Travel luggage tips from a professional pilot [View all]

I thought I'd post a few tips for efficiently traveling from a frequent traveler. I'm a business aviation pilot and while sometimes I get lucky enough to fly a trip that leaves and arrives locally, most of the time I'm on the airlines traveling to and from planes.

Try to avoid checking your luggage.

Checked luggage means spending more time in the airport checking bags and retrieving them and a greater chance of your bags not following you. Personally I never check bags and I can live indefinitely out of a carry on size bag. I don't need a change of clothes for every day of my trip. Many hotels have laundry facilities on-site or within walking distance. In a pinch I do like the Europeans do and wash my underwear and socks in the sink. Packing light also means not having to lug around as much crap everywhere you go. It really frees you up and makes the whole traveling experience better.

Most airlines allow you to take two carry on bag which generally means a 22 x 14 x 9 inches size bag and a smaller "personal item" no larger than 18 x 14 x 8 inches. (some airlines have different rules). A 22" bag and a backpack generally meet those requirements.

Now the caveat here is you don't always have overhead bin space and have to check your bag anyway. In my case I'm high enough up in the food chain so I'm usually boarding before this happens. Some airlines have options to board sooner for a fee and some have tricks you can use to board sooner for free. For instance with American Airlines simply joining their frequent traveler program moves you up to group 6 from 9 and pretty much insures you'll find bin space. As you walk back to your seat, start scoping the bin space near your row. If it's filling up, stow yours in a bin before you get to your seat and remember what row you used.

If you travel regularly, invest in a good bag(s).

A cheap bag works fine if you only travel once or twice per year. If you travel frequently, a cheap bag wears out pretty quickly and you suffer the convenience and usability a better one offers. Better bags roll better, don't wear out as quickly, and have storage options which make your life better if you are traveling often.

I use a 22" bag which is size legal as a carry on for airline use. I see people using larger 24" bags and usually you get away with it, but sometimes you don't.

Spinner vs Roller

The spinner has the advantage of rolling in tighter spaces like down a tight aisle in coach. The disadvantage is you give up about 2" of bag space. Since I value every square inch of bag space, I go with a roller.

The bag I use is this one. I had an older TravelPro bag I used for many years and recently replaced it. This bag is heavier than most consumer grade 22" bags, but not by that much. At $200 it's not cheap, but it's also not the most expensive one out there. More expensive crew bags have metal or hard plastic shells, but they are heavier and I'm not a big fan of them. If you expand this bag it doesn't meet most airline requirements. They don't usually check, but sometimes they make you stick it in the size checker and if it doesn't fit you get it checked. If you are looking for a good carry on, I suggest this bag. It's the one quite a few aircrew folks use so it's made to last under heavy use while most consumer bags will not. Travelpro also has a consumer line and I don't know how they compare. For normal infrequent use or even frequent vacation travel, this bag should last you a lifetime. So if you can justify the cost, this is the one to get. One of the great things about this bag is you can get replacement parts should anything wear out. Wheels are generally the first thing to go.

I also use a Swissgear backpack. Into this I pack all my pilot gear, one change of clothes, and my toiletries. If I'm just doing an overnight trip, that's all I take. Even if I have to check my 22" bag, the backpack can always go under the seat so it never leaves me. Again this may be a more expensive backpack than most people need, but if you travel frequently it's well worth it. Naturally it offers more utility than just airline travel as well. FWIW, I see more aircrew using Swissgear backpacks more than any other.