frequent flyers/cabin crew - your luggage recommendations please

[givemeaclue]

am starting a new job involving lots of flying, I want a pull along cabin bag that I can take as carry on luggage that does the following:

-enough room for clothes/shoes for 2-3 days
-fit lap top in - pref seperately to clothes so I am not unpacking my knickers when I need to get the lap top out in office
-enough room for small handbag as obviously only allowed one carry on bag and I still need room for my purse/passport/bits and bobs - see above be great if this could be seperate to clothes

also would love your packing tips for speed/capsule make up bag-wash bag (bearing in mind all lotions/liquids will need to be small and in a seperate plastic bag for airport security)

I did once manage to fly iwht a whole change of clothes and a pair of shoes in just my handbag (cannot quite remember how I managed that - but that was pre-lap top)

all advice from you jet setters welcome please

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Hello, this thread is a little old and some of the recommendations might be out of date.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.

Not much help regarding bag, although I'm also interested in the answer.

My top tip for wash-bag is a small (100ml) bottle of baby shampoo. My optician recommended it for getting eye make up off because it cleans the eye of any infection (apparently - seems to work) and it also works as shampoo (obviously), general make up remover, shower gel (if really desperate) and it's mild enough to hand wash knickers in a sink with in case of emergency (if really, really desperate). It's also not embarrassing to whip out in front of any male colleagues at security. My sister flew a lot with work at one point and was the only woman - she said there was nothing more awkward than whipping out your see through bag with a tube of canestan in in front of your boss and four male work mates.

most airlines will let you have your handbag plus cabin bag these days

Eldon is correct. Handbag (even a very big one), cabin luggage, coat, umbrella and book/magazine is usually what you get to take in. I travel a lot as I have homes in two different countries.

Cosmetics: try to buy travel size products (US drugstores are good at that - toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner etc. I don't live in UK so I don't remember whether Boots does them too.). Muji does great travel-size containers and see-through pouches if you want to decant some of your favorite products into them instead, and some hotels in the US have travel-size Aveda products in their rooms.

I'm a hauler. I lived in many different countries and have hauled stuff between different continents. I have lots of suitcases in all possible sizes, but I'm using them less and less as baggage regulations are becoming ever more restrictive and luggage is a lot of dead weight (it could be even 9-10 kg!)

I always use a big leather handbag for traveling - changing bag size, even when traveling without children (I often take a small evening bag or clutch along, too).

For cabin luggage, I nearly always use a weightless but sturdy black nylon backpack (inside go: clothes, my 12" laptop, adapters & cords, shoes; cosmetics to the outer pocket). I pack all shirts in one plastic bag, all dressier clothes in another, all underwear in another, and also take along an empty laundry bag.

If I travel on business and need to take along a lot of neat, pressed clothes, I have a couple of small Samsonite cabin suitcases in various cabin only -sizes (50cm, 55 cm, etc). Black, navy and dark green are the best suitcase colors, just make your bag very visible and distinguishable with a big, bright unique tag or belt - the one time I fell for a beautiful camel suitcase, it was irreversibly stained with black machine grease on its maiden voyage. I like soft suitcases, because I stuff them very full. Hard ones don't work for me. Test the wheels, you want something that is easy and featherlight to pull along and also good for your height.

Occasionally when returning from a shopping spree I use one of those big checked plastic-woven bags immigrants in poor countries all over the world use (or actually, two of them inside each other for extra durability).

For check-in luggage, my favorite luggage these days is sturdy cardboard moving cartons (those that lie flat and can be assembled quickly and taped together). Almost weightless, super-durable, and surprisingly easy to move!

Watching with interest as am also on the lookout for a case with the same credentials you listed - am amazed these aren't more popular (laptop separate to clothing). I found one once, a Carlton suitcase, that was perfect but couldn't be bothered to lug it around whilst shopping so didn't buy it (thought I'd buy it online at a later date) but sadly it was a discontinued line so never found another one!!

Tumi did one as well but £££ and not actually brilliant quality (imho).

For travel cosmetics, Lush (not usually a fan but...) sell a solid bar of shampoo/conditioner which works well and travels well. Can also use it for washing body plus undies (I tend only to send shirts/trousers through hotel wash service). Nivea blue tin brill as moisturiser (face and body). One thing I haven't mastered is perfume. Have seen the little diffusers you can decant into but never tried - has anyone else?

I have a couple of those little travel-size perfume diffusers. They are brilliant. (The only downside is that I haven't figured out whether it is possible to wash them - so I'm stuck at buying a new one for each perfume I wear.) I like them so much that I often grab them when I'm at home too. In fact, I hardly ever unpack my see-through cosmetic travel pouch, I've sorted in all the products I need daily, and so I'm always ready to go.

A platinum-level frequent flier friend of mine has a lot of Rimowa suitcases, but she does not need to worry about carrying them around (they are quite heavy).

The problem really is that nowadays the cabin luggage allowance on many airlines is so small (8kg on most routes that I fly) that to fit in a real suitcase, some shoes, a laptop and a couple of sets of clothes isn't doable any more with a real suitcase. My husband travels a lot with his garment bag only, but it is awkward to carry.

You need to find something as light as possible. You might be best looking at a larger airport for ideas.

For shampoo etc get to M&S. They have a good selection of refillable travel bottles and pots. If you want to save more space, pantenne do a shampoo and conditioner in one.

If finances permit, Chanel do little handbag refillable perfumes - well No 5 for sure as I bought them today.

You could try QVC and put travel in the search facility as I have got a few good things from there in the past.

Don't over think it. If you are in reasonable hotels, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel etc is likely to be provided.

Convert to bare escentuals - they are all mineral based and not liquid so you won't have issues taking any of their stuff with the exception of lippy and mascara if you use.

www.gadgetsuk.com/Cabin-Max-Flight-Approved-Carry-on-Purple-Trolley-Bag-massive--p-17797.html?utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=cse&utm_campaign=ShoppingResults#googlebase

I have it in purple, you can easily get a weeks worth of stuff in it.

Mandarina Duck cases can be good

I've only seen one case which had a separate slot for laptop but it was too big for carry out

carry on not carry out

OOOO thanks everyone really appreciate you taking the time to post, I am going to have a good look at all the links and brand names you have suggested.

thanks to for your toiletries recommendations - I plan to not bother with shampoo and shower gel so just take: conditioner, body lotion, moisturiser, toothpaste (all small/travel size) ,tinted moisturiser, lipstick, mascara and then everything else powder based - how does that sound - am I missing anything?

I am pleased to hear some airlines allow a handbag and cabin bag as I've flown with 4 airlines this year and they have all been really really strict on one bag only - which are the ones that allow a handbag plus cabin bag do you know?

that's a really good point about the 8 kilos, I hadn't thought of that issue - when I went to South africa last year my bag was the full 8 kilos and that was just hand luggage as the laptop was so heavy. think need to weigh the laptop!

thanks again I will let you know what I buy!

Mumblechum I like the look of that bag (and its so cheap!) - have you got one yourself, can you fit a laptop into the outside pocket (so as not to unpack all my clothes in the office to get laptop out to do work)

thanks!

We've only flown with Virgin & Quantas this year
They have weighed the hand luggage but allowed me a handbag too