Luggage Size: The Complete Guide
Guest WriterxWed May 31 2017
Travelling soon and confused about what luggage size you need? Obviously, there are a lot of aspects to factor in when choosing your new piece of luggage, but one of the most important is ‘what size suitcase will I choose?’.
The Complete Size Guide:
Suitcases that are 55cm and below:
These suitcases are generally used as carry-on luggage. This means they can be carried into the plane with you and stowed above your head. Often carry-on allowances vary from airline to airline so it is best to check before you fly. The Air NZ carry-on baggage allowance allows suitcases under 118 linear cm to be carried on board, you can check the dimensions on luggage.co.nz to see if the suitcase you are considering fits within these dimensions. As your sole suitcase, a 55cm is recommended for 2-4 days of travel.
Suitcases between 56cm & 64cm
Those that are 56cm still often qualify for carry-on luggage, remember it is all about the linear cm rather than the height of the suitcase. Linear is worked out by adding all of the external dimensions together. Suitcases that are 60 – 64cm are best for trips around 5 – 7 days, or a long weekend in colder climates. Take a look at all the 56-64cm suitcases we have available!
Suitcases between 65cm & 72cm
Suitcases between 65cm and 72cm are perfect for smart packers and solo travellers who are looking for the perfect suitcase for 7 to 10 days. This size suitcase will ensure you have plenty of room for essentials. if you’re heading to warmer locations a 69cm suitcase will be the perfect size for an organised packing couple.
Suitcases between 73cm & 78cm
Suitcases between 73cm & 78cm are ideal for trips of 10 days to three weeks. Perfect for leaving extra room on shorter trips and ensuring you’ve got everything with you on longer trips. Remember, generally as the size gets larger, so does weight. Make sure you pay close attention to how much the suitcase you are looking at weighs. Again, this can be found in the luggage.co.nz dimensions.
79cm +
These suitcases are the largest you’ll find anywhere, they can be used as family suitcases for a fortnight away or the perfect solo travellers suitcase for over a month. It is important to consider oversized baggage charges when looking at suitcases this size. Check with your airline regarding their restrictions. (although we have travelled with this size numerous times without worry.)
Click here to shop: https://www.luggage.co.nz/luggage/cm-size/79-82.html
What size suitcase should you get your child?
We recommend 65cm maximum for children. This will ensure they can manoeuvre their suitcase easily by themselves.
The luggage.co.nz team weigh in on what they consider to be the perfect luggage size:
Hollie: “For me, it’s all about the 75cm spinner suitcases. I’m a little on the short side, so the 75cm suitcases do seem quite large next to me. Having the 360-degree spinning wheels means manoeuvring them around is no hassle though. They’re the perfect size for a variety of travel lengths. Two weeks somewhere warm with plenty of room for gifts and souvenirs on the way back, visiting friends in the Canadian winter for 10 days or exploring New York for a week away (and LOTS of shopping!). I love having the ability to bring back more than I take and having a 75cm suitcase as my core luggage pretty much always guarantees this option, especially when they’re as light as my Cosmolite.”
Hollie travels with the Samsonite Cosmolite 3.0: https://www.luggage.co.nz/brands/samsonite/cosmolite.html
Emily: “When it comes to packing for an international trip I always choose a slightly smaller suitcase. For me, a 65cm suitcase is plenty. I’m not a big packer – I’m more a quality over quantity kinda gal. I could easily live out of a 65cm suitcase for over a month, I’m selective about what I take and leave a little bit of room for buying extras if needed! Luggage size is very important to me – I like to move around a lot when overseas and need a smaller case that can be easily stowed away on public transport and is small enough to be wheeled long distances between stops.”
Emily travels with the H2 Luggage Saturn: https://www.luggage.co.nz//brands/h2-luggage.html *EDIT: We no longer stock H2 Luggage but check out some of our other ranges here!
Lauren: “My perfect luggage size is an 82cm spinner, I am a massive over packer and over shopper. I also usually tend to go on longer holidays, often 4 weeks or more so I can maximise my time in a new place. An 82cm suitcase leaves enough room for me to overpack and over shop! Since I usually always need to check my bag in, it doesn’t matter if I have any leftover space in my bag. I’m also a huge fan of the clip-locked luggage options as they ensure maximum safety!”