The Importance of Knowing Bag Dimensions Before You Fly

Picture this: The night before you leave for an important trip, you pack your bag to your exacting business-traveler standards. Your clothes are rolled, your shoes neatly line the bottom of the bag, you’ve layered everything just so.
You arrive at the airport prepared to breeze through security, your zip-top bag filled with 3-ounce everything already in hand, when you’re stopped by an eagle-eyed agent who says your bag’s too big.
She points you toward that dreaded metal rack, and you hold your breath as you try to slide your bag neatly into place…and it gets stuck.
The agent looks at you and utters the five worst words imaginable: “You’ll have to check that.”
With today’s sky-high baggage fees and all the other hassles and concerns associated with flying, it’s important to be able to control as many factors as possible. One of those is knowing exactly how large your luggage can be for whatever flight you’ll be on and wherever your destination may be.
It doesn’t have to be a guessing game! Depending on the size of your plane and the type of flight, you can always know with some certainty how large or small your bag needs to be before you travel.
Your best source is the airlines’ websites. Carriers are eager to help savvy travelers and offer a wealth of information online, including the maximum size and weight allowances for carry-on baggage, plus size and weight limitations for checked baggage — and any fees associated with doing so.
The TSA can also be a helpful resource for general baggage guidelines.
The key to preserving your sanity when traveling is preparing as much beforehand as possible. Don’t allow what you don’t know to trip you up when you’ve got places to go and people to see!
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