How to choose a suitcase size for your trip
Laundry, weather, how often you move and any special gear decide the bag size more than the number of nights. A rough guide by trip and a quick test pack.
Most people pick a suitcase size by habit: the big one for a holiday, the small one for a weekend. That works until the big one comes home half empty, or the small one will not close on the last morning. A few questions about the trip itself give a better answer than the number of nights alone.
Four questions before you choose
Can you do laundry?
If you can wash clothes once during the trip, a week and two weeks need roughly the same amount. You pack for four or five days and repeat. Without laundry, clothes scale with the nights and the bag grows quickly.
How bulky is the weather?
Summer clothes fold small. A winter coat, a fleece and boots can fill a cabin case on their own. For cold trips, wear the bulkiest layers on the journey and size the bag for what is left.
How will you move between places?
A trip with several hotels, trains or ferries rewards a smaller bag. A single stay reached by car or taxi can take a larger one, because you only lift it twice.
Do you need special gear?
Ski boots, a wetsuit, work equipment or formal wear change the maths. Pack those first and see how much room is left.
A rough guide by trip
These are starting points. Cabin size limits vary by airline and fare, so check yours before you buy or book.
- Weekend or two to three nights: a cabin-size case or a 30 to 40 litre backpack
- Four to seven nights with laundry: still a cabin case for many people, or a medium case for cold weather
- One to two weeks without laundry, or with bulky clothes: a medium checked case
- Long trips, families sharing one case, or sports gear: a large checked case
Do a test pack
Lay out everything on the bed a few days before you leave, then pack it into the smaller of the two bags you are considering. If it closes without a fight and leaves a little room, take that one. If it does not, take items out before you move up a size. Most bags that come home half empty were filled with things that never left the room.
Weight matters too
Checked bags have weight limits as well as size limits, and a large case can go over the limit with heavy items long before it is full. A cheap luggage scale saves a repack at the check-in desk.
Where to go next
For a short city trip, our list for a city weekend bag shows how much fits in a cabin case. PackPoint drafts a list from your trip length, forecast and activities, which is a quick way to see how much you will need before choosing a bag.
