How To Measure Luggage (2021) – Guide

Traveling remains one of the favorite activities of many people in the world. The mobile world requires ease of movement, and therefore airlines try to do everything so that we can be in the right place at the right time.

However, they all have fairly strict baggage rules that we could take with us. And problems begin at the stage of measuring its dimensions and weight.

Let’s take a look at how baggage is measured and what to consider before flying!

Why is heavy luggage so expensive?

Indeed, the heavier your baggage and the more it goes beyond the set dimensions, the more money you have to pay. This is due to the serious expenses that a company bears for servicing the aircraft in flight.

At altitude, every kilogram matters. A luggage compartment that is too heavy requires more fuel consumption and, as a result, creates more harmful emissions into the atmosphere. That’s why it’s not only beneficial but also environmentally friendly to keep within the luggage framework set by the airline.

How is baggage measured at the airport?

As a rule, each company has its own rules for the dimensions and weight of baggage. But there is a norm for both the luggage itself and for hand luggage that you can take on board. There is no set rule for all airlines, so your baggage options will depend on the company and the fare you have purchased. Usually, economy class includes the smallest possible dimensions, and sometimes doesn’t include the possibility of carrying baggage at all.

To measure the size of your bag at the airport, you can often find special metal boxes that are exactly the size of the standards set by the airline. You can use these boxes to make sure that your carry-on baggage doesn’t exceed your allowable dimensions.

The main baggage that flies in the hold is measured right at the checkout. And be careful if this exceeds the allowable weight limits – you will have to pay a serious amount in excess of the ticket so that the company doesn’t refuse you to carry this bag.

How do I know baggage rules before my flight?

You can definitely find this information on the website of the airline whose services you want to use. Usually, when buying tickets online, you can also see all the necessary details related to baggage transportation from its contents to the permissible dimensions.

How to measure baggage before flight?

Stock up on a flexible meter or pencil. After you have studied all your airline’s baggage allowances, you need to carefully measure your bag in three dimensions: depth, height and length.

Often on the company’s website you can find not the permissible indicators of each measurement, but their total amount. If so, then you need to measure the bag on three sides, and then add the resulting numbers and compare if they are outside the allowed standards.

As a conclusion, we would like to give a few tips that will definitely help you to correctly approach baggage measurement and prepare you for the flight without mistakes:

1. Use a flexible meter, not a rigid tape measure. The meter takes into account all the features of expanding the bag, because when you fill the bag with things, it becomes thicker. F meter can help you to take this moment into account and measure the bag with its maximum dimensions.
2. Be sure to weigh your luggage at home. It would be a shame to throw away a few things right at the airport if you have to reckon with the overweight of the bag. Therefore, take care of this before the flight.
3. Consider the height of the handle and wheels of the bag if they protrude beyond the overall dimensions. The airline is unlikely to meet you if the wheels do not fit into the acceptable range.
4. Take care of the contents. This is also an extremely important thing, because the scanner at the airport may show things that are prohibited for transportation. You can waste a lot of time sorting and re-packing things.

We hope that all of the above tips and arguments will help you avoid mistakes and safely fly to any part of the world!

Fair wind!