Airline baggage: avoiding the fees and travelling lighter
The advertised price of a ticket stopped being the price of the trip a long time ago. Between a checked bag, paid carry-on with some carriers and seat selection, a family can easily add $200 to a round trip without noticing. Here is how the rules work and how to keep that money in your pocket. We watch these fees inflate the real price of the flights we track, so it is worth defusing them ahead of time.
The three baggage tiers, and who pays for what
Almost every airline now distinguishes three things: the personal item (a bag that fits under the seat), the carry-on (the small suitcase in the overhead bin) and the checked bag. On the major Canadian carriers, basic economy includes the personal item and carry-on, but the checked bag costs extra on most flights within North America and to sun destinations.
On ultra-low-cost carriers, even the carry-on is often paid, and it costs more at the gate than at booking time. The golden rule: add your bags when you book, never at the airport, where fees are at their maximum.
Compare the final price, not the starting price
An $89 base fare with a $65 carry-on fee is not cheaper than a $139 regular fare that includes it. Before comparing two flights, configure the same trip on both sides: same bags, same seat selection if you care about it. The total is what counts, and that is where budget carriers sometimes lose their edge.
A week with just a carry-on is very doable
The trick is to think in outfits that combine rather than in days: clothes in matching tones, two pairs of shoes maximum with the heavier one worn on the plane, and rolling clothes instead of folding them. One load of laundry mid-trip doubles the length of the trip without doubling the suitcase.
Respect the cabin liquids rule: containers of 100 ml or less, all inside a one-litre resealable clear bag. Drugstore travel formats are expensive; refilling small reusable containers costs far less.
What never goes in the checked bag
Medication, passport, electronics, power banks (banned from the hold anyway), jewellery and one change of clothes stay with you in the cabin. A delayed suitcase is an inconvenience; delayed medication is a real problem. Weigh your bag at home before leaving: the standard checked limit is 23 kilos, and overages are expensive at the airport.