Planning on taking an overseas trip and need to buy a suitcase for your holiday? Buying any type of luggage can be incredibly stressful when you don't know what you're looking for, but suitcases can be especially daunting because of the myriad of choices in styles, sizes and colours available. You need to consider airline luggage rules, weight restrictions, check-in limits and even your ability to carry them around from one place to another –– whether you buy in-store or buy luggage online from a place like Sweeney Luggage Centre. Luckily, this guide is designed to help make your task significantly easier when you buy luggage online.

Focus on the size of the suitcase  

Before you consider anything else, think of what the suitcase is for. Is it for a domestic flight, an international flight, a cruise, a road trip or something else? If you're planning on travelling via airplane, get in touch with your airline to know the luggage rules, size specifications and weight restrictions that apply. Generally suitcases shouldn't cross the linear dimension limit of 140 cm, while the weight restrictions can vary from 15 kg to 32 kg. If you are taking a road trip, your suitcase should be able to fit into the back of your car. Be sure to take proper dimensions of your trunk space before you buy the suitcase.

Think of how you're going to store the suitcase  

Before buying the suitcase, think of how you're going to store it in your home. Keep in mind that hard suitcases cannot be shoved into small storage spaces. Soft suitcases can be squeezed into smaller storage spaces and under beds, but can sometimes be susceptible to damage. If you cannot store large suitcases in your home, then you may have to buy smaller versions for your trip. This way you can easily store your suitcases when you return without worry.

Buy a suitcase based on your type of holiday

While airline restrictions will define the size of suitcases when you buy luggage online, you must also consider the type of trip when deciding suitcase size. For example, even if you're going on a long holiday, you don't always need to pack more items –– especially if you're staying with family and friends with access to a washing machine. In this case, you can buy a smaller suitcase that doesn't push the airline limit even for future holidays.

Buy suitcases in colours you can identify easily

As odd as this sounds, the stories of travellers walking off with someone else's suitcase that resembled their own is far more common than you think. If you buy luggage online, look for striking colours and special features that set your suitcase apart from others on the airport's conveyor belt. You don't always have to choose blacks and blues any more –– reds, pinks, oranges and purple suitcases with coloured accents provide added excitement to your holiday.

If you decide to buy luggage online, especially suitcases, these rules will help make your task much simpler.

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