Do you check your bag?

The age old question in air travel: Should I check my suitcase, or should I just carry it on board. There are a few things that make the answer easy. Are you bringing liquids larger than 3.4 ounces such as full bottles of shampoo or mouthwash? Then you are checking your bag. (Make sure everything is sealed and does not leak if slightly mishandled.) Are you rushing off the flight to get to a meeting? Then don’t check your bag. Are you bringing multiple suitcases? Then you need to check some of them. There are situations that clearly define the best choice but when either is a good option, what will you do?

The most important thing to ask yourself is, will the bag fit in the overhead bin. Please do not bring a big bag to the plane and then take up someone else’s overhead bin space in order to lie your bag down sideways. Most importantly, do not get angry at the flight attendants when your bag does not fit because it is too big. That is your fault for not checking it, not theirs. Just make sure to use a carry-on sized suitcase and everything will fit perfectly. Personally, I would recommend the Away Bigger Carry-On, which in my opinion, in the best suitcase on the market. If you use the link below, you will get $20 off your first purchase.

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The second question you need to ask yourself is whether or not you have to pay for checked bags. If you have elite status with an airline, then most of the time you can bring your bag for free. Make sure you know what is included before you fly. Just by holding some airline’s co-branded credit cards can give you a free checked bag. For example, if you have the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard, then you get your first bag checked for free for you and up to four companions on the same reservation.

If you have free checked bags, you might be more inclined to check your bag. This will prevent you from having to carry your bag through security, to the gate and into the overhead bin. If you don’t want to think about your bag during your airport experience, then make life easy and just check it. 

If you have to pay for your bag, then is it worth the price? You could use your airline incidental fee credit from the American Express Platinum card, but is your credit better spent elsewhere? If the money is worth the convenience then by all means check the bag. I however, would not check the bag without it being free. It is just not worth it with some flights costing around $60 for one checked bag. I would much rather just walk right to security and avoid the check in area all together. Sometimes you do not get a free carry on or a free checked bag. United uses this policy with basic economy tickets as well as many ultra low cost carriers. If you have to pay to bring a bag with you either way, I would generally say check it. Just make sure that you do not show up to the gate with a carry-on after not having paid for it. Then you would be forced into paying an astronomically high price for your bag.

Overall,

I just try to keep it as simple as possible. For me, that means that I will almost always check my bag on connecting itineraries or long haul itineraries. I get free bags when I fly American due to my dad’s status, and Southwest due to their two free bag policy. I almost always carry on my bag on non-stop domestic itineraries. It is just easier on the short and simple routing to have my bag ready to walk straight to the curb and get into an Uber. As always, your mileage may very, so do whatever is best for you in your own situation.