Avoid those airline checked bag fees: Get smart with your carry-ons!

Photo by Sheree Zielke

No, not all the airlines are charging for the first checked bag, but will they hold out for much longer?  We may as well get used to traveling lighter now in anticipation of even higher fees down the road.

Those fees will really add up at $15-$25 per checked bag EACH way when flying to that dream destination.

But do you really need the extra baggage?  Probably not.  If you choose an appropriate carry-on bag and pack more efficiently, you’re likely to find that you don’t miss hauling around all those extra suitcases.

There are great travel sites with clever tips designed to help you beat the airlines at their own game.

Read on . . .

Why throw away extra dollars on bags filled with clothing you probably will never wear, especially in warm vacation spots?  One way or the other, the airlines will get your cash, but the choice is yours.  Spend your money on airline seats with extra leg room, or on boxed snacks instead.

Several well-respected travel sites have come up with tips and tricks for packing lighter and smarter.  Like Fodor’s “Carry-on Bag Buyers Guide.”

And if you want the heads-up on all those extra fees the airlines are now charging (according to each major airline), try the “Ultimate Guide to Airline Fees.”

This PDF file can be downloaded to your computer. It covers everything from the fees charged by some airlines for a first checked bag to the fees charged for booking a ticket over the phone.  Eleven extra fee categories are covered.

For more information, and to connect to several other helpful sites like SeatGuru.com, try SmarterTravel.com.

And here’s a link for TSA’s list of prohibited items.

Wishing you safe and happy travels,
Sheree
Zielke

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