size of carry on luggage? how strict are they?

[strat62]

i'd like to do the carry on thing next trip and was wondering how picky they are about size? after some searching around seems like 45 linear inches is the common number for most airlines? i was going to buy a new carry on but got out the ruler and measured my usual bag that i take and it is 24x16x8=48" seems like i remember thinking on previous trips "that's a pretty big bag" he/she had. has anybody had experience with this? should i spring for a new bag or just go for it and hope for the best?

[scoob]

They were not too picky this year, of course we had our bording passes printed ahead of time.
The first person to see us was the gate attendant and she was too busy scanning to care about size.
If it's too big to fit in carry-on,you can gate check it and save the $25 .
worked for us this year..
Scoob

[loria]

i'd say scoob's on the mark, however, if you are with an airline like spirit or something they will scrutinize EVERY LAST ASPECT of that bag. -- also if you are boarding late-(in my experience) you are more likely to get dinged with a ''largish' bag. then it also depends upon the equipment they use for the route!-- my husband flies a lot and the bin sizes in certain planes will fit bag A while the bin sizes in (usually international or CC flights) will fit (larger) bag b.... i think in the end it is a crap shoot with a whole bunch of variables going into the mix.....

[Xislandgirl]

The best answer to that question is...it depends.
You may have no problem at all but you could have problems if...
The flight is full
The plane is small
You are in the last boarding group
The flight attendants are cranky
Everyone on your flight has an oversized bag
Mercury is in retrograde

Honestly, If you bag is over the allowed size, then get another bag or check your luggage. I travel carry on only with 2 small bags and I wil be honest that it makes me a little angry when someone has an oversized bag that takes up a ton of overhead space and I get stuck having to gate check it because of it.

[strat62]

The best answer to that question is...it depends.
You may have no problem at all but you could have problems if...
The flight is full
The plane is small
You are in the last boarding group
The flight attendants are cranky
Everyone on your flight has an oversized bag
Mercury is in retrograde

Honestly, If you bag is over the allowed size, then get another bag or check your luggage. I travel carry on only with 2 small bags and I wil be honest that it makes me a little angry when someone has an oversized bag that takes up a ton of overhead space and I get stuck having to gate check it because of it.

fair enough. we don't fly very often so it's hard for me to get a sense of what's a big deal or not. thanks for the input and does anyone have a good carry on that they would recommend...?

[Margy Z]

I recently replaced our roll-a-boards with Lipault luggage. We got the Montmarte which is the 22" with spinner wheels. It's rugged and easy to clean and extremely lightweight. It does not have a hard frame so you can get a lot more into it. So far, so good, and I love the padded handles.

[CBama]

the website of your airline should have the dimensions of their carryon requirements....

Delta 22X14X9

[ToonMann]

We travel on American, and the limit is 62 inches, when the item is measured width + length + depth.

I bring a box that adds up to exactly that dimension (24+20+18) and have never had a problem with checking it.

TM

[momto3boys]

We have identical carryon sized luggage that we have used for years with no problems. On our conncecting flight from Charlotte to home an attendant for USAir threw a big fit over it. We were in the first group to board after Military and premium members. First she argued with Chuck over his bag, he won that one and then she fought with me. We lost that one.
What made it is worse is that at least 6 other people with the exact luggage boarded with no problem (one right behind us)and at least 4 to 5 other passengers had much larger bags. As well as the overhead compartments being larger than any of the other planes we were on for the trip with plenty of room leftover after all passengers were boarded. It was stupid.

I think it really depends on the mood of the attendant.

Wish Southwest flew to St.Thomas.

[PA Girl]

In febraury we had a multi leg journey down and back from stt. On each leg the flight attendents were nuts about carry ons. This was our second trip where they were super nutz about carry ons. We weee trying for a summer trip and ran into sold out flights so i would think the restrictikns would be just as bad

[liamsaunt]

I had a similar experience. To PAGirls last summer on American. I loaned my sister a legal sized carry on that was identical to mine in every way (part of a matched set). I went through fine but the attendant insisted on gate checking my sister's bag. And we were some of the first people to board since we were in the priority AAcess line! We just let her take it, but it was really strange. The flight was sold out and also a little late so the attendants seemed harried, it was not worth arguing over since we had other checked bags anyway. I put everything I absolutely won't part with in a backpack that fits under the seat.