Travel - Packing Smart to Avoid Extra Airline Baggage Fees

For the air traveller, finding a good fare used to be the big challenge but that's been complicated with fuel surcharges and luggage fees that get added onto the base fare and drive up the cost of travel.

Sample Baggage Fees (Coach Class) As of July 12, 2011:

Airtran - $20 for the first bag, $25 for the second bag.

Alaska Airline - $20 for the first bag, $20 for the second bag.

American Airlines - $25 for the first bag, $35 for the second bag.

Continental Airlines - $25 for the first bag, $35 for the second bag. (check for discounts when you prepay online)

Delta Airlines - $25 for the first bag, $35 for the second bag.

Frontier - $20 for the first bag, $20 for the second bag. (check for discounts when you prepay online)

Jet Blue - $0 for the first bag, $35 for the second bag.

Southwest Airlines - No charge for the first or second bag.(We love Southwest!)

United Airlines - $25 for the first bag, $35 for the second bag. (check for discounts when you prepay online)

US Airways - $25 for the first bag, $35 for the second bag. (check for discounts when you prepay online)

1. Clearly read the weight & size allowance for the one bad and make the most of it - but don't go over the limit. Pack a box, if necessary. Remember that the fee for a bag that exceeds the weight allowance is often higher than the fee for checking a second bag.

2. Make the most of your carry-on allowances. A couple flying together can check one bag that includes liquids, razors, and all the things not allowed in a carry-on. Then make the most of your carry-on allowance for clothing and other items. Checking one bag, instead of two, will save $30 roundtrip with certain airlines.

3. Ship items directly to your resort by mail or UPS - this isn't usually a good value if you're only shipping one bag but sometimes pays off if you have a lot of luggage or bulky sports equipment. Check to be sure that your hotel doesn't charge a fee for receiving and storing this type of shipment.

4. Pay the fee but minimize the number of bags checked - check one big bag, rather than 2 smaller ones for your family. Small children have small clothes. If you have two children, pack all their clothes in the maximum sized suitcase allowed. Depending on the airline, eliminating one suitcase can save $30 roundtrip

5. Utilize a shopping and delivery service for diapers, bottled water, snack items, etc. The service fee for having those purchases delivered to the resort will be less than fee for an additional bag.

6. Keep luggage fees in mind when purchasing tickets. A United Airlines fare might be $10 lower than Southwest airlines but Southwest doesn't charge a baggage fee so your over-all cost might be lower with Southwest. Of course, you need to make sure you have the total cost of your airline tickets - fees and fuel surcharges can differ from airline to airline.

7. Check to see if your airline offers a discount for pre-paying the luggage fees online.

8. Ask if you qualify to waive baggage fees. For example, military personnel or being at a certain level in the airline's frequent flier program may exempt you from the fees. Do you fly one airline all the time? Find out if having the airlines credit card will exempt you or reduce airline baggage fees.

9. Ask if there are items that can be checked without incurring a baggage fee. For example, child car seats, carriers, strollers, wheelchairs, walkers, and other personal assistive devices or medical equipment may be exempt from fees.

1. Did you know that the middle seat usually has the most under-seat space? The curve of the plane's exterior reduces space under window seats and the aisle seats have a smaller space to help keep the aisles wide and clear. Choosing a middle seat will give you a little more room for your duffel or backpack....or even for your feet, if you can imagine that!

2. Find out whether your airline boards passengers by boarding group or by row. It may be to your advantage to check-in online early so that you can board earlier and have a better shot at space in the overhead bins.

3. Take advantage of gate checking your bag, if offered. Smaller commuter planes sometimes have smaller bins that quickly fill on full flights. There have been several times when the airline has announced at the gate that they will gate-check carry-on bags at no cost. These bags are generally placed in the jetway for pickup as you depart the plane, rather than being sent to the baggage claim area.

4. You are allowed one carryon item and one additional personal item, like a purse or computer bag. Make the most of that space! Take a larger purse and use it for items you couldn't fit in your carry-on. Having some extra purse room can also save money, if you've gone slightly over the weight allowance on your checked bag. Pull out a few items and stuff them in your purse.

5. Find out what size carry-on you can bring. Why limit yourself to a student sized-backpack if you can have a larger bag. All of the luggage companies make "wheelie" bags that are meant to be used as a carry-on. Just know that the airlines change the sizes and you'll want to be sure your bag meets the requirements.

6. Wear your bulky items - like boots or a coat - onto the plane, rather than having them take the precious space in your bag.

7. Roll clothes instead of folding them - this will help you use every inch in your bag. Pack your underwear tightly into a ziplock bag or two and stuff them into your shoes.

8. Remember that you can only bring 3-ounce (or smaller) bottles of liquids and gels like shampoo or toothpastes onto the plane with you. All liquids have to fit in one 1-quart zip-lock bag that you send though security on its own - not in your suitcase or other bag. Larger bottles must be packed in your checked bags.

9. My friend Ann makes room for small souvenirs by taking her oldest underwear and socks when she travels and throwing them away after use, rather than packing them to bring home and wash. Gel-type candles and liquid filled snowglobes are not allowed as carry-on items.

10. Choose hotels with a coin laundry for guests. We save on longer trip by packing less clothes and washing them part way through the trip.

11. Pick a color scheme that allows you to mix and match items. I usually go with blue, white, and khaki for summer travel - then I throw in one red shirt to mix things up a bit. Accessories are small and can add a lot of diversity to your look.

12. Remember that razors, gel shoe inserts, and aerosol items cannot be taken into the cabin of the plane.

This list is not exhaustive but gives you a pretty good list of things you cannot take in your carry on luggage. Many of these items can be packed into checked bags, though some may require documentation.

Box cutters
Ice axes or ice picks
Knives (plastic knives are permitted)
Razor type blades (box cutters, utility knives, safety razor blades, disposible razors, etc)
Scissors with lades longer than 4 inches
Swords or fencing foils
Baseball bats
Bows and Arrows
Cricket bats
dumbbells or hand weights
golf clubs
hockey sticks
Lacrosse sticks
Pool cues
Ski Poles
Spear Guns
Ammunition
BB guns
Compressed Air Guns
Paintball markers
Firearms
Flare Guns
Flares
Gun Powder
Parts of guns and firearms
Pellet Guns
Realistic replicas of firearms
Starter Pistols
Axes or hatchets
Cattle Prods (don't you sometimes wish we could?)
Crowbars
Hammers
Drills and drill bits
Saws
Tools greater than 7 inches in length
Billy Clubs
Brass Knuckles
Self-defense sprays
Martial Arts weapons
Night Sticks
Nunchukas
Stun Guns or similar shocking devices
Blasting Caps
Dynamite
Fireworks
Hand grenades
Plastic explosives
Realistic Replicas of Explosives
Aerosol
Fuels
Gasoline
Gas Torches
Lighter fluid
Strike-anywhere matches (one book of safety matches may be allowed)
Flammable Paints
Turpentine and Paint Thinner
Realistic replicas of incendiaries
Chlorine for pools
Fire extinguishers and other compressed gas cylinders
Liquid bleach
Spillable Batteries
Spray Paint
Tear Gas
Vehicle Airbags
Gel-type candles
Get shoe inserts
Flammable liquid, get, or aerosol paint
Snow globes
Knitting needles
Bicycle chains
Infectious items
Self-heating meals

Click here for the official TSA list of prohibited items

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