Excess or extra baggage fee is always a burden on your travel budget. People who follow the airline's baggage policy, weight, and size limits are always able to score zero in paying the extra baggage fee. Therefore, you need to avoid the hefty charges and do some preparation and smart packing while packing your bag to avoid unwanted baggage fees. We are going to mention some of the tips and hacks to avoid the excess baggage fees on your next flight.
1. Know Your Airline’s Baggage Policy
Whenever you book the tickets of any airline then there are some rules and regulations of the flag carrier which are important to follow for you to understand the baggage limits. You must know the baggage policy of your airline to know the size, weight and number of bags limit.
What do you need to do?
You need to visit the airline's official website and view the customer service number of the flag carrier. Now, confirm the baggage policy of the airline for the smart packing goals because it is crucial for you to know all the major things. If you want to read, then you can also read the baggage terms on the website of the airline. As a smart flyer, you must note carry-on and checked baggage limits to check the overweight and oversize luggage.
2. Use a Digital Luggage Scale
There is a digital luggage scale that you can use to understand the weight and dimensions of your bag. You can buy it because it always helps you to avoid the excess fee on the baggage. You can buy this digital scale to check the weight of your bags before leaving for the airport. The pro-tip here is leaving some extra space for error because sometimes airport scales can vary slightly.
3. Pack Light and Smart
Overpacking is always a bad idea for the flyers, and they must avoid overpacking to avoid the excess baggage fee. What will be the action step here? You need to create and define a packing checklist to miss any important thing and do the packing with versatile clothing items that can be mixed and matched. You must carry small travel-sized toiletries to avoid the packing items that can be purchased at your destination as well.
4. Wear Heavy Items
If you want to carry any bulky and heavy items, such as shoes or jackets, as per your destination preference, then carry or wear all these items to avoid extra luggage. You can wear heavy clothes during the flight to free up space and reduce the weight of your checked baggage. You should not be worried about the temperatures because airplanes are cold, too.
5. Use Compression Packing Cubes
Do you know about the compression packing cubes or not? These cubes are so helpful to reduce the total volume of your luggage without adding any weight. To make this possible you must organize your clothes by using the packing cubes and compress them to maximize the space. You must roll your clothes instead of folding them to reduce the wrinkles.
6. Take Advantage of Your Carry-On
Most airlines allow one carry-on bag and one personal item for free for the flyers, and you must avail of this advantage by adding all essentials, electronics, and heavier items in the carry-on luggage to balance your luggage weight.
7. Prepay for Checked Bags
Don’t pay for the extra checked baggage at the airport because it will be more expensive for you. Hence, you must prepay for the checked baggage to avail of the discount. You can view the airline's official website to know the prepayment baggage options to pay for your baggage in advance. Also don’t forget to print the receipt of baggage payment to avoid any hassles at the airport.
8. Ship Your Luggage
People who are traveling with multiple heavy bags can also use the shipping them ahead of time. You can use the courier service to send the luggage to your destination for long-term stays. For this, you need to confirm and compare the shipping fee and the extra baggage fee of your airline.
9. Share Luggage Space
Are you traveling with your family or friends? You can also pool your luggage allowance. You can distribute the items among companions to ensure the no baggage weight limit. You can check the combined weight policy of the airline because some allow shared allowance for group bookings as well.
10. Choose the Right Airline
Many airlines are generous with the baggage policy, and you can choose these airlines to avoid extra baggage. You can search for this on Google to understand the feedback of the flyers regarding the baggage benefits.
Summary
Avoiding excess baggage fees requires preparation, smart packing, and understanding airline policies. Knowing baggage rules, using tools like digital luggage scales, and packing light can help keep your luggage within limits. Wearing heavy items, utilizing carry-ons effectively, and prepaying for baggage online are cost-effective strategies. Options like sharing luggage space with companions or shipping bags ahead are also viable for heavier loads. Choosing airlines with flexible baggage policies can further simplify your travel.
FAQs
Why is it important to understand an airline's baggage policy?
Understanding the baggage policy helps travelers stay within size, weight, and quantity limits, avoiding extra fees at the airport.
How can a digital luggage scale help prevent excess baggage fees?
A digital luggage scale allows you to accurately weigh your bags before departure, ensuring they meet airline requirements.
What is the benefit of wearing heavy items during a flight?
Wearing heavy items like jackets or boots reduces the weight of your checked luggage, helping you avoid overweight fees.
How do compression packing cubes save space in luggage?
Compression packing cubes reduce the volume of your clothes, maximizing space without adding weight to your luggage.
Why is prepayment for checked bags a smart choice?
Prepaying for checked baggage online is often cheaper than paying at the airport, and it reduces hassle during check-in.
How can carry-on luggage help balance baggage weight?
By placing essentials, electronics, and heavy items in your carry-on, you reduce the weight of your checked baggage and stay within limits.
When should travelers consider shipping their luggage?
Shipping luggage is a cost-effective solution for long-term stays or when traveling with multiple heavy bags, especially when airline fees are high.
How can sharing luggage space with companions reduce baggage fees?
Distributing items among travel companions helps avoid exceeding individual weight limits, especially for airlines with shared allowances.
What role does choosing the right airline play in avoiding baggage fees?
Selecting airlines with generous baggage policies can save money and offer more flexibility for travelers with multiple bags.
How can creating a packing checklist help reduce baggage fees?
A checklist ensures efficient packing, helps avoid overpacking, and ensures you only bring necessary items, keeping luggage within limits.
