Cabin luggage: how to choose it

Every time I have to travel by plane, I always wonder about my suitcase. Because the airlines’ policies are changing fast, especially regarding the cabin luggage. It is generally a matter of weight and size. For a long trip, I put just a few things in my cabin luggage, but for two or three days I use only that type of luggage. Anyway, it is not so hard to respect the weight rules. More difficult is the size policy.

In fact, every company tries to reduce the space available for each passenger and for each cabin luggage, to make more profit. In the other hand, they also answer to the increased risk to have passengers full of luggage. Anyway, the rules are rules and we all need to respect them. How to deal with the requirements and our own criteria? I am going to help you to select the best hand luggage.

Cabin luggage: how to pick the best one

Traveling from Italy to Eastern European countries means use mainly low-cost airline companies. Because they are unique to offer direct connections. This takes me to face more restrictions about the cabin luggage. It happens also that during boarding they say: “Dear passengers, we are sorry, but there is no more space for hand luggage, give it to the staff and they will put it in the aircraft hold”.

So I need a small, but a strong suitcase. These are not the only features I search for cabin luggage. Let’s see together how I select the best hand luggage to travel. You can use the tips for any type of journey and airline. Your suitcase will never get refuse for the size and its features. Of course, you have to pay attention to weight.

Cabin luggage: restrictions and needs

It is hard to list all the rules and the requirements coming from airlines, but the most popular cabin luggage size is 22 inches x 14 inches x 9 inches (55cm x 35.5cm x 23cm). Are you thinking to use a backpack? The size problem is the same and then you need to carry it on your back. Is it comfortable? Maybe it is better a rolling carry on luggage.

Another important thing concerns your travel goal. Why? Because according to your trip you may need a different type of bag. If you are staying in a city you will easily move with a trolley and most of the time it will be in your room. If you are traveling around a country and maybe in some remote areas, you will need something easy to carry on. This aspect is important to choose your cabin luggage.

Best carry on suitcases

A backpack has a big disadvantage: you have to put all the weight on your back. That’s why it is always better to prefer a carry on suitcase. What should you check before to buy your cabin luggage? Wheeled suitcases are the most popular. They are a good option because they have a rectangular shape and this means to get the most out of every cubic inch allowed.

It is easy to put clothes and our items inside, keeping them in order. More than in a backpack. The items inside remain well organized during all trip. Also, the laptop can find space with clothes and other objects inside the carry on suitcase without risk damages. There are, anyway, some disadvantages of this type of cabin luggage. One hand is always occupied with the suitcase. Then the wheels don’t help the passenger on the stairs and along cobbled streets, both of them well spread in all Europe.

What to check in a cabin luggage

Following the recommendation of the airline company, it shouldn’t be hard to find the proper size. They indicate usually height x width x depth. Anyway, they can be different for each airline, so be careful during the choice. Keep also in mind that in the size it is considered everything, including the wheels and the handle. So pay attention to measuring your cabin luggage.

Once you checked properly the size, focus on the comfort. The handle is important because you will keep your hand on the suitcase for all the movements. If the handle is too short you will go around folded and this is not healthy. Pay attention to the wheels, be sure they don’t seem too cheap or flimsy. Then you can have two or four wheels. But solutions can be useful, just consider all of them checking the size.

Suggested cabin luggage

According to my experience as a traveler, I can give you some tips. I have at home different cabin luggage in order to be ready for any occasion. What I want is to respect the size required by the airline, to have comfort in the usage, lightweight and space. Also, I like the resistant suitcases. These are the features I look for when I buy luggage. I found a very good brand that offers quality and good prices. Let me give some advice on the best suitcases you can purchase to travel. All of them are designed as cabin luggage, according to the various companies’ rules. 

The hard-shell carry on luggage is surely a great choice to keep order inside and protect all that you put inside. Of course, also the design can be considered in the end. On AliExpress I found many solutions proposed by great brands. There is a very good collection.

Spinner

This suitcase offers three versions: 20/24/28 inch. It is rolling luggage with Spinner wheels. The ABS+PC Women travel suitcase is good also for men as a cabin carry-on trolley box luggage. 

Features:

Material:  ABS+PC

Spinner Children

A cute cartoon student rolling luggage. The Spinner children butterfly trolley suitcase has wheels and it is ideal for kids to carry on travel bag. Its version is for women.

Features:

Material:     PC+ABS

Sipnner wheel

Travel Rolling luggage with Sipnner wheel, made of ABS+PC. This women suitcase on wheels has a version for men. The cabin carry-on trolley box luggage has a size of 20/28 inch.

Features:

Material:  ABS+PC

Waterproof Luggage Bag

ABS+PC Suitcase on wheels

Different sizes are available: 20/24/26/28 inch. Made of ABS+PC, this suitcase on wheels is very well designed to keep things ordered inside.

Features: 

Material:  ABS+PC

Oxford Rolling Luggage Spinner men

This is a high-quality waterproof Oxford rolling luggage spinner. The design is made for businessmen who want to be always elegant and travel light. It has a very good capacity.

Features:

• Item Length: 34-45cm
• Item Weight: 4-6kg
• Gender: Unisex
• Luggage Type: Rolling Luggage
• Have Drawbars: Yes
• Caster: Spinner
• Item Width: 23-32cm
• Main Material: Oxford
• Item Height: 53-78cm
• With Lock: Yes
• Brand Name: Travel belt
• 20 inch size : 58*24*37cm
• 22 inch size: 62*26*39cm
• 24 inch size : 67*28*41cm
• 26 inch size: 72*30*42cm
• 28 inch size: 78*32*45cm

Unisex Multifunction PU Travel Bag

This is a unisex multifunction PU travel bag and cabin luggage. It has a great style for a woman interested in fashion and elegance.

Features:

• Main Material: PU
• Have Drawbars: No
• Style: Fashion
• Closure Type: Zipper
• Pattern Type: Solid
• Travel Bag: Travel Duffle
• Hardness: Soft
• Item Height: 29cm
• Item Length: 51cm
• Item Weight: 0.99kg
• Item Width: 28cm
• Material Composition: PU
• Occasion: Versatile
• color: black/red
• capacity: big/small
• fit for: travel/sport
• on the way: hand/shoulder/crossbody

Waterproof canvas men women big bag

This luggage is waterproof and unisex. So it is possible to use it in any situation, also the adventurous ones. It keeps safe all the content.

Features:

• Main Material: Nylon
• Item Height: 34cm
• Hardness: Soft
• Have Drawbars: No
• Closure Type: Zipper
• Occasion: Versatile
• Item Width: 23cm
• Item Length: 53cm
• Travel Bag: Travel Duffle
• Style: Fashion
• Material Composition: 80%
• Pattern Type: Solid
• Item Weight: 0.65kg
• Travel bags hand luggage: Business Casual

Business boarding business trip Rolling Luggage

A boarding business trip rolling luggage with a size of 20 inches. It is usable by men and women. Very well designed the space for the laptop.

Features:

• Main Material: PC
• Item Weight: 2.8-4kg
• Gender: Unisex
• Luggage Type: Rolling Luggage
• Have Drawbars: Yes
• Caster: Spinner
• Item Width: 21-26cm
• Item Height: 49-61cm
• Item Length: 35-43cm
• With Lock: Yes
• 20 inch size: 49*35*21cm
• 24inch size: 61*43*26cm
• 18inch size: 41*22*46cm

Men Multifunction Travel Bag

This suitcase is a 35L man multifunction travel bag. Ideal for any trip because it counts on a large capacity and an elegant style with gray and black colors.

Features:

• Main Material: Polyester
• Have Drawbars: No
• Style: Casual
• Closure Type: Zipper
• Pattern Type: Letter
• Travel Bag: Travel Duffle
• Hardness: Soft
• Item Height: 52cm
• Item Length: 29cm
• Item Weight: 1.2kg
• Item Width: 22cm
• Material Composition: polyester
• Occasion: Versatile
• color: gray/black
• capacity: large capacity
• weight: portability
• fit for: travel bag/school bag/business bag/weekends bag
• on way: shoulder bag/handbags/crossbody bag/backpack
• style 1: bag travel/duffel bag/travel bags/luggage bag
• style 2: wholesale
• style 3: fashion/leisure

Last considerations

Measure your cabin luggage

It is very important to take into consideration when you choose your cabin luggage, as I mentioned, that the airlines include the wheels when measuring suitcases. Every time, before to make your purchase, make sure the description of the suitcase indicates if the measurements include the wheels. In case they are not part of the size indicated, it is better don’t buy. Why? Because surely they won’t be accepted at the boarding, they exceed the measures required by the company. For example, if you have 22-inch carry-on luggage with wheels not included, it’ll be too big for an airline that allows 22 x 14 x 9-inch bags.

Cabin luggage weight

Another element of the airline company policy concerns the weight of the cabin luggage. There is a specific limit. It is not only a matter of what you put inside but especially of the empty bag. More weight has the suitcase and fewer things you can put inside. So choose quality and resistance for your cabin luggage, but prefer the lightweight.

International journey

The policy for a domestic flight doesn’t change compared to the international one. So when you buy the cabin luggage you need just to check the airline requirements. If you will use the suitcase for more trips with different companies, I suggest you verify online the various airline companies. It is necessary a bit of time, but you will have the data you need for your purchase.

Laptop compartments in the cabin luggage

Traveling for work reasons I am used to having always with me my laptop. That’s why buying cabin luggage I searched for the laptop compartment. I can easily insert the computer inside and keep it safe during the whole travel. It is protected in case the suitcase gets knocked.

I hope this post can help you in finding the best cabin luggage. The next step is to pack, get my tips with a complete list of what you may need during your journey.

Shopping tips

This post has the goal to share my personal traveler’s experience to give you some advice. Here you have all my tips about the suitcase. If you want more shopping suggests, you can check out the dedicated section on my blog. You will find more ideas. Then subscribe to my newsletter, you will get weekly in your inbox some updates and extra contents.

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