Hi Sarah,

I fly AirTran alot.  Log into AirTran 24 hours prior to your flight.   So if your flight is at 7am on a Wed. then the earliest you can log into AirTran is 7am  on Tues.   Do your online check-in and it will ask how many bags you have.  You can then pay for them online and it's cheaper then paying for it at the aiport.  Then you can print your boarding passes at home and you will be all set.   When you get to the airport just check in your luggage and that's it.  You can then proceed through security and the gate.

Regarding trying to get it all in in a carry on . . . some people can.  Just make sure your luggage meets the size requirements (you can find that directly non AirTran website).   If it's too big they will make you check it in on the plan and you have to pay the higher luggage fee. 

If you are an avid traveler, you may want to invest in some packing cubes.   I did for our Disney cruise and they worked great.  It condenses your clothes and organizes them alot.   The best part is you just pull out the cubes and place them in the bureaus (no "unpacking" or "packing").    Plus our clothes doesn't touch the inside of the bureaus (I know I know laugh lol).   Anyways...it's so much easier.  Then as my clothes get dirty (if I can't wash them there) I just condense the dirty clothes in one packing cube and the dirty clothes doesn't touch the clean ones and easier to figure out what needs to be washed when I get home.

One thing to note about carry ons . .  Spirit Air started charging for carry-ons.   I wouldn't be surprised you start seeing other airlines doing this too in the future.

Hope that helps a little:)

 

---

Kim Nocera
Magic Maker with Off to Neverland Travel
An Authorized Disney Vacation Planner
Kim.Nocera@OffToNeverland.com
http://Kim.Nocera.OffToNeverland.com

~Let me help you to Stop & Smell the Roses in Disney~

It's hard for us to pack light with two young children, so I do the best I can to put as much as I can in each of our carry-ons.  Last time we were good about it, and only ended up taking two packed bags.  My husband and I checked one each because it was cheaper than packing two for one person.

---

ºOºNanetteºOº

WDW-75, 79, 89, 91, 98, 04: Offsite; 01: ASM & CSR; 02: Dolphin; 03: GF & POR; 06: POFQ & BC; 08: WL; 09: CBR; 10: WBC
DL--97-98: AP Holder

Before kids, I was the queen of carry-on only luggage!  Then we had two wonderful boys and the days of packing light went bye-bye for a while!  We do try to pack two checked bags (my DH and I share one and the boys share the other) and then each of us carries our own backpack with anything that won't fit.  This way we only get hit with fees for two bags instead of 4!

I also highly recommend Southwest to anyone that has them as an option.  Not only are they a great airline with great customer service, they are also the only airline that still allows free checked bags.

It's not even Texas, just Dallas.  There is this thing called the Wright Amendment that was put in to place when DFW first opened that prevents commercial flights from Love Field to flying directly anywhere that is not in Texas or in a state bordering Texas.  It has been eased up some, and there are a few places you can fly direct now outside of bordering states, and it will eventually be repealed, but it's very annoying because it means American has very little competition in this market.  We do have Air Tran, but so far American has stayed in step with them (and I know several people that have had really bad experiences with Air Tran out of DFW), so we've continued to use American.

As far as Southwest being cheaper out of Dallas, sometimes it is, but frequently it's about the same or a little more since you have to fly to another city in Texas or a neighboring state first, and because of that it takes a lot longer to get there!

OK, that ought to count as 2 cents for something.

---

Rhonda

We fly out of Newark NJ which is Continental land... although Southwest is coming early next year, I am so excited!  They haven't announced where SW is going to fly from there but Orlando is speculated.  Whoo hoo! 

Anyway, I wanted to mention if anybody is going to use Continental, you can get one bag free if you have the Continental Visa card.  I like the idea of stuffing my purse with as much as possible!  I do usually take a small backpack as a purse, and each of my 3 kids have a backpack they take on too -- we fill those up as well!  The thing about having 5 people flying is that we can have 5 carryons and 5 personal bags.   I must say we rarely have 10 bags we schlep on the plane with us but it does help cut back on the extra "stuff" in the suitcases (usually just use those for clothes, and we wind up w/ about 3 cases total for the 5 of us.) 

Another thing to remember is to weigh those suitcases you are going to check to make sure they are not over the weight requirements.  I just use our regular bathroom scale to get an idea.  Especially if you are paying already to check the bag, you don't want to pay an overweight fee! 

---

Courtney Agnello

Magic Maker, Off to Neverland Travel

An Authorized Disney Vacation Planner

http://courtneyagnello.offtoneverland.com/

courtney.agnello@offtoneverland.com

The Wright Amendment has really made traveling cheaply out of the DFW area hard. In the past few years, we now can book a one-stop flight to MCO from Love Field on one itenerary. Before, you had to book 2 separate flights, which made flying SWA pointless. It is getting better, but I doubt we will ever get to fly non-stop to MCO in the next 5 years.

In regards to bags, I may check a bag for a cruise or a long Disney trip, but most of my trips are 5 days or less. I noticed what I was packing, and with the exception of clothes (as I go different times of the year), it was the same things: toiletries, panchos, batteries, etc. What I decided to do was get an Owner's Locker. For what it costs to check my bag for 4 flights, I now have full size liquids and other larger items that take up space in my luggage delivered to and picked up from my resort each trip. The LARGE box is stored and transfered in climate controlled areas and are always at my resort priot to my arrival.  I get texts and emails saying my locker is ready to be delivered, once its delivered, and once its picked up.  This is the best investment! I now have LIGHT bags when I travel, because it is just clothes and other smal things.  Everything is in my locker. 

If you go around 2-3 times a year, it is well worth it. You get one visit (a delivery/pickup) included with each annual plan. To start out it may seem pricey (a one time membership fee of $75, plus the annual plan. The one visit plan is $99 and additional visits are $25 (what it costs for most baggage fees ONE WAY!).  There is also an unlimited plan available, which is $179. If you go on a lot of short visits, like me, the unlimited plan is worth it. Visit ownerslocker.com for more info and FAQ.

It seems expensive, but the fact that I don't have to worry about packing 3oz liquids or buying panchos beforehand or being without on a rainy day at the parks is worth it to me.  We've even packed coffee and filters, plus to-go cups, since we run out when we stay DVC.

Sorry to be long winded. I guess I gave more than my two cents!

---

Morgan, RN
DVC Member- Bay Lake Tower
WDW- 30 trips
DCL-5 cruises
DLR- 4 trips
DLP- 1 trip
Next up: DLR Dec 2011, WDW Jan 2012 (WDW Marathon Relay), WDW Feb 2012 (Princess Half Marathon), DCL May 2012

Morgan I heard of the lockers before but never really understood how they work.

I think I will look into one since we do go 2-3 times a year (not to run a race though) and it would make packing much easier.

Have you posted this info in it's own thread? I think it would be a good idea because it might be missed in this thread. PLUS you get to put another 2 cents in!!

---

Mickey's Angel ~aka: Angel~
angel@mouse-aid.org
Mouse-Aid Staff
DVC members Saratoga Springs and Bay Lake Towers

I put my two cents in