Tips for Carry-on only travel

OK, now that AA is starting to charge extra for checked luggage, I think its time for all of you who routinely travel without checked luggage to share your secrets.

My (obvious) tip: travel to resorts that have washers and dryers in the rooms.

This on-going thread (sticky at the top of the board) has tons of helpful info. on that topic - Favorite Packing Tips

I think it is a matter of time before airlines start charging us for carry ons as well.

My concern is that even if my luggage says it is carry on and weighs less than 25 pounds, there is no way that I can pick it up and put it in a bin. I'm less than 4" 11" and have back problems. I just hope other airlines don't do the same thing.
Liz

Achieve/maintain elite status or just consider the fee part of the ticket price. I couldn't live with the stress of requiring my wife to vacation out of a carry-on, nor would I feel the cost to be an inordinate burden. I'm used to traveling light and do so internationally for up to a week out of a fairly small carry-on.

I tend to travel in premium cabins (upgrades), so I wear my "good clothes" on the plane and have them dry-cleaned at the destination. I use a lot of microfiber, especially for underwear and socks. Wear the heavy shoes and pack the light ones. Go with basic colors which can be mixed and matched intensely. I tend to pack with the "half the stuff, twice the money" mentality, arriving perhaps a bit barren but pick up interesting and unique things locally.

I do multi-day mileage runs carrying on nothing but my computer shoulder bag with some underwear, my toiletries and a fresh shirt enclosed. I've had a clothesline (not those ones over the bathtub) in my hotel room in more than one place around the world

Seriously, it's easy and cheap to maintain elite status. Just do that. I'm a pure liesure traveler and have no problem. It'll cost around 800.00 this year (3 MR's and the UA DEQM promo), and, yes, I have fun

Pat

Here's the best site I have found for packing.

http://www.onebag.com/

Cheers

"Seriously, it's easy and cheap to maintain elite status. Just do that. I'm a pure liesure traveler and have no problem. It'll cost around 800.00 this year (3 MR's and the UA DEQM promo), and, yes, I have fun "

Pat,

Could you help me understand how to do this? Thanks.

sernow said:

"Seriously, it's easy and cheap to maintain elite status. Just do that. I'm a pure liesure traveler and have no problem. It'll cost around 800.00 this year (3 MR's and the UA DEQM promo), and, yes, I have fun "

Pat,

Could you help me understand how to do this? Thanks.

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I'm sure he will but you can also check www.flyertalk.com where there is a specific thread on Mileage Runs. They are basically low cost flights sometimes with multiple connections that pile up miles to qualify for elite status. Another way is to get a branded credit card that allows you to get miles toward status like the various Master Cards from American Airlines.

Cheers

camachinist said:

Achieve/maintain elite status

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We don't fly enuf for this to be reasonable. Not interested in getting a credit card "with miles" to charge every purchase to, either. That's just a bit contrary to how we go about our daily business. I'll accept the fee as the desperate money grab it is.

x3 skier said:

I'm sure he will but you can also check www.flyertalk.com where there is a specific thread on Mileage Runs. They are basically low cost flights sometimes with multiple connections that pile up miles to qualify for elite status. Another way is to get a branded credit card that allows you to get miles toward status like the various Master Cards from American Airlines.

Cheers

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Not sure about other carriers, but your CC miles do not count toward elite status on AA, only BIS (butt-in-seat) miles count. However, you can attain lifetime Gold status on AA by accumulating 1,000,000 miles, and CC miles do count toward that goal.

I agree with Pat, pick an airline that provides good service in your area, and maintain elite status. Even the lowest level on most carriers, gives you access to reserved seats and the opportunity to upgrade to first for not alot of money. Now, you can save on baggage fees too.

x3 skier said:

Another way is to get a branded credit card that allows you to get miles toward status like the various Master Cards from American Airlines.

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I have a MasterCard from American Airlines. It gives me miles toward free trips, but not toward elite status. Please point me toward the ones that let you earn elite status.

x3 skier said:

I'm sure he will but you can also check www.flyertalk.com where there is a specific thread on Mileage Runs. They are basically low cost flights sometimes with multiple connections that pile up miles to qualify for elite status. Another way is to get a branded credit card that allows you to get miles toward status like the various Master Cards from American Airlines.

Cheers

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Yep, I just vacation where sub-250 r/t transcons exist. I recently passed up a 720 all-in r/t from my local to Singapore and a similar r/t to Hawaii for 413.
I just picked up a creatively routed FAT-CWA (Wausau) for 282 all-in. Time to discover Wisconsin . Through June 15, all UA-metal miles are doubled for elite status. I'm helping a friend to Premier with a couple trips in the next two weeks and getting there myself. I haven't flown at all yet this year, down from nearly 65K this time last year due to other priorities. I fly on planes like people drive cars and actually enjoy it more

All the relevant info is in the UA and mileage run forums on Flyertalk.

Judy said:

I have a MasterCard from American Airlines. It gives me miles toward free trips, but not toward elite status. Please point me toward the ones that let you earn elite status.

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Sorry for my not being clear. It counts to trips but not annual elite status. As a Lifetime Gold Member, it keeps me on track for Lifetime Platinum, IIRC.

My apology for the misunderstanding.

Cheers

I know lots of people who never carried on a bag. They always checked everything. How long will it be that the last to board will find no overhead room because everyone is using carry on?

Kay H said:

I know lots of people who never carried on a bag. They always checked everything. How long will it be that the last to board will find no overhead room because everyone is using carry on?

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That will happen sooner than you think. My question is if the flight attendants have to "gate check" the luggage because it doesn't fit in the overhead, will the traveler have to pay the $15?

geekette said:

Not interested in getting a credit card "with miles" to charge every purchase to, either. That's just a bit contrary to how we go about our daily business.

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This is how my husband felt until I showed him how we could get earn enough FF miles for 4 round-trip tickets to Hawaii every year for free. All it costs us out of pocket is the annual $50 AMEX fee. We only need 2 round trip tickets, so I am saving the extra points for first class airfare to Australia! With a little organization and self-discipline it is very, very easy to earn FF miles with a credit card.

elite status

Elite status is easy to obtain if you just invest the time to do it. One other advantage relative to this thread is that even when I don't fly with an upgrade on United, I still get priority boarding. Let me put it another way- the overhead bins are still empty! The "I don't fly enough to make it worthwhile" is usually a misunderstanding of the system and more of an excuse than a reality because it is relatively easy to obtain elite status. Finally, it is elite miles that make the difference (BIS miles). You get those generally from flying although both Delta and United have cc specifically designed to HELP you with aquiring the elite miles(they are limited so you can't get elite status and not fly -unlike the miles needed for free tickets). Until June 15 both United and American and Alaska (on some flights) have double elite miles with each flight. I am doing a mileage run this week that will net me 20K miles- it only takes 25K for the lowest level elite status-price of the ticket $530- advantages reaped- priceless. What it really takes is the investment of a little time and money. The amounts of both are really not prohibitive. BTW- I get 3 checked bags with United and without any fees.

New York was tough to plan for clothes wise....

I try to do black and white so I can mix and match things (goes for taking 1 jacket also)....use pants twice, try to have shoes that serve as dressy or casual and that are flat (no heel).

Less to bring to try to make an outfit each day.

American Express Delta cards gives you medallion mile (towards elite status) i.e. spend 25K and you get 10,000 medallion miles, 50K and you get another 10,000 elite miles, now all you have to do is fly another 5K and you have silver elite status. Problem is spending the 50K businesses, motgages???? Also it's a combination of flying miles and $ miles. Each year I reach gold status this way. :rofl:

I achieved lifetime Gold status on AA by getting 1,000,000 miles. Most of it was from promos and CC miles. Unfortunately most of those great promos have dried up. I also currently have the middle status on UA and will attain that again thanks to the DEQM promo. I'm doing a mileage run to Anchorage that will give me 17,700 miles for $456.

I try to only use carryon. I think I've checked a bag only twice in the last 4 yrs. One was the TUG cruise to Alaska and I can't remember what the other one was. I use a rollaboard and a large tote bag. My biggest problem is shoes since I like to have different ones for each outfit!

Please stay within the "rules" of the airline and don't hog the limited carry-on space. I've had my stuff squashed, and been bopped and elbowed by people stuffing items that are too large, or too many (carron plus garment bag, plus shopping bags, etc.), into the overhead bins and in the floor space. I hope the airlines start enforcing their carryon bag size and their limits of number of items.

One tip on carryons is to look for heavy things that you can carry on your person rather than in your luggage. If I am going somewhere cold where I need the coat, I wear it onto the plane, even if it is warm at that location. I often bring back a large handful of local coins. Those go in my pocket, not in my carryon. Any books I have, I carry seperately in my hands, not in my carryon, at least at check-in. Once past security, they go into the carryon.