When it comes to efficient travel, mastering the art of packing with only hand luggage can be a game changer. We’ve teamed up with one of our trusted Marketplace brands, Cabin Max, to bring you expert insights and practical tips on how to make the most of your luggage allowance.
Put simply, hand luggage is any luggage item that you carry on to the aircraft yourself and usually is a backpack, holdall or rolling case. In the past, a passenger would typically put a large suitcase into the aircraft hold via the check in desk in the airport. Whilst this does still happen, most airlines now require you to pay a hefty fee to take a checked bag (often around £60 per flight), hence the rise in people taking just hand luggage with them. Here’s how to pack when you are only taking hand luggage with you.
The most important factor in hand luggage only packing is knowing how much you are allowed to take in the first place, as the airline will charge you if you turn up to the gate with more than your ticket allows.
Despite what many travellers think, there is no ‘one size fits all’ hand luggage size and though airlines might use general terms to describe what you are allowed to take with you like ‘personal item’ or ‘wheelie suitcase’ you need to check the specific luggage measurements that each airline allows and the number of luggage items that are included in your ticket before you fly. This will usually take the form of the maximum luggage dimensions allowed, for example, 55x40x20cm.
In the most general terms, airlines usually permit passengers one underseat bag and one overhead case each, but some budget airlines like Ryanair, easyJet and Wizzair do now charge a fee (often up to £30 per bag, per flight) for passengers to put a bag in the overhead lockers. We would advise using your free underseat bag allowance as much as you can, only paying for extra bags or cases if you absolutely need to.
Size and external dimensions are the biggest factor in choosing hand luggage as these will be used by the airline to determine whether they can be taken on board with you or not. With that in mind, we would suggest shopping towards the free hand luggage allowance of whichever airline you tend to fly with most often. For example, if you only fly with easyJet, buy a 45x36x20cm underseat bag* that fits their free hand luggage rules exactly. If you usually flit between a couple of different airlines like Ryanair, easyJet and Wizzair when flying, consider buying an underseat cabin bag that adhere’s to whichever airline has the smaller free allowance – in this case Ryanair (40x20x25cm) as this will be able to be used on all of the airlines without being charged. For example, this Iseo 20L backpack would meet Ryanair’s allowance exactly, but still be suitable for easyJet and Wizzair too.
For most free underseat luggage, we’d suggest using a soft bag like a backpack or holdall to travel with as they lose less space due to wheel or handle intrusion. That said, if you prefer a rolling case for air travel, these are available in the free bag sizes specific to Ryanair* and easyJet* and still offer a competitive amount of space.
For overhead locker bags, cavernous backpacks like this Metz 44L offer the best bang for your buck in terms of space, whilst a wheeled case like the Anode 40L will suffice for passengers who prefer rolling luggage.
Now that you have the right bag, you need to make sure you are taking the right things and packing prep is just as important as the packing itself. Before you even start packing complete these steps.
Make a list and tick it off as you pack
This is by far the best way to remember what you need to take, but so few people do it. Write it down and keep it in your case, or save it to your phone so the work is done for future trips. Yes, it will take 5 minutes to write, but it will save you taking time out of your trip to hunt down something you left at home accidentally.
Check the weather
Find out what’s in store for you at your destination to inform your clothing choices – it may be warmer or colder than you think. If weather conditions look mixed, consider clothing that can be worn in layers so you can adapt.
Start packing early
Last minute packers forget travel essentials and you might also want to make sure that favourite piece of clothing is washed and ready to go before your trip too, rather than finding it isn’t when you need to pack it.
Don’t overpack!
This may sound obvious, but even with a lesser hand luggage allowance, you will still take clothes and items away with you that will come back unused. We find that laying out your clothes on a bed beforehand and then removing anything you realistically won’t use to be a helpful way of slimming down your packing. We also tend to take a lot of ‘just in case’ items away with us, but most of the time you can happily leave these at home. If in doubt, leave it out!
A hand luggage allowance may seem small if you are used to packing a hold case, but with a few simple adjustments you will be able to fit in much more than you think.
Roll, don’t fold
Rolling your clothes into sausages saves you a lot of space when compared to folding and produces fewer creases too. Folding can still be a good choice for some thicker clothes, like jeans, but for the majority of clothing, rolling it up is the most space-efficient option and will allow you to pack more.
Use every little bit of space
You have to make your packing space work harder when you only taking hand luggage – dead space is a big no no. Here you need to get creative – use the space inside shoes for your phone charger or travel plugs, for example.
Make use of your luggage’s packing features
Most dedicated hand luggage bags come with at least a few handy features to make packing easier for travellers, like straps, netted packing pockets or compression systems like in this Memphis backpack. These features are here to give you a helping hand, so make sure you utilise them.
Pack heavier items at the base of your luggage
Placing weight lower down in your bag has many benefits. It will make trolley cases easier to manoeuvre, help backpacks stay stood up if you place them on the floor and it will also ensure that your other packed items don’t get crushed at the bottom of your case.
Pack for airport security
Nobody likes scrambling to find items in your bag when stood in front of a security officer and a line of passengers, so make sure you place the items you are likely to have to take out at airport security in an easy to access place. We’re talking about things like travel toiletries, laptops and make up that will always need to be removed from your luggage when you go through the scanners.
Pack for the airline luggage sizer
This advice applies more to soft sided luggage than hard cases. The ‘squish-factor’ of most soft sided luggage means you can often slip it into an airline sizer gauge if it is a little overpacked, which is great. The flip side of this is that you need to ensure you keep any bulky items away from the extremities of their bag, wherever possible. Placing cumbersome items, like chargers or travel plugs in external pockets that were probably designed for slim items like your travel documents may cause your bag to protrude outside the accepted airline dimensions. Don’t take the risk – pack these beefy items towards the centre of your luggage.
Wear anything bulky
Thick coats and big boots are space sapping items that you can’t afford to place in your case if you are flying only with hand luggage. If appropriate, wear them to the airport and use your packing allowance for more space-efficient clothing. Planes tend to be quite cold anyway, so the coat may help you avoid a chill when you are on board.
Finally, lean into hand luggage travel
Instead of viewing a hand luggage only allowance as a bad thing, try to see it as a positive instead and embrace the idea! There are so many benefits when compared to checking a big case into the hold, like keeping your luggage with you and away from clumsy baggage handlers. The threat of your luggage being lost falls to zero and instead of wasting time at the baggage carousel at your destination, you can skip straight in to your holiday. The financial element is also compelling – a hold suitcase usually costs around £60 each way on a typical budget airline flight nowadays. Keep that money for yourself instead. Best of all, travelling lighter and lugging less luggage around the world lets you travel in a more agile and stress-free way, which is why it is really taking off. Try hand luggage only on your next flight!
Embracing the concept of hand luggage only travel can offer numerous benefits, from saving on baggage fees to reducing the risk of lost luggage and speeding up your airport experience. With these tips from Cabin Max, you’ll be able to pack smarter and travel lighter on your next trip.
