Avoiding Baggage Fees, Even When Airlines Try to Hide Them

Joanna Teljeur

By:  Joanna Teljeur

6 minutes read

Last Updated:  February 19, 2026

How many times have you booked what seemed like a low cost flight and ended up paying a lot more by the time you reach the checkout screen? If you’re like most travellers, you get hit with fees for seat selection, extra leg room, and various service charges, but nothing jacks up the total fare price like baggage fees. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to avoid these fees, and in this guide, we’re going to show you how to do it.

The Basics of Baggage Charges

First, let’s quickly look at how your luggage is categorized and the associated fees.

• Personal Item: This is typically free and includes things like your purse, a smaller backpack or a briefcase.
• Cabin Bag: Fees for carry-on baggage depend on the airline, ticket class, and other factors. Expect to pay extra for a cabin bag if you’re flying with a low-cost airline like easyJet. In fact, you might end up paying MORE than you would for a checked bag.
• Checked Luggage: Most airlines charge to check luggage, but sometimes this will be included in the ticket price.
• Oversized or Overweigh Luggage: This is anything above the regular baggage allowance and can be 100 EUR if not more.

Once you understand these differences, you’ll know what to look for when you’re reading up on your airline’s baggage policies, which happens to be our first tip.

#1 Understand the Baggage Policies 

It’s best to read about your carrier’s baggage policies before you begin the booking process. Why? Because it might take you a while to completely understand what will incur a fee and what won’t. 

• You can find some of this information in the baggage section of your airline’s website, but you probably won’t find all the details on that page. 
• So, once you’ve read through the main points on the baggage allowance page, look for the FAQ section and search for baggage information. You might be surprised by the details you find there. 
• Lastly, do a search for your airline’s contract of carriage. When you find it, look for information about carry-on and checked baggage. 

If you read and understand the information from these three areas, you’ll have a much better idea of what to expect in fees. If you need more info, check sites like SeatGuru.

#2 Do a Booking Process Test Run

If you want to see which fees will be applied to your base fare, just go through the booking process entirely, but stop at the last step before payment. Not only will you see what you’ll pay for things like seat selection and hidden charges like ‘administrative’ fees, you’ll see first-hand what you’ll be paying for checked and/or cabin baggage. 

But it doesn’t stop there! You might also be charged a fee for printing bag tags at the airport. Also, if your luggage is overweight, you’ll get slapped with a fee for that as well. To avoid this, take a minute to read the fine print about oversized and overweight luggage on your airline’s website.

#3: Pack Light and Save a Little

If you’re only going for a weekend or other short trip, try packing everything into one personal item, like a shoulder bag or backpack. You’ll save money on baggage fees and your trip will be less stressful and more convenient. Just think: No baggage fees OR fighting for overhead bin space!

To pull this off, you’ll need to employ some special packing techniques.

• Try rolling your clothing rather than folding or stuffing your belongings into your carry-on bag. 
• Pack your clothes in plastic zip-lock bags, and push out all the air before sealing them. 
• Wear any big, bulky items like coats and sweaters.

#4: Shop Prices AND Fare Types

It might be tempting to just go for the lowest fare possible, but this usually means a seat in basic economy, where baggage is rarely included. So, when you’re shopping for flights, consider choosing a seat in a higher fare class. You might pay a little more, but it could be a smarter deal, especially if you get free checked baggage with it.

#5: Get an Airline or Travel Credit Card

Co-branded credit cards don’t affect baggage fees directly, but they do offer annual travel credits, which can help you upgrade to a cabin class where baggage allowance is more generous - or even free. 

MoneySavingExpert recommends Amex Gold, Amex Nectar, and Virgin Atlantic Reward as the best airline credit cards for earning flights, points, and other upgrades. In the U.S., Mama Investing suggests looking at the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card for its versatility and generous bonus offers.

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#6: Buy a Bundle 

Depending on the airline, you could bundle extras like early boarding, seat selection, AND checked or cabin baggage all with one fee. The amount you can save by bundling varies by the route you choose and other factors, but if you add up the a la carte options, you can see how this tactic can save you a little on baggage fees.

Wizz Air, Ryanair, and easyJet are famous for their bundled fares that offer cabin and checked baggage, seat selection, priority boarding, and flight flexibility. 

#7 Get a Luggage Scale

Just because your bag shuts easily doesn’t mean it’s within the weight limitations. In fact, countless passengers show up at the airport ready to drop their bags and go, only to find that their suitcases are oversized or overweight. The result? Hefty fees. 

To avoid these kinds of unpleasant surprises, invest in a luggage scale so you can weigh your bags ahead of time. Also, double check the airline’s baggage allowance tables to make sure your suitcase is within the maximum limits. If you don’t, you might be forced to buy another suitcase at the airport or face leaving some things behind. 

#8: Pay Baggage Fees Before You Get to the Airport

Did you know that some airlines have checked baggage fees if you don’t purchase it online? They do, and it can be surprisingly expensive or at least a surprise if you weren’t expecting it. So, to avoid this, always purchase checked baggage before or during the check-in process. Even better, do it during the booking process when it’s significantly less expensive.

#9: Choose Airlines with Transparent Baggage Policies

Thankfully, some carriers do make it easier to see what you’ll end up paying for baggage, so you can plan for your trip more easily. Generally, low-cost carriers have more complicated and difficult to understand baggage allowance policies, compared to legacy airlines like Lufthansa, KLM, and Air France.

With British Airways, for example, you can get one checked bag with most fares, excluding Economy Basic. If you need to add extra baggage, you can get it online for lower rates than you would if you wait until you get to the airport.

#10: Enroll in an Airline Loyalty Program

Frequent flyers aren’t the only ones who can benefit from airline loyalty programs. Even though the benefits increase the more you fly, you still take advantage of the tiered programs offered by most major airlines. And the best part? Aside from it costing nothing to join, you can also get free checked bags as one of the perks. 

One of the best examples is Emirates Skywards where Gold Members can get complimentary seat selection, priority boarding, extra baggage allowance and a 75% bonus for miles earned. 

Another is Air France and KLM’s Flying Blue. With this program, you can get special deals on extra baggage allowance as well as discounts for paid checked baggage (for Silver, Gold & Platinum members).

The Takeaway

These days it might seem like baggage fees are unavoidable, but fortunately there are a few ways to escape them. Start by looking into airline loyalty programs, packing light, and educating yourself on your airline’s baggage policy. Also, remember that the more bags you check, the greater the chances airline delaying, losing or damaging your baggage. 

Author:

Joanna Teljeur

Job/Position: Senior Editor & Content Lead

Joanna Teljeur is a senior editor and writer with 15+ years of experience in editorial leadership, journalism, and content development, specialising in consumer rights, aviation law, and public-interest reporting. Her work focuses on transforming complex regulatory and legal topics into clear, accurate, and accessible content for international audiences.

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