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My family of 5 traveled to Sicily for over 2 weeks with carry-on only. I'm never going back to checked luggage.

13 July 2025 at 13:52
A little girl pulls along wheeled luggage in a tourist resort
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Catherine Falls Commercial/Getty Images

  • Before having kids, my husband and I would travel carry-on only.
  • With kids, we felt like we needed more space and often checked luggage.
  • We took a trip through Sicily with carry-ons, and we are never going back to checking bags.

"Your bag didn't make it to this airport," the woman behind the counter told me in 2023. We had just arrived in Madrid, jetlagged, delayed, and exhausted.

Before having kids, my husband and I were experts at traveling with carry-on only, but since we had three kids in two years, our packing situation has become a little more, well, complicated.

That is, until this year, when I decided that we were going to try to travel without any checked baggage to Italy for over two weeks. It was a success, and I'm never going back to check luggage.

We got our kids cute roller suitcases

With my kids, everything new we do depends on the delivery. Knowing that they would moan if I simply said, "Everyone needs to roll their own carry-on," I decided to invest in cute, fun bags for them.

I got three Away kids' carry-ons in different colors. I figured they'd be into them because they are fun and smaller than a regular carry-on. I was correct.

Away kids carry-on
The author bought Away suitcases for the kids.

Courtesy of the author

They all practiced rolling their bags around the house and watched me pack their things into the separate compartments. We then talked about how they were responsible for their own bag at the airport and that we couldn't leave them behind.

I packed very light

We were in Italy for 16 days, and I decided to pack extremely light. Not just so the carry-ons wouldn't be super heavy, but also to have room for treasures I knew we would find in some of our magical destinations, and for new outfits.

I checked the listings for our Airbnbs and planned where and when we would be doing laundry. I ended up packing five outfits for each of us and bringing two pairs of shoes each.

In the end, because we spent so much time at the beach, I felt like I could've packed even lighter on clothes for the kids since they mostly wore bathing suits and flip-flops.

Having small bags made moving around Italy easier

Most of the places we stayed had stairs, which we didn't know in advance. The first house in Taormina had about three flights of stairs right as you walked in, on a flimsy staircase not for the faint of heart.

Bringing small bags made it easier to check in and out of places like these. We also took a trip to a remote island by ferry, and navigating the cobblestone streets and port was much easier with our carry-ons.

Mom with kids and carry ons.
The author found the carry-ons useful during the trip.

Courtesy of the author

We each had a backpack to access things like passports, snacks, and stuffed animals. That way, once the carry-ons were zipped, I didn't need to get into them until the next location.

I'm not going back to checked bags

Now that my kids are older and we don't need to bring things like diapers, formula, car seats, and all the stuff that comes with babies, I'm ready to never check a suitcase again.

While it requires more planning pre-trip, I felt like it paid off significantly during our travels. My husband and I did, at certain points, take over our kids' carry-ons, especially when rushing to catch a connection or getting on and off escalators. Since our bags had four wheels, it wasn't super hard to do so.

And the idea of never losing a bag and having to track it with an AirTag from a different country sounds quite appealing to me.

Read the original article on Business Insider

12 surprising carry-on items you're not allowed to take through airport security

29 June 2025 at 13:20
magic 8 ball
A Magic 8 Ball should be packed in your checked luggage.

The Image Party/Shutterstock

  • The summer travel season is expected to break records this year.
  • There are some surprising things you can't bring on a plane via airport security.
  • Foam swords are not allowed in carry-on bags, but lightsabers are permitted.

Summer travel is heating up.

If you're about to pack up and head off on summer vacation, it's always helpful to know what items you can β€” and can't β€” put in your carry-on bag.

The summer travel season is expected to set new records this year, with the Federal Aviation Administration predicting a 4% increase in flight schedules compared to last summer, ABC News reported.

Before you hop on a flight, you might want to check that you don't have any items that could slow you down at TSA.

The Transportation Security Administration, or TSA, has a lengthy, searchable online Rolodex of items you can look through before packing your bags.

You might be surprised to learn that everything from large quantities of soup to Magic 8 Balls are prohibited in carry-on luggage on flights.

Here are 12 carry-on items you'd be surprised aren't allowed through airport security.

Snow globes
christmas snowglobe holiday
Snow globes can go in carry-on luggage if they're tennis-ball size or less.

Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Leave the snow globes at home. They often contain more than the permitted amount of liquid for carrying on a plane.

According to the TSA, snow globes are allowed through if they are about tennis-ball size or less, and appear to contain less than 3.4 ounces of liquid. However, if you're bringing back a travel memento from a trip, it's usually a safe idea to pack it in your checked bag.Β 

Magic 8 Balls
magic 8 ball
A Magic 8 Ball should be packed in your checked luggage.

The Image Party/Shutterstock

When it comes to Magic 8 Balls, the future is clear: Leave them at home, or put them in your checked bag.Β Toys like the Magic 8 Ball that contain liquid are not allowed in carry-on bags.

"For carry-on bags: We asked the Magic 8 Ball and it told us… Outlook not so good," TSA wrote on its official website. "For checked bags: We asked the Magic 8 Ball and it told us… It is certain!"

Christmas crackers
Christmas cracker
Crackers are not allowed in carry-on or checked bags.

Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock

If you're traveling to or from the UK around the holidays, you might want to avoid packing this traditional British Christmas item. TSA guidelines state that "English Christmas crackers" are not allowed in carry-on or checked bags.Β 

Made from a cardboard tube wrapped in brightly colored paper, crackers contain small gifts that come out when pulled on either end. When both ends of the cracker are pulled, there is a bang.

That's because, inside, there are two strips of card attached to each end of the cracker. The two pieces of card have a slight overlap that is treated with gunpowder. When each end of the cracker is pulled, friction is generated where the card overlaps, creating a small explosion on the part containing gunpowder.

A US Transportation Security Administration spokesman told Airport Parking and Hotels that these items are prohibited from flying in checked or carry-on bags.

"They are flammable and should not be brought on airplanes. They fall in the same category as sparklers and fireworks," they said.

Large quantities of soup
white bean soup in a tupperware container with a purple lid
Any quantity of liquid larger than 3.4 fluid ounces is not allowed in carry-on luggage.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

You can bring snacks on a plane, but a large quantity of soup is prohibited in carry-on luggage.

The TSA reported that soup is allowed on flights if you are carrying less than or equal to 3.4 fluid ounces, but any amount larger than that is prohibited in carry-on bags.

Cast-iron cookware
Cast Iron Skillet
A cast-iron skillet is not allowed in carry-on luggage.

Marie C Fields/Shutterstock

If you plan on cooking at your destination, cast-iron cookware should be packed in your checked luggage.

Cast-iron cookware, such as skillets and pans, is not allowed in carry-on luggage. While the TSA website does not explain why these items are prohibited, heavy cast-iron items could cause serious injuries or damage if used as weapons.

Other types of pots and pans are allowed in carry-on and checked bags.

Alcoholic beverages containing more than 70% alcohol
Alcohol
There are limits on alcoholic beverages when traveling by plane.

Vicky Gosselin/Shutterstock

Alcoholic beverages with more than 70% alcohol, or over 140 proof, are prohibited from both carry-on and checked bags.

Some high-percentage alcohols that would be affected by this ban include Hapsburg Absinthe XC, Sunset Very Strong Rum, Devil's Springs Vodka 160, and Golden Grain 190, which contains 95% alcohol by volume.

Alcoholic beverages that contain more than 24% but not more than 70% alcohol are limited in checked bags to no more than 5 liters and no more than 3.4 liquid ounces in carry-on bags.

Foam toy swords
A family playing with foam toy swords in public park together
Foam toy swords should be packed in checked luggage.

vgajic/Getty Images

They might not be lethal, but foam toy swords can't come in your carry-on. Instead, they can be packed in checked bags.

That being said, lightsabers are allowed to be brought on board, per TSA guidelines.Β 

Nerf guns
vidcon 2019 nerf guns
Replicas of guns and explosives are not allowed in carry-on luggage.

Tom Vickers/MOVI Inc

Carry-on bags cannot contain squirt guns, Nerf guns, or other items that resemble realistic firearms or weapons.

The TSA recommends that you pack these items in your checked bags, instead. The agency also notes that "replicas of explosives, such as hand grenades, are prohibited in checked and carry-on baggage."

Water guns packed in a carry-on should be emptied of all liquid, or contain less than the 3.4 ounces allowed through security.Β 

TSA officers also have the option to prohibit or confiscate any item that goes through the security screening checkpoint "if they believe it poses a security threat," TSA guidelines state.

Full-size scissors
scissors
Scissors could be used as a weapon or could injure workers.

Fiskars

Nail scissors are allowed in carry-on luggage, but regular scissors need to be checked in a bag β€” anything that could be used as a weapon is usually banned from carry-on bags, and full-sized scissors are no exception.

TSA's website states that scissors are allowed in your carry-on, but must be less than 4 inches in length from the pivot point and wrapped or sheathed securely "to prevent injury to baggage handlers and inspectors."

Fertilizer
gardening
Fertilizer is considered a hazardous material.

Associated Press/Ross Dettman

TSA guidelines explain that fertilizer is not allowed in carry-on or checked bags. The Street reported that this is because fertilizer is deemed a hazardous material, as it can be flammable and could be a risk for explosion.Β 

Gel-filled heating pads
heating pad
A heating pad should be packed in your checked luggage.

Shutterstock

Gel-filled heating pads are also not allowed in carry-on luggage, since the gel in heating pads is liquid, but they can be checked.

Electric heating pads that do not contain gel or liquid are not restricted in any way.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 7
Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Smartphone
Galaxy Note 7 phones and refurbished versions were banned from flights.

Drew Angerer/Getty Images

After a series of dangerous incidents in which the phones overheated, Samsung recalled the devices on September 15, 2016, and again on October 13, 2016. The Department of Transportation issued a 2016 statement banning both recalled Galaxy Note 7 phones and refurbished versions.

"We recognize that banning these phones from airlines will inconvenience some passengers, but the safety of all those aboard an aircraft must take priority," then-Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in 2016. "We are taking this additional step because even one fire incident in-flight poses a high risk of severe personal injury and puts many lives at risk."

"The fire hazard with the original Note 7 and with the replacement Note 7 is simply too great for anyone to risk it and not respond to this official recall," said US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) chairman Elliot F. Kaye. "I would like to remind consumers once again to take advantage of the remedies offered, including a full refund. It's the right thing to do and the safest thing to do."

In a December 2016 statement, Samsung said 93% of recalled Galaxy Note 7 phones had been returned, but that the company was rolling out a software update that month that would render the phones unusable.

"Consumer safety remains our highest priority," it said in the statement.

Read the original article on Business Insider
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