How to choose the right luggage size

Currently, I am looking for the new travel suitcases, because soon I will be traveling on intercontinental and regional European flights. And because my old suitcases fall apart, I decided to buy new ones, which will have the sizes that will fit my flights and any other flights in the future. I have to buy one checked baggage and one carry-on (cabin) baggage suitcases.

In this post I decided to make a small research of what are the baggage size allowances of the airline companies. See the tables below:

Carry-on (cabin) baggage size allowances

Airline	Size, cm	Size, inch
Alitalia	55 x 35 x 25	21.5 x 13.7 x 9.8
Air Moldova	50 x 40 x 25 (115 cm)	19.7 x 16 x 10
American Airlines	56 x 36 x 23	22 x 14 x 9
British Airways	56 x 45 x 25	22 x 18 x 10
Delta	56 x 35 x 23 (114 cm)	22 x 14 x 9 (45 in.)
Lufthansa	55 x 40 x 23	21.5 x 16 x 9
Ryanair	55 x 40 x 20	21.5 x 16 x 8
Sunwing	51 x 40 x 23	20 x 16 x 9
Turkish Airlines	55 x 40 x 23	21.5 x 16 x 9
Westjet	53 x 23 x 38	21 x 9 x 15
Wizz Air	42 x 32 x 25, free 56 x 45 x 25, extra charge	16.5 x 12.5 x 9.8, free 22 x 18 x 10, extra charge

Checked baggage size allowances

Airline	Size, cm	Size, inch
Alitalia	158 (W + H + L)	62
Air Moldova	158	62
American Airlines	158	62
British Airways	90 x 75 x 43	35.5 x 29.5 x 16
Delta	157	62
Lufthansa	158	62
Ryanair	no info, 15 or 20 kg	no info
Sunwing	158	62
Turkish Airlines	158	62
Westjet	157	62
Wizz Air	171 x 149 x 119 (?)	67 x 58 x 47 (?)

There are also other things to consider:

• The sizes of luggage include handles, side pockets and wheels;
• You should also try to find the lightest luggages. Some of carry-on luggages weigh up to 4 kg, but the baggage allowance on some airlines (like Sunwing) is 5 kg

Conclusion

As for myself, I decided to buy the carry-on bag, which will not exceed 50cm x 38 cm x 23cm (19.5 in x 15 in x 9 in). If you live in North America, go after the 20" bags, they will usually fit these standards.

For the checked bag, it is much easier. It should be up to 158 cm or 62 inch, the sum of width + height + length.

I wouldn't take into consideration the allowances of such companies as Wizz Air. They just want to charge you for everything.

I also advice you to double check before every flight with your carriers, because they might have different rules and allowances and you might end-up taking the old, smaller bag, which was waiting for its time.