Ask any frequent traveler their rules for a trip and you’ll likely hear the same advice: Never check a bag. Hand luggage only. But fitting everything you need, especially for a longer stay, into a small suitcase and a bag or backpack requires some ingenuity: The maximum dimensions for luggage that go in most bins are 22 by 14 by 9 inches, and although the most domestic flights don’t have—or at least don’t enforce—weight limits, some international and transpacific flights do (some Delta flights to Asia, for example, have a 22-pound limit, while Hawaiian Airlines’ maximum is 25 pounds ). The payoff, if you get it right: faster airport experiences that don’t involve the risk of lost luggage and, upon arrival, fewer decisions about what to wear. Here, tried and true tips from some experts.
Choose the right luggage
Although some regular travelers swear by soft bags—New York-based stylist Ian Bradley, 38, favors the roomy extra-large LL Bean Adventure Duffel — most are devoted to tough, rolling suitcases. “It’s lighter,” says Hitha Palepu, 39, a New York-based author and entrepreneur who wrote what could be the definitive book on the subject, 2017’s “How to Pack: Travel Smart for Any Trip.” The polycarbonate material used for the hard-shell suitcases, he explains, “is about half the weight of the tough nylon used in the soft-shell suitcases.” These are the rolling bags recommended by our experts:
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A scroll from the German brand Rimowa is often considered the gold standard and many people we spoke to vouched for the durability of the products. “They are more expensive but a worthwhile investment,” says New York-based artist Laila Gohar, 35. (As architect Vincent Van Duysen, 62, fly with the aluminum Cabin model.) For those concerned about weight limits: The brand’s lightest full-size carry-on is the Essential Lite Cabin, weighing in at 4.9kg.
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Palepu he’s a fan of American brand Béis hard suitcases, which are much cheaper than Rimowa’s. “They have the best compression inside the suitcase, a really sturdy build and a padded handle for dragging around the airport,” he says.
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New York-based chef and author Andy Baraghani, 34, who completed a multi-city book tour last year, likes Away Bigger Carry-On: Aluminum Edition because it’s indestructible, he says. “And its glossy finish makes it stand out from the rest of the luggage at the airport.” (Just be sure to check that its above-average dimensions are compatible with your airline’s carry-on size limit.)
Edit your packing list mercilessly
“You can’t have a ‘just in case’ mentality,” says Gohar. “If something is not absolutely necessary, it is not done.” Below, some strategies for identifying the absolute necessities.
Clothes
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“Look for clothes with viscose or Lyocell blends, or silk and wool—these fabrics are more wrinkle-resistant than most,” advises Paleu. He prioritizes “pants that can be worn multiple times before they become unattractively baggy, patterned shirts (prints help hide wrinkles) and matching sets that can be mixed and matched with other pieces.” But its real workhorses are Uniqlo’s men’s button-down shirts — they rarely wrinkle and work with a wide range of outfits.
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Suits are also a great choice because of their versatility. “They can be dressed up with heels for a night out or down during the day with a tank top and sneakers,” says London-based creative director Alex Eagle, 40. Gallerist Mariane Ibrahim, who lives between the City of Mexico, Paris and Chicago, has a similar philosophy: “My bag always includes an evening suit and a day suit, plus a few basic items in black and white (jeans, t-shirts).”
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For Gohar, the key is making a customizable outfit. “If you have a consistent look, you can get away with bringing a coat, a pair of trousers and just changing your shirt every day,” he says. “And I’m not afraid to wash my clothes, or mine children’s, in the hotel sink. I just ask the housewife for unscented soap and then hang them up to dry.”
Care items
It’s easier to buy travel sizes of your favorite products and refill them from larger bottles at home, which eliminates excess waste, says Palepu (alternative, small empty containers can be found at stores like Muji). She also suggests streamlining by finding multi-purpose products: “My EltaMD tinted sunscreen is hydrating enough to be my daytime moisturizer. I use my Le Prunier Oil as a moisturizer and as a finishing oil and to smooth flyaways.’
Flight essentials
Palepu likes to pack a simple crossbody bag with the items he will need between takeoff and landing (lip balm, disinfectant wipes, e-reader), taking it on board into a larger bag and then holds it in her lap as soon as she sits down. Hotelier Philomena Schurer-Merkoll, 40, who divides her time between Marrakech and London, recommends the British brand Métier’s Perriand Weekend bag instead of a handbag. Its hidden exterior pockets make things easily accessible on the plane, she says, and “the clip-on clutch means I have an evening bag for my trip.” And fashion designer Phillip Lim, 51, recommends bringing a Bluetooth transmitter from Airfly, which allows wireless headphones to connect to the in-flight entertainment system.
Pack like every inch counts (because it does)
Work from heavy to light
As a general rule, Palepu packs the largest items first, to maximize space. She recommends rolling most—but not all—clothing to avoid wrinkles, and she always packs this very compact steamer to remove the few creases that inevitably appear (she also uses the device to steam her face after flights before applying a hydrating mask). Here’s how he recommends filling a bag, from the bottom up:
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Start by placing any bulky sweaters flat on the bottom half of your suitcase, with the sleeves and any extra fabric flowing to the sides.
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If you’ll need a coat once you arrive, choose a versatile one and wear it on the plane. If you really need another piece of outerwear, make it thin and pack it with your bulky sweaters.
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Fold the suit pants lengthwise to maintain the crease, then roll them up. For packing suit jackets, Palepu advocates this method, which involves folding the garment into a square along the seams. Layer these pieces over your sweaters.
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Roll up any other pants, as well as skirts, dresses, pajamas and workout clothes, and then put them on.
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Fold shirts and blouses along the seams to reduce wrinkles, and lay them over the rolled pieces.
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Insert underwear and socks into any remaining gaps.
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Once all your clothes are in your bag, fold your sweater sleeves over your other items.
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In the other half of your bag, arrange your shoes, stored in shoe bags, around the perimeter. (To save space, wear the bulkiest pair you plan to bring on the flight.)
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Place all other accessories and toiletries in the center of your shoes.
Consider packing cubes
Packing cubes, which are zippered pouches designed to compress clothing and save space, are especially useful for multi-stop trips, providing a more seamless way to quickly pack and unpack. Bradley likes what Bagsmart makes and also reuses the dust bags that come with some of his accessories. “I put underwear, shoes and a shirt in one and pants in the other,” he says. Packing cubes are especially useful for young families, too, Palepu says: Her kids have a set in their favorite color, which means their clothes are easy to distinguish if they share a suitcase. Joanna Bellardo-Samuels, 44, a The senior director at New York’s Jack Shainman Gallery, says one of her secret pleasures is “grabbing good hotel laundry bags” to use instead of cubes. “Each one is decorated with a lovely monogram that reminds me of my adventures.”
House of souvenir ships
If you’re going on a shopping-centric trip, Palepu suggests packing a collapsible case in your carry-on that you can fill and then either check in for your return flight or send home on your way to airport. “Dirty clothes are the best investment for packing fragile items,” she says. Similarly, Eagle packs an LL Bean Boat & Tote for return overflow, including gifts and her kids’ clothes (packing it separately means it’s easier to throw in the wash when you’re home). “The zipper at the top makes it secure,” he says. “So you can check it — if you really need to.”
