Jay’s Playbook: How to Fly With Only a Carry-On

Flying with only a carry-on is one of the simplest ways to save money, stress less, and travel like a minimalist. It forces you to decide what actually matters, and it frees you from the checked-bag circus at every airport.

Why Checked Baggage Fees Aren’t Worth It

Airlines use checked bags as a profit centre. On major Canadian airlines, a basic economy ticket with a checked bag usually adds:

• CAD $30–$40 each way for the first checked bag on many North American routes
• CAD $50–$70+ each way on some international routes or lower-fare tiers
• Oversize or overweight fees easily adding another CAD $75–$150 per direction

On a single round trip, one checked bag can quietly add CAD $60–$140+ to your cost. Multiply that by a couple of trips a year and you’re spending the price of another flight just to haul stuff you probably won’t use.

Carry-on only means:

• No waiting at baggage carousels
• No lost luggage risk
• No panic over tight connections
• Less to drag through trains, buses, and long walks

Choosing the Right Carry-On Bag

Most airlines flying in and out of Canada allow a carry-on around 21–22 in (55–56 cm) tall, plus a personal item. Always check your specific airline, but a safe target for a rolling suitcase is:

• 55 × 35 × 23 cm (about 21.5 × 14 × 9 in)

You have three main options:

• Hard-shell roller: Easy to organize, protects contents, but heavier. Good if you like structure.
• Soft-sided roller: A bit more flexible and forgiving when overhead bins are tight.
• Travel backpack (30–40L): Light, compressible, and easier on stairs and cobblestones. Great for minimalist trips.

Whatever you choose, avoid anything bigger than 40L or 22 in tall. If your bag looks stuffed, airline staff are more likely to gate-check it.

A Capsule Packing List for 1–2 Weeks

The trick: pack for 7 days and plan to do laundry once. You can comfortably stretch this to two weeks or more.

Clothing (non-business trip, mild weather)

• 2 pairs of pants (or 1 pant, 1 lightweight travel-friendly jean)
• 1 pair of shorts (or a casual skirt)
• 4–5 t-shirts or casual tops (neutral colours, mix and match)
• 1 nicer top/shirt for evenings
• 1 lightweight sweater or cardigan
• 1 packable jacket (weather-appropriate: rain shell or light insulated jacket)
• 5–7 pairs of underwear
• 3–4 pairs of socks
• 1 pair of comfortable walking shoes (wear these on the plane)
• 1 pair of compact sandals or flats (optional, pack these)
• Sleepwear
• Workout gear (1 outfit, only if you’ll definitely use it)

Electronics

• Phone + charging cable
• Universal adapter (if needed)
• Small power bank (airline-approved size)
• Laptop or tablet only if you truly need it
• Earbuds or compact headphones

Documents & money

• Passport / ID
• Boarding passes (digital is fine, but screenshot them)
• Travel insurance details
• 1 debit card, 1 credit card (leave backup cards at home)
• Essential local currency (not a stack of cash)

Rolling vs. Folding: What Actually Works

Both work. The key is consistency and compression, not the method. Here’s a practical combo that works for most carry-ons:

• Roll t-shirts, underwear, and thin items to fill gaps and edges.
• Fold thicker items (jeans, sweaters) into rectangles and stack them.
• Use packing cubes if you already own them — they help compress and keep categories separate.
• Fill every dead space (inside shoes: socks, cables; corners: rolled tees).

If you don’t have packing cubes, use simple categories: one side of the bag for clothes, the other for shoes and toiletries. Keep your “plane kit” (headphones, book, snacks, pen, charger) in your personal item.

Toiletry Rules: Stay Small and Solid

Airport security rules are where many people blow their minimalism. For carry-on liquids, you’re limited to containers of 100 mL (3.4 oz) or less, all fitting in one 1 L clear bag.

Pack only what you’ll actually use in a week:

• Travel-size toothpaste
• Travel-size moisturizer
• Small sunscreen (or buy at destination if going long-term)
• Contact lens solution (if needed, in a small bottle)
• Deodorant (solid preferred)
• Any prescription medication in original packaging

Whenever possible, switch to solid products: bar soap, solid shampoo, solid conditioner. Whenever possible, switch to solid products: bar soap, solid shampoo, solid conditioner. They don’t count towards your liquid limit and are easier to pack. You can also reuse small containers or squeeze tubes from previous trips.

Skip hotel-size hoarding. You don’t need to bring half your bathroom, and you definitely don’t need to bring back “free” toiletries you didn’t like.

What to Leave at Home

Most overpacking comes from fear-based “just in case” thinking. Be ruthless about these:

• Extra shoes — one good walking pair and one small backup are enough.
• Bulky hoodies and sweaters — wear your warmest layer on the plane instead.
• Full-size toiletries — they’re heavy, leak-prone, and often unnecessary.
• Hair tools — many places have a hair dryer; your hair will survive a few low-effort days.
• Multiple “nice” outfits — pick one versatile outfit you can dress up or down.
• Books — one physical book or an e-reader is enough.
• “What if” gadgets — extra cameras, cables, and accessories you rarely touch at home.

If you’re not using something weekly in your normal life, you probably won’t miss it on a 1–2 week trip.

The Mental Shift: Owning Less While Travelling

Carry-on-only travel is training for a more minimalist life. It forces a few useful questions:

• Do I actually need this, or am I just used to having it around?
• Could I borrow, rent, or buy it if I truly needed it?
• Is this item giving me freedom, or is it something I’ll have to babysit?

When everything you need fits in one bag, you notice how few things are truly essential: something to wear, something to keep you warm and dry, something to pay with, and something to capture memories. The rest is optional.

The more trips you take with less stuff, the more obvious this becomes at home too. Closets full of “trip clothes” you never pack start to look ridiculous. Buying random gear “for travel” loses its appeal when you know your bag has a strict carry-on limit.

Simple Carry-On Packing Checklist

• Bag: 21–22 in carry-on + small personal item
• Clothing: 2 pants, 1 shorts/skirt, 4–5 tops, 1 nicer top, 1 sweater, 1 jacket, 5–7 underwear, 3–4 socks, sleepwear, 1 extra pair of shoes/sandals
• Toiletries: essentials only, all 100 mL or less in one 1 L clear bag, plus any solid products
• Electronics: phone, charger, adapter, earbuds, power bank, laptop/tablet only if needed
• Documents: passport/ID, cards, insurance info, boarding passes
• Plane kit: reusable water bottle (empty at security), snacks, pen, light layer, eye mask or earplugs if you use them

Lay everything out on your bed before you pack. Remove one outfit and one “just in case” item. Then pack what’s left. You’ll rarely regret what you left behind.

What about you — what’s your best packing tip, or your most painful overpacking story you’d never repeat?