When should a traveler only take carry on baggage? =Most airlines allow you to take one carry on bag on board the plane with you, which, with a bit of practice can comfortably hold what you need for a few days or long weekend.
If you can pack lightly, then you may be able to get by with just carry on baggage instead of having to check bags as well. Most airlines allow you to take one carry on bag on board the plane with you, which, with a bit of practice can comfortably hold what you need for a few days or long weekend. Veteran travel writer Rick Steves regularly travels to Europe for several months with just a standard carry on bag - it can be done. Sensible packing also means that what you need for a couple of days can be mixed and matched to create different styles and outfits.
You are also allowed to carry on to the plane with you what the airlines describe as a "personal item" such as a small backpack, laptop, handbag or camera bag. The airline is not normally liable for damage to items carried on the plane with you, by the way. If you are traveling on a smaller plane or a commuter plane, space inside the cabin may be limited and you may have trouble fitting your carry on bag under the seat or in the overhead bin.
If you travel with only a carry on bag, it does save you valuable time at the other end waiting for what is often quite a while for your checked bags to appear on the carousel. The baggage claim areas of many airports seem to be a long walk from your arrival gate and many are congested and badly organized. It is nice to be able to grab your carry on bag from the overhead and be off the plane in a matter of minutes. Having no checked baggage of course also means no chance of your luggage being damaged or lost, or items missing while in transit
You may also want to take just a carry on bag with you if you have a series of connections or are transferring between different airlines. Whereas most of the time, the airlines will check your bags through to your final destination, obviously the more connections you have the more chance of your checked luggage being lost. And depending on which airlines you are traveling on, those airlines may not have a "baggage agreement" with each other, meaning you will have to reclaim and recheck any checked baggage, thus shortening any connection time.
If you do have checked baggage and have to reclaim and recheck it, ask your airline representative or travel agent what the connection time is. If you have 45 minutes in Chicago's busy O'Hare airport to connect, it may be a "legal connection" but it certainly increases your chances of missing your next flight.
Transfers between airlines or just from one flight to another at many larger airports can involve walking a long distance, or taking a tram or bus. Not much fun with your checked luggage! And as every traveler knows - finding a baggage cart at some airports seems to be next to impossible.
