<p>Oh, it’s great. Though they take a picture of you that gets printed out and presented at the exit, and man, let’s just say some of us aren’t exactly gorgeous when we’ve been on planes for 15 hours 
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<p>As one of the random people chosen, I was thrilled!</p>
<p>“For those who do carry on only, do you buy things like shampoo, conditioner and contact solution at your destination?”</p>
<p>I travel with only a carry-on - the longest trip so far has been two weeks. I don’t wear contacts. For shampoo, I either use the hotel one, or, if I am staying in a hostel, etc., I pack it into regulation-size bottles (got them at Walgreens). I don’t wear make-up, so no worries with that either!</p>
<p>Son collects golf balls, daughter collects thimbles. I collect postcards, a picture or history book about the area, and Christmas ornaments. My husband and I collect wine stoppers. </p>
<p>We fly through Seatac and it must be random because the very reason I suggested more than one ziploc is that I’ve gone through Seatac with more than one. And on our trip a couple of weeks ago although I didn’t bring toiletries I did forget I even had my gel blush in a tube and still went right through. DH’s shaving kit with his 3 0z stuff went right on through. Seatac IS the place where, pre 9-11 they patted down our infant daughter AND her carseat. They do seem to be the slowest of places we’ve flown. I was assuming Atlanta would be horrendous but we moved right along. Maybe being so busy they’ve got it down to good timing. And they’re much more pleasant!</p>
<p>Zeebamom is right about our TSA - they are very thorough, which, I guess, is a good thing (I just wish they weren’t doing it with such a nasty attitude). I travel often enough to know who the rudest TSA people are, and I “profile” the line and never go to the one where the nasty agents do the checking.</p>
<p>Pizzagirl, sorry about the suitcase size misunderstanding. I thought that was the exact bag, but I see that you meant just the style and the fabric. I love tweed 
and I agree that black bags are meh. My carryon is a bright green Tumi, but for international flights I use the lightweight Tumi that has snakeskin print all over it (not a fan of snakeskin patterns, but hey - the pice at TJMaxx was too perfect, about 75% off retail). It is this bag:</p>
<p><a href=“http://m.tumi.com/aHR0cDovL3d3dy50dW1pLmNvbS9wcm9kdWN0L2luZGV4LmpzcD9wcm9kdWN0SWQ9MTIyOTM0OTkmcHJvZEZpbmRTcmM9cGFyYW1OYXY%3D”>http://m.tumi.com/aHR0cDovL3d3dy50dW1pLmNvbS9wcm9kdWN0L2luZGV4LmpzcD9wcm9kdWN0SWQ9MTIyOTM0OTkmcHJvZEZpbmRTcmM9cGFyYW1OYXY%3D</a></p>
<p>But not the price!!! :)</p>
<p>I bring back 5 lbs 
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<p>Lol, dietz! </p>
<p>H & I have been randomly assigned to pre-check for most of my flights, which is really great for us because we opt out of going thru the full body scan every time. H has low thyroid and we both fly way too much so don’t want extra radiation, even “safe” levels. My S is pre-checked compliments of United because he flies so much & D always opts for hand screening if she isn’t randomly selected for pre-check too.</p>
<p>It’s nice being pre-checked but not a must and not something we have opted to pay money for, since sometimes even tho you’re supposed to be pre-checked you are randomly put in NON-pre-check, just to keep us all guessing. S enjoys being officially pre-checked and has had it for most of his flights (he flies over 100,000-150,000 miles/year.</p>
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<p>I take the mini travel-size bottles. I can easily fit a shampoo, conditioner, mousse, hairspray, toothpaste and dental rinse into a quart-size bag. If I’m going on a longer trip, then I’ll be checking a bag anyway, and extras of the mini bottles go in there.</p>
<p>I haven’t packed shampoo or conditioner in many, many years. Have never stayed at a hotel that doesn’t have decent shampoo and conditioner and if we happened to, we could always get to a convenience store or pharmacy that sells something we could tolerate. We are into Zen, “less is more.”</p>
<p>^I’m with Himom. Other than a toothbrush/paste for emergencies, and some sunscreen moisturizer, I’m just stopping at a drugstore if I need something. We seem to be done traveling places so off the beaten path there are no drugstores.</p>
<p>I enjoy reading how everyone packs, especially PG. For me these days, it is pretty much: one to wear, one in the laundry, and one just in case. This is not business travel however. In my much younger days, more than once, I wore the same pair of jeans continuously the entire length of my eurail pass. With a pendleton plaid wool blazer. Was that 30 days or 60? I can’t remember at this point, although I distinctly remember the two pastel oxford cloth shirts, navy wool crew neck sweater, bass weejuns and tooled leather belt, which rubbed a hole in the lining of my blazer. </p>
<p>Probably someone has already mentioned this, but most children of my acquaintance are delighted with the foreign coins that always seem to come back home in the bottom of my handbag.</p>
<p>I’d rather not be having to make trips to the drugstore when I’m on vacation, so that’s why the mini bottles work for me. Plus, if I buy a full-size bottle of shampoo while I’m there, I won’t be able to bring it back with me, so that seems like a waste. If it’s a hotel-stay trip (as opposed to being someone’s houseguest), I usually end up bringing the minis back, because I do use the hair products they provide.</p>
<p>Come to think of it, I do like to bring back English-lang newspapers for my international-relations-minded son, who enjoys reading the local take on world issues. He’s also one of those people who has a real sense of physical place, so a rock or small vial of water or something physical from an area would be meaningful. </p>
<p>Actually, BB, now that I look at it more, I do think that <em>is</em> my exact Hartmann bag. If anything, I’ve got way more room in international business class than on any domestic flight. Is it your experience that they are more stringent with international travel than domestic? Some carriers are strict – last time I flew Lufthansa, they weighed everything I carried aboard.</p>
<p>For my personal bag, I have something that kind of resembles this but in a different pattern – <a href=“http://www.verabradley.com/product/getaway-duffel/citron/1002211_184346.uts?ip=0?utm_medium=pla&origin=pla&utm_source=Google&mr:trackingCode=A94E393F-6778-E311-9675-90E2BA285759&mr:referralID=NA&mr:device=c&mr:adType=pla&mr:ad=44011196663&mr:keyword=&mr:match=&mr:filter=62293577359&gclid=CLL84_yx4b8CFQUFaQodVi8AVg”>http://www.verabradley.com/product/getaway-duffel/citron/1002211_184346.uts?ip=0?utm_medium=pla&origin=pla&utm_source=Google&mr:trackingCode=A94E393F-6778-E311-9675-90E2BA285759&mr:referralID=NA&mr:device=c&mr:adType=pla&mr:ad=44011196663&mr:keyword=&mr:match=&mr:filter=62293577359&gclid=CLL84_yx4b8CFQUFaQodVi8AVg</a>
- it’s a soft duffel that I use like a quasi briefcase / purse. I actually think it might be an inch or so too long for what the personal bag is supposed to be, but it folds up softly and I could easily store it under the seat.</p>
<p>I actually don’t care for the look of Vera Bradley, but someone gave this to me for travel purposes and it’s a great workhorse duffel for international travel. When I get to my destination, if I’m meeting with clients, I use the Longchamp tote that I throw in the suitcase for my computer and such. </p>
<p>My D has that Vera Bradley bag and really likes it. It holds a lot of stuff!</p>
<p>I’d buy it if I didn’t hate Vera Bradley. 
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<p>Pizzagirl, I find that US airlines are less strict about carryon sizes on flights originating in the US, but some foreign carriers, like Turkish Air, make you weigh all carryons, regardless of class of service, and if something looks too big to them, it has to be checked. Outside the US - it is a wild guess. I once had to politely argue with a SAS agent that my carryon bag that flew with me to Sweden in the cabin overhead bin would fit in said bin on the way back (same type of aircraft!).</p>
<p>If anyone has to fly with small pets, I highly recommend the official Jet Blue pet carriers. Sturdy, lightweight, and good strap design for carrying on the shoulder. They fit under the seats as promised. </p>
<p>I dislike Vera Bradley patterns but the bags are awesome. I use one as a carry-on, too. I would buy more of their things if they had solid colors – I know patterns are their trademark, but I think they would have much higher sales if they added some solid colors, or even more muted prints.</p>
<p>I fly United, and they seem to be cracking down on luggage sizes. Last time I flied we had to fit our carryon bags into those metal cage things to prove they were the right size (I had to empty the front pocket – luckily I had room in my carryon). And I’ve gotten several emails from United about carryon sizes in advance of my next flight – warning me that there is a limit for the personal bag, too (which I think I exceed, I need to measure). </p>
<p>As for toiletries – I use the 3 oz bottles for stuff, and I wear very limited makeup, so not an issue. I’ve put sunscreen into 3 oz bottles, too. I frequently forget to take out the bag, and no one ever seems to care (and my husband never removes his, and no one has ever said a word to him). Honestly, what with the shoes, laptop, baggie, belts, emptying pockets – it’s a wonder I don’t forget something every time I go through security. </p>
<p>When we flew South African Airlines, they weighed our carry on bags. We had small size bags, but they weighed more than the allotted amount which I think was 8 kilo. They took our bags at the counter and checked them through. We were able to carry our totes and backpacks with is. I think YMMV depending on your destination and the airline when flying internationally. </p>