Carry-on vs checked bag: what’s the best way to travel?

Both carry-on and checked baggage have their benefits and pitfalls and will likely be influenced by the type of trip you’re taking. Here I lay out the difference between a carry-on and a checked bag, and the advantages and disadvantages of traveling with each. First though, full disclosure: I’m firmly in the carry-on camp.

1. What is the difference between carry-on and checked bags?
2. How do I know if I need a carry-on or checked luggage?
3. Checked bag or carry-on, which should I take?

1. What is the difference between carry-on and checked bags?

The choice you make between traveling with a carry-on or checked bag can have a big impact not just on your journey but your trip as a whole.

What is carry-on luggage?

Carry-on luggage is the bag or bags you take on board the plane with you for the flight, stored in the overhead bin. Think of the now ubiquitous roll-aboard case, a duffel bag or a backpack and you’re on the right track.

Airlines dictate what size and weight your carry-on bag can be, and each has its own rules and regulations in place so you should always check before you fly. You can always try the KAYAK bag measurement tool in the app if you’re not sure how big your bag is.

The TSA also imposes restrictions on what you can take on board, important to be aware of before you pack. For everything you need to know about flying with carry-on luggage including size and weight limits, and airline policies, read my carry-on luggage size and weight guide.

What is checked baggage?

Checked bags go in the cargo hold of the plane and aren’t accessible during your flight. You’ll need to check in your bags at the airport check-in counter before they’re carried to your plane, and you’ll need to collect them in the arrivals area when you land.

While checked bags aren’t subject to as many restrictions as carry-on bags, there are still rules in place around size, weight and what you can pack. You’ll find all that information along with tips to make your flight smoother in my guide to checked baggage rules.

2. How do I know if I need a carry-on or checked luggage?

The eternal travel question! Unless you’re already a hardcore supporter of either methodology, the only logical way to choose between carry-on and checked luggage is to step back, look at your specific trip and decide what you need. It’s a juggling act of convenience versus cost versus capacity.

Where, when and for how long are you traveling? If it’s a long beach weekend in the summer sun, a carry-on should be more than enough. If you’re hitting the slopes for a week of winter sports, a checked bag will give you the room you need for your kit and cold weather clothing. If your trip isn’t quite that simple, there are plenty of other questions to ask yourself that will influence your decision.

How long am I willing to queue for?

Queuing comes as standard with any flight, but your luggage has a material impact on how much time you’ll spend waiting in line.

With checked bags, you’ll need to queue at the check-in desk before security and departure, which in my experience is often the slowest and worst staffed part of the airport. This means arriving earlier and waiting longer. Then at your destination you’ll need to wait for your bag to magically appear on the carousel which can, depending on where you’ve landed, take longer than you’d probably want.

With a carry-on bag those pain points are eliminated, as everything comes with you on the plane. For speed and convenience, carry-on trumps checked every time.

Winner: carry-on bag

Do I prefer to travel light?

This one’s a bit tricky, as both carry-on and checked bags could claim to be better in answer to this question.

Check in your bags and you’re free from the burden of lugging luggage around the airport and onto the plane. Particularly useful if you have to catch a connecting flight. And you can gleefully skip that game of overhead bin roulette as you jostle elbows trying to stow your bag somewhere near your seat.

Opt for carry-on and it’s undoubtedly more effort dragging your bag everywhere around the airport (visiting the restroom can be particularly inconvenient). One reason, then, why roll-aboard cases have become so popular. And now they are, there’s a strong argument to say carry-on is far better for traveling light, because it enforces that lightness on you for your entire trip, not just the journey. It’s all well and good checking your big, heavy bags in at the airport, but that doesn’t help for the journey to and from it.

✈️ Expert tip: If you’re staying at a hotel, you don’t need to pack basic toiletries as they’ll be provided for you. Look for ways to save weight and space and you may not need to check in a bag!

Winner: equal draw

How much do I trust airlines with my checked bags?

Check your bag in and you’re leaving it at the mercy of the airline. We’ve all seen videos of baggage handlers treating checked luggage like footballs and heard stories (or been victims) of delayed and disappearing bags.

The reality is that while the law of averages says your bag will arrive intact most of the time, losses and accidents do happen and all too often. If you’re checking your bag, make sure it’s secure, doesn’t have any valuables in it and that you have insurance. Or take a carry-on (though you should still have insurance)!

✈️ Expert tip: Put an AirTag in each bag you check in so you can track it through the airport and find it more easily should the worst happen and it gets delayed or lost.

Winner: carry-on bag

Do I need things I can’t take in my carry-on bag?

As you know, carry-on comes with more restrictions than checked baggage beyond simple size and weight limits. If you need to take liquids bigger than 3.4 ounces (like perfumes or sunscreen) or are transporting goods the TSA has banned from taking on-board, checking your bags gives you much more flexibility.

Another thing to consider is what you’re doing on your trip. If you’re hitting New York or Paris on a shopping spree, you’re going to need the space to bring back what you’ve bought.

Checking a big bag that’s not full so you can bring it back bursting at the seams can save you money – you just need to plan in advance for it.

✈️ Expert tip: You can always transfer liquids from big bottles into smaller, carry-on approved containers before you fly. Lots of companies sell dedicated containers designed for just this purpose.

Winner: checked bag

How much am I willing to pay for my luggage?

Fly domestically in the US and most of the time you won’t need to pay any extra for carry-on luggage. That can be a different story internationally though, especially if you’re flying with budget carriers in Europe or Asia.

Nowadays, most airlines charge for checked luggage. In fact, in the US Southwestern is the only major airline that lets you check in a free bag (two actually) with an economy ticket. What you pay will depend on a variety of factors: everything from your ticket class to your airline miles and memberships.

KAYAK has a great breakdown of checked bag fees for all major airlines if you want a handy reference point, but even more useful is its Fee Assistant. Search for a flight on KAYAK and in the panel on the left of the results page you’ll see the Fee Assistant. Add any checked or carry-on bags you want to take and the search results will immediately update to include the cost of adding your luggage. It’s a much simpler and safer way to know what you’re paying than trying to work it out yourself and compare against airlines.

Winner: carry-on bag

3. Checked bag or carry-on, which should I take?

Hopefully you should have a pretty clear idea now on the pros and cons of carry-on vs checked bags, and can make a decision based on those factors. It all comes down to those three key ‘C’s’ – capacity, convenience and cost.

For me, there’s no contest and I have no plans to join that check-in queue any time soon.

How was this guide created?

I’ve traveled with a carry-on and checked bags to every continent and every kind of airport, from vast multi-terminal mazes to simple one-room barns.

In that time I’ve had bags lost and found, delayed and damaged (even destroyed in one particularly harrowing incident involving surfboards). I’ve also sprinted through sweltering lounges weighed down by carry-on backpacks and broken wheeled roll-aboard, cursing their weight with every step. I’ve learned a lot, and I’ve learned it the hard way!

Now you’ve got your luggage plans set, you can turn your attention to the flight itself. KAYAK has you covered with some blisteringly useful guides with tips for flying and tips for long flights and, once you’re onboard, ideas for things to do on a plane.

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