Holiday luggage – avoid the stress
What should you bring? What’s important?
Travel documents, passport, cash and a credit card!
Everything else is optional. It’s up to you!
I’ve been traveling around the world for more than 50 years. How often I used to get annoyed in those early years because I thought I’d “forgotten” something! Those days are over. I focus on the things I absolutely need. I put together the rest based on what I need or feel like. And, above all, I leave room for the things I buy on vacation.
Important! If you’re looking for a cheap flight to Thailand, check the additional terms and conditions.
Economy carry-on baggage (all airlines): 1 piece, 7–8 kg, approx. 55 × 40 × 23 cm + 1 small personal item.
Checked baggage: With some airlines, you’ll need to add more than €100 each way to your airfare. That’s an extra €200 for a round-trip vacation flight from Frankfurt to Bangkok, for example.
Very important: Some airlines allow only 20 kg in your checked baggage, while others allow 30 kg. Be sure to check before finalizing your booking!
For example, a search for a flight from Frankfurt to Bangkok on 2 July 2026 shows.
LH/Swiss: 23 kg.
Thai Airways: 23 kg.
Finnair 23 kg.
Qatar Airways: 25 kg.
Etihad 30 kg.
Emirates: 25 kg
Gulf Air: 30 kg
23 kg sounds like a lot of luggage. But what about all the souvenirs you’ll want to buy in Thailand? You can avoid nasty surprises at check-in by weighing your bags in advance. Weigh your luggage beforehand! For example, with a simple luggage scale! It costs only a few euros.
Tip: Weigh your empty suitcase first. That way, you can avoid unpleasant surprises. Once, when I weighed my suitcase in Bangkok, I found it weighed 8.5 kg empty, so I bought a sturdy new suitcase that weighed just 3.5 kg. That gave me lots more room for souvenirs.
Tips for saving space in your suitcase
When packing your suitcase, you always face two problems.
Either the item you want to take with you is too heavy.
Or the weight is right, but it won’t all fit in your suitcase.
A scale helps with weight. But what about volume?
Normally, you pack your clothes in a suitcase. It may look neat, but it takes up too much space.
A hidden gem:
Roll your clothes instead of folding them! If you also use simple vacuum bags, you can save a huge amount of space (up to 80%)! I've been using these bags for years. They're a small investment that really makes packing easier.
Also:
Pack heavy items at the bottom of your suitcase, near the wheels. This will make it more stable.
Store your luggage and shopping while you’re out and about
This has happened to me plenty of times. On my last day, I have to check out of the hotel at noon, but my flight to Germany doesn’t leave until midnight.
One option would be to leave my things at the hotel and come back later. Better still, you can store your belongings cheaply in a locker at an underground station until evening. If you’re taking the Airport Rail Link to the airport, for example, use the ticket counter at Makkasan or Phetchaburi MRT station, which is connected by a footbridge, Exit 1.
These boxes are also handy if you’ve been shopping in town and want to relax a little before heading back to your hotel.
There are now networks of luggage storage facilities at metro stations across the city. Just check the website below.
Power banks – not all of them can come on vacation
2.7.26 IMPORTANT! Power banks must always be packed in your carry-on luggage. The Thai authorities have announced that they may no longer be placed in the overhead compartments either. They must be kept within easy reach.
If it’s found in your suitcase during screening, your bag will be held!
Generally, most airlines do not allow a capacity exceeding 100 Wh. Most power banks now have a nominal voltage of 3.7 volts.
Example calculation:
32,000 mAh / 1,000 x 3.7 V = 118.4 Wh. That wouldn’t be allowed.
You can usually find the relevant information on the back. You can bring the 12,000 mAh power bank pictured with you without any problems.
IMPORTANT! In China, power banks without a CE mark on the back will be confiscated.
