Luggage Packing Weight Calculator
Estimate the packed weight of your suitcase from what you plan to bring, and see how much of the airline allowance you have left.
How it works
Total = bag + days × clothes/day + shoes × weight/pair + toiletries + electronics · Room left = allowance − total
Overweight-bag fees are among the most avoidable travel costs, and they hit at the check-in desk when it is too late to repack. Estimating the packed weight ahead of time — from a per-day clothing figure plus the heavy items travelers forget to count, like shoes, chargers and full toiletry bottles — tells you whether you are safely under the allowance or need to move items to a carry-on. The empty bag itself can be 6–12 lb, which many people leave out of the math entirely.
Worked example
An 8 lb suitcase with 7 days of clothes at 1.2 lb/day (8.4 lb), two pairs of shoes at 1.5 lb (3 lb), 3 lb of toiletries and 4 lb of electronics totals about 26.4 lb — comfortably under a 50 lb allowance, leaving 23.6 lb of room.
Frequently asked questions
How much do clothes actually weigh?
A rough planning figure is about 1–1.5 lb per day for mixed clothing, more for bulky cold-weather layers. Weighing a typical day's outfit on a kitchen scale once gives you a personal number to use here.
What is the typical checked-bag limit?
Most economy checked bags are capped at 50 lb (23 kg) in the US and 23 kg internationally, with overweight fees kicking in above that up to a hard 70 lb limit. Always check your specific airline and fare.
How do I get under the limit?
Wear your heaviest shoes and jacket on the plane, decant toiletries into small bottles, and move dense items like chargers and books into your personal item, which is usually not weighed.
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This calculator is for educational purposes. Double-check important results before acting on them.