8 countries in 98 days requires a lot of flying around. I tried my best to pack and travel with carry-on sized bags only. The size of my bags fit within the dimensions however with specific airlines, the total weight can be an issue especially if you can only carry 7KG (15LBS). My camera and laptop alone were heavy enough to cover that 7KG.
I took 25 flights. Since we were worried about potentially getting denied and getting dinged with luggage fees at the gate, we purchased checked bags with our flight tickets. Where I could, I tried to carry-on both my bags but also where we purchased checked bags, we checked them. I had heard that some Airlines were notorious for being sticklers for checking peoples bags and what they bring on. This is the result.
The bags I used and the starting weight – Wandrd Prvke – 8.14KG and The North Face Basecamp Duffel Backpack – 6.5KG.
🙆🏻♀️ – Took both bags as carry-on or had the option
🙅🏻♀️ – Had to check bag or just checked bag because we purchased
🤷🏻♀️ – Potentially could’ve carried on both bags
Main flights – Los Angeles – WestJet ; Nadi – Fiji Airways ; Auckland – Fiji Airways 🙆🏻♀️
Christchurch – Air NZ 🙆🏻♀️
Queenstown – Air NZ 🙆🏻♀️
Perth – Virgin Australia 🙅🏻♀️ cannot check in online for international flights – depending on who you get. They allowed a guy to bring 8kg for Virgin Australia. We had already purchased check in baggage so we put it in. My NF was 6.5KG but my Prvke was defintely over the 7KG limit. On the flight, both bags definitely fit size wise.
Hobart – Virgin Australia 🙅🏻♀️ used the check-in we purchased. Virgin never checked weight of my personal bag which was more than 7KG. Judging by the other passengers, they carry-on with one bag each and no one gets checked for weight. There’s plenty of space in the overhead bins.
Sydney – Virgin Australia – 🙅🏻♀️ checked in bag
Singapore – Scoot 🙆🏻♀️ they did tag bags but never came to us. We did re-jigged our bags just in case as we purchased 1 check in. Our checked bag was Heaviest at about 12.6KG and I was around 11KG in case in 2 bags while Bev’s bag became only 5kg.
Cebu – Scoot – 🤷🏻♀️ no one weighed bags but it was a full flight so they offered to gate check hand carry bags for free at the gate. You check-in in-person at the kiosk, show your declaration form and then drop off checked baggage. You only then go through security when you get to your gate. There is a water station inside after security.
Ozamiz – Cebu Pacific – 🤷🏻♀️ we did checked luggage but no one checked carry-on weight. Cebu Pacific tends to check weight for carry-on however their checked bags are 20KG or 32KG so you can really stuff it in. With 3 of us, we packed one large luggage with all our stuff for 1 checked 20KG.
Coron – Philippines Airlines 🙆🏻♀️ we had 7KG carry on (no one checked) and combine all 3 into one 20KG check-in – you have the option to do collective check in weight
Cebu – Cebu Pacific 🙆🏻♀️ they checked everyone’s weight but I pulled out my camera & laptop and it was fine. We shared 1 large check-in
Bali – Philippines Airlines – 🙆🏻♀️ checked bag as we have a 10HR layover so bag will go through to Bali. 7.6KG checked bag
Taipei – Eva Air 🙆🏻♀️ didn’t weigh carry-on but had to goto the counter to get boarding pass even after checking in online. Came with 2 free checked bags.
Okinawa – Eva Air 🙆🏻♀️ didn’t weigh carry-on but had checked bag included
Tokyo – Jetstar – 🙆🏻♀️ didn’t weigh carry on since we had a checked bag but for passengers with 2 bags, they got their bags weighed as total weight must be 7KG
Busan – Air Seoul – 🙆🏻♀️ didn’t weigh carry-on since I had checked bag included but carry-on weight limit is 10KG
Jeju – Jeju Air – 🙆🏻♀️ didn’t weigh carry-on since I had checked bag included but carry-on weight limit is 15KG
Seoul – Jeju Air – 🙆🏻♀️ didn’t weigh carry-on since I had checked bag included in flight ticket but carry-on weight limit is 15KG
Vancouver – Air Canada – 🙆🏻♀️ didn’t weigh carry-on
Toronto – Westjet – 🙆🏻♀️ carried both on no problem