find that it's pretty small.


You haven't been to London Heathrow then... :icon_smile_wink:


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## McKay (Jun 13, 2005)

alphadelta said:


> Very easy -- Fed Ex.
> 
> I pack everything in a durable box and ship it Fed Ex to my hotel the day before. I arrive at the airport with just a briefcase and eliminate waiting at carousels for bags upon arrival.


I saw a website a while ago belonging to a company that provided just that sort of service, but targeted at travellers. (I can't remember what it was called.)


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## Lookingforaclue (Nov 10, 2005)

For business travel, which usually means three to five days of meetings, I usually bring two suits and a sport coat, slacks, chinos, a light sweater, three dress shirts and a polo, three sets underwear (often coolmax, which dries faster) four sets socks, two pair shoes and maybe sneakers, sleep shorts and a t-shirt, powdered Tide, a Tide pen, and really small quantities of shaving cream, toothpaste and sunscreen, razor, toothbrush, comb, maybe raincoat, umbrella, and usually a brimmed hat. Fall or winter I carry a topcoat or overcoat. I always take too many ties, but 3 or 4 would be right. Wearing everything that it is practical to and putting one set of underwear, shirt, slacks and sweater into my briefcase with the computer, I can fit the rest into a 24" carryon, and usually fold it well enough that no ironing is needed. I confess that at least one of the shirts, usually two, are wash and wear JAB Travelers.

Going to Nicaragua last February my daughter and I were each able to pack in 3000 cu. inch backpacks for a week spent camping, kayaking, mountain climbing and city sightseeing. This system fell down when I packed rum in a small duffel bag after going through Houston customs (because you have to check it in the US.) When I saw them THROW my duffel I was apprehensive. and when the Fire Dept. met us at Newark because "there was a chemical spill in the hold" my apprehension was confirmed!

SRW


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## Spence (Feb 28, 2006)

My trips are frequent and usually one to three nights. I'm very happy with the Tumi 22" suiter I found at TJMaxx about a year ago. I'll pack my exercise clothes and an extra pair of dress shoes, a suit or coat/pants, several shirts/pants and the various extras easily. I've never had a real issue with wrinkling, at least not that a hot shower couldn't fix. Better yet this bag expands 4" if I need extra space.

Must be tough for the dopp kit manufacturers with the new flight rules. I recently had a veteran zip loc bag blow out. That little bag saw a lot of miles 

-spence


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## cglex (Oct 23, 2006)

My travel goes in spurts with long gaps in between. I ended a 15 week, 6 day a week stint at the end of June. In the past, when many on this board were in elementary school, I used my wife's old Hartmann 3-4 dress bag for week long trips. In those days, any Hartmann with a guy in a decent suit was allowed on board and the extra room of the dress size kept my suits from wrinkling and provided room for binders of junk that now fits on a thumb drive. Never ever checked bags as I had friends who worked summers as baggage handlers at National. (I guess that dates me.) 

So new gig happens, I tried a Briggs & Riley, what a mistake. Expensive, heavy duty cheap style suitcase that wrinkles suits and everything else. Weighs a lot too. Bought Hartmann's newest carryon garment bag. No room for workout clothes on a full Sunday to Friday gig, but room for everything else and far less wrinkles. I kept clothes to a minimum. The client site was a dump so a navy sweater with a back up blazer and tie was all I needed.

Generally, if you dress decent, not even well, carry a well made bag and flirt with the girls on the gate and working the plane, you can carry on what ever you want. While some of the girls have been flying longer than the plane, so have I, so that is not a problem.


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## LeatherSOUL (May 8, 2005)

I'll be attempting to go no-check in for the first time this week for a short trip to Tokyo and Hong Kong. This way I don't need to wait around for baggage claim. No formal business attire required so my carry on suitcase will be relatively easy to pack. 

One new idea I thought of...a large Le Sportsac nylon duffel that basically folds up to the size of a folded t-shirt. This is for dirty laundry on the way back home. I plan to check in both if needed on the way back. Wish me luck.


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## hockeyinsider (May 8, 2006)

Bob Loblaw said:


> I am sure this crosses the mind of everybody as they await the baggage carousel after a flight. Likewise, I am sure this was discussed before. In light of newer TSA regulations as well as charges for baggage being implemented, perhaps the topic could be revisited.
> 
> Does anyone accomplish a no checked baggage personal or professional trip? If so, how are you doing this? I was thinking of wearing a sports coat or suit on the plane depending upon the type of travel ( I seldom need more than one unless attending a multi-day conference).


Recently, I have avoided checked bags on international and domestic flights by placing my jackets in one of those plastic garment bags that most stores give with the purchase of a suit or sportscoat. I then have a wheeled garment bag with my shirts, shoes, ties, underwear and everything else I need. I hook the hangers from the plastic bag on the handle of the wheeled bag and carry it right on the plane. If I can't get away with my BlackBerry and need a laptop, I'll jam a my laptop into the wheeled garment bag as well. It works out well.


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## hockeyinsider (May 8, 2006)

Bob Loblaw said:


> Make use of the hotel laundry ...


That's now all I use the hotel for these days. Most hotels will give you free toothpaste, a truthbrush, shaving cream, razors and other small things. So I generally leave these at home, as it's a pain in the butt get them through TSA.


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## hockeyinsider (May 8, 2006)

Daveboxster said:


> One technique for wrinkles: Put a dry cleaning bag over your shirts/suits/pants. That seems to help.
> 
> On checking bags. Some people won't check bags because "the airlines will loose my luggage." I don't remember the last time an airline lost my luggage in the last 15 years. They have damaged my luggage and broken my favorite golf club. Look at the statistics for loosing luggage and you'll find that it's pretty small.


I use the dry cleaning bags for my shirts, which go in my wheeled garment bag. They never wrinkle, and sometimes I put two shirts on a hanger to save space.

As for losing bags, KLM lost a garment bag last year that I foolishly checked and it had all my suits and sportcoats for a business trip in Europe. Needless to say, it was a nightmare and I had to explain why I had flip-flops and jeans on for two days.


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## globetrotter (Dec 30, 2004)

I travel 2 weeks a month, all year, pretty much never check bags. I use a briggs and riley rolling computer case and a tumi case that includes a suiter. my biggest problem is when I am in very different temeratures - chile in winter and colombia, or germany and singapore in the same trip. but aside from that, no problem.

I usually carry very little underwear and socks - 3 pair of each of the quick drying type I can wash in the sink. 2 suits, 4-6 shirts, 3 ties, one pair of shoes and a pair of sneakers, one set of gym clothes.


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## hockeyinsider (May 8, 2006)

I know a lot of people don't even wear undergarments anymore.


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## Daveboxster (Dec 30, 2006)

*TMI*



hockeyinsider said:


> I know a lot of people don't even wear undergarments anymore.


I really don't want to know how you know that...


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## petro (Apr 5, 2005)

Bob Loblaw said:


> I am sure this crosses the mind of everybody as they await the baggage carousel after a flight. Likewise, I am sure this was discussed before. In light of newer TSA regulations as well as charges for baggage being implemented, perhaps the topic could be revisited.
> 
> Does anyone accomplish a no checked baggage personal or professional trip? If so, how are you doing this? I was thinking of wearing a sports coat or suit on the plane depending upon the type of travel ( I seldom need more than one unless attending a multi-day conference).


I always check my baggage. Partially because they don't allow firearms in your carry-on, and partially because in my opinion it's horribly rude to abuse the "one carryone, and one personal bag" rule. On every flight I've taken in the last 4-5 years there have been some nitwit trying desperately to shove an oversized bag into the overhead compartment to save themselves 15 or 20 minutes at the baggage carousel. This of course delays other passengers getting to their seats, uses up overhead bin space so that other passengers have to either cram their stuff in somewhere else, or try to shove it under the seat in front of them, and someones breaks stuff as the neanderthals try to squeeze your bag so that theirs can fit.

I guess it's ok, since they *are* the most important person on the plane.

Oh, and these are usually the same people who are out of their seat clogging the aisle before the plane is even fully at the gate.

Clearly EVERY STINKING SECOND of their life is VITALLY IMPORTANT.

I'd *much* rather hand my heavy stuff to baggage handlers and stroll through the airport with the minimum of stuff (which in my case is still way too much) than have to move 40 pounds of crud between airplanes.

And yeah, I know airports suck. But a big reason they suck so bad is that everyone is trying desperately to get *their* stuff done without taking the people around them into consideration. If you just wait a couple minutes, if you pick a vector that optomizes not just for you, but for you *and* the people around you, then everyone gets there a little faster.

I think it's stupid and shortsighted for airlines to charge for checked baggage, but then when haven't airlines done stupid and short sighted things?


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## mt_spiffy (Apr 12, 2008)

I am a musician so I pretty much use up all my carryon options with instruments and the like. I always check two large bags. I havent flown since these new regulations and I'm a bit worried. 

However, I heard someone mention FedEx. When I've traveled for personal reasons (read: longer trips) I will FedEx Ground several boxes of items, or even some of my instruments. With an account you'd be surprised at how cheap it is-- $10-15 a box usually.


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## Andy (Aug 25, 2002)

My goal is never to check luggage! My wife and I spent a month in Australia/New Zealand with two carry-ons.

See the articles about packing, luggage, etc. in the TRAVEL section linked from the Home Page.

My problem came when I could no longer pack a bottle of Scotch in my carry on. I now buy it once I get to my destination.

Note: I'm moving this to the Travel Forum!


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## cjlee25 (Oct 13, 2008)

another way to make people stay loyal to an airline and try to get status.


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## Miket61 (Mar 1, 2008)

I can go for a day or two with just a carry-on, but for anything longer I ship my luggage in advance.

Not FedEx, though - way too expensive. UPS Ground is much cheaper and they guarantee the delivery day - two business days from Atlanta to New York or Chicago, three to Vermont. Usually the hotel will arrange to have the box shipped back when I return.

Anything I buy on the trip that I'm eager to have the minute I get home goes in my carry-on. I see no reason to go through hoops at the airport for the thrill of having my dirty laundry as soon as I arrive.


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