how many bags allowed to check?

Generally you can check one bag - the weight limit varies depending on whether you are flying economy or business class. I think some airlines allow you to check 2 bags but would usually be business class or higher. Carry on rules have changed recently where many airlines have enforced a one bag carry on rule - as different to the bag and handbag/other bag in the past. There are usually weight and/or size restrictions with carry on - and the more budget the airline often the more strictly they are enforced.

If you are going across the Atlantic/Pacific from/to the US, you are allowed two bags of up to 23kg. This is for all airlines - it's the piece system which only is good to/from the US. (International flights that don't include the US or Canada don't fall under the piece system). However, if you take any flights within Europe that aren't direct connections, you are allowed just one bag of up to 20kg.

For carry-on, it is usually one bag, plus a personal item - the weight limit varies by airline. However, if you are flying from or through any UK airport, you are allowed just ONE bag and it must be within the size limits (see www.baa.co.uk).

Kate

i'm concerned about needing warm things for the being in the highlands, or out on the water off the hebrides; and then needing stuff for hot weather when we might be walking in the cotswolds later in the trip. and imagine you need to dress up a little bit for seeing 'Phantom' in London, or for certain restaurants at night .... and know i'll want to be leaving space for bringing back some books from my shopping in hay-on-wye...and have 5 children and 5 grandchildren to bring something back for... julie

Books can get heavy very quickly. You might want to consider sending them home via the "slow boat". I believe there is a different rate for literature (perhaps someone else has more recent knowledge to share on this one). Your itinerary sounds lovely and varied. You might wish to consider layers: waterproof windbreaker, sweater, shawl/scarf, blouses, t-shirts, tank tops, etc. Blouses can be layered with t-shirts and tanks, or can look dressy with a shawl/scarf. Many skirts/pants can look casual or dressy, depending on what you wear with them. Enjoy you trip!

Julie, Julie, Julie! Please read everything you can about packing light. Just take one dressy outfit that can be washed or even dry cleaned. You can buy a sweater over there - you will not be able to resist anyhow! And since I came back with more than I went over there with, I bought a green gym bag that says Ireland on it for my fleece that I didn't wear and the gifts that I bought. Or you can have your gifts shipped home.

Most people only over-pack once.

My husband and I took one large suitcase instead of two small ones on our first trip. It got stuck in the luggage belt in the airport in London. He had to carry it upstairs in the hotel in the Netherlands and in Germany. Then in the timeshare - we had an iron spiral staircase to our rooms. Big mistake.

My parents go on cruises from the US and take fancy clothes, but when they go to Europe they take small bags even to go to the symphony in Vienna. You can do it and you will be much happier! Pack light!

Just wanted to thank everyone for their help and information. Thank goodness that Kate in Scotland warned us about the carry ons being different if we had a connecting flight in the UK - which we do! So now i will only take one, whereas i would have taken two and had to leave one behind in london when we got on our flight to edinburgh! this will actually work out well, as we will have no connecting flight going home, and should be able to take home a bag of souvenirs as our 'personal item'. Our son said his little girls would be thrilled with a little british coin for their souvenir - you can't beat that for size, weight and price! - Julie who leaves tomorrow!

thanks to kate in scotland who warned us about being allowed only one carry on, as opposed to one carry on and one personal item, as the airline had told us. she was right, and it saved us much time/grief, when we got to london and went to our connecting flight, and we were ready with our one carry on each! and, kate, what an awesome country you live in! i was blown away by rannoch moor/the great glen/glencoe. it actually made me cry. sounds silly, but it did. and edinburgh is surely one of the loveliest cities in the world. my husband would move to scotland now in a minute if the exchange rate weren't two dollars to the pound! - julie