5 reasons you should only ever travel with two bags
Excess baggage fees are one of the most annoying aspects of air travel. Here’s why you should stick to two bags.
1. You’ll have to pay for it
The most basic reason of all – budget. It’s rare to find an airline that will give you more than one piece of checked in luggage and one carry on, so don’t expect extra. You don’t want to be forking out an extra $50 (or more) for that third bag you just had to have.
2. Check the rules
There’s no such thing as a one size fits all approach to airline baggage, so make sure you know exactly what you’re entitled to before you check in. It can vary from airline to airline and even from seat to seat, depending on how much you’ve paid. Pay particular attention to the rules that apply when you’re switching from international to domestic flights.
3. Pick the right bags
Most people will pack a suitcase until it is full (or bursting), regardless of the size. As such, if you buy an enormous suitcase that holds more than the standard 20 kilos, you’re going to end up overweight. Do some research online and find the perfect size bag for you – then stop when it’s full. The same applies to your carry on bag. That way you’ll end up with two perfectly weighted bags every time.
4. Leave some wiggle room
Have you ever been on a trip and not bought a single thing? We didn’t think so. When you’re packing, try to leave a little space for any souvenirs or shopping that you pick up on the way. You don’t want to be forced to buy an extra bag to carry it all. Those budget finds will suddenly become very expensive when you have to pay for them to be flown home.
5. Invest in a hand scale
Hotel rooms often don’t have scales, so you might get a rude shock when you arrive at the airport and find that you’re overweight. Hand held luggage scales are small and relatively cheap, especially when you factor in the money they could save you in excess baggage fees.
How many bags do you bring while travelling? Why? Let us know in the comments below.
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