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If your social media algorithm is even slightly travel-inclined, you've probably seen posts from people who claim to have mastered the art of travelling with only a carry-on bag – the true definition of minimalist travel.
It used to make me wonder... How did these people make travelling look so effortless with only one bag? Now I like to think I'm not an overpacker, but going on a trip for longer than a week or two with just a carry-on sounded impossible.
From my first adventure outside of Europe lugging a suitcase around Africa to carrying a huge backpack around in 40-degree heat in Thailand, I've never really mastered the ideal luggage set-up, especially for backpacking. So to me, travelling with only a carry-on seemed like the perfect option.
Finally, the day came when I decided to give this travelling with only hand luggage a go – mainly because the fees to add a checked-in bag on a budget airline were ridiculous! So, cue me embarking on a three-week trip around Jordan and Croatia with one tiny personal item-sized bag as my carry-on (a Fjällräven backpack if we want to get into the specifics – I like this bag but I do not recommend it for your carry-on – more on that later). And like everything in life, I quickly realised that travelling with only one carry-on bag is not effortless and definitely has its pros and cons. In fact, when it comes to carry-ons, they are not all equal depending on the airline you choose, the size can vary wildly.
Since this trip, I've travelled to Morocco for 10 days with just one bag (granted, it was a larger cabin bag – thanks to Ryanair priority!) but I had a much better experience this time around. Spoiler: The bag you choose matters... A LOT!
So, using my own experience and opinions of travelling with only a carry-on bag, here are 13 essential tips plus some carry-on bags I'd recommend and a free packing list. I'm going to give you a no-BS view to best prepare you for your own minimalist travel adventure and not just the carefully curated social media sunshine and rainbows posts that you're used to seeing.
Skip Ahead...
- Personal Item vs. Cabin Bag vs. Checked Baggage: What’s the Difference?
- Carry-On Bag Size for Budget UK and European Airlines
- The Best Carry-On Bags
- 13 Essential Tips for Travelling With Only a Carry-On Bag
- My Honest Opinion: Does Travelling with Just a Carry-On Make Life Easier?
- FREE Carry-On Only Packing List
- Support 24Countries
- More Blog Posts You'll Love
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Personal Item vs. Cabin Bag vs. Checked Baggage: What’s the Difference?
Technically, your carry-on (a.k.a. hand luggage) consists of a personal item (usually included in your ticket) and a larger cabin bag (typically available at an additional cost).
- Personal Item: This is a small bag that must be able to fit under the seat in front of you. It can be a handbag, laptop bag, backpack, or any bag that meets the size regulations.
- Cabin Bag: This is a larger piece of luggage, such as a backpack, rucksack, or suitcase, that can be stored in the overhead locker. Usually not included in a standard ticket price, especially with budget airlines (Jet2 being the exception to this rule).
- Checked Baggage: Refers to larger suitcases or bags, usually with a higher weight limit, that you drop off at the check-in desk before security. They are stored in the plane's cargo hold. Checked baggage is typically not included in the ticket price and costs an additional fee.
Carry-On Bag Size (left) vs Checked Baggage Size (right).
Carry-On Bag Size for Budget UK and European Airlines
Baggage size and weight restrictions vary from airline to airline and they may change without notice. Always check directly with your airline for the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding their baggage requirements. Otherwise, you could be hit with a hefty fee at the airport.
The Best Carry-On Bags
- Want to stick to just a personal item? The Lossga Cabin Bag, sized at 40x20x25 cm, perfectly meets the personal item requirements for Ryanair and Eurowings. Whereas if you're flying with easyJet, this other Lossga Travel Backpack is the ideal choice.
- Prefer a suitcase? This Antler Cabin Suitcase meets the larger cabin bag regulations for all the budget airlines mentioned above. While it may be a bit expensive, it’s an investment that will last you for years! A major advantage of this suitcase is that it fully opens, making it easy to find your belongings – a total game changer!
- Prefer a backpack? This Johnny Urban Roll Top Backpack is the exact one I used for my Morocco trip. The roll-top design allows it to expand, making it easy to fit anything you pick up along your journey. Plus, it’s made from recycled plastic bottles. If you're passionate about sustainability, check out my list of 17 eco-friendly travel products!
I took my Fjällräven Kånken Classic Backpack because it fit within Ryanair's personal item baggage restrictions. However, it turned out to be the worst choice for a three-week trip. I could hardly fit anything in it, and I found myself emptying it every time I needed something, then repacking it every few days!
13 Essential Tips for Travelling With Only a Carry-On Bag
Upgrade to the Larger Cabin Bag Option
If you're going for a city break or a one-week trip, you could probably get away with just taking a bag that fits the personal item size. This is included in your ticket, so it would save you from having to pay extra to upgrade to include the larger cabin bag.
However, if you're going away for longer than a week, the personal item bag size is NOT big enough. I did a three-week trip with a small bag that was the same size as the allowed personal item, and oh boy, it was a struggle!
If you plan to travel with one bag for an extended period of time, save yourself the hassle and upgrade to the larger cabin bag. I understand it may be an extra expense, but it’s so worth it!
Choose the Right Carry-On Bag
You'll see this one is a common theme throughout this blog! But trust me when I say – choosing the right carry-on bag is crucial. It can either make or break your trip.
As mentioned above, I took a Fjällräven Kånken Classic Backpack, and honestly, I wouldn’t recommend it for travelling. It's small and rigid, making it tricky to access anything at the bottom when it’s fully packed. The pockets also aren’t the most spacious and they're quite difficult to get into.
Personally, I’d always go for a backpack over a suitcase as it's easy just to grab and go, especially in places with difficult terrain. However, this does come down to personal preference. Whatever you choose, I’d recommend picking a relatively light bag, as most airlines have strict carry-on weight limits, which you don't want to use up on the bag alone.
Another key tip – get a backpack or suitcase that fully opens and I mean all the way around. This makes it so much easier to grab things from the bottom without having to unpack everything. You’ll also need to decide between a soft or hard bag. A soft bag lets you squeeze in extra items, but be mindful that it could expand beyond airline size limits. A hard bag, on the other hand, keeps its shape, ensuring you stick to the size restrictions and offers a bit more durability.
These two carry-ons couldn’t be more different. On the left is my Fjällräven Kånken Classic Backpack, which was far too small for travelling. On the right is my Johnny Urban Roll Top Backpack, which, as you can see from the pictures, was much bigger - a better carry-on size for travelling.
Pack Only the Essentials: Keep Your Destination in Mind
With just a carry-on bag, space is limited – you won’t have the luxury of packing a month’s worth of outfits or multiple pairs of shoes, and you won’t be able to prepare for every possible weather condition. So, when packing, keep your destination in mind. If you're heading somewhere hot, you won’t need loads of cold-weather gear, and vice versa.
Start with the essentials (plenty of underwear!), then aim to pack light, airy clothes that don’t take up too much space. You’re essentially creating a capsule wardrobe: carefully selected clothing items that can be mixed and matched to create a variety of outfits, minimising clutter.
Use my FREE Carry-On Packing List to help you optimise and prepare for your carry-on-only trip.
Keep Electronics to a Minimum
Don’t make the same mistake I did by packing loads of electronics! For my three-week trip, I took my laptop, Kindle, and GoPro (plus all its accessories). Both my laptop and GoPro took up so much valuable space in my carry-on, and I didn’t even use them. To make matters worse, I forgot the waterproof case, which was the only real reason for bringing my GoPro.
If I had to pick one electronic device to take (aside from my phone), it would be my Kindle. It's one of my favourite essentials, especially for long-haul flights and journeys. It also makes total sense to pack that rather than multiple books.
My advice: Really consider whether you’ll actually use something before packing it. If you have any doubts, leave it behind! Space is precious, and there’s no point in lugging around things you won’t use. And if you do take electronics, ditch the bulky cases where possible – they take up way too much room.
Roll Instead of Fold
Ooooh, it's a bit of a controversial one! There’s often a debate among travellers about whether you should roll or fold your clothes to save room. Both methods have their pros and cons.
However, in my opinion, rolling clothes helps to save space, keeps items wrinkle-free, and allows you to squeeze more into your bag! Thin, airy items are perfect for rolling. So if you can fill your carry-on with these types of clothing, you’ll be able to fit in loads!
That being said, I wouldn’t roll everything – some items, like jeans, denim shorts, and thick jumpers, tend to get bulkier when rolled. Therefore, it might be best to use a mixture of these techniques – find what works best for you!
Wear Your Bulky and Heavy Items on the Plane
If you’re taking any bulky or heavy items, like jackets or jumpers, wear them on the plane. These items take up so much space in your carry-on that you’ll barely have room for anything else.
I wore multiple layers on the plane, including a jacket, jumper, T-shirt, leggings, and my only pair of shoes for the whole trip – this helped save a ton of room. Plus, planes tend to get pretty chilly, so layering up is a win-win!
Use Packing Cubes
I swear by packing cubes – they’re an absolute game-changer for travelling. They help you organise everything into separate compartments, like underwear, makeup, toiletries, tops, and shorts.
One of my biggest pet peeves about travelling is having to empty my bag just to find something, only to repack it all again. This is where packing cubes come in – they’ve made a huge difference to my travel packing, helping me find exactly what I need without unpacking everything.
The only downside is that they do take up a fair bit of space, and as we already know, space is pretty limited in a carry-on. So, you might not have room for them this time – but if not, definitely get some for when you’re travelling with a bigger bag in the future!
Bring a Foldable Bag for Your Daily Essentials
Having everything crammed into one bag can get pretty annoying from time to time. Trying to find your money, passport, and travel documents can turn into a full-on mission. And why is it that when you need something, it’s always in the most inconvenient place?
This happened to me so many times when I travelled with just a carry-on. Every time I had to dig out my passport, liquids, or boarding pass, they were always buried at the bottom of my bag. I’d have to empty everything at security, then scramble to shove it all back in five minutes later. So stressful!
Save yourself the hassle – take a tote bag or money belt. Both of these don't take up much room but are perfect for carrying your everyday essentials.
Buy Additional Items at Your Destination
Remember, if there’s something you can’t fit in your bag, you can always buy it in the country you’re travelling to. This might be easier and cheaper in some places than others. For example, Southeast Asia – particularly Thailand and Vietnam – is great for picking up extra pieces of clothing.
I actually love buying clothes from other countries – I usually keep them for years and can always look back and remember exactly where I got them from.
That being said, I wouldn’t really recommend buying things like sunscreen or aftersun in Thailand or Vietnam, as they can be really expensive. So, plan for your destination and do a bit of research to see what’s easy to find.
If you can hold off for a couple of days after arriving, you can also pick up any extra essentials you might need, like mouthwash or face wash.
I picked up this skirt in Cambodia (left) and this alpaca cardigan in Peru (right). These are some of my favourite travel outfits, and I still own both to this day.
Sort Your Liquids into Plastic Bags Before Heading to the Airport
Sort your liquids into a single plastic bag (usually 20cm x 20cm for security) and place it at the top of your bag before you even get to the airport. I made the mistake of taking far too many liquids with me, and when I sorted them at the airport, they ended up filling three bags! Unfortunately, I had to toss two of my liquid bags in the bin.
Transfer Liquids into Small Reusable Bottles
Grab a set of 100ml reusable travel bottles and transfer your liquids (shampoos, conditioners, body wash, etc.) into them. This way, you can buy full-sized bottles, transfer what you need into reusable travel bottles, and keep the rest at home for when you return.
If you're staying in hotels (or selected hostels), they often provide free shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. This means you can top up your travel bottles with whatever’s available at your accommodation, saving you money on extra toiletries.
Book Accommodation with Laundry Facilities
If you're embarking on a long trip with just a carry-on bag, it's highly likely at some point that you'll need to wash your clothes.
Make sure to book accommodation that offers a washing or laundry service, or is close to a place where you can get your laundry done. This way getting your washing done won't cause too much inconvenience on your trip.
Don’t Let Your Bag Situation Take Away from Your Amazing Trip
If you haven’t packed enough toiletries or clothes, who cares? Just have the time of your life, go on those adventures, and enjoy yourself. At the end of the day, it’s just a bag – try not to let it stress you out! You won’t even remember in a year the things you didn’t have space for, but you will remember all those incredible memories you made!
Even with my carry-on bag issues, my trips to Jordan and Croatia were both absolutely incredible. Looking back now, I can’t even remember what I didn’t manage to fit in my carry-on.
My Honest Opinion: Does Travelling with Just a Carry-On Make Life Easier?
If you'd asked my honest opinion after my trip to Jordan and Croatia, I would've definitely said that only taking a carry-on bag does NOT make travelling easier. But, my opinion has since changed. I've been around Morocco with a slightly larger carry-on bag and honestly, got on great!
The bag size was for sure the biggest factor in my opinion. The first time I travelled with a carry-on, I flew with Ryanair and refused to pay extra, so I could only take a small personal item (40x20x25cm). The second time, I learned from my mistake and upgraded to cabin baggage (55x40x20cm).
- Save Money and Time: If you’re flying with a budget airline, you’ll save a fortune on checked baggage fees by sticking to just taking a carry-on bag. Plus, you won't need to spend time at the airport checking in luggage.
- Lightweight: A carry-on is much lighter than a bulky backpack or suitcase.
- Convenient: A carry-on bag makes it easier to pack up and go when you’re travelling. Plus, you won't need to worry about lost luggage or waiting for ages at baggage claim for your checked baggage.
- Hassle: Having only one bag meant that everything was in it - my passport, tickets, money, etc. This made it a hassle to get things in and out without everything spilling out, especially when going through airport security.
- Limited Clothing Options: With such a small backpack, I could only pack a few clothes. For my three-week trip, I took one pair of shoes, two or three tops, one or two pairs of shorts and skirts, and one dress. This was definitely not enough! Within the first few days, everything needed washing.
- Unplanned Purchases: I ended up "having" to buy more clothes because I just didn’t have enough. Then I had to carry all these additional items around in extra bags since I didn’t have the space to put them in my carry-on.
FREE Carry-On Only Packing List
Just taking a carry-on bag involves a lot of planning. You really need to decide what you have space to take and what you don't.
Want to make packing for a carry-on-only trip that wee bit easier? Then, I’ve got you covered! Below, you’ll find two totally free downloadable PDFs of my Carry-On Only Packing List. One is pre-filled with essentials, and the other is a blank list so you can customise it as you please.
Download it, print it off, and tick things off as you pack – trust me, it’ll help you to feel more organised! Oh, and to make things even easier, I’ve added a little preview so you can see exactly what you’re getting before you hit download. Enjoy!
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This post is your ultimate guide to travelling with only a carry-on bag.
Thanks so much for reading, it means the world!
Kirsty x
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