Kids' luggage: what actually works on a family trip
Children can carry real luggage from about five years old, if the bag is sized to them and rolls easily. The mistake is buying a mini version of an adult case.
Sizes that work by age
- 2-4 years — ride-on case they sit on, or nothing at all: you carry it
- 5-7 years — 30-40 cm, under 2 kg empty, ideally a backpack
- 8-12 years — cabin-size 20 inch case if it has four wheels, or a 40 litre pack
- Teenagers — standard cabin case; they will want the same as you
What to check
- Empty weight — a cute hard shell can weigh 3 kg before anything goes in
- Handle height — the case should roll at the child's hip, not above their shoulder
- Wheels — four spinners tip less when a tired child pulls sideways
- Their own packing — a bag they packed is a bag they will carry
Rules that surprise parents
Cabin allowances are per passenger, not per adult: most children over two get their own cabin and checked allowance, so a family of four can genuinely spread the weight. Infants on a lap usually get a small checked allowance only.
Ride-on cases: the honest verdict
They are fun, they are slow, and they take up the same footprint as a cabin case while offering a fraction of the packing space. Buy one for the novelty if you like; do not rely on it as the child's actual luggage.
Compare sizes and weights in Kids' luggage, and see our cabin size rules before choosing anything that must fly.
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