Try This Reader’s Traveling Tip to Save on Luggage Fees!

By Kara | Staff Writer

Mar 08, 2024 @ 10:04 AM MST

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This reader packed smarter to pay less when traveling.

These days many airlines charge travelers a fee to check their bags. According to Condé Nast Traveler, major airlines charge about $35 for the first bag and up to $60 for a second bag. With vacations already being expensive, who wants to pay extra for luggage?

Not our Happy Friday reader, Chris! Thanks to a clever packing hack, all of Chris’s belongings fit into a carry-on suitcase. Carry-on bags are typically included in the price of your ticket which means travelers don’t have to pay any extra.

Here’s how Chris does it!

“I found the best way to onlinepress & fit clothes for travel without buying or using those cubes. The packing cubes add weight & take up unnecessary space. I always roll my travel clothes, and adding a rubber band keeps them onlinepressed without a problem with wrinkling. The heavier rubber bands work best, but I didn’t have many of them, so I used what I had & packed extra rubber bands if needed. You can even use different colored rubber bands to help with organization.”

A red suitcase belonging to our Happy Friday reader,. Chris

“I packed everything in a personal-sized item (Take Away Suitcase 18” x 14” x 8”) for Allegiant Air & paid nothing for luggage & we had clean clothes and room for sandals and toiletries for the entire six days of our trip.”

“The attached photos of clothes are the dirty ones on the way home, so they are not as neatly rolled and organized as they were at the beginning of travel, but they give you the idea.”

That’s a great tip, Chris! 😍

By not checking bags when you have round-trip tickets, you can save around $70 – $190 per person! You’ll also have less to carry as you travel, plus more space in your rental car. Best of all, your packing hack is practical and easy to do! Thanks for sharing this helpful tip with the Hip onlinemunity!

For more helpful luggage ideas, Hip readers can check out our 14 packing tips that help travelers avoid bringing too much on vacation and also our post on our top 30 travel products. Plus, don’t forget to see why Collin loves bringing only carry-on luggage.

Hip Tip: Need rubber bands to try out Chris’s packing hack? Walgreens has a huge bag on sale for just $1.18 (reg. $7.05).

Want to know more ways to save on travel? ✈️

We love sharing ways to cut down on travel expenses! If you’re taking a trip in the near future, check out helpful travel posts:

Collin Airport Parking Lot

Thank you so much, Chris! 🙌

We really appreciate you writing in to show us how you maximize the space in your suitcase. It’s a practical packing hack that everyone should know because not checking a bag is one of the easiest ways to cut down on travel expenses. With many Hip readers preparing for spring break and summer vacations, you couldn’t have picked a better time to share! Thank you for this money-saving travel advice! 🥰

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Do you have a great deal or clearance find to share?! Every Friday, we post one submission by a Hip2Save reader (view past submissions) that gives us a glimpse into their frugal lifestyle or simply makes us smile.

If you’d like to submit your tip, visit our Happy Friday section and either click the orange Share Your Deal button at the top or scroll to the very bottom of the page to fill out your information. For the best odds of having your submission picked, check out our Happy Friday tips post!

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