Best Ways to Save Money on Baggage Fees

Packing for a trip can be really stressful. The confusion of what to carry and what to leave behind and the tension of forgetting to pack important things can make the task daunting and exhausting. To top it all, now most airlines also charge extra for baggage fees which means you also need to consider ways to cut your baggage!   Well, there’s no escaping reality which is why I decided to find out seven best ways to save money on baggage fees.

What are the Best Ways to Save Money On Baggage Fees

It’s usually my husband who packs our suitcases. He thinks it is an art and he wants to organize them nicely.  I don’t mind as I am always on a hurry and performing million tasks at the same time!  Unfortunately he wants to bring everything! How many times we had to pay for those baggage fees. It is not a funny way to start your trip. That’s why I am always looking for the best ways to save money on those fees.

Pack light:

It’s quite obvious that packing less would be the one of the best ways to save money on baggage fees, it is definitely not easy at all! There will be a lot of things you may want to carry on your trip that you think are important. The best way to figure this out is by making a list of all the necessary things in decreasing order of their importance. This way, the most important things to carry will be lucky ones going with you on the trip whereas the last few ones could be avoided if you exceed your free luggage limit.

Pick the correct airline:

Keep in mind that all airlines have different luggage policies. For instance, airlines like JetBlue allow one free bag per passenger while other like Spirit Airlines charge even for carry-ons. My advice is to do some research on the baggage policies of several airlines before buying your ticket.

Get an airline credit-card:

If you are a frequent traveler, it is best to sign up for airline credit cards as these can help you dodge baggage fees at the checking counter. You will have to pay an annual fee but it is mere considering the big savings made on baggage fee.

 Fill up the stroller all you can:

Most airline permit checking of strollers before boarding the flight FOR FREE! To your convenience, strollers come with several pouches and pockets and you just have to make use of each one of them. Load it up with stuff like blankets, toiletries and other non-valuable stuff and make sure that it has a label of your name with your address. It is one of the best ways to save money!

Ship luggage:

If you have loads to carry that you just cannot avoid, then I recommend that you consider shipping your luggage. Paying for luggage shipping service is often less costly than having to pay for airline baggage fees.

Weigh your bag:

While most people think that since you have to pay for each bag, why not fill it up to the brim? Well, airlines are cleverer they charge you for overweight baggage too! In most cases, these prices are higher than the basic baggage fee so it is best to weigh your baggage beforehand to avoid paying extra.

Buy the correct suitcase:

With baggage fees skyrocketing, the last thing you want is for your suitcase to add to your baggage load. It is best to go for light suitcases. We used to have that blue heavy suitcase! Even if we didn’t put many things, it weighed too much!

These best ways to save money on baggage fees helped us travel on a budget! We had to be creative and tested what worked for us! Saving money is never easy! But you can do it!

Are you a frequent traveler? What is your best way to save money on baggage fees?

Photo source: Flickr/Payton Chung

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