Packing one bag for three weeks in Europe
Build a small repeatable wardrobe and plan laundry, then check the bag against every airline on your route.
Three weeks away does not need three weeks of clothes. Pack for roughly a week of normal use, then plan to wash. Adjust for the season, the activities and how often you are willing to do laundry.
A 40-litre bag can be a useful size, but litres do not decide whether an airline accepts it. Its outside dimensions and weight do. Check the smallest allowance on your route before choosing the bag.
Start with a small wardrobe
For a mild-weather trip, this is a starting point to adapt, including what you wear while travelling:
- Four or five tops that work with the same bottoms.
- Two everyday bottoms, plus any specific item your activities require.
- Underwear and socks for your planned gap between washes.
- A warm layer and a rain layer suited to the forecast.
- One comfortable main pair of shoes, with a second pair only if it has a clear use.
Add sleepwear, toiletries, medicine, documents and the electronics you need. Leave room for a little food or an extra layer during travel. If the zip needs a struggle before departure, remove something.
Check the actual fare allowance
For example, easyJet's cabin-bag rules distinguish the included under-seat bag from a larger cabin bag. A typical 40-litre backpack should not be assumed to fit the smaller allowance.
Measure the bag packed, including handles and any bulging pocket. Check each airline separately. Train luggage rules can differ too; our rail luggage guide covers several common operators.
Airport security rules are another separate check. Heathrow's liquids guidance now allows larger containers than many travellers remember, but that is not a rule for every airport or your return journey. Use the departure airport's current instructions.
Make the bag work in real life
Pack a small overnight section for a sleeper train or late arrival. Keep documents and medicine accessible. Walk with the full bag and try lifting it before leaving home.
Plan laundry before you run out of clean clothes. That one decision usually saves more space than another set of compression straps.