Check your bag limits before heading overseas

I typically like to bring only [% 2502561 | | carry-on bags %] whenever I take a trip, and hoped to do so when I flew to Europe last October. My boyfriend and I planned carefully, choosing luggage that was sure to fit within Lufthansa’s carry-on dimensions. We found ourselves thwarted immediately, however, once we got to the check-in desk. The reason? While we had certainly gotten the luggage size right, we hadn’t thought to consider the bags’ weight. Too heavy to be carry-ons, off they went on the conveyor belt.

Don’t assume what’s eligible for a carry-on bag on a domestic airline will be the same for international carriers. If you’re flying internationally in the near future, it’s always a good idea to check with your airline to see what the luggage limits are, both for carry-on and checked bags. To find your airline’s baggage policy, try searching for “baggage” or “luggage” on its website or Google the airline’s name and either of those terms.

I lucked out—while my bags were too heavy to carry on, they were well within the checked-bag limits. Check with your airline to make sure your bags won’t exceed the allowed limit, as otherwise you’ll be left with the unpleasant options of [% 2517846 | | paying a hefty fee %], shipping items home, or leaving some things behind.

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