Choose a vehicle for your passengers and luggage
The right vehicle comes down to two numbers, people and bags, and to what those bags actually are. Here's how to count them, which items need extra room, and how we match a class to your group.
Updated October 30, 2026
Count people and bags as two separate numbers
Passenger and bag numbers are separate maximums. A full car leaves less room for suitcases, so tell us your bag sizes and we'll choose the right vehicle with you.
In practice, that means two travelers can still need an SUV. A sedan takes up to 2 passengers and up to 3 bags, so a couple with two large suitcases and two carry-ons has four bags, one more than a sedan is planned for.
Fill in this worksheet before you ask for a quote. It answers almost every question we'd otherwise come back to you with.
| Item | What to tell us | Example answer |
|---|---|---|
| Adults | How many are traveling | 3 |
| Children | How many, and each child's age, so we can match seats | 1, age 5 |
| Large suitcases | Checked-size bags, and roughly how big | 3, one of them oversized |
| Carry-ons and backpacks | Cabin-size bags and personal items | 2 carry-ons, 1 backpack |
| Long or awkward items | Golf bags, skis, instruments, boxes | 1 golf bag in a hard case |
| Strollers and car seats | Whether they fold, and whether you're bringing your own seat | 1 folding stroller |
| Mobility equipment | Wheelchair or walker, and whether it folds | None |
| Things you'll pick up on the way | Shopping, wine cases, event materials | 2 cases of wine on the way home |
Describe it
Items that take more space than their count
A bag count works for suitcases. These items need a short description too, because their shape matters as much as their number.
Golf bags and skis
Long items lie flat and take space a suitcase count doesn't show. Tell us how many, and whether they're in hard cases.
Strollers and child seats
Ask for youth booster seats or infant and child safety seats in the quote form, with each child's age. A folded stroller still counts as luggage.
Wheelchairs and walkers
Tell us the type and whether it folds, and we'll confirm what we can provide before you book.
Wedding dresses and garment bags
Gowns and suit bags need to lie flat. The wedding transportation timeline covers planning around them.
Wine cases and shopping
The ride home often carries more than the ride out. Our wine country day guide explains how to leave room for purchases.
Instruments and equipment
Hard cases, display stands and sample boxes don't squash. Give rough sizes so we can plan the space.
Why a full car carries fewer bags
Luggage space depends on how many seats are in use. In an SUV, a full third row leaves less room behind it, so a group at the passenger limit has less flexibility for oversized cases than the same bags with fewer people aboard.
That's why we ask for both numbers and choose the vehicle with you, rather than going by the passenger count alone. If your group sits right at a limit, ask whether the next size up would be more comfortable.
The models we show are examples of each class, offered as that model or similar. Plan around the class and its passenger and bag limits, which the fleet page lists side by side, rather than around one particular vehicle.
Five example groups and where we'd start
These examples show how the two numbers work together. Your quote confirms the vehicle for your actual group and bags.
Example: two travelers, four bags
Two passengers fit a sedan, but two large suitcases plus two carry-ons is four bags, one over the sedan's limit of 3. We'd start with an SUV, and you can ask for an Executive SUV quote directly.
Example: a family of four with a stroller
Two adults, two young children, four standard suitcases and a folding stroller. Four passengers and five pieces sit within an SUV's limits of 5 passengers and 6 bags, with child seats for both children requested in the quote form.
Example: a golf weekend for eight
Eight players with eight golf bags and eight suitcases is sixteen pieces, over the 14-bag limit of the Luxury Sprinter. A group like this needs two vehicles, such as the Sprinter with an SUV, and we'd quote it that way.
Example: five colleagues and a display case
Five passengers with five carry-ons fits an SUV. Add a large display case for a trade show at Moscone Center and the count changes, so list it. For teams traveling together, see our corporate car service.
Example: a shopping day with no bags at pickup
Two friends start in Pacific Heights with nothing but handbags, then spend the afternoon around Union Square. The bag count at pickup is zero, but the ride home isn't. With an hourly chauffeur the car stays with you between shops, and if you expect large boxes, say so and we'll check the class.
Send the list, and we'll match the vehicle
Paste your worksheet answers into the quote form notes and we'll reply with a class that fits and a price.
Passenger and bag limits by class
Each limit is a separate maximum. The models are examples of each class, or similar.
| Class | Passengers | Bags | Fleet page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Sedan | Up to 2 | Up to 3 | BMW 7 Series, or similar |
| Luxury Sedan | Up to 2 | Up to 3 | Mercedes-Benz S 580, or similar |
| Executive SUV | Up to 5 | Up to 6 | Chevrolet Suburban or GMC Yukon |
| Luxury SUV | Up to 5 | Up to 6 | Cadillac Escalade ESV or Lincoln Navigator |
| Luxury Sprinter | Up to 14 | Up to 14 | Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, or similar |
Airport trips
Plan airport rides around checked bags
Airport trips carry the most luggage, and arrivals add pieces people forget to count: a gate-checked stroller, a duty-free bag, a box collected at the carousel.
Count what you're checking and what you're carrying on, then add anything you'll pick up along the way. If you'd like help at the curb, ask for luggage assistance in the quote form.
Our airport transfers page covers SFO, Oakland and San José, and the airport pickup checklist lists everything else to send.
Five questions to ask before you confirm
Your quote is the moment to check the fit. Ask us about anything on this list that isn't clear.
Your trip is reserved only after we confirm the vehicle, time and price with you. Free cancellation at least 24 hours before scheduled pickup. Later cancellations and no-shows are charged the full reservation price.
- Will every passenger and every bag fit together, at the same time?
- Is there room for the long or awkward items I listed?
- Are the child seats I asked for confirmed in my quote?
- If we're close to a limit, would the next size up be more comfortable?
- Will the ride home carry more than the ride out?
Common questions.
Can two people with three large suitcases ride in a sedan?
Three bags is the sedan's maximum, so tell us how big the cases are. If any of them are oversized, we'll suggest an SUV instead.
Does a carry-on count as a bag?
Yes. Every piece counts toward the bag limit, but tell us which are cabin size, because a carry-on fits spaces a large suitcase won't.
How do I describe a golf bag, skis or an instrument?
Say what it is, how many there are, and whether it's in a hard case. Long items lie flat, so their shape matters more than their count.
What if we have more than 14 passengers or 14 bags?
That's more than one vehicle. Tell us the full numbers and we'll quote a combination, such as the Luxury Sprinter with an SUV.
Can you provide child seats?
Request youth booster seats or infant and child safety seats in the quote form, with each child's age. They're confirmed with the price in your quote.
Can you carry a wheelchair or walker?
Tell us the type and whether it folds, and we'll confirm what we can provide before you book.
Will we get the exact model in the photos?
The models shown are examples of each class, or similar. What we confirm is the class, with its passenger and bag limits.
Should we book the next size up to be safe?
If your group is right at a limit, or you're bringing oversized or long items, it's worth asking. We'll tell you whether the larger class makes a real difference for your bags.
Not sure which vehicle fits?
Send your passenger count and your bag list. We'll suggest a class and send a price.
info@sf.limo