What is Caribbean Airlines' carry-on allowance for flights to Trinidad?

Caribbean Airlines allows one carry-on bag of up to 7 kg with maximum dimensions of 55×35×25 cm. This applies on all Caribbean Airlines routes including the Trinidad–Tobago hop and flights from international hubs.

Should I bring my Carnival costume from home or buy it in Trinidad?

Buy it in Trinidad. Carnival costumes — elaborate feathered headpieces, beaded bikinis, and large wings — are impossible to pack carry-on and impractical even checked. Local bands sell and rent costume packages. Prices range from a few hundred to over a thousand USD depending on the section and band.

How do I get from Trinidad to Tobago?

Caribbean Airlines operates the 30-minute flight between POS (Piarco) and TOB (Crown Point, Tobago) multiple times daily. The same 7 kg carry-on limit applies. The Trinidad and Tobago ferry is a slower overnight alternative but has no baggage weight limit.

Is Trinidad a beach destination?

Primarily no. Trinidad is the cultural and commercial hub — its beaches are modest by Caribbean standards. Tobago, 30 minutes away by air, has world-class beaches including Pigeon Point and Store Bay. Many visitors split time between both islands.

What are the best things to carry-on for birding at Asa Wright?

Binoculars are the essential carry-on item for birding trips — pack them in your personal item bag. A lightweight tripod for a spotting scope may just fit a carry-on bag base. Asa Wright Nature Centre is in the Northern Range rainforest and requires long trousers and insect repellent for trail walks.

Carry-On Only for Trinidad: POS Airline Rules and Carnival Packing

Trinidad is unlike any other island in the Caribbean. It is not a beach destination in the conventional sense — it is the cultural powerhouse of the region, home to Carnival (the most spectacular street festival in the western hemisphere), the birthplace of steelpan music, and one of the most biodiverse natural environments in the Caribbean basin. It is also a serious industrial economy with a large oil and gas sector, which means Port of Spain attracts a different traveller mix than a pure resort island.

Piarco International (POS) is the main gateway. Caribbean Airlines is headquartered here and operates extensive routes across the Caribbean, to North America, and to the UK. The carrier's 7 kg carry-on limit is the number every traveller needs to know.

Airline Quick Reference

Airline	Route	Carry-On Limit	Key Rule
Caribbean Airlines	Caribbean / UK / North America	55×35×25 cm, 7 kg	Hub carrier; 7 kg is the binding limit
Caribbean Airlines	POS–TOB (Tobago hop)	55×35×25 cm, 7 kg	Same allowance on the 30-min shuttle
British Airways	LHR–POS	56×45×25 cm, 23 kg	Economy allowance; very generous
American Airlines	MIA/JFK–POS	55×35×22 cm, no weight limit	Standard US carry-on
LIAT (legacy, suspended)	Eastern Caribbean	15 kg total	Routes now covered by Caribbean Airlines

Carnival Travel: The Only Correct Packing Strategy

Trinidad Carnival takes place in February, on the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. It is the event that defines Port of Spain's entire calendar. If you visit for Carnival, the conventional packing advice is nearly useless — you need to approach luggage differently.

Do not pack a Carnival costume. A full mas costume — feathered headpiece, rhinestone-and-bead bikini body piece, elaborate wings or a back-piece, and platform boots — is a physical object roughly the size of a fridge. Experienced Carnival travellers buy their costume through a local band (also called "playing mas"). You register with a band months in advance, choose your section, and collect your costume package on or just before Carnival days. This is the normal way to participate; locals do it too.

What you do pack for Carnival:

2–3 light daywear outfits for the pre-Carnival fetes (party season runs the full month before)
Comfortable dancing shoes — trainers or flat sandals
A light waterproof jacket for rain showers
Sunscreen and small personal items

If you are visiting outside Carnival, packing is straightforward warm-weather clothes for a city and nature destination.

Tobago: The Beach Island

If beaches are your priority, Tobago (Crown Point Airport, TOB) is where you want to be. Pigeon Point is consistently listed among the top beaches in the Caribbean; Store Bay has the best local crab and dumpling vendors. The same Caribbean Airlines 7 kg carry-on limit applies on the 30-minute flight.

Tobago is quieter, less built-up, and far more resort-oriented than Trinidad. Many visitors spend a few days in Port of Spain for the culture and cuisine, then fly to Tobago for the beach portion of the trip.

Birding at Asa Wright Nature Centre

Trinidad and Tobago has 490-plus bird species — more than the continental United States relative to land area. The Asa Wright Nature Centre in the Northern Range is internationally famous among birders: hummingbirds, toucans, and the oil bird colony at Dunston Cave are all accessible from the lodge.

For birding, your carry-on priority is:

Binoculars — pack in your personal item or at the top of your carry-on; do not check them
Long trousers and long-sleeved shirt for forest trails — mosquitoes and chiggers are real
Insect repellent — under 100 ml, DEET-based
A lightweight rain jacket for Northern Range afternoon showers

Port of Spain: Smart-Casual Is Right

Trinidad's capital has a professional class and a strong business culture. The Savannah area and Woodbrook neighbourhood restaurants are not beach bars — smart casual dress (collared shirts, trousers or dresses) is appropriate for dinner. The stereotype of Caribbean island-casual does not fully apply to Port of Spain.

For the city segment, pack one or two smarter outfits. For Tobago or beach days, the usual Caribbean-resort wardrobe applies.

Bottom Line

Caribbean Airlines' 7 kg cabin limit is the constraint that governs this trip. Carnival visitors should not attempt to pack a costume — buy locally through a mas band. Birders should prioritise binoculars in carry-on. If the trip includes a Tobago beach segment, the same 7 kg limit applies on the inter-island hop. Trinidad rewards cultural curiosity more than sun-lounger holidays; pack accordingly.