Are you opting more to check your bag in on direct flights

We always check our bags, not matter what size, especially when we are changing flights. Definitely when it is a direct flight.
Our reasoning being that one trip, a few years ago, we had a very tight transfer in Frankfurt. We had to light jog very fast and dragging our bags through the airport, on escalators, etc and it was just awful. Never again, we take our chances with the checked bags. Also, we don’t bring, in our small carryon bag, anything except the bare essentials. Very bare essentials. The lighter, the better.

Same here. Check as much as I can. Less to drag around. Less to lose or forget. And those tight connections are made worse when you’re running with more than a backpack through the airport.

I don't check a bag unless I absolutely have to. I do carryon size only, and adhere to whatever size/weight the airline requires.

We will never have direct flights, flying out of a regional airport, but we did check bags going to Amsterdam in September, probably the first time in many trips checking on the way over. Our reasoning was due to a long, long layover at MSP, and we considered checking on a previous trip, when we considered bringing a separate bag for apartment and beach stuff (decided against that luckily)

Despite the ease of not having the bags during a long layover, we likely will not check on the way over in the future.

However, we almost always check bags on the way back, just easier. Our reason for not checking on the way over is not so much a lost bag (a minor concern) but just ease once we land. At AMS last month it took most of an hour to get bags in addition to immigration, I am just ready to get out of an airport by the time I get there.

You are right about less stress! I quit neck (or waist) wallets a number of years ago - and almost always check, even with connections (I always have connections). I pack my backpack with essentials and an extra set of clothes so theoretically I could be fine for a week or two with just it. My suitcase does sometimes take a detour but has never gotten completely lost and I have found that the risk is worth it since the consequences (for me) aren’t huge.

I appreciate being the first from my plane through immigration and out the door at ORD. Last week was less than 15 minutes from stepping off my flight to the taxi rank.

The times I've had to check a bag for business or extra expat luggage shuffling were torturous - waiting, waiting, waiting for those bags whether on an arrival at a distant airport or back in the States.

I have never found security with a bag or money belt has been stressful. My stress comes from the wondering when that bag will show up on the carousel, if that bag will show, how many of the folks leaving before me are headed to the same taxi line and how long that queue will be!

I only check a bag when absolutley necessary. Such as two days ago when I was on a turboprop and a regular size carry on wouldn't fit in the overhead.

I especially try not to check when returning to the US. My record at JFK, which I have matched a couple of times, from stepping off the plane from London to walking outside the terminal, is five minutes.

We checked our bags on our most recent trip overseas (non-direct). What a great feeling it was to be unburdened by a maxed out carryon. Everything in the checked luggage would have been replaceable, including the (non-Briggs & Riley) luggage.

One of the reasons that we don't want to check bags is that my wife is not an easy size to buy clothing for; 5' tall, busty and size 5 feet. None of that means off-the-rack shopping. Almost everything she buys has to be hemmed and altered. While we've never lost a bag before, it's a bit of risk management because the hassle would be significant for her.

On the other hand, we recently took 3 flights on a couple of discount airlines, and all three flights were boarded from the tarmac and we had to climb steps up to the plane to board. Guess who was stuck with 2 suitcases and 1 carryon to haul up?

In the 8 trips to Europe we carry on going over and check our bags coming home. It’s worked well so far and yes we love the less hassle going through European airports without that burden. But everyone has their favorite way to travel and I get that.

We always have to check on bag, with our hiking poles. We tend to carry on our roller bags on the way to Europe, since we fly British Airways and always have a plane change at Heathrow. Coming home, we check everything—-and have not ad anything go missing. Arrival at the new International Terminal at SeaTac is is quick and easy, even with checked bags to pick up before going through immigration. Never saw a customs officer.

I’m glad people are checking bags because that opens more space for others who want to carry on their regulation-sized ones. It takes a minimum of two flights now for me to reach any city in Europe.

One comment about the moneybelt. I use one all of the time when traveling overseas, but I don’t put it on until I am off of the plane at the destination. During my airport time, it’s tucked deep inside of my Cotopaxi backpack carry on.

I’m certainly not trying to switch everyone to the Cotopaxi Allpa 35L backpack instead of a suitcase, but it’s been a game changer for me when traveling! It’s caused me to pack even lighter, and the structure of the pack design is very comfortable for me. When I was traveling with my husband in February to Spain, I was continually waiting a bit for him to catch up; he had the RS roller bag. My work team teased me in 2018 at my retirement party about how fast I can move through an airport…and that was back when I had a roller bag!

Our experience has been the same as Barbara’s in Brooklyn. Maybe we’ve been lucky but in decades of travel we have been separated from our luggage twice. In Honolulu it was returned in a few hours, in Paris it was two days. No big deal. The helpful Parisian desk clerks knew it had arrived before I told them..they were tracking my daily shirt choice :)

We tried doing carry on only for a few early trips but found it a hassle. I'm not a super heavy packer but I don't want to spend a bunch of time considering each item and worrying about weight and size. And we really disliked hauling our luggage around, especially when connecting. We both have shoulder issues and I'm short, so putting stuff in the overhead bin wasn't great either. Works for us.

We definitely do checked bags especially for international now. I can't stand the worry of trying to squeeze so much into so little. And my husband gets anxiety worrying if we will get overhead. So checked bags for us. But I admit, I overpacked this past spring for France since I check the bags. So I need to find balance. Most of the airlines provide text updates on luggage status now anyway. We also do airtags, but those cause anxiety as well, because they don't always give accurate info. Last week it showed my husband's golf bag didn't arrive in Hawaii. (It did.) And on the way home it showed my luggage on the top of Mauna Loa on the Big Island. We didn't even go to that island! (It made it home on our flight.)

Are you opting more to check your bag in on direct flights? Direct flights to Europe don't exist from our airport, so no. Also, most often we don't stay at/near arrival airports in Europe and eventually merging lost, relatively light, baggage with us would be a saga. Settle on what works for you, as a range of effective travel styles...is just that.

We carry-on unless the situation dictates otherwise. In Australia last month, we opted to check our TB Aeronauts because both Virgin Australia and Jetstar were getting very picky about carry-ons.

However, my wife and I did have a couple of conversations regarding how nice it was to not have to hassle with carrying on a small back pack and our Aeronauts. Who knows!

I always check a bag. I love the convenience of not having to deal with a rolling suitcase while I’m waiting for 2 to 3 hours at the airport, plus not having to maneuver it into the toilet. I’ve never had to wait more than 10 minutes at baggage claim either, but even if I did, it still would be worth it.

I try to check-in my bag, which is usually carry-on size. I do carry on a backpack with a change of clothes and all my medications.

We’re carry-on internationally or short trip within US, but we generally check bags on the way home. We’ve had two international flights cancelled mid-trip. The first one was checked bags and as we were the only flight cancelled and the last one of the night, a flight attendant retrieved them for us. The second time was a major meltdown at LHR and the luggage scramble lasted for a week. Fortunately, we had carry-on bags for that mess.

I am a Philadelphian and am always returning to Philadelphia International.Not that many years ago (just before I started traveling) there was found an enormous problem at Philly International with theft from checked baggage--and this was by the handlers. Needless to say I am never going to check anything returning here, and since I thus must be portable and conforming, will not check outbound either. I can think of a couple of transfers in Europe made by less than the skin of our teeth and checked baggage would never have made it. And if the gate agents would properly do their job there should not be an issue of shortage of overhead space, as there appears to be enough overhead cabin space for every passenger to place one conforming bag there, with those who must check their bags making up for the few missing spaces by the exits.

Checked a bag for a flight that landed in London this morning. I was a little worried about how long I would have to wait for my bag, but after I got past immigration, I went to the bathroom and put in my contacts and by the time I got back to the baggage carousel my luggage was coming out. It didn’t delay me at all and I’m really glad I did because I just didn’t want to deal with it.

I’ve never worried about theft because the only thing in my luggage is clothing and possibly some toiletries. Today, for example my make up was in my carry-on bag. Anything valuable that would be hard for me to replace I carry-on regardless if I check or not.

If the trip is more than a week or so, , then I check my spinner but still have a carry-on.

The Eagle Creek neck pouch and hidden pocket I've been using since the 2003 trip. That's going to stay since they are part and parcel of any trip. Carrying the cash that way I know it is secure.

No doubt one's most vulnerable moment is the time going through security with my items, jacket, belt, etc plus the hidden pocket and the neck pouch in the bin.

Once I land it makes no difference if the checked spinner is thrown out within 5- 10 minutes or takes more than 30 mins as I am not in any hurry at CDG or even Frankfurt.

I will check a bag coming home sometimes as I like to shop. If my bag fits the size weight though, I will carry it on.

Once, both my daughter's bag and mine were torn open (they broke the zipper) and our stuff was rifled though. There was nothing of value, but they did rip open the plastic shopping bags that were in there. My husband has had bags go missing for a while, but always showed up. Right now my brother is on 2+ weeks of waiting for his bag. He has an AirTag in it and knows exactly where it is, but American hasn't gotten anyone to go actually pick it up and get it to him.

This past May we flew from London to Rome and checked our bags. My husband’s showed up but mine did not. Three days later they delivered it to our apartment. I generally prefer not to check luggage, but we pack very light. We take trains and buses mostly and often walk to and from train stations to our accommodations. So we need to not have too much with us. We would like to take more stuff along but it hasn’t worked out to do that.

Over decades of oversees travel have learned to pack light and always do carry on. It’s how I roll.

I also invested in pre TSA checkins and Global Entry for my return at “ hell on earth,” aka LAX. Has made all the difference!

We will never have a direct flight, 2 connections at the minimum, so we do carryon going over but check our bags coming back. I can deal with a bag not showing up coming home even though last year it took 4 days for one to show up in Bend. I have no desire to start off a trip scrambling for something to wear like I watched one of our tour members do in Ireland for 5 days. Of course with the airlines continuing to downsize on carryons, I may not have a choice in coming years.

We check our luggage because my spouse has large (feet) shoes and needs the suitcase room:) Plus some essential medical related items and specific liquids (no, not easily found while travelling:) that are too big for the 1 litre bag through security. Essentials are in our carryon. We have had our suitcases not make connections twice in the past 20+ years and in both instances, they were delivered the next day. For a few reasons we are no longer doing connections on the same day so that helps with tight connection issues which was the factor with our two delayed suitcases.

Our arrival day anywhere is never so tightly scheduled that waiting a short time for checked luggage or a taxi is a hardship. It actually gives us a chance to catch our breath and use the washroom.

Something to consider no matter if you check or carry on; and carry on bags do get gate checked from time to time. If traveling as a couple (or with a close friend / relative), pack half of each one's thing in each bag. If a bag gets delayed or goes on it's own vacation, both will at least have enough to get by until the missing bag arrives.

I love checking my bag! My husband and I learned years ago to pack light, so our luggage is carry-on sized. However, we take full advantage of the free luggage check on flights to Europe. It's so nice not having to wheel all our stuff around, especially since we always have a connection. We divide our stuff between the two suitcases. If one gets lost, then we'll still both have half our things. Also, the bags we do bring on the plane have basic toiletries and a few days worth of clothes, so we can get by. We have trip insurance through a credit card, which would cover a shopping spree to replace lost items. Luckily, our bags have always arrived on time in our 20+ trips to Europe. They went astray once on a return flight, but they showed up at our home within 24 hours.

Team carry on especially going to Europe, I have had bags go astray twice and both times it really didn’t matter since it was family visits in the states and the bags showed up within 24 hours or less. But going overseas? Nope. Plus I’m tall with long legs and arms and replacing clothes would be very difficult.

I check a bag 99% of the time.

And I never have direct flights — my regular route is Paris to Tulsa via Atlanta and return.

In August, I had a very quick trip home, so did carry-on only for the first time in years (a couple of decades even maybe).

I hardly ever have problems getting my checked bag - the last time i can remember having problems was six and a half years ago on a flight that was only Washington to Tulsa via Dallas or somewhere (we had spent a few days in DC upon arriving in the States). But our bags arrived in Tulsa the next day, which was fine. The other couple of times, in the 15 years before that, same thing: bag arrived the next day. At least once, that was upon arrival back in Paris, so I was happy for the airline to deliver my bag to me at home rather than my having to deal with it myself coming home from the airport !!

Looking back on this thread it is interesting to see an analysis of what % of people carry on verses check.
These are the numbers so far.
30 replies.
15 for check.
11 for carry on.
4 were unclear on what the poster’s stance was.

Checked bags are 50% of total (30). 15/30
Carry on is 36.6% of total. 11/30.

A search of statistics of bags lost from airlines hovers at about 1%. Yet we have many of the carry on responses citing lost bags as a reason not to check. 36.6% of total responses. Does this seem skewed to the wrong side if citing lost bag as a reason? The wrong side being that fear wins out over statistics. Fear is a big motivator for travelers in particular, expressed here in the check/carryon discussion. Yet, in the real world are these fears unfounded? Perhaps this shows the attitude of travel itself by the persons going one way or the other. Are those who never check maybe more apt to have other travel fears that motivate them to go places and do things whilst traveling? And is the converse true? Do check bag people have a more relaxed attitude during their travels?

Unless I missed it, nobody said they don't check a bag because of the cost. My credit card allows me a free checked bag on my preferred airline but I still prefer carryon. I had to check a bag with EasyJet a couple of weeks ago and the line was 45 minutes long. It made me think that even if there was a charge for carryon as well, I'd likely choose it over checked bags.

And if the gate agents would properly do their job there should not be an issue of shortage of overhead space, as there appears to be enough overhead cabin space for every passenger to place one conforming bag there

That isn’t true on many planes. Some of the newer planes are addressing this with larger bins, but many planes just don’t have enough bin space in economy for every seat to store a rollaboard.

I do agree with you on gate agents cracking down on people with excess items. I’m not concerned about the people whose carry-on is an inch too big, but the people whose personal item clearly won’t fit under the seat in front of them. Yesterday, the lady in front of me had a rollaboard, a cloth tote bag that was nearly as big as the rollaboard, a purse, a bike helmet, and a shopping bag. No one stopped her. She was in the back of economy so this wasn’t the case of extra business class luggage. There was no way all the extra items fit under her seat.

I always check my rollaboard on international flights. I take a backpack with an extra pair of slacks, 2 shirts, 3 pair of socks and underwear, and other essentials. I find it way less stressful to not have to worry about having something sharp, too much liquid, whether TSA will rifle through my bag, whether I will strain my back hoisting the bag into the overhead, or whether I will have to gate check at the last minute and scramble to pull out essentials. I also got tired of dragging a suitcase around the airport. Checking also means that the only thing under the seat in front of me is my purse. My backpack is my carryon so it goes in the overhead.

I don’t worry much about my bag not showing up. I’ve had a bag delayed 5 times, but the last time this happened was in March 2000. I’ve never had a bag delayed on a tight connection. I also think the airlines are improving their bag tracking. Yesterday, I flew from Bologna to Dulles via Munich. The United app showed me the tracking on my bag from the time I checked it in with Air Dolomiti until it arrived in DC. I had just an 85 minute connection in Munich and I could see that my bag was loaded on the plane before I even got to the departure gate in Munich. I do try to choose the ”good” airports for connections (e.g., Munich or Zurich).

I will add to my response above though, as I had not thought of it, when we fly within Europe, usually direct flights, we nearly always check bags. In that case, it is just to avoid the much tighter (and enforced) carry on limits.

It costs a little more, but well worth avoiding the stress and questions around "am I OK or not?" The total cost for the flight is still a bargain, and the whole flight process is just so much easier.

I only fly direct, nonstop flights. I check my bag when returning home; that’s it.

The stress of worrying whether the airline or airport will lose my bag is not worth the worry on the beginning of a trip. On the way home, it doesn’t matter. I can wait for the airline to deliver the bag to my apartment building.

”Are those who never check maybe more apt to have other travel fears that motivate them to go places and do things whilst traveling? And is the converse true? Do check bag people have a more relaxed attitude during their travels?”

There’s a lot of holes in this theory & correlation. I’ll just say, “Which group feels the need to be purchasing Air Tags?” ; )

My preference is to carry on.

Fears? No.

I just detest the check-in lines at the airport.

With carry on and a boarding pass on my phone, I just enter the airport and walk to the gate.

But if the trip requires so much stuff that I have to check a bag, I dont cry about that either.

I am not an ideologue, just lazy (and a little cheap).

Always check, I detest carrying on more than essentials needed on the plane like meds, trip documents, something to hold my phone, wallet, and passport, etc during the air travel portion of the trip. In nearly 50 years of air travel, no airline has ever lost a bag, did have one bag show up one day late on the return home about 20 years ago, a domestic flight (which is no big deal, not as much of a nuisance as a delayed bag at the start of a trip)...knock on wood, I like to be as "hands free" as possible when flying.

We got back from Europe last night, and this is the first trip in years I did not bother with a neck wallet. I bought some travel trousers that have deep pockets and secure zippers, and I felt very confident wearing them...from Scott E-vest (not sure the exact name, but I am sure most of you are at least familiar with their products).

To each his own, I marvel at the people I saw struggling in airports this trip with carry on bags that that they can't manage by themselves, can't lift to put in overhead bins, and the really heavy backpacks some wear...in my late 60s now, I can't take the shoulder pain of backpacks - especially heavy and overloaded ones - anymore...looking for a small roller bag of some sort as my only carryon going forward, suggestions appreciated.

marvel at the people I saw struggling in airports this trip with
carry on bags that that they can't manage by themselves, can't lift to
put in overhead bins, and the really heavy backpacks some wear

Dont even get me started on that. With a few exceptions the limit is 8kg. Dont break the rules.

Backpacks are for the outdoors not for airplanes or shops. I am sick and tired of being hit by the dang things. If you want one, great, take it off when inside or any place crowded .... or at least never turn around.

I did a quick google search and found these unverified numbers.

.6% of luggage is actually lost according to one source. 3% according to another. However, 85% (from another source) of initially reported lost luggage is actually just delayed luggage.

Let's do some suspect math!

85%/15% = 5 2/3rd. Multiple that by .6% and you get 3.4% delayed or lost. Or multiple that by 3% and you get 17% delayed or lost. In any case, I know lots of folks who've had delayed luggage so I could believe either the 3.4% or the 17% figure.

I rarely check luggage myself. My propensity to check it increases for longer trips (greater than two weeks) and decreases with tight and/or multiple connections.

I've gone on 4 month trips with just carry-on bags. I found that liberating, I daresay!

Happy travels.!

KD - a possible reason that your Air tags are not providing "correct" location information is that Air Tags function off nearby iPhones. I think that an Air tag must be within a certain range of an iPhone that is turned on to data to provide the owner with location information.

My question for Lola or Carol or anyone with British Airways knowledge... I will be going to London, round trip, direct flights... Chicago to Heathrow and back to ORD on British Airlines. I prefer to fly with no checked luggage, just a small rollaboard and a tote bag, although my ticket allows for one piece of checked luggage. I have looked at the size and weight limits for carry-on and personal item on the BA web page.
I recently returned from Paris on Air France. I had planned to put my small rollaboard in the overhead bin and my tote under the seat at my feet as I had done on the flight from Chicago to Paris. Unfortunately Air France weighed my rollaboard with my tote together at CDG in Paris and together they were over 26 pounds so I was required to check the 20" rollaboard. I cannot find on the British Air web page if there is a combined weight limit for a roll aboard and tote. If there is, I will consider taking my 26" spinner and checking it rather than taking my 20" rollaboard. I like placing my tote over the rollaboard handle so I don't have to cary it on my shoulder.

@pj - The BA limit is 23kg (about 50 lbs). The Air France limit is only 12kg. See here:
https://www.britishairways.com/en-us/information/baggage-essentials

On my BA flight a couple of weeks ago, a number of people were required to check their rollaboards because the flight was full. It was a flight within Europe and a smaller plane.

Based on the adjunct trips this year and in 2023 of 1 to 3 weeks, I see doing the carry-on option only has certain advantages, such as getting off and on trains, esp. the ICE, weaving through crowds in packed train stations, going through check-in to get the paper re :
boarding pass, which obviously goes into a secure pocket.

Whether someone does carry on or checks a bag is personal preference. There are pluses and minuses to both types of travel.

The same goes for moneybelts. Some like them, some don't. And then there are the different types of moneybelts to choose from or not.

Just like where you go, how you travel, where you stay, where and what you eat are all personal choice.

And just because one person prefers one thing doesn't mean another person who prefers something else is wrong.

Thank you Laura for the BA link. I had read that information regarding the 50 pound weight limit for a personal item or for a carryon/rollaboard. I thought I might be misinterpreting it. My first time to England! I plan to take my small spinner and a tote bag and hope I am not required to check it, although my ticket allows for a checked piece... direct flights Chicago to & return from Heathrow. I cannot imagine how either my little rollaboard or my tote could possibly weigh over 15 pounds each, so a 50 pound restriction is generous. That's 100 pounds combined. I could never lift 50 pounds into an overhead bin. Yikes!

In case anyone read my post about my brother's bag, I was mistaken a bit. The bag never even got to him in Spain, it sat in Dallas for 3 weeks and then they sent it to Madrid, even though he was home by that time. Then it came back to Dallas and then finally Denver. It was "lost" for 38 days. Then American called him and asked if he wanted to come get it. You can imagine what that reply was. The bag had an AirTag in it, and he kept telling American exactly where it was in the Dallas airport, yet for 3 weeks nobody would go get it.

Then this past week my husband had to check a bag because of his work stuff that is not allowed in carryon. At some point on the return trip the baggage handlers broke the handle. Not the one for rolling the bag, but the one you pick it up with. One end is just completely unattached now. Of course it is his favorite bag, so I am going to see if I can hunt down a luggage repair place.

I only take direct flights & never check luggage at the beginning of a trip; I don’t want to take that risk of my luggage being lost. On the way home, if I feel like checking a bag, I will. If the airline or airport loses my bag, I can wait until they drop off the bag at my apartment building.

We are new converts to Team Checked Bags. We usually have a connecting flight. Although Portland has a direct flight to Amsterdam. Delta/KLM fly it & Delta is not afraid to put a premium on that flight. We have been saying no to connecting flights & just staying in a connecting city for a few days. (we are retired) It has been working well. By staying in the middle cities we see a little new stuff and we are much more relaxed. Flying back from AMS last month I got the SSSS mark of the Beast on by boarding pass. I had to take everything out of my carry-on backpack. If I had my checked bag that would have been a nightmare putting it back together. The agent remarked why do you only have 1 shoe in your carry-on? Because it didn't fit in my checked bag!

Please avoid clicking on the blind link in the post above mine until the Webmaster is back on Monday and can check it out.

When your European travels frequently involve sports equipment (skis or a bicycle) you're checking, no matter what.

Sure, there are courier options (e.g. ShipSkis or BikeFlights) but I'm fine taking my equipment as checked luggage. I have AirTags either in the bag (skis) or on the equipment (bike) and tracking their progress is really simple. Even with tight connections things tend to move well from my recent experiences with Delta, United, British Airways, KLM, and Air France.

And as most of my destinations haven't been direct flights it's not like I have the easy option not to check - c'est la merde.

That said: if I'm going someplace where I'll be renting the skis or a bike (e.g. on a shorter trip) I'll carry everything with me. And my ski boots, bike shoes, and helmet are always carry-on without exception. Especially with my ski boots, the amount of custom fit work that's gone into them means they are tough to replace in the field.