How to Avoid Extra Baggage Fees on Your Next Flight: 9 Tips

Flights are expensive enough without paying extra at the check-in desk. Extra baggage fees usually come from three things: a bag that is too heavy, a bag that is too big, or more bags than your fare includes. The good news is that all three are easy to avoid with a little planning. Here are nine tips to keep your next flight free of baggage surprises.

1. Read your airline's baggage policy before you pack

Every airline sets its own rules, and they can change between fares on the same flight. Check your booking for:

• How many cabin bags you can bring, and whether a free personal item must fit under the seat
• The maximum dimensions and weight for each bag
• Whether checked luggage is included in your fare

Airlines publish this on their websites and in your booking confirmation. If you fly with more than one airline on a trip, the strictest one sets the limit.

2. Pay for bags online, not at the airport

If you do need a checked bag, many airlines charge less when you add it online in advance than at the airport. Compare the price of a fare that includes a bag with a basic fare plus a bag; sometimes the bundle is cheaper.

3. Weigh your bags at home

Once everything is packed, weigh each bag before you leave. A simple luggage scale saves arguments at the desk, and a few hundred grams over the limit can cost as much as a whole extra bag. Some bags have one built in: the Orion 24L Expandable Vacuum Laptop Backpack has a digital scale in its side handle, so you know the weight before you reach the airport.

4. Start with a light bag

The bag itself counts toward your weight limit. A heavy hard-shell suitcase can use up a large part of a cabin allowance before you pack anything. The Primo 2.0 20" Ultralight Soft-Shell Carry-On holds 50 L and weighs 2.7 kg, leaving more of your allowance for your things. Check its dimensions against your airline's cabin limit before you fly.

5. Pack smaller, not just lighter

Size limits catch as many travelers as weight limits. Compression helps: rolled clothes, packing cubes and vacuum bags shrink soft items so a smaller bag is enough. Backpacks with built-in vacuum compression, like the Korvinor Supreme Vacuum 28L, compress your clothes inside the bag itself.

6. Organize with a packing hierarchy

Pack in layers by how often you need things. Items you will not touch until the hotel go to the bottom; the things you need on the plane go on top or in outer pockets. A tidy bag also tends to hold more. Our guide to packing a business backpack explains the idea.

7. Wear your bulkiest items

Heading somewhere cold? Wear your heaviest jacket, sweater and boots on the plane instead of packing them. Cabins are often cool anyway, and a jacket with big pockets carries small items too.

8. Do not count on leniency at the desk

Some travelers believe arriving early earns you some slack on a slightly heavy bag. Do not rely on it: many airlines weigh and measure strictly, and low-cost carriers often check cabin bags at the gate as well. Arriving early does give you time to repack if you are over, instead of paying.

9. Leave room for the way home

Souvenirs and shopping often push a bag over the limit on the return flight. Pack a little under the limit on the way out, or bring a foldable bag in case you need to split the load.

The right bags help

A carry-on that fits the cabin limit, a light suitcase and a good backpack as your personal item cover most trips without extra fees. Browse our luggage and backpacks, and read our backpack size guide to find bags that fit your trips.