How to travel for work with carry-on only

Why it helps on work trips

When your bag stays with you, you can leave the airport as soon as you land, change flights more easily if there is a delay, and never face a client meeting in travel clothes because your suitcase went somewhere else. On short trips of two to four days, carry-on only is often the simplest choice.

Check the size and weight limits

Cabin bag limits vary between airlines and between fare types on the same airline. Some cheaper fares allow only a small personal item that fits under the seat. Before each trip:

• Check the size and weight limits for your airline and fare on the airline's own website.
• If your trip has more than one airline, plan for the strictest limit.
• Measure your bag, including wheels and handles. Bags sold as "carry-on size" are not always within every airline's limit.

Trains and buses usually have more generous rules, but check those too if you are using them.

Plan your liquids

Many airports limit liquids, gels and creams in carry-on bags to small containers, often 100 ml (about 3.4 oz) each, all fitting in one small clear bag. Some airports with newer scanners have relaxed these rules, while others have not, so check the current rule for every airport on your route, including the return.

• Use solid versions of toiletries where you can, such as bar soap or stick deodorant.
• Buy larger items like sunscreen at your destination.
• Keep the clear bag at the top of your carry-on so you can take it out quickly.
• Medicines and baby food are often allowed in larger amounts, but you may need to declare them at security.

Use the personal item well

The personal item, usually a backpack or laptop bag, is where everything you need during the journey should live: laptop, chargers, documents, medication, headphones, a snack and a water bottle. Then the main bag can go in the overhead bin and stay there.

Put your laptop where you can reach it quickly. At many security checkpoints you will need to take it out of the bag.

Wear the bulky items

Wear your jacket, your heaviest shoes and any thick layer on the travel day. They take up a lot of space in a bag and very little on you. A jacket with inside pockets can hold your phone, passport and boarding pass.

Pack in layers

1. Shoes go in first, at the bottom near the wheels, with socks stuffed inside them.
2. Rolled knits and casual items fill the gaps.
3. Folded shirts, trousers and the jacket you are not wearing go on top, where they crease least.
4. The toiletry kit and liquids bag go last, so you can get to them at security.

Packing cubes help keep things in order when you open the bag in a hotel room, and make it easier to repack fast on the last morning.

Plan for laundry on longer trips

For a trip longer than four or five days, pack for half of it and plan one wash. Many hotels offer laundry service, though it can be expensive, so check whether your policy covers it. Washing a few items in the sink and hanging them overnight works for quick-drying fabrics.

When to check a bag anyway

Carry-on only doesn't suit every trip. Consider checking a bag if you are carrying samples, display materials or tools, if you need clothes for very different climates, or if you have formal wear that must stay uncreased. Pack anything you need for the first day, including one meeting outfit, in your carry-on in case the checked bag is delayed.