6 hacks to save you money on luggage ✈️🧳

We know the feeling, you find flights for £9.99 return with Ryanair but adding on a carry-on case will set you back more than the flight cost. We've put together a list of our top 6 hacks to save you money on luggage.

1. Get the right size personal bag

If you don't already have one, investing in the right size personal bag can save you loads of money on luggage costs in the long run. Most budget airlines only include a 'personal item' which must fit under the seat infront of you. The exact dimensions vary between airlines.

There are great options on the market right now that maximise the space available within the size requirements. I've personally packed for up to 5 days in one of these bags, including a laptop.

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2. Pack your neck pillow

This one's a bit naughty, but it works. Get a neck pillow that has a removable cover and instead pack it with clothes, this works best with soft items that are easy to roll like dresses, shorts, t-shirts and underwear. They fit a surprising amount in.

Security aren't in charge of airline baggage allowances, yes, they can what's inside through the scanner, but they don't care (just keep it legal).

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3. Pre-order your toiletries

If you don't have checked luggage with limited liquid allowance (or you have a smaller allowance and don't want heavy toiletries using too much of that allowance) then this hack will definitely help.

Pre-order your toiletries to Boots for collection (make sure it's through security). Pre-ordering means you'll get regular prices on the website and won't be rushing around an airport Boots trying to think of what you need. This way you can get items like shower gel, suncreams and shampoos without adding to your luggage allowance.

4. Buy something airside

Regardless of your allowance, you can take 1 Duty Free bag on the flight with you. This is useful if you only have a personal item that you have maximised with a backpack from hack 1, but you would also like to bring a hand bag. You wouldn't be allowed to bring a hand bag aswell as your personal item, but you could put your handbag in a carrier bag from a Duty Free shop.

5. Don't pay for checked luggage when booking flights

If you do need checked luggage, then this last tip might be useful when booking flights through a third party website.

I booked flights to New York with Virgin Atlantic through budgetair.co.uk, the price was for 'economy light' tickets which only included hand-luggage. Budgetair.co.uk didn't have an option to add baggage but you could upgrade all passangers to a 'plus ticket' which included checked luggage for £141 per passanger. However, booking checked baggage through Virgin Atlantic once I had my booking reference cost £50 per passenger each way. We shared a case to keep costs down, which cost £100 instead of upgrading both passengers to a plus ticket for £282*.

6. It's not what you pack, it's how you pack it

There are loads of ways you can maximise space in a small bag just by how you pack your clothes. Rolling your clothes is a great way to get more space. We also recommend using packing cubes, which will keep your items organised and also help to condense them. If you really want to save space, then vacuum packing your clothes is another great option, aslong as your willing to iron your clothes on arrival.

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