- Know luggage restrictions of different airlines
- Go for a lightweight travel bag
- Select a compact travel bag
- Pick a bag with wheels and telescope handle
- Select a unique colour or personalise your travel bag
- Place quality over pricing
1. Know luggage restrictions of different airlines
If you need a new cabin bag, it would be wise to know the restrictions airlines have for these. To save you a whole lot of time, we have here a snapshot of hand baggage allowances.
Take a look:
Domestic airlines:
| Airline | Type of baggage | Dimension (cm) | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jet Airways | 1 cabin bag | 55 x 35 x 25 | 7 |
| Indigo Airlines | 1 cabin bag | 56 x 35 x 25 | 7 |
| GoAir | 1 cabin bag | 57 x 35 x 25 | 7 |
| Spice Jet | 1 cabin bag | overall dimensions of 115cm* | 7 |
| Air India | 1 cabin bag | 57 x 35 x 25 | 8 |
*115cm on Boeing flights and 108cm on Bombardier flights
International airlines:
| Airline | Dimension (cm) | Weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|
| Air India | 55 x 35 x 25 | 8 |
| Emirates | 55 x 38 x 20 | 7 |
| Thai Airlines | 56 x 45 x 25 | 7 |
| Jet Airways | 55 x 35 x 25 | 7 |
| Singapore Airlines | Overall dimensions of 115cm | 7 |
| Lufthansa | 55 x 40 x 23 | 8 |
| Malaysia Airlines | 56 x 36 x 23 | 7 |
| Cathay Pacific | 56 x 36 x 23 | 7 |
| British Airways | 40 x 30 x 15 | 23* |
| Air France | 55 x 35 x 25 | 12 |
| KLM Royal Dutch | 55 x 35 x 25 | 12 |
| Etihad | 40 x 50 x 25 | 7 |
| Turkish Airlines | 23 x 40 x 55 | 8 |
| Virgin Atlantic | 23 x 36 x 56 | 10 |
| Spice Jet | Overall dimensions of 115cm | 7** |
| Air Asia | 56 x 36 x 23 | 7 |
*The size of the additional cabin bag should be no larger than 56 x 45 x 25 (c). Both bags can weigh up to 23kg each.**115cm on Boeing flights and 108cm on Bombardier flights.
Read more: Your ‘Super Checklist’ for travel
2. Go for a lightweight travel bag
Paying for extra baggage on an airport can dampen your trip excitement. So, if you have a travel bag that is heavy even when empty, you are at loss. While buying a travel bag, make sure it doesn’t weigh over 3kg to save yourself enough opportunity to stuff it!You have an option to select from a hard shell or a soft shell suitcase. You are recommended to buy a hard case suitcase if you generally travel with fragile items and at places with low security or high rainfall. However, these are not expandable as the soft shell ones, lack outside pockets and can break or scratch faster than the soft shell ones.
3. Select a compact travel bag
While the designer travel bag you have been eyeing for a while now is fabulous to look at, you need to evaluate how functional and practical it is. Your travel bag must fit into any airplane’s cabin, any car’s boot and any hotel/hostel room with ease. So, buying a compact travel bag is the way to go. To save space further, you could opt for a collapsible suitcase.
4. Pick a bag with wheels and telescope handle
Who likes carrying their travel bag when there is an option to pull them along? Airport walks can be long and tiring and so, if your bag has wheels and a comfortable handle, you will be grateful. When it comes to handles, make sure you select a travel bag with a completely retractable handle that allows you to adjust its length according to your height. Generally four-wheel suitcases are more comfortable to use, thanks to their ability to ploy through cramped spaces with ease. However, they can exceed the general length of suitcases due to the external wheels. So, make sure you check the length of a four-wheeled travel bag before buying it.
Read more: Cabin luggage: Guide to hand baggage restrictions for Indians
5. Select a unique colour or personalise your travel bag
Remember how you had a real tough time spotting your black suitcase among many other black ones at the baggage carousel on your last trip? To save time, it is advisable to buy a travel bag that is unique. How about a funky purple bag? If you don’t want to experiment with colours, the easier option is to add a travel tag or a bright coloured ribbon to you bag handle, making it easier for you to spot it even from far off.
6. Place quality over pricing
Of course, the price of the travel bag you are considering is a huge deciding factor, but let it not be the most important factor. Remember that your travel luggage is a long-term investment so you better select it thoughtfully. It needs to be durable and that will not come at a low cost. Instead of focusing on getting the lowest price, make sure you focus on getting the most value for your money. Going for a branded suitcase is ideally the right way to go as they generally come with a warranty. If you don’t want to spend a fortune, wait for it to go on sale.
So, now that you know how to go about selecting the right travel bag, why not go ahead and take that trip you have been long dreaming of? Book your flights, hotel or rent a car with Skyscanner today. You can do all of these on our mobile app too.
