We Were Warned of AAdvantage Changes Four Years Ago, and the Carry On Bag to Get

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About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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Comments

  1. I have traveled with the old, non-spinner, B&R international wide-body carry-on ever since they started selling the bag and it’s a real work horse. I have yet to be turned away from carrying it on any flight, anywhere — except RJs (I admit it might be harder these days, but up front you’ll probably still get way with it). The warranty is fantastic and B&R has never balked at fixing any damage on any of the bags I’ve owned– no matter what or who caused it (I also have a regular 24″ suitcase). I bought the bag after Hartman refused to fix something that was clearly a defect and never regretted it for a second. But after picking up an inexpensive, super light and teeny cabin sized samsonite spinner (but the quality can’t compare) to carry home some extra purchases when I was on a trip with only a small backpack, I’ve decided I need the spinner version in my life. They’re just so much easier to move.

  2. concerning the carry-on bag, the specs on it say 21″ high, 15″ wide, and 9″. American airlines carry-on says 22 x 14 x 9 in so it’s 1 inch too wide

  3. The article is right. You simply cannot beat B&R. I have put ~500,000 miles on my B&R International carry-on and other than a few scuffs it is like new. I stack all manner of other things on it, stuff it to the gills, roll it down stairs, and pick it up by the extended handle. It never complains, rolls over anything, and pretty much can’t be knocked over. You won’t regret buying one. They are pretty much the same price everywhere, but if you buy it from eBags you can get cash back (via eBates) and reward dollars.

  4. @Micheal – I fly 100k miles a year on American, and have never once been told my bag was too big. It fits in the overhead, whether its an MD-80 or 737 (and ditto on all the larger aircraft), without any issue.

  5. Gary, after all the good advice you’ve provided, I’m glad to repay the favor in a very minor way. I don’t have the same B&R bag described in your post, but have been very happy with the very durable, very functional ones I’ve had over many years. The only reason I’ve even had to have more than one is as my approach to travel and destinations (including more travel to more carry-on stringent European countries) has changed I’ve moved toward smaller bags. Getting a free, minor repair on one bag many years ago was no problem, though I believe I had to wait a couple of weeks for it to be returned.

    Happy New Year to all!

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