Flight attendants and frequent flyers share nine ways to get extra luggage on the plane (without paying extra) on your next vacation

High baggage fees are often an unexpected expense when it comes to air travel.

You might be tempted by cheap plane tickets only to spend a fortune on carry-on and checked baggage.

Fortunately, there are a few tricks you can use to pack more on a flight without making a big dent in your bank balance. Here, flight attendants, frequent flyers and seasoned travelers share their best tips…

#1 – Fly with older airlines

Use older airlines like British Airways and American Airlines, recommends Rob Burgess, editor of frequent flyer website www.headforpoints.com.

He tells MailOnline Travel: “If you have to carry a lot of luggage, you’ll find that the legacy airlines tend to be the most generous with their baggage allowance. Unfortunately, there are no search engines that allow you to specify in advance how much luggage you want to take and adjust the price accordingly. That’s why it’s important to do your homework.

“This is particularly true on short-haul flights, where an attractive £9.99 fare can often be more expensive than a ticket from a legacy airline once checked-in baggage fees – and sometimes even hand luggage fees – are included.”

#2 – Get airline status

A British Airways Elite member can benefit from an increased baggage allowance on partner airlines such as American Airlines, Qatar Airways and Cathay Pacific

Airline status can increase your baggage allowance, notes Rob.

He says: “If you have status with a particular airline, remember that it often gets you extra baggage on all airlines that work with it – for example all members of the Oneworld alliance for British Airways status card holders.

“It would give an elite member of British Airways greater permission for American Airlines, Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific, Qantas and so on.”

#3 – The Travel Pillow TikTok Hack

Ryanair passenger Kristen Black, from Atlanta, Georgia, uploaded a video to TikTok where she rolls a sweater around several other items of clothing to form a makeshift travel pillow. The Atlanta resident used the hack to free up space in her bag for souvenirs and to avoid paying for extra baggage

TikTok user Kristen Black set the social media platform on fire when she shared an ingenious hack video showing how to make a DIY neck pillow by rolling a sweater around several other items of clothing and then wrapping them around her neck wraps to wrap up for a Ryanair flight.

Calling it “the perfect packing trick”, the Atlanta native told MailOnline Travel that she tried the trick to make her flight more bearable and free up space in her bag for souvenirs and to avoid paying for extra baggage not.

To date, the video titled “Save Space, Save Money” has nearly a million likes on TikTok. Other influencers shared videos showing them stuffing empty pillowcases with their clothes into a similar travel hack.

#4 – Redistribute the weight

Checked baggage is always weighed, but your hand luggage will be weighed much less by airline staff.

Carry-on luggage is more often “customs checked” for length and width only, Skyscanner notes.

If you are worried that your luggage is too heavy, redistribute the weight by packing heavier items such as books, chargers and boots in your hand luggage.

#5 – Online check-in

Check in online to avoid having your hand luggage weighed at the check-in counter

If you’re traveling with slightly overweight cabin baggage, Emirates flight attendant Caroline Kneitz recommends checking in online to ensure your cabin baggage isn’t weighed at the check-in counter.

She told MailOnline: “My best tip when it comes to luggage is to always check in online or via an app before you go to the airport. If you go to a counter at the airport, they will probably check the size and weight of your carry-on luggage. If you’re only traveling with carry-on luggage, it’s even more annoying because there’s a good chance your luggage is a little too heavy.

“If you check in at the airport, you can go straight through security to the gate, where it’s very unlikely that a member of staff will weigh the bag. Unless you fly a super budget airline.”

#6 – Use a duty free bag

Miguel Munoz, who has worked as a flight attendant for more than a decade, has revealed a handy trick to smuggle extra carry-on bags onto a plane without paying for extra carry-on bags.

He said the trick was to disguise the excess bag as a duty-free purchase by hiding it in a grocery bag.

Speaking to the Daily Express, Miguel explained that many passengers are unaware that duty-free baggage does not count as hand luggage – a fact travelers can use to their advantage when they realize they have more baggage than they should. Allowed.

#7 – Custom Underseat Carry Bags

TikTok user Lily Thompstone shared a video of a £9.99 bag that fits perfectly into Ryanair’s baggage counter – and it’s gone viral

When TikTok user Lily Thompstone posted a video of her £9.99 suit fitting perfectly under the seat in Ryanair’s baggage counter, the video went viral.

It shows Lily’s partner effortlessly sliding the pink duffel bag under the seat at baggage check before a three-day trip to Prague. “I can’t believe these bags work,” she wrote in the video’s caption.

Manufactured by the Narwey brand, the bag is advertised as a Ryanair underseat carry-on, matching the exact dimensions of the airline’s blanket – 40cm (16in) by 20cm (8in) by 25cm (10 thumb). Customs).

Ryanair says all passengers are entitled to one small personal bag free of charge on board, but it must fit under the seat in front of you and not exceed those dimensions. Narwey also makes an under-seat pocket that fits easyJet’s size parameters, which is slightly larger at 45cm (18″) by 36cm (14″) by 20cm (8″).

#8 – Vacuum bag

Vacuum packing your clothes can save space, a TikTok influencer has revealed (file photo)

A video of blogger Jess, who runs a TikTok account called sideofsequins, has gone viral as she shares her trick to fit more in her carry-on without paying extra.

In the video, which has received 99,000 likes so far, the blogger can be seen stuffing clothes into vacuum bags for nine days before tucking the compressed bags neatly into her hand luggage.

She finds herself packing a small travel steamer to smooth out any creases in the tightly packed clothes once she arrives at her destination.

#9 – Fly business class for short trips

While not necessarily a money-saving tip, Rob Burgess recommends flying business class on short-haul flights to take advantage of the enhanced baggage allowance.

He says: “Sometimes on short-haul flights on older airlines like British Airways you’ll find that business class tickets – which include two bags – are not much more expensive than an economy ticket plus extra baggage charges. It’s always worth checking out. .

British Airways flight attendant Taraneh confirmed his position to MailOnline Travel: “On a business class ticket, each passenger is entitled to two 23kg bags. May I suggest collecting and using Avios for the business class ticket to spend as little money as possible? For example, you can book a business class flight for £1 and 31,250 Avios to Europe – such as Paris and Amsterdam – including two 23kg checked bags.”

She continued: “Alternatively, those who have already booked an Economy ticket can upgrade to Business Class from 7,500 Avios and £31 return, and add an extra piece of luggage.”