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- Sep 5, 2023
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- 129
Yes, I'd definitely do it again - in fact unless I was going on something like a ski trip where I had to bring my own boots and skis, I'd probably say go HCO everywhere.
I did technically exceed the carryon limits for all flights (except I think BA which allows 3 x items up to 32kg each interesting enough), as I had a wheely bag, a garment bag, and a backpack. Normally you can only take a suitcase/bag and a personal item (which may stretch to a backpack), but I was able to store my backpack in the space in front of my seat on all carriers except BA on the A380 where it had to be in the overhead bin. In J on the larger aircraft I don't think I ever ran into issues running out of space - but it pays to be safe and board first to ensure you can secure it just in case. No one batted an eyelid at the amount I was carrying, but I don't think I saw anyone in the airport carrying more than me. So I'd say you could definitely get away with 3 bags in this context.
Pros
Not having to wait for my bags, and not having to worry about anything getting potentially lost/not showing up was a massive relief. Being able to zoom out of the airport after deplaning was incredibly time saving, particularly in CDG where I had a tight-ish train connection and I wasn't familiar with the area. The times I've flown internationally before I've experienced inconsistent wait times for baggage, even when it is tagged priority. Some airports (such as those in Japan) can be super efficient but others in Asia have kept me waiting for 30 mins or more. The one time on the trip I did check my bags (the first leg to MEL) I had to wait 15 or so mins, so even accepting that conservative time as an average, I saved hours over the course of my trip.
Also, delays compound - so if you have to wait for your bag before clearing customs/immigration and there is a line for that, then you could end up at the back of the line despite being one of the first off the plane if your bag was loaded last.
Getting around
Carrying less makes it easier to get around both airports and to your hotel. The wheely bag was fine in the cities, I definitely didn't need a hiking pack or anything. If you have a layover, most airport lounges have the ability to hold your luggage if you want to do a bit of a crawl, otherwise I had no issues wheeling it around - the terminals are mostly flat
Packing enough/appropriate clothes
I definitely didn't run out of clothes. It's a bit of a personal preference/what activities you are doing as to how long you can wear your tops/bottoms before you feel they need to be washed. E.g. if hiking in the heat then you probably will need to change your shirts more frequently than if you are sedentary in aircon all day. I had the option to wash my clothes towards the end but didn't need it.
I did pack for the full gamut of occasions (cold weather, tropical weather, fancy restaurants, outdoor activities) and that was what necessitated my need for a garment bag as my heavy jacket definitely wouldn't have fit in my suitcase. I had adequate clothes for all situations - if anything I probably had more shorts than I needed! The only restaurant that had a dress code was in Singapore and that was pretty much no thongs/shorts. Everywhere else I got in wearing a sweater over a t-shirt and long pants. If I really wanted to save more space, I could have only worn hiking shoes everywhere (which you do see a lot of people do overseas) but I didn't end up needing to do that. I did have to sacrifice a dedicated pair of gym shoes/runners but again, my everyday sneakers were fine for the gym and the walking I did in the cities.
Of course, YMMV depending on how you choose to dress, and the occasion e.g. if you are going to a wedding then a suit/formal dress may be necessary and that may take up all your space in your garment bag or not compress well. If you're skiing then your ski gear will also take up a lot of space, plus boots 9if you have them). Obviously, if you have to check something in because it's oversized (e.g. golf clubs, skis, board etc.) then there's less benefit doing HCO because you have to wait anyway - unless you're super worried about your luggage getting lost.
The vacuum bags help a lot, highly, highly recommend for anyone contemplating doing this. They save heaps of space.
Caveat:
You probably have to be flying premium cabins for this to work. I also don't think this applies to domestic flights in Aus where they police carry-on weight/amount closely and also due to the limitations on the size of the plane. The only time I think I would have had any issues is in Australia (and anecdotally domestic USA) where everyone seems to have wheely carry-ons and the overhead bins can't fit them all. I've seen people in Y put their bags in the J bins on QF flights before and there may also be issues on the smaller aircraft such as the E190 where the port side overhead bins are significantly smaller.
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