Best kind of luggage for family of 5

[MerryMarigold]

Going away in summer,it's been a while and haven't been with kids since they were older. We need new luggage as old suitcase broken so thought I would get advice from you more experienced travellers.

I have 5yo twins and an 8yo. I am thinking a small rucksack for each of them as hand luggage. Or should I get them a small wheelie each? Should dh and I have a medium wheelie bag each? Or one of us have a large ruck? I think the restriction on luggage is that no single bag should be more than 30kg so massive bags are a no no. Any good brands which last? Any of you who do this a lot, and can benefit from your experience, I'd be very grateful.

Oh, whilst there we will be travelling to 4 different locations so portable is good.

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Hello, this thread is a little old and some of the recommendations might be out of date. Whether you’re looking for cheap and cheerful family luggage or you’d like to invest in a quality cabin bag, take a look at our round-up of the best suitcases (according to Mumsnetters) for more up-to-date advice. MNHQ.

Have a look at playaway cases www.playawaycase.com for your 8 year old - they have a bit on the front that you can put entertainment for the plane so you are not scrabbling around in your case at start of flight. We just upgraded to this from a trunki and was a great success with dd. They can fit slightly more clothes in than a trunki - only thing is we found we needed to buy a luggage strap to hold the front bit on the case as if you tried to overpack in the slightest the suction hold becomes less reliable.

I had this last year travelling as a family of 5 and had to get new suitcases as none of out old large ones would stay below 23kg with 5 peoples stuff!

I got 2 large worlds lightest suitcases from Argos and they have been great they have been to america and australia so far and work v well. so the 5 of us can noe fit quite comfortable with 2 large suitcases which are very light son person with buggie or eldest child can carry one. Then we take a rucksack each on the plane.

Each suitcase comes in below 23kg now fully loaded so we could technically take another 3.

Forago, what size of the lightest case did you get? The biggest one looked huge on the net but not checked the measurements. Also, does it scrunch up flat(ish) when not in use? Am thinking of storage after.

Hand luggage doesn't need to be big. Just one spare top max really if taking actual suitcases.

Also I know your youngest are 5 but if flights delayed/ late etc there's a chance you land at 1-2-3am somewhere and they are exhausted and have been asleep on plane. At least if they only have little rucksacks you and dh can carry them from plane to security. Trunkis deserve a place in hell!

As an idea I travelled alone over Easter with ds1 (4) and ds2 (2). I had regular large handbag on plane, boys had smallest rucksacks you get, and we had one handluggage sized suitcase.
The small suitcase had x4 days clothes for the three of us. My bag had iPad, x3 small kids books, x2 small drawing notebooks and x2 pens. Plus passports/ keys/ phone etc
Boys bags had small bottle of water ( brought after security), few small snacks, spare pair of pants and thin trousers ( just in case!).

Meant that on landing at 11pm. I could pull small case with one hand, handbag over shoulder. Boys wore their tiny bags. Held ds2 hand and ds1 held suitcase the otherside. Out of security I then carried ds2 in spare arm to awaiting taxi. Trunkis would be a nightmare

Art, I have to agree with Trunkis. Ds1 had one and we did take it last time when the others were babies. There is no way we are taking THREE. We are def upgrading to rucksacks and medium sized baggage for the hold. I would like one that squashes down when not in use. Anyone heard of this company? I like this

Good point about the long journey. Our journey time (including this end to airport) is going to be around 20 hours, so...there will be an element of tiredness for everyone involved!

Hi Merry we got the largest size really useful suitcase - is pretty big but both fit on top of the wardrobe. My 8y old could pull one at the airport fully loaded. They don't really compress all the way but dont take up as much space as a larger conventional suitcase I don't think.

My mother likes them so much she bought a small, medium and large and took the large with the medium in it to Australia and used the small as her hand luggage - said it worked really well. So if you could make do with a medium and a large you could store one inside the other?

I find it hard to go light and got loads into 2 large - 2 week holiday, 3 dc, all the swimming stuff, clothes for a week, nappies, etc.

not really useful, world's lightest! Confusing my brands there, you know what I mean.

Thanks forago. They are a great price too.