Try This Reader’s Traveling Tip to Save on Luggage Fees!
This reader packed smarter to pay less when traveling.
These days many airlines charge travelers a fee to check their bags. According to Condé Nast Traveler, major airlines charge about $35 for the first bag and up to $60 for a second bag. With vacations already being expensive, who wants to pay extra for luggage?
Not our Happy Friday reader, Chris! Thanks to a clever packing hack, all of Chris’s belongings fit into a carry-on suitcase. Carry-on bags are typically included in the price of your ticket which means travelers don’t have to pay any extra.
Here’s how Chris does it!
“I found the best way to compress & fit clothes for travel without buying or using those cubes. The packing cubes add weight & take up unnecessary space. I always roll my travel clothes, and adding a rubber band keeps them compressed without a problem with wrinkling. The heavier rubber bands work best, but I didn’t have many of them, so I used what I had & packed extra rubber bands if needed. You can even use different colored rubber bands to help with organization.”
“I packed everything in a personal-sized item (Take Away Suitcase 18” x 14” x 8”) for Allegiant Air & paid nothing for luggage & we had clean clothes and room for sandals and toiletries for the entire six days of our trip.”
“The attached photos of clothes are the dirty ones on the way home, so they are not as neatly rolled and organized as they were at the beginning of travel, but they give you the idea.”
That’s a great tip, Chris! 😍
By not checking bags when you have round-trip tickets, you can save around $70 – $190 per person! You’ll also have less to carry as you travel, plus more space in your rental car. Best of all, your packing hack is practical and easy to do! Thanks for sharing this helpful tip with the Hip community!
For more helpful luggage ideas, Hip readers can check out our 14 packing tips that help travelers avoid bringing too much on vacation and also our post on our top 30 travel products. Plus, don’t forget to see why Collin loves bringing only carry-on luggage.
Hip Tip: Need rubber bands to try out Chris’s packing hack? Walgreens has a huge bag on sale for just $1.18 (reg. $7.05).
Want to know more ways to save on travel? ✈️
We love sharing ways to cut down on travel expenses! If you’re taking a trip in the near future, check out helpful travel posts:
- Learn the Best Time to Book a Flight
- Cheap Family Vacation Destinations: Explore Top Cities with FREE Attractions & Affordable Lodging
- How to Get the Cheapest Rental Car
- Why Costco Travel Is My Go-To For Car Rentals (+ How I Scored $150 Off My SUV Rental)
- 17 Brilliant Dollar Tree Travel Hacks
- How to Save Money When Traveling to a New City
- All the Best Luggage Deals
- All the Latest Travel Deals
Thank you so much, Chris! 🙌
We really appreciate you writing in to show us how you maximize the space in your suitcase. It’s a practical packing hack that everyone should know because not checking a bag is one of the easiest ways to cut down on travel expenses. With many Hip readers preparing for spring break and summer vacations, you couldn’t have picked a better time to share! Thank you for this money-saving travel advice! 🥰
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Check your weight limits on carry-ons as well. Some airlines have weight limits as low as 40 lbs. Weigh your bags at home so you won’t have to repack or discard items at the airport.
I learn this hack from Oprah many moons ago. All my luggage gets rolled even in a backpack!
This makes me laugh.. rubber bands 😀the packing squares work great too! I can pack for weeks in a carry on.
I tried this, but got in a “tight” spot the night before my trip. I was finally able to fit everything in my carry-on by using double-zip (food storage) plastic bags, single zip did not work.–was even able to fit my new “travel-size” electric toothbrush and one-step mini round hair dryer brush! After folding a shirt/top etc. in a bag, I zipped it so it was nearly closed then pressed all the air out. Next time I want to try these: https://www.amazon.com/Travel-Compression-Essentials-Packing-Accessories/dp/B0BZ7LTR21/ref=sr_1_12?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.N6g9k9xJY7uCPO708OkYAnUNGsOmsUeR8eeXosvJ5yUd1ioMEDC4thZ-UUEE7AZ_tYKQjp0xUarKuR1GddmWmdl92wNSeXnDQomQof7BkA9Je_Tr1QrRav6yCeNqieyS3pWvqsV7iVC2IRFqVbNyVycAul9dj5GtSi2o4WEhtEDl2iiXYLmmyTr3XAUGpY1J_ZNhvwmD7z_CX0lwOcFSMA9EiyGDf-kkpZid9xPMi0IQ55iQWpQ8VRHPgzaLL7W0T68XOPS6tP_Xhb1qakSjWFofBCm3i7EMkIxHv-P4xRU.CndZdMclg801LQknM3gJTwmG65yANYACcPh76BRIeBs&dib_tag=se&keywords=vacuum%2Bbags%2Bfor%2Bluggage&qid=1709971311&refinements=p_72%3A1248915011%2Cp_85%3A2470955011%2Cp_36%3A1253523011&rnid=386465011&rps=1&s=home-garden&sr=1-12&th=1 Necessity really is the mother of invention!
P.S. Feel free to remove/replace my exceptionally long Amazon link. it’s not a referral link–just there for informaitonal purposes. Also excuse any typos as I’ve been up all night (is after 3am eastern time).
Love you guys;) have now been a subscriber for longer than I’m willing to admit (don’t want to give my age away) lol
No worries, laurel! Thanks for sharing this tip about using double-zip plastic bags and the option you’d like to try next! We sure appreciate you being a longtime follower and for the sweet comment! Hoping you get some sleep today! 🤗❤️
Thanks:)
You’er welcome! 💕
I remember my mom always rolling our clothes when she packed the bags when we were kids. I use the same hack now with my own family. We are a family of 6 and for a 2-3 night away trip I can typically fit all of our clothes in one large duffel bag.
Thanks for sharing how you’re able pack so much by rolling the clothes, Beth! I’ve used this method before and it’s always worked well for me too! 🙌🩷