With almost every major airline (with the exceptions of Southwest and JetBlue) charging for checked luggage, you might add $50, $100 or more onto the cost of your round-trip airplane tickets, even domestic ones! My husband and son recently flew domestically and were surprised by the high luggage fees assessed by the airline. Since they were only going for five days, they decided to pretend that they were backpacking and limit themselves to just one carry-on each in order to avoid paying more. While this might not be feasible if you’re traveling for more than a week or if you’re going to a cold climate, where you’ll need to pack heavier clothing, it is possible to just say no to paying checked baggage fees. (Be aware that some airlines, such as Allegiant and Spirit, charge for carry-ons, so keep this in mind when comparing prices!) Here are a few tips:
- Remember that you’re not going to a Third World country (unless, of course, you are)! Chances are that you can buy anything that you don’t bring along. If you can’t fit enough toiletries in the quart-sized ziplock bag that you’re limited to in your carry-on luggage, it will be cheaper to stop and buy small bottles of shampoo, conditioner and body wash at your location than it will be to pay checked baggage fees, assuming you don’t get free sample-sized bottles at your hotel.
- Think minimalism when packing clothing. Pack enough underwear for the trip, along with a few tops and two or three bottoms. Women, skirts may roll or fold up smaller than pants. For summer travel, pack sleeveless tops and wear light sweater on the plane. Wear a regular pair of shoes and pack a pair of flipflops or canvas tennis shoes. Don’t overpack; if necessary, you can do laundry at the hotel or, in the worst case, handwash undergarments and light clothing and hang them to dry.
- More tips on choosing clothing include not packing anything white (because you will be wearing the items more than once), nothing that wrinkles easily (because it will be stuffed into a carry-on bag!), and only clothing that layers well and all goes together, so you can mix and match.
- Don’t forget about your personal item! You can bring along a purse, backpack, briefcase or small backpack to carry more stuff. If your personal item is your laptop, you may be able to use extra space inside of your laptop case.
- Be sure to check the airline’s guidelines for carry-on sizes. If your carry-on is too large, you will most likely need to check it, so don’t neglect this important step!
- If you are flying internationally, consider the traditions and culture before following these tips. In some countries, you’ll be out of place or even offensive if you dress in light, sleeveless or short clothing as you might for a beach vacation in the U.S. Also, some items might not be available, so you will need to bring along certain toiletries and other necessary items.
With a bit of foresight, it’s possible to beat the airlines at their own game, and to avoid paying high fees for checked luggage.
