One 20KG suitcase for 4 people? Is this doable?

[WhyAreHolidaysSoStressful]

I've messed up. We're flying with Ryan Air (never again and we've not even left yet!) and I've only booked one 20kg suitcase for 4 of us. We managed this last time but also took small suitcases as hand luggage. I didn't realise that Ryan air hand luggage is now literally just a small backpack.

It's now going to cost £112 for another 20kg bag (the first one was only £40 when I booked).

I'm very reluctant so spend so much on extra luggage when it was supposed to be a cheap holiday in the first place.

It's a beach holiday, only six full days there with two days travelling - is it doable if we take maybe 3 lightweight outfits each?

Yes, this is what we do, one big suitcase and backpacks each with easyjet; or not hold luggage at all and just backpacks and buy the toiletries at the airport like sun tan lotion, shampoo,etc or at destination

I’ve never checked anything in at the airport, always just travelled with only hand luggage, for any length of trip, including when travelling with babies and children. I find it a lot easier just to take my stuff with me, and it’s just the same as travelling on coaches and trains etc, you just put it in your rucksack, nothing gets lost and you don’t have to wait around. So my teens are used to packing only what they can carry. I once travelled with a friend who put luggage in the hood, it added an hour of waiting around late at night and she had money stolen from it, it wasn’t worth it!

Then you’ll have to take them home, unless you throw them away, which would be an awful thing to do, though I know some do!

I should think so. How long are you going for? Last summer we went to Spain with just one under seat backpack each (Ryan air rules), didn't pay for any extra bags (neither check in or carry on). It wasn't easy granted but totally doable, especially if you are staying somewhere with a washing machine & don't need any warm weather clothing. I even took a load of art gear with that size bag, plus had some 'warmer' clothes as were in northern Spain which can have cooler / damp days

Packed you all in one suitcase? No need to go that far!😃

Me and DC are away on Wednesday and I've literally just packed 2 pairs sandals, 6 tops,3 bikinis, 2 floaty trousers, 2 shorts, 5 pants, a bra and 2 single sheets in a ryanair size carry on. Kids will have same size each and are also taking the ps4 and all the toiletries and their clothes. With a 20kg bag and 4 x handluggage you'll have loads of space.

You can do it easily, we just had a 10 day holiday with back packs only, can't remember the last time we paid for hold luggage. We just use normal size rucksacks like kids use for secondary school.

We've done it loads of times with 5 of us.
Everyone carries a small bag containing small bag of toiletries each and medicine(in under 100ml things), books, and a couple of bits of clothes. They wear a pair of trousers, trainers, a tshirt and jumper and a coat. Shove some socks/underwear into the pockets of all the coats!
In the big bag everyone really only needs 3 outfits and 2 swimming costumes.

Do a Boots click and collect and pick up toiletries and suncream at the airport.

MN competitive underpacking at it's finest!
I don't spend a fortune on a holiday only to have to wear the same thing every day and do laundry on holiday. I'd pay for a case each.
All the arguments about waiting around at airports don't help since you already have hold luggage. On my last 3 trips the luggage has been waiting on the carousel by the time we have cleared passport control (which takes much longer since Brexit).

Took me a good few minutes to get this 😂

Please don't give Ryanair ideas!

We have done a week just with the small bags each (sorry, not trying to one up you but we are light packers)

Wear trainers and pack sandals, you don’t need any other shoes. Couple of dresses, pair of shorts, lots of tops. Get toiletries at the airport

Also, if you take 2 carry on bags eg a rucksack and a handbag, buy something from boots after security, purchase one of their large carrier bags then pop your handbag into that to get around the one bag rule

Me and my partner shared a suitcase recently and had a bit of space left over. We both took too much. We only wore our lightest clothes and didn't need anything even vaguely heavy. Took thin throws not beach towels.

£112 for 4 people over 2 flights is £14 each. Would you have not booked this holiday if the air fare had been £14 more each way per person?

I understand it's frustrating to be looking at an extra cost like this, but if your holiday is less fun because you are constantly missing stuff that you wish you had brought, you might find that you are spoiling the ship for a ha'p'orth of tar. Mr O'Leary is supremely indifferent to your annoyance at his luggage policies. 🙏

You can buy toiletries and suncream in the airport, if its in a duty free/airport shop bag you will be allowed to bring it on the plane in addition to your backpack.

To add - Ryanair recently checked my duty free bag to see if it was all airport purchases. But first time ever doing this, its very rare that i have been questioned at gate regarding luggage.

If you have bought them in airport it shouldn't be a problem.

Use those hammam towels, much easier to pack

We do this - DC pack their spare shoes (flip flops or sandals) in their carry on. I can pack for a week in Ryanair carryon (the under-seat bag, not the case) and only use the case for suncream; toiletries; Dhs shoes (too big for carryon); and DH clothes - again too big for carryon 🙄. He puts all tech in his carry on to compensate!!

With 2 teen girls you should manage to get them to take 2-3 swim suits / bikinis and 3 dresses and 2 shorts in their carryon; then pack 2 more outfits each; wear a cardigan/ jacket; trainers and trousers.

I broke my wrist on holiday and there was no way I could have wrangled my case through the airport, so used this company. It was flawless and very easy, but took about 4 days, so you might have to send it a couple of days ahead of you.

I’d stay at home if I had to piss arse about like that on holiday,

Everyone wears a pair of trousers, a top, lightweight jacket, their sunhat, sun glasses and trainers to travel
in everyone's back pack one changer their phone or tablet, 1 book, a small bag of toiletries toothbrush mini shampoo and a purse/ wallet any medication ( 6 year old 2 small toys instead of purse) and a comb probably will get a spare t shirt and pair of shorts in too
inside suitcase 4 pairs sandals, 4 swimsuits 4 prs of pyjamas or can use an already worn t shirt 8 prs of pants 6 bras 2 lightwieght outfits per person, those small hammas towels rest of toiletries, sunscreen you will probably get another bikini in each plus a bit of makeup roll clothes put toiletries inside shoes

they take a back pack to school and fit in PE kit including trainers their books wallet etc you can get quite a bit in a small backpack

it becomes harder if your teenagers think you need a hair dryer curling tongs and 15 skincare products each

if Ryanair loses that one suitcase, you’re all screwed, whereas if you have another, you can put half of everybody’s things in each and at least you’d all have something on arrival ……………….. unless Ryanair lose both

Bikinis and summer dresses aren’t exactly taking up much space. When I did ten days with carry on only I had ten dresses for the evening, 8 bikinis, two pairs of sandals, 5 day dresses clean undies, makeup and a book.

The only thing I missed were my hairdryer and straighteners but it was so hot I wore my hair up anyway.

Not to mention people wrangling "carry on" luggage on the aircraft.

Last year we did 2 weeks for 6 of us with 4 bigger hand luggage between us and a small backpack each.

The holiday abroad before that (admittedly one of the dc was only 1 at that point so their clothes were small) we had one 20kg case between us (plus the backpack each) and it was plenty. I even fit a small paddling pool, a weeks worth of nappies and two pool inflatables in! You can actually fit loads in a case that size!