Charging extra for baggage has become a common practice among airlines, especially low-cost carriers, who are known for imposing steep fees on passengers exceeding their luggage allowance. In fact, the revenue generated by these fees can often surpass the actual airfare. Travelers looking to dodge steep fees for overweight baggage fees can benefit our tips before embarking on their trips:
The pillow trick: Passengers can use a pillowcase filled with clothes to avoid paying extra fees for overweight baggage. However, there is now concern that airlines may stop allowing passengers to bring their pillows as more people share their success with this hack online.
Travel in the heaviest clothing: Wearing the heaviest clothes while traveling is an old trick to keep to weight restrictions. Passengers can wear their bulkiest items like hoodies, coats, and heaviest shoes and use the pockets to stash more items.
Layer up: Passengers can wear multiple layers of clothing to free up baggage space. They can strip down to their original outfit once on board.
Weigh your bags at home. No one wants to make it all the way to the check-in counter before realizing that their bag is overweight and subject to an overweight baggage fee. Do yourself a favor and use a digital scale to weigh your baggage before you depart. If it’s over your airline’s limit, take something out to avoid the fee.
Invest in the best travel bag: Investing in a lightweight bag that fits the specific measurements of each airline’s policy can help passengers pack in heavier items.
Use duty-free bags: Passengers can use the bags provided by duty-free shops to add extra items without breaking the one-small-bag rule. They can wear layers through security and then place them in the duty-free bag afterward.
Wear the heaviest clothing: Wearing the heaviest clothes while traveling is an old trick to keep to weight restrictions. Passengers can wear their bulkiest items like hoodies, coats, and heaviest shoes and use the pockets to stash more items.
Scrap the toiletries: Toiletries are heavy, so buying them on arrival at the destination can help avoid excess baggage charges. They may also be cheaper abroad.
