If you are a frequent traveler you will probably not want to wait around for your bag to come around on the luggage carousel. When I check any luggage in, it is invariably the very last one to come on to the carousel! With this in mind, if you are someone who can travel reasonably light, a piece of carry on luggage with wheels is a great option. You can get off the flight, extend the handle on your carry on luggage, pull your bag through the terminal and be on your way to your destination before the baggage handlers have even had chance to unload the cargo hold.
Some things to consider when using carry on luggage with wheels are:
Size – Make sure that the bag including the wheels and handle is within the size limits allowed for carry on luggage for the airline that you are traveling with. Usually, the maximum size allowed into the aircraft cabin is 22 inches x 14 inches x 9 inches. Choose carefully to avoid having to check your bag in. Don’t assume, because the manufacturers have added a label with the dimensions on, that it will be accepted as hand luggage. The label may be stating the measurements of the internal space. Check yourself to make sure you can use the bag for the purpose you intended it for.
Expandable – If your carry on luggage with wheels is the expandable type, be very careful when packing that the final dimensions do not exceed the maximum allowed. If you buy a bag that is 6 inches wide but is expandable; by the time you have packed it could be 11 inches wide – in which case you would probably have to check it in. Even if it not an expandable bag but has an external pocket, be aware that stuffing it with a spare pair of shoes could well mean that it becomes too wide (i.e. more than 9 inches) and you find yourself having to check it in.
Overhead lockers – There is no guarantee that your bag will fit in the overhead locker when you board the aircraft.
Liquids – Remember, as you will not be checking any luggage in, to check the amount of liquids you are allowed to carry in your hand luggage. This includes any cosmetics and perfumes. I once had to forfeit some very expensive moisturizer because I had forgotten that it was in my wash bag and it was a 250ml size. Had I been at the airport sooner I cold have checked my bag in but I was too late to do that.
The carry on luggage with wheels has been a godsend for many frequent travelers and business travelers with the amount of time and hassle they have saved. There is no hanging around waiting for your half empty suitcase to arrive on the carousel. Choose your carry on luggage with wheels carefully and your air travel will hold no fears of lost luggage or the time wasted waiting for your case; you can get on your way before most people have even arrived at the baggage carousel.