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After you’ve found that cheap flight and secured your ticket to your dream destination, you feel on top of the world!
But not so fast, baggage fees are right around the corner to humble you.
Sometimes baggage fees can cost you even more than the price of your flight ticket. Ridiculous right?
Well, my husband and I have traveled to over 30 countries and have never paid an airline baggage fee in all of our journeys together, thus far.
This can be possible for you to do, as well.
This article breaks down 10 easy ways that you can avoid paying airline baggage fees.
You deserve stress-free travel, so keep reading!
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First thing’s first, you need to assess how well you know your airline.
There are a few key questions you need to ask yourself about the airline you are purchasing your flight ticket with:
- Do you know their baggage fee policies?
- Do you know if you get a free carry-on bag?
- Do you know how much a checked bag is?
- Do you know the size dimensions that qualify your bag as either a personal item, carry-on item, or checked item?
- Do you know what the weight limit is for your checked bag?
This is a lot to consider, and if you don’t know the answers, the baggage fees might snag you as their next victim.
So, I want to make it pretty simple for you.
The chart below breaks down carry-on bag fees and checked bag fees of some major US-based airlines when you buy their lowest tiered flight ticket.
This chart is a great starting point to get a general idea of baggage fees for lowest-tiered flight ticket options.
By clicking on each of the airlines listed below, you’ll be led directly to their baggage policies. It’s 100% worth reviewing!
So you get the idea, a really cheap flight ticket could mean paying for carry-on or checked bags. But isn’t this article about avoiding baggage fees?? Absolutely!
The first step in avoiding baggage fees is recognizing the fees exist.
Otherwise, you could be showing up to your gate with your really affordable JetBlue Blue Basic ticket with a carry-on bag.
This is definitely not going to fly and that bag needs to be checked for at least an additional $65 if you purchased their lowest tiered ticket and brought a bag (that is larger than a personal item that can fit beneath the seat in front of you) to the JetBlue gate.
This is what we don’t want to happen. So once we know our airline baggage fee policies, we are ready for our next step….
RELATED ARTICLE: Unlock Special Privileges with Spirit Airlines Status Match
#2 Invest in Good Luggage & Turn it Into Your Personal Item
“Good luggage” is such a vague statement. Let me explain what I really mean by that.
You’re going to need to invest in a bag that is comfortable to wear, durable, and weather resistant that makes travel easier.
Your bag should have useful features like a padded laptop sleeve, side access for electronics, discreet passport storage, high-quality zippers, and built-in mesh internal dividers to easily organize the clothing you pack.
This all might sound oddly specific and that’s because I’m really describing the Wandrd Hexad Access Duffel Backpack. (The best carry-on backpack for air travel).
It has lay-flat packing, clam-shell opening, and doubles as a duffel bag and a backpack.
Backpack is the key word here. When you carry the Wandrd Hexad Access Duffel Backpack as a duffel bag, it may be perceived as a carry-on bag (which we saw in our above chart that this may incur a fee depending on the airline).
This is because the Wandrd Hexad Access Duffel Backpack is technically larger than the size of a personal item.
But, when you wear this Wandrd bag on your back as a backpack, it is now viewed as your personal item. Just like that.
Hundreds of flights later, and we have yet to pay a baggage fee using this bag. There was a close call one time though!
We were flying Frontier from Orlando to New York and my husband was wearing the Wandrd Hexad Access Duffel Backpack on his back and I was wearing the Baboon to the Moon “Small” Go Bag on my back, per usual.
Basically, “J” from Frontier was having a horrible time at work and was determined to pour that negative energy upon each and every person she came into contact with at work that day, us included of course.
I’ll skip over the details of how rudely she spoke to everyone, but long story short, “J” had us remove the bags from our backs and put them into the itty bitty personal item sizer at the front of the gate.
Challenge accepted.
To her dismay, both of our bags fit. So, she made us remove them and put them back in the sizer at least five times each to make sure.
The New York Post recently revealed that Frontier employees get a $10 bonus every time they charge an oversized baggage fee.
“J” was truly on a mission for her bonus. Even though she was dead wrong. Our bags fit. Every time.
In the end, we paid no fees for either of these two bags (Wandrd Hexad Access Duffel Backpack and the Baboon to the Moon “Small” Go Bag).
They truly earned their spot on our Travel Essentials list!
So when I say invest in good luggage, Wandrd and Baboon to the Moon will have your back on that one!
Not every bag can be turned into your personal item though.
For instance, if you have a rolling suitcase that is over the personal item dimension requirements of that airline, they’re definitely going to notice.
Your bag is more likely to pass as a personal item if it is worn on your back as a flexible backpack.
Your bag is even more likely to pass as a personal item if it is literally the dimensions of a personal item, like the Baboon to the Moon Go-Bags in their “Mini” size.
The “Mini” size is the TSA approved size of a personal item if you want to play it extra safe to avoid any carry-on baggage fees from certain airlines.
RELATED ARTICLE: 27 (EASY) Pro Tips to Pack Like a Minimalist
#3 Pack Lightly & Know the Checked Bag Weight Limit
My next tip to avoiding baggage fees is to pack lightly. This goes for the traveler who is traveling with just a personal item and/or a carry on, and for the traveler who is checking their bag.
Keep in mind that if you are paying for a checked bag, there’s potential for even more fees to be tacked on to that cost.
There’s your overSIZED bag fees and your overWEIGHT bag fees.
We went over how you could turn your semi-oversized carryon backpack into a qualifying personal item just by wearing it on your back.
But keep in mind that airlines have size limitations for personal items, carry-on bags, and even checked bags included in their baggage fee policies that should be reviewed on the airlines’ official websites.
You may be reviewing those size dimension restrictions of a personal item and carry on and are thinking, “How is it possible to fit all my stuff into that tiny space?”
Well, this is the time to assess your packing method.
The first step in packing lightly is knowing what to pack. Create an itinerary and coordinate your outfits with what you have planned.
Be sure to incorporate versatile pieces into your daily outfits.
We have lots of multi-purpose wear featured in our Travel Essentials article.
So go ahead and bookmark that post to get all the details on the best travel shoe, best travel pants, best travel jacket, and the best travel tees (one of our t-shirt recommendations are even stain repellent, included in the demonstration video below!)
So now you know what you have planned, and you pack clothes that are versatile.
It’s fine to pack an extra outfit (or two) but really hone in on your plans and stick to packing your essentials to be able to pack less and mix and match items.
Keep in mind that many Airbnbs are houses with laundry.
So yes, you’re mixing and matching your versatile clothing, but no, you are not dirty!
Laundry included in your Airbnb stay is a particular feature that is a top priority especially for your longer trips.
We spent three weeks in Southeast Asia on our honeymoon, with just a backpack each.
We packed light, but also kept our items fresh with laundry included where we stayed.
It’s also important to know how to pack your bag. You’re not just tossing everything in there and struggling to zip it all up.
You’re going to be folding your clothes neatly, might even take the time to roll them so they take up even less space in your bag.
The Wandrd Hexad Access Duffel Backpack comes with internal dividers unlike the Baboon to the Moon bags.
But if your bag doesn’t come with organizers, it’s easy enough to just buy packing cubes that will help you stay organized and contain your items in a way that takes up as little space as possible in your bag.
To sum it up, these are the ways to avoid an oversized bag fee by being able to use just a backpack to travel using these packing methods:
- Planning your outfits ahead of time based on your itinerary
- Packing versatile clothing, mixing and matching outfits
- Booking accommodations with laundry included
- Rolling clothes and using packing cubes to fit everything you need inside a backpack
If you’ve decided checking a bag is best for you and how you are traveling then it is extremely important for you to understand that you still need to pack your checked luggage lightly also.
RELATED ARTICLE: 14 Common Travel Mistakes (& How to Avoid Them At All Costs!)
Not only one baggage fee can apply. The airlines may try to hit you with a checked bag fee, overweight bag fee, and an oversized bag fee. Don’t let that be your story!
Airlines have slightly different definitions of an overweight bag and an oversized bag, so I’ve summarized some of the details of major US based airlines in the chart below.
The fees for going over these checked bag requirements are all outlined in each airlines’ baggage fee policy.
They can be accessed by clicking on the airline baggage fee policies listed again below for your reference.
- American Airlines Baggage Policy
- Delta Air Lines Baggage Policy
- United Airlines Baggage Policy
- Southwest Airlines Baggage Policy
- JetBlue Baggage Policy
- Spirit Airlines Baggage Policy
- Frontier Airlines Baggage Policy
These limitations will also vary depending on what type of ticket you buy.
The most basic fare will have the most limitations.
How are you going to comply with the checked bag weight limit so you can avoid an overweight baggage fee?
I have two simple suggestions for you.
- Wear your heaviest items to the airport. If you’re wearing them, you’re not packing them and they are only weighing your bag, not you.
- Leave it at home! If it’s something heavy that you can always buy at your next destination, don’t pack it. Buy it when you get there. It will most likely cost you less than an overweight baggage fee.
Bottom line: pack light, preferably in a reliable backpack + pack versatile clothing + understand bag size and weight limits of your airline.
We have an entire Youtube video on how to pack better with just a backpack full of minimalist packing tips linked right HERE for you (in case you scrolled past it earlier).
#4 Travel Credit Cards: Which Card is Right for You?
Many airlines offer credit cards that have different perks for free checked bags.
These cards have annual fees that range from no annual fee to $99 to $450. If you’re trying to figure out what this even has to do with budget travel, keep reading!
If you consider that your checked bag is $30 (this fee varies as we went over), and you’re paying for that checked bag there and back ($30 + $30), plus if whoever else you are traveling with also has checked bags, you will likely save the annual fee even on just one trip, depending on the card.
There are some credit cards that will give you free credits for flight incidentals such as the American Express Platinum, and the Hilton Aspire.
We personally use the Hilton Aspire card that gives us $250 towards the airline that we choose for baggage fees, lounges, upgrading my seat, and snacks on the plane.
There are so many options with travel credit cards, and the travel credit cards that we use are not necessarily the travel credit cards that are best for you.
It can be overwhelming trying to understand if the annual fee makes sense for you and how you travel.
This is exactly why we are creating a travel credit card course to break down all of your options.
Be sure to join our email newsletter so you will be notified when the ultimate travel credit card course drops!
#5 Arrive Early to the Airport to Avoid Baggage Fees
Getting to the airport early is always a good idea for obvious reasons: having enough time to get through security, and finding your gate without missing your flight.
But arriving early to the airport can also be a method to avoid baggage fees.
Look at it this way, there is always a weight limit for each airplane.
This includes a limit for how much cargo is approved to go on the plane.
If you get to the airport early, before the weight limit is reached, they may show leniency in not making you check your bag if it is slightly overweight.
If you arrive to the airport later when they are closer to reaching the weight limit, you’re more than likely not going to get away with having a slightly overweight bag.
This is of course subject to their discretion, but can potentially save you from paying a checked bag fee or being charged an overweight bag fee by getting to the airport early.
Arriving early is one of the 20 Key Airport Tips to Make Travel Easier. Check out that article to be better prepared for your next trip!
#6 Redistribute Items & Consider Buying at Your Destination
Let’s say you didn’t exactly pack light, or you didn’t wear all of your heaviest clothes to the airport.
Or perhaps you did all of these tactics, and your bag is still overweight.
You may now need to move items from your carry on to your checked bag, or vice versa depending on which bag is overweight.
If you’re like us, and don’t check bags, you may need to look at your travel partner and redistribute some items to their bag.
If you’re flying solo or if you still didn’t pack light enough through redistribution, this might be the point where you will have to throw away things you didn’t really need.
It’s time to let it go.
Let’s weigh your options to see what is cheaper? Buying a new body wash when you get there or paying fees for this checked bag?
It’s less costly to throw away your heavy bottle of body wash and buy a new one once you get to your destination than paying all the baggage fees if you hold on to these extra items weighing your bag down.
#7 Take a Flight in First Class or Business Class
If you’re the traveler who is checking multiple bags and there’s no way around doing that, your best bet is to avoid the low tiered flight ticket options.
Flying first class not only elevates your in-flight experience with wider seats, more leg room, delicious meals, and sometimes a bed, but it also comes with free checked luggage as described in the airlines’ baggage policies.
Flying first class is not always as expensive as you may think!
We curated a list of our top 9 apps and websites that will help you find your next cheap flight and one of the apps has a feature to find the best deals on first class tickets!
So if you’re already going to end up paying for a couple checked bags, and potentially overweight and oversize baggage fees, then you might as well pay for a better flight experience in first class or business class with checked bags included.
#8 Join Frequent Flyer Programs: Loyalty Matters
Every airline has their own frequent-flyer program and they all go by different names.
When you are loyal to an airline, you can achieve elite status. One of the perks of achieving certain status can be free baggage!
Signing up for these frequent flyer programs is an easy and free way to avoid baggage fees.
Clicking the frequent flyer programs below will link you to their direct pages to sign up.
- AA Advantage Program
- SkyMiles Program
- Mileage Plus Program
- Rapid Rewards
- TrueBlue
- Free Spirit Program
- Frontier Miles
The more you fly with them, the more perks you will accrue. This can land you with free checked bags!
This method costs you nothing, and will save you a lot of money on baggage fees the more loyal you are to the airline.
We have frequent flyer numbers for every airline we fly.
The miles earned add up before you know it, and you can avoid paying for your bags as you achieve status!
#9 Maximize Your Special Items
Certain special items such as medical devices and child strollers may not count as a personal item or carry on item and may be free to check.
When that is the case, it is time to maximize the use of these items!
What do I mean by that? For instance, if you have a stroller, you can pack that stroller up with items that would make your carry on or checked baggage too heavy.
This is taking tip #6 to a new level!
Redistributing items from your bag to your child’s stroller that is already going on board for no extra cost can save you from overweight baggage fees.
All of the details regarding which special items are allowed without charge, and the size restrictions of these special items can be found through the airlines’ baggage policy pages.
#10 Tap Into Alternate Modes of Transportation
If you ultimately can’t avoid baggage fees with an airline, it’s time to think of other ways to get to your destination affordably.
Skip flying, and consider taking a train, boat, or a bus.
In Europe, my husband took a bus many many times and had no limit to the amount of bags that he could bring.
Generally speaking, you are allowed more checked baggage when you take an alternate mode of transportation (bus or train) compared to taking budget airlines like Ryanair.
In some cases alternate modes of transportation will take much longer than just flying to your destination.
This begs the question of whether you have more time or more money, and which you are most comfortable spending.
BONUS TIP TO AVOID BAGGAGE FEES
I saved the best for last. This is actually one of my favorite ways to avoid baggage fees!
The Neck and Bag (NAB) Pillow by Cosy Collection transforms you into the traveler who “travels smarter not harder.”
The NAB pillow is a neck pillow that doubles as a secret bag. How does that work?
Let’s say you have a few extra outfits you want to bring on vacation.
You’re going to roll them up, and fill your NAB pillow with these outfits.
You’re going to take that same NAB pillow, and wear it around your neck to the airport.
The NAB pillow is not a personal item. It’s also not a carry-on bag. It doesn’t count!
There are no fees associated with bringing a neck pillow!
There you have it. An unassuming neck pillow full of all the clothes that you wanted to bring, but somehow couldn’t fit into your carry-on or personal item bag.
The NAB pillow is more than worth it for all of the baggage fees it will save you from!
You Are Ready to Avoid Baggage Fees for Good!
We went through ten easy ways to avoid airline baggage fees.
Even if you put only one of these methods into play, you can save some money on airline baggage.
Bookmark this post as a key reference, and share this post with your favorite travel partner so they’ll be on board too!
Comment below which tip you found to be the most helpful! We’d love to hear from you!
Ready to find your next cheap flight? Use the Skyscanner search below to begin searching for flight deals!
This was really interesting and helpful! I’m in the UK so some things may be different but overall it was great info!
Thanks so much for checking it out!
I remember when I got into trouble because I wasn’t prepared and ready knowing the policy but now I pay attention.
I’m so glad you found this article! The last thing we want is baggage fees putting a damper on our vacation!
Oh, thanks for this detailed post. It’s just what I need. Airline fees are a real bummer, thanks for all the tips this will come in handy on my next trip.
Thanks so much for checking it out! Wishing you lots of great (and baggage fee-free) travel! 🙂