If you walk into our luggage store looking for a new suitcase we’ll ask you a few questions straight off the bat;
These are generally the 3 key pieces of info we need to guide you to the perfect suitcase. The question of hard or soft we’ve addressed in a blog already, check it out here. Same goes for budget (read here). But size? Well, it’s the goldilocks question. It’s unique to you, so we can’t tell you what size to buy. Maybe you’re a chronic overpacker and happy with that. Fair enough. You’ll find the extra large cases under ‘extra large’ on our webshop. What we can do though is help you decode suitcase sizing, to help you match up your needs with the standard sizes on offer.
For the purpose of this blog post we’ll stick with standard suitcases, not backpacks or duffels, which pack differently. It’s also worth noting it’s a guide only. If you’re super tall and your clothes and shoes are larger than average then that needs to be considered, and vice versa.
A note on how suitcase sizes are measured
Suitcase sizes will be indicated by the supplier in both cm (outer dimensions) and litres. There is a lot of variation in how the suppliers do their measuring. For example, one supplier may include the wheels, one may not. It’s not always indicated how they do it, so allow for some variation. Similar with litre capacity, some base it off calculation, some use volume of water displaced and so on, which leaves a lot of room for variation. If dimensions or volume is of great importance to you (for example for a tour with restricted luggage) we recommend calling us so we can advise based on brands and measure for you if possible.
Standard Suitcase Sizes
There are 4 standard suitcase sizes, cabin (small), medium, large and extra-large. We’ll outline the range for each standard size, the average size and what you can expect to pack into the average suitcase size.
Size in Consideration to Weight
In terms of check in bags, the typical weight restriction imposed by airlines is 23kg. A full, large suitcase of average weight for the average traveller will be hovering around 23kg. So, a heavier than average large suitcase or any extra-large suitcase packed to capacity has the opportunity to go over the 23kg. We recommend buying and travelling with portable luggage scales to avoid over limit fees.
The Average Cabin Suitcase
The vast majority of cabin suitcases adhere to the ‘international’ size restriction of 115cm, which means the dimensions of the 3 sides add up to 115cm or less. This is the cabin size bag which is suitable for international flights, Qantas, Jetstar and Tiger domestic flights. There are some exceptions to this of course so always check the details on your tickets.
Virgin domestic flights and smaller plane flights (e.g. Rex) technically only allow the smaller ‘domestic’ size which is 105cm. This size restriction might also apply to domestic flights overseas, for example an EasyJet flight within France. For this reason, you need to be diligent in checking the restrictions for all flights on your travels to avoid fees.
Given 90% of cabin suitcases are the 115cm size, we’ll discuss that!
Typical Capacity: 35-45L
Typical Weight: 2kg – 3kg
What fits (based on a 40L capacity):
Things to consider:
This size is mostly suitable for:
The Average Medium Suitcase
As there is no airline-imposed size restriction for medium cases like for cabin, then there is a much bigger variation in size. They range from nice and compact ‘long weekend’ size to quite spacious. Use the below summary to compare based on volume.
Typical Capacity: 65-85L
Typical Weight: 3-4kg
What fits (based on 75L):
This size is mostly suitable for:
The Average Large Suitcase
In recent years with lighter suitcases becoming available, the large category has been split into large and extra-large. Large typically relates to the historical large size of 78cm tall. Extra-large relates to the 81-83cm tall suitcases. So, for our large suitcase, we are looking at up to 78cm.
Typical Capacity: 90-110L
Typical Weight: 3.5-4.5kg
What fits (based on 105L):
Things to consider:
This size is mostly suitable for:
The Average Extra-Large Suitcase
Extra-Large suitcases are big! Reconsider your need for the biggest size unless absolutely necessary. Whilst you might still need to adhere to the 23kg weight limit (meaning you just have extra space not weight) they are an awkward size to lift. This becomes a factor when you need to go upstairs, use public transport, tour buses or even just lifting into a taxi. They are also hard to fit into smaller car boots, whether it be a hire car or taxi. And if you have a travel companion, 2 large suitcases can be hard to configure in car boots.
Typical Capacity: 110-140L
Typical Weight: 4-5kg *typically only lighter weight designs are available in this larger size
What fits (based on 120L):
Things to consider:
This size is mostly suitable for:
We hope that helps you!
Main image with thanks to @delseyofficial