I fly about 100,000 miles a year and I never, ever — OK, unless it’s a ski trip — check a bag. Not for a two-week summer trip to Europe, not for my around-the-world trip. The extra time you spend waiting for checked bags and the risk of getting separated from your things just don’t make it worth the trade-off in my opinion.
Here’s how I avoid checking a bag on virtually every trip.
First, get the biggest carry-on the airlines you fly will allow. Since I mostly fly domestically, that’s the Away Bigger Carry-On. I adore this bag, and it holds more than you’d think.
Next, use packing cubes. I’m not a fan of gadgets and gizmos, but packing cubes are lifesavers, I promise. Also, when used strategically, they can be part of a bedbug avoidance strategy, as you can heat them in the dryer to kill any bugs, and it makes it easier not to bring your luggage inside your house.
You can’t travel with everything you own in a carry-on, but using our best tips for packing in a carry-on, you can bring a lot. Bulky items like extra jackets and multiple pairs of shoes are the enemies of the carry-on, so go light on those. Also: I like to roll my clothes, not fold them.
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