Suitcases and travel bags; Recommendations for families

I’ve spent 7 years travelling with babies and young children, often on my own. I’ve braved buses, trains, the London Underground, and every London airport.

I’ve been writing about my top tips and must-haves for any journey with young children, particularly where a lot of distance is travelled on foot, such as around airports or train stations.

This page is full of recommendations and advice focussing on what suitcases and travel bags to take for you and your children.

The intro and summary page to this whole travel section can be found here. Other detailed sections include:

• Preparation, logistics and public transport when travelling with a young family
• Packing for the kids; How much to pack, how many changes of clothes? (Upcoming)
• Baby and child essentials to pack on holiday / vacation
• Long car journeys with kids – road trip strategies
• Surviving a family holiday sickness bug

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So here is my best advice, but obviously do take into account your own circumstances and preferences!

Disclaimer: Please note that I have not accepted any payment or freebies for this article. This is simply me telling you what I find to be the best kit for a journey with young children, after a bit of trial and error over the years with my own money.

Suitcases and travel bags

I’ve already mentioned in my logistics page that I avoid checking in bags at all costs.

If you can get away with it, only pack hand luggage. You avoid the bag drop queues before take-off and if you need to, you can leave it a little more last minute to get through security (please allow lots of time though – it’s much less stressful).

Also, at the end of the flight when you’re finally off the plane, not having to wait an hour hanging around for the suitcase is worth its weight in gold. Particularly with bored, cranky children. Time saver all round.

With that in mind, I’ve organised recommended carry-on hand luggage by age (baby&toddler; 3-4y; 4-tween; adult), and also have recommendations for larger suitcases for checking-in at the bottom.

Baby & toddler (Newborn-3y)

The Babyzen yoyo+ pushchair is one of the few buggies that you can take ON the plane with you and fold under your seat.

They are so well known by airport staff that when they ask you leave your buggy outside the boarding gate, all you have to do is say ‘It’s a yoyo’ and they let you on with it, no questions asked.

It has a one-handed fold, is super-light and folds down very small with a handy shoulder strap. It does come with a handy buggy board (with a cool bike seat), but note you have to remove this to get it under you seat on the plane, so something extra for pack or carry.

The only downside is the suspension. It’s not great, but that’s what keeps the weight down. Not a deal-breaker for me if it means I can carry the whole thing up and down a flight of stairs by myself with the toddler still in it. Tick.

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2y – 4y (tricky in between phase):

Depending on development and skills, you may have a toddler that will go straight from the stroller (above) to a scootcase (next). However, if you have a toddler that refuses to get in the buggy, or one who’s not quite confident enough for zooming through an airport on a scooter, then admittedly this is an awkward age for travel. Don’t forget to bring a buggy blackout shade, they’re very handy as a light blanket, sunshade or nap blackout.

In this situation, I find Trunkis the best option. You often are left pulling them along, so not exactly a hands-free option, but until they’re ready for a scootcase it’s the most argument-free option and not too expensive at around £35-40.

You may wish to go down the toddler carrier route, however, I find that by the time they are 3 or 4 years old, they’re too heavy to have them on my back for the amount of standing and walking required at airports. It also limits hand-luggage options for the parent as I typically go with a rucksack for ease. Littlelife do some great ones ranging from £70-220. Given the price, I’d suggest that it’s only worth it if you’re planning to use it a lot during your vacation, or for family walks and outings, etc.

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From 3y / 4y – tween/teen:

We wouldn’t be without our Zinc flyte midi suitcases. These are next level.

It’s a pull-along suitcase that transforms into a scooter. Absolutely genius, and essential for any kids 3-4y (depending on scooting ability) up until tween/teens.

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We frequently fly from Gatwick and Heathrow and there are literally miles of corridors to walk down to get to the plane. These scootcases have saved us from pulling along Trunkis for the kids, and from hours of carrying bags, children or both. They retail at around £70, more costly than the ever-popular Trunki, but personally I think it’s worth the extra.

It has a 25 litre storage capacity, which is enough for a lot of clothes, books, and small a toy or two. We open up the zip liner and stuff the underwear between the liner and plastic casing to gain extra volume.

Another advantage is that it’s completely hands free for the parent, which leaves you to carry your bag or push the buggy if you have one.

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Carry-on bag for the parent

My preference is always to have a rucksack on my back, preferably one that has a removable daypack feature.

• It leaves my hands free to push a stroller, hold tickets, comfort grumpy children, and rumage around for handy snacks and water
• One less thing with wheels to trip over (for me or the kids).
• Having a detachable daypack means that I can make sure my ‘must-need handy’ items are in a conveniently detachable rucksack that I can have by my feet on the plane, whilst the larger portion of the rucksack is in the overhead compartment.
• If, for any reason, the staff request that you leave your bag in the hold (perhaps due to weight restrictions, a full aircraft leading to luggage space issues, wrong dimensions for carry-on, etc.), you can still keep your essentials with you without having to decant them into the nearest carrier bag you can find.

I have the Osprey Fairview 55. It’s a big 42 litre rucksack with an additional detachable 13L daypack. This is a women’s fit rucksack. The men’s version is the Farpoint 55.

It’s not cheap at around £140 (but it’s usually discounted somewhere online if you search), however I find I use the full set every time I travel, and I use the daypack almost every day, either as a nappy bag or as a general ‘stuff’ bag whenever I’m taking the kids on an outing.

For holidays, provided I’m only packing one pair of extra shoes, there’s enough space for my clothes and the baby kit for a week (assuming I’m not packing for three different seasons).

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It’s worth pointing out, however, that the max dimensions are 63 x 33 x 30 cm. Strictly speaking, this is larger than the max carry-on dimensions of most airlines (see below), however, as it’s a rucksack I find there’s some flexibility in the the frame, so as long as it’s not stuffed I can get it into the sample container.

• British airways: 56 x 45 x 25cm
• Easyjet: 56 x 45 x 25 cm
• Ryanair: 55 x 40 x 20 cm
• Virgin: 56 x 36 x 23 cm
• KLM: 55 x 35 x 25 cm
• Emirates: 55 x 38 x 20 cm
• Air France: 55 x 35 x 25 cm

Worst case scenario, if the bag is full to the brim, I take off the daypack to keep the remaining bag within the dimensions, and give the daypack to my eldest as her ‘handbag’ carry-on, per the airline’s carry-on policy.

ALSO, being a women in sole charge of three small children at the airport, I find that people tend to be more helpful (and sympathetic?) and no one has yet stopped me to check my bag dimensions.

If you do want to err on the side of caution, however, Osprey do a Fairview 40L rucksack that is 54 x 35 x 23 cm and well within EU dimensions (RRP £100, but discounts online). Doesn’t have a daypack feature, however. Again, the men’s version if the Farpoint 40.

[PS/ Well done to Osprey for no ‘pink’ tax on the women’s versions, and for keeping the women’s pack volume the same as the men’s.]

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Hold luggage

I have my husband to thank for this. We bought two crazy big Sampsonite suitcases years ago. I thought it was ridiculous to get something so big and expensive, but now I see the light. They’re super useful, fit everything, easy to get around with, and have stood the test of time.

Whenever we do need to check in a suitcase, I am so happy to only need to check in one massive suitcase (or two if it’s a ski holiday) rather than juggling many smaller ones.

Key features that I recommend:

• Large / extra large. Our ones are 123L at 81 x 55 x 34 cm. Huge, but also useful as you’re not stuffing them to the brim, and you have a little space to bring souvenirs home.
• Four wheels. It’s much easier to be able to push it along and spin it around rather than pull on two wheels. I didn’t think it would make that much different, but it does.
• Hardside / hard shell outer. Protects your stuff inside, particularly breakables, electronics and liquids. Also allows middlie to take a ride on it.
• Lightweight. This is where a lot of your money goes. The lighter the suitcase, the more expensive… but it also gives you more weight allowance for your own stuff.

Our suitcases are a Samsonite Cosmolite Spinner. They weigh just 3kg and come with 10 year warranty, but are very expensive at £500.

At the bottom end of the Samsonite scale, they also do the Orfeo; a 4 wheel hardshell of the same size for £225. It weighs 4.3kg and is made of a different material with a 5 year warranty.

A quick search online will show similar size hardshell 4 wheelers for a little as £60, but they are heavier and I can’t vouch for their durability. It’s all a question of budget and how often you’re going to use it.

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Summary

The biggest tip by far, in my view, is the ‘scootcase’. Suitable for any toddler able to use a scooter up to tween/teen age. It’s been a game-changer for us.

Next, get yourself a double rucksack (that just about fits the carry-on dimensions with a squish). Use the main rucksack for your holiday packing, and the daypack for travel essentials (by travel essentials I mean tickets, passports, child entertainment/snack supplies, nappies, wipes and spare tops).

If you have a baby or toddler, then the Babyzen yoyo+ buggy is fab as you can take it anywhere, even on a plane.

If you have to check in a suitcase, get one massive one with four wheels and a hard shell, preferably not too heavy. It’s simply easier to push one thing on four swivel wheels than to juggle two or three smaller shoulder/pull/push suitcases.

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