• Cost savings: No extra fees for checked baggage.
• Time saving: No waiting at the baggage claim and leave the airport quickly.
• Mobility: Easier to move without heavy suitcases or backpacks.
• Flexibility: You always have your belongings at hand on the plane.

• Limited space: You have to pack creatively and efficiently.
• No liquids above 100 ml: This can sometimes be inconvenient.
• Less space for souvenirs: You will have to make choices about what you take with you.

How much you can save depends on how often you fly and the departure and destination of the flight. In 6 months we saved approximately €840 by traveling with hand luggage only. Assuming 14 flights, with average checked baggage costs of €60 per flight for two people. Many airlines, such as KLM, charge significant amounts for checked baggage. Ranging from €20 to €240. Traveling with hand luggage is therefore a smart way to save costs. However, things did not always go smoothly during our trip: during a flight from Cairns to Bali we had to pay €50 extra because Jetstar Airways had a strict 7-kilo limit for hand luggage.

If you only travel with hand luggage, there are a number of rules that you must take into account. This may vary from airline to airline, but the most general guidelines are as follows:

• Hand luggage dimensions: Maximum 55 x 35 x 25 cm (including handles and wheels).
• Accessory bag: In addition to your hand luggage, you are often allowed to take one accessory with you, such as a handbag or laptop bag. This bag should usually not be larger than 40 x 30 x 15 cm.
• Maximum weight: The total weight of these two bags together should not exceed 7 kilos.

Our bag composition works perfectly for long trips and makes traveling with only hand luggage a lot easier:

• Osprey Fairpoint 40 – A sturdy 40-liter backpack with a lifetime warranty from the Osprey brand, which is known for its quality. After months of traveling, the backpack is still in top condition. For women there is the Osprey Fairview 40. This is the same backpack as the Osprey Fairpoint 40, but with narrower shoulder straps.
• Homemade accessory bag – We have created an accessory bag ourselves that falls exactly within the maximum permitted dimensions. Using handy straps on the back of the Osprey backpack and tunnels in the accessory bag, we easily connect the bags together. This is especially useful during long walks, but certainly not a must. You can also just buy an accessory bag and combine it with the Osprey backpack.
• Daypack backpack – At the bottom of the accessory bag we put an empty daypack, such as a standard Eastpak backpack. We use these for groceries or other items that you use every day. With this extra bag you have an additional 27 liters of storage space on top of the 58 liters of the Osprey and accessory bag! This extra bag gives us flexibility when traveling.

If you pack smart, you can easily take enough with you to travel for months. Yes, you read that right – months! You often take with you as much for a month as you would for a week. The only difference is that you have to wash a little more often along the way. And even then you often still have room for souvenirs. This is how we returned from our trip to Mexico with boxing gloves and a hammock! Curious about what we take with us on our trips? Then view our packing list.

Traveling with checked luggage has advantages, such as more space. But our experience with hand luggage only has made us realize that we have actually always had enough space. Even souvenirs such as boxing gloves and a hammock could be brought from Mexico. Carry-on luggage forces you to choose smarter and pack only the essentials, which has helped us travel more efficiently and lighter. Traveling with hand luggage also saved us a lot of money. That is why we will continue to travel with hand luggage in the future, unless, for example, the kilo rules change or it becomes less financially advantageous.