We’ve all been there. Travelling around the world out of a backpack, on a tight budget, and then having to pay those 20/40€ extra to bring our backpack on the plane, as it is too big and heavy for a carry-on. It’s annoying, isn’t it? Can we avoid such checked bag fees?
Is there a way to take your backpack with you on the plane, as a carry-on for free?
Yes, with some little tricks and a bit of organization you can do it and save some $$$! You’ll have to play smart (and a little dirty 😉 ) but I enjoy it every time. It’s a little game to play and win whenever you fly with a large backpack!
I travelled all around the world with a 90L backpack weighting around 16 kg and never ever paid for the extra luggage on the plane!
How to avoid checked bag fees? The steps to follow:
Now, let’s look in detail how to avoid checked bag fees when you fly.
At the airport, there are 2 places where they can check your bags:
- At the check in counter
- At the gate, when boarding the plane
1: Avoid checked bag fees – What to do at the check in counter?
Firstly, remember to always do your online check in. Many airlines won’t even check you and you can go directly to the metal detector and the gate without any problems. So that part is solved. European low cost airlines (Ryanair, Easy Jet, Vueling, Norwegian, Wizz Air…) won’t check you at the counter.
Other airlines do it, though. In Asia, the number one low cost airline that you will always use, Air Asia (and all its subsidiaries) usually requires you to go to the counter first, even with the online check in. Same as some companies in the US and South America. How to avoid checked bag fees then?
If you are travelling with are friend, take turns. Leave your big backpack with your friend (where the lady at the counter can’t see you, be smart), and go to the check in desk with just a little day pack. Tell her you are just travelling light and you will be fine for this first step.
If you are travelling alone, you can ask some other travellers to help you and watch your stuff while you check in. I always do it and it is an easy job. Your fellow backpackers will understand. If there is nobody to ask (search better, I always find people), find a good spot on a bench where you can leave the bag and you can see it from the check in desk. I suggest you to put your bag on a trolley, it seems more legit and no one will take it.
Awesome! The first step is over. Now go through the metal detector (they don’t matter size and weight there) and walk to your gate.
2: Avoid checked bag fees – What to do at the gate?
This is the 2nd and last place where they can check you. If you go through this, you are on the plane and you avoided checked bag fees!
Choose a sit a little away from the gate, where you can still see it, but they won’t notice you and your bag. Try to understand if they have the item to measure luggage sizes, and a weight scale.
It doesn’t really matter though, because I like to do everything perfectly, as if they were deeply checking every person. Just to be sure I won’t make mistakes!
Go to the toilet and wear as many clothes as you can. A couple of pair of pants, 2 t-shirts and a couple of sweaters. Choose the heaviest clothes. If you have hiking shoes, wear those and leave the trainers in your bag. Do this whole procedure only a few mins before the gate opens, otherwise you will be sweating.
If your backpack is really big and you are carrying a lot of things, it may not be enough to just wear few layers of clothes. No worries, I’ll get you sorted.
Buy the cheapest thing at the airport duty free (I usually get a bottle of water, I’d need it anyways) and ask for a big plastic bag to put it inside. Then, fit that plastic bag with extra things (especially the heavy ones) that you have in your backpack. Don’t fill it up to much and no one will ever ask you to open it.
In addition, put some stuff in your pockets and keep something (maybe a jacket or a big sweater) in your hands. That’s totally fine and they won’t bother at the gate.
Now you are all good to go. I reckon your backpack will be almost empty weighting no more than 10 kg now 😀
But there is one last thing to consider… the size of your backpack.
How to resize your backpack to make it fit as a carry-on?
In general backpacks can be bended and shaped to fit into the right sizes. Now, what if you have a really big backpack (like the one I use, 90 liters) with iron sticks in the back to keep it straight?
Easy! Open your bag and you can see in the back side that you can simply remove the sticks. Do that and your bag will be shaped as you wish and will fit anywhere! But where to put the iron sticks now?
Usually there are 3 iron sticks connected together to make one piece only. I just put it on my back, inside a sweater (preferably with a hood). It may go a little on your ass, so have it inside your pants, tight them up and walk straight. Trust me, no one will notice it and you are all good to go!
Yeah! You made it and now you are in the plane. Make a quick move to take the sticks off your back before you sit, and place them back into your backpack.
I know it may sound a little complicated, but it is actually quite simple, and enjoyable. It’s a little game you play, it’s fun and makes you save money! Think to avoid checked bag fees during your backpacking trip for 10-15 flights. It would save you almost 500€!
If you are also interested in finding cheap airfares, check out this article on how to find the cheapest flights anywhere in the world.
On your next flight with a backpack, bring it as a carry-on for free, and let me know how it goes in the comments below!
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