# How do they measure luggage?



## abc31 (Sep 19, 2010)

Delta allows one 62 inch piece of luggage (for a $23 fee).  If I measure my suitcase from the back, from seam to seam, it just about makes it.  Do they add in the wheels and other protruding hardware? What about the front pockets?


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## bankr63 (Sep 19, 2010)

abc31 said:


> Delta allows one 62 inch piece of luggage (for a $23 fee).  If I measure my suitcase from the back, from seam to seam, it just about makes it.  Do they add in the wheels and other protruding hardware? What about the front pockets?



Depends on how bad a day the counter agent is having.  In general, if it looks like a 62" or less, you're fine.  But if you read the fine print, it is the size of the box that would contain your suitcase (total H+W+D), so yes, it does include wheels, handles, pockets, etc.

I've never seen anyone measure a suitcase at the ticket counter, they are a lot tighter on weight restrictions there.  I have seen carryons measured at the gate more than once.


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## DeniseM (Sep 19, 2010)

Rather than measuring, many airlines have a box it must fit in.


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## MichaelColey (Sep 19, 2010)

We have a *huge* soft-sided suitcase (that we nicknamed "the bodybag") that we bought years ago in Hawaii when we ended up bring back way more than we came with. It's quite obviously over 62".

We've flown with it probably a dozen times, and we've only been given a hard time about it once.  (As a point of reference, that one time was with Delta.)


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## pedro47 (Sep 20, 2010)

DeniseM said:


> Rather than measuring, many airlines have a box it must fit in.



I am deleting my post


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## CarolF (Sep 20, 2010)

abc31 said:


> Delta allows one 62 inch piece of luggage (for a $23 fee).  If I measure my suitcase from the back, from seam to seam, it just about makes it.  Do they add in the wheels and other protruding hardware? What about the front pockets?



Thanks for asking this question.  I've often wondered how it is worked out myself. 

From the answers given, I think I will just find a store with a "box" so I can see if what I have fits.


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## abc31 (Sep 20, 2010)

Thanks for your answers.  I guess I have to decide if it is worth the slight risk that they will say something.


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## MichaelColey (Sep 20, 2010)

DeniseM said:


> Rather than measuring, many airlines have a box it must fit in.





pedro47 said:


> If it does not fix into the airline box on site..you must check the bag.


wcfr1 is talking about a checked bag, not carry on.



abc31 said:


> I guess I have to decide if it is worth the slight risk that they will say something.


The risk isn't that they'll say something, but that they'll charge you. Although I take that chance myself, be forewarned that "taking a chance" can be expensive. Delta's oversized bag fee is $175.


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## abc31 (Sep 20, 2010)

MichaelColey said:


> wcfr1 is talking about a checked bag, not carry on.
> 
> The risk isn't that they'll say something, but that they'll charge you. Although I take that chance myself, be forewarned that "taking a chance" can be expensive. Delta's oversized bag fee is $175.



Yes. I know. That is why I'm concerned.  It might be cheaper just to buy another suitcase!


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## pedro47 (Sep 20, 2010)

MichaelColey said:


> wcfr1 is talking about a checked bag, not carry on.
> 
> The risk isn't that they'll say something, but that they'll charge you. Although I take that chance myself, be forewarned that "taking a chance" can be expensive. Delta's oversized bag fee is $175.



I am deleting my post.


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## Patri (Sep 20, 2010)

pedro47 said:


> If it does not fix into the airline box on site..you must check the bag.



Many oversized bags got on the plane on my last trip. No way they would have fit in the box, but no one measured them. Mine was regulation.


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## bankr63 (Sep 21, 2010)

I don't see how they could use a box for this.  The 62" is the total sum of the 3 dimensions of the bag.  So if you had a bag that was 36" high, 22" deep but only 5" wide, it would pass, but would probably not fit anyone's idea of a standard box. A more normal dimensioned 29*21*12 would also pass.  A 30*21*12 would be too big by one inch.  There are an infinite number of boxes possible that will match the 62" dimension.  The only way to measure it would be with a tape measure.

I agree that they do have the box thing at the gate for carryon, but most airlines post maximum HWD dimension limits for carryons rather than the single measure used for checked bags (as carryons must fit in a overhead or under seat).  Regular bags of any dimension can fit in the baggage hold.

And FTR, I worked as ramp agent for an airline in the past.  The biggest checked bag I ever loaded was someone's refrigerator.  They were diplomats flying home to an African country, and I guess their embassy was covering the extra baggage fee... :rofl: The downside was I worked for a smaller connector airline and we had no automated handling equipment.  It took 3 of us to lift the fridge over our heads into the hold


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## MichaelColey (Sep 21, 2010)

The "box" comments were caused by confusion between checked bags and carryon.  There's no box for checked bags.


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## Talent312 (Sep 21, 2010)

Several years ago, I checked a wooden carving of a bear.
Its was two dimensional, about 5" deep, and 40" x 30"...
The night b4 departure, I went to the airline's counter and
they gave me a bicycle box. No fee for the box or transport.

_Those were the days..._


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