Changi Airport

It is a common plight among travelers, that paying excess luggage has become a major cost in traveling by flight. Sometimes, the excess luggage charges itself can be the same or even few times higher than the flight ticket.

Here, we are presenting some tips that might save you from paying for the excess luggage charge. As each airlines and airport have different policy regarding the luggage and hand carry, and the circumstances around each flight is different, we cannot guarantee the result.

Please note that the information below is provided for entertainment purpose only. Use it at your own risk.

Tips : How to avoid paying baggage excess charges

9. Research
Some airlines give higher lugage allowance, and some are more lenient with their allowance than others. Google for “airline name strict luggage”, replace airline name with your favorit airline, e.g. “Delta Airlines strict luggage”. With lenient airlines, kind staff, and your charm, you might pull of with a few extra kgs in your check-in baggage.
(approx save ~ 5 kg)

8. Use light luggage bag
Sometimes, the bag alone might take up to 10kgs. If you can use a 2kg bag instead, that’s an additional 8kgs that you can bring to your flight.
(approx save ~ 5 kg)

7. Maximize your hand carry
Many airlines allows you to bring a laptop bag or a handbag in addition to the hand carry luggage. Fit your heavy items into the hand carry baggage. Make full use of your laptop bag also. There are a lot of spaces to be filled in the laptop bag. Again, Google is your best friend. e.g. search for “United Airlines strict hand carry”, or “American Airlines hand carry allowance”.
(approx save ~ 15 kg)

6. Early check in
Check in real early to your flight. In case you have lugagge excess, you might still have time to find alternatives. e.g. get a friend to bring back the items, get someone in the same flight to check in the item for you (good luck for you!) or ship your luggage (see next tips).
(approx save ~ 20 kg)

5. Ship your luggage
Many airlines provide cargo service to ship your items. It ain’t real cheap, but at least better than excess bagagge cost. And high chance you can get it shipped on the same flight, so it reach the destination airport at the same time with you.
(approx save ~ 20 kg)

4. Wear your luggage
For some last minute action to reduce your checked-in luggage, repack your luggage, take out some heavy clothing items, and wear it on. Just put on layers and layers of tops and jeans, as well as your jackets. If someone comment on your clothing, just say “It’s the fashion, you know?”. If you bring heavy shoes – like boots – wear them on, and check in the lighter sneakers instead.
(approx save ~ 5 kg)

3. Always bring with you a digital luggage weighing scale
It’s a small nice equipment that comes handy to plan for your luggage item as well as making some last minute adjustment. This way, you know how much more you can bring or (more likely) how much you need to reduce.
(approx save ~ 5 kg)

2. Upgrade your flight
The exorbitant excess fee might at times warrant you to upgrade your flight and still pay less. Do some calculations. With upgraded flight ticket, you’ll get higher luggage allowance which hopefully is enough for your luggage. If excess luggage fee is almost the same with or higher than the upgraded ticket price, then why not. And, when else you can travel business class?
(approx save ~ 20 kg)

1. Travel light
This is the time-tested and the only guaranteed way to avoid paying excess luggage fee. Bring as little as possible, make sure they are within the luggage allowance, and you are safe.
(approx save ~ 10 kg)

And that’s 100 kgs saved in excess luggage fee. Yahooooyyyyy !
Well, that might be a bit exaggerated, but personal experience, I have once managed to carry a total of 60kgs in an AirAsia flight with allowance of 15kg. And that is after stripping some 20kgs from initial total of 80 kgs.

What do you think? Have personal experience? Share it with us at the comment below !