Is anyone changing their minds now that travel chaos is easing a bit?

Even though we bring carryin sized luggage, we always check it. One time we didn’t we had to run through heathrow to make a connecting flight. Would have been less stressful and faster without the bags. We checked our bags coming home from Zagreb in June 30. Our flight was delayed, missed connection in Frankfurt. Had to go next moring and was a little anxious, but our bags made it to NY on our flight. We are travelling to spain sept 30 and will check our bag, but it is a direct flight.

Hmmm, I've still been obsessing about carrying my carry on. I am flying Spokane->Seattle->Paris->Milan the end of September. I've got 3 hours and a little bit in Paris but I am still going to carry on. I may check it coming back home because I don't generally care if my dirty clothes makes it with me or not. I'm not particularly worried about the airports in Spokane and Seattle but I am worried about the CDG baggage situation and it getting on the AF plane to Milan.

Basically I'd say it's a cr*pshoot.

If I were traveling with someone else and could cross pack with them I'd probably check. Traveling solo and being a plus size gal, outfitting myself in Milan might be a chore.

I changed. I am checking one carry-on sized bag, and carrying on a backpack and personal item. Some aspects of my trip changed and I realized that carryon only was not what I wanted to do. I fly this Thursday, so I'll find out if I made the right call.
Seattle-Chicago-Frankfurt-Ljubljana on United.

I struggled with the carryon vs. checking dilemma and ultimately decided we would check our carryon sized bags due to a 9 hour layover in SFO and I was unsure if we would meet the Aer Lingus carry on requirements. We put AirTags in our checked bags and we each put a change of clothes and anything else important in a small packable duffel bag. Our bags arrived in Dublin with us, so for us it worked out fine.

Edited to add that we arrived one week ago.

Andrea, thanks for the update. I am in the same situation with Aer Lingus and carry-on & will hope I am as successful as you and my rolling bag arrives in Heathrow in 10 days when I do.

I’m one of those who has experienced lost luggage. It is carryon for me!

I always check my bag and will continue to do so.

My family of three transited through Paris on the way over in July and London on the way home in August. Everyone checked a bag; none of us actually flew together.

No delays, no lost luggage. We were lucky.

I typically check my carry-on size bag so I don't have to deal with it on the plane or on layovers. I haven't had a problem since 1968 (knock on wood). Sometimes I have to wait longer than I'd like for the bag to get to the carousel, but it's always flown with me, including two round trips, with layovers, in the past year.

A Friend just got back from a quick trip to Europe, KLM Vancouver to AMS to Manchester return. She and her husband took carry-on as they did not want to risk losing their clothes for a family wedding. She said AMS change of planes went very smoothly and quickly, only hold-up was at MAN coming home, security were being super slow and picky and were going through the luggage of the person in front of them with a fine tooth comb. First time with KLM and liked them a lot, mind they were in business.

Like Jennifer, i always check bags and will again on Sept 8 when we fly SF > CDG.

I leave Wednesday. After much packing dilemma, I'm carrying on outbound. The pictures of Heathrow's baggage fiasco are etched in my mind.
I'll check my expanded rolling carry-on coming home. I have an extra tote to carry on souvenirs. If United loses or delays my dirty clothes, so be it.

Comment deleted.

"This is not a real question for carryon-only people."

I never understand responses like this. OF COURSE it's a valid question. If someone does not think it's "valid" then move on to the next question.

SJ, I understand perfectly the question you posed and the dilemma you are facing. I hope some of the experiences people posted will help you decide what is best for your situation.

Thank you Pam!
I'm still undecided as yet, with a few weeks to go.

Carryon only people...."Keep Calm ....and carry on!" :)

I never understand responses like this. OF COURSE it's a valid question. If someone does not think it's "valid" then move on to the next question.

Sorry, should have put a bunch of smilies on my post. But here's the OP:

What do you think? Are you thinking of going back to checking a bag
after all, when you had absolutely sworn not to this year? It helps to
hear from all of you who have recently traveled, and posted about your
airport and baggage experiences, so thank you to those who have done
that!

No, I am not thinking of checking my bag, not because I "absolutely swore not to this year", but because it would never occur to me, therefore, not a valid question for me. However, I have not recently traveled, so, if that was a prerequisite for commentary, I should never have entered this thread, and, for that interjection I must surely apologize.

I didn't want to, but due to some last minute liquid medicine we obtained before leaving the US, we checked a bag. It transited Heathrow, from Virgin Atlantic to Air France. The Rick Steves backpack full of dirty laundry and liquids that couldn't make it through TSA came through fine. At check-in at JFK, the employee said they weren't having problems with transiting luggage. 🤔
OTOH, I sent a 30" suitcase using Send my Bag from one of my kid's houses in the US. It went DC-NY-Cincinnati-Cologne-Brussels--Marseille--to our apartment. It took five days longer than estimated. 🤔

Bets, glad your bags made it! Too bad there aren't still those nifty stickers for steamer trunks as your 30" had a real adventure. Cincinnati AND Brussels, hahaha!