Packing Light, Packing Right: Strategies for Saving Money on Luggage
If you travel by air regularly, you probably appreciate how important it is to pack right. Flight tickets keep rising, and airplanes are becoming harsher on passengers with heavy bags.
If you want to avoid hefty luggage fees on your next trip, you need to become savvy. For starters, emulate Joey from Friends by wearing some of your extra clothes.
Or you join a new TikTok trend that involves switching memory foam from pillows and packing your clothes in there. If you think that’s too much hassle, try these techniques:
Find Out the Rules and Fees
Before you panic about thinking you’ve packed too many clothes in your stackable luggage set, do some research. Find out the maximum weight your suitcase should carry.
Easy Jet allows you to carry a luggage bag measuring up to 45cm by 36cm by 20cm. But if you choose Ryan Air, the maximum bag allowed at standard fees should measure 40cm by 25cm by 20cm.
Southwest Airlines allows you to pack a bag weighing a maximum of 50 lbs. Spirit Airlines has a maximum weight of 40 lbs. for checked bags and usually turns you away if your bag weighs more than 45 lbs.
Most of these airlines charge you depending on weight and the number of bags you have. Some of the fees can be expensive—Southwest Airlines charges you $75 each way if you have more than two bags weighing under 50 lbs. This isn’t something you want to discover at the departure hall, especially early in the morning.
Pack Light But be Realistic
Everyone wants to carry enough clothes for their holiday vacation. But there's no rule about the number of clothes you must carry. To ensure you have an enjoyable vacation, determine what you're planning to do.
If your vacation will involve swimming and a lot of beachwear, leave most of your jackets at home. If you must carry something warm, wear it on your way there. You will save space to pack light clothes in your carry-on bag.
Speaking of packing more clothes, there’s no harm in packing light clothes inside your jacket. Put your sockets and vets inside your jacket pockets. Add your phone charger and sunglasses. Use your luggage bags to carry things you can’t realistically place inside your pockets.
Exploratory Glory YouTube Channel
Use Your Airline Credit Card
Almost every airline has a credit card with exclusive benefits. One of the most common benefits is a free pass for your first two checked bags. Some airlines extend this privilege to your significant other.
If you’re used to paying each way for your checked bags, you could save a lot of money on every trip. Think about this. Most airlines charge you at least $30 each way for a checked bag. That’s $120 at the end of your trip.
If you have a family of four and each one has a bag, your luggage fees can easily exceed $500. Yet, you could save all this money by using the right airline credit card.
Fly in Style
Some airlines won’t charge you luggage fees if you’re flying business or first class. Now, flying in style can be expensive. But if it means not paying $500 or more for your stackable luggage set, then it’s worth it.
Sometimes the difference between business and economy is small, anyway. Business class is incredibly comfortable. Additionally, many airlines have loads of amenities for their VIP passengers.
If you can’t afford a ticket in first class, find out if one of your friends has an elite-status airline program. Members with this privilege don’t pay for luggage. What’s more, they can’t extend this free pass to a couple of their friends.
Reserve Luggage under Different Names
Reserving your family’s luggage under one name is convenient. But on some airlines, it can be expensive. Take the Southwest Airlines example we mentioned earlier.
It has a flat rate for the first two bags, usually $30 or $40. Your third bag costs $75. And if it’s heavier than 50 lbs., the price could increase to $90. Reserving luggage under different names could save your family a pretty penny in the long term, especially if you love to carry multiple bags.
More Lifestyle Articles
