You might already save money on your travels by not checking bags, but times are changing. More and more airlines are charging for the privilege of bringing your luggage onto the plane.
Unless it fits under the seat in front of you.
That’s right! The personal item is still a free piece of luggage, so you can save even more money by ditching the full-sized carry-on.
Read on to see just how much you could save by packing personal item only!
At HPL, we love saving money and packing personal item only! In fact, we love it so much that we created an entire packing course to help you achieve this goal.
What’s the difference between a carry-on and a personal item?
A carry-on is a larger bag that fits in the overhead compartment. An average carry-on suitcase on a US airline is 22x14x9 inches (55x35x22 cm). European airlines tend to require smaller sizes.
A personal item is a small bag that fits under the seat in front of you. For US airlines, a personal item bag is about 18x14x8 inches (45x35x20 cm).
When measuring your bags, remember that wheels, handles, and outside pockets count in the measurements. If the part of your bag where you put your things is 22 inches long, but when you include the wheels and handle your bag is 25 inches long, then the airline would consider your bag to be 25 inches long.
Make sure you double-check the airline baggage requirements before your flight! They may vary between airlines.
Do carry-on bags have a fee?
Some do, especially if you’re flying on a budget airline. Budget airlines, including Ryan Air, Spirit Airlines, Frontier, and United Airlines charge for carry-on bags.
At the moment, Virgin America, American Airlines, and Southwest still give you a free carry-on and personal item with your ticket.
JetBlue does not allow carry-ons on standard tickets. If you bring a carry-on, they require you to check it at the gate and charge you a fee.
For airlines that charge for a carry-on, be sure to read the fine print before you book your ticket. Some airlines have tiered tickets and the more expensive (but not yet first class) seats get more luggage perks. Other airlines charge for carry-ons to some destinations but not others.
If you’re flying on an airline that charges for a carry-on, you might wonder if the cost is worth the convenience. How much could they charge for one small bag, anyway?
What do airlines charge for carry-on?
How much an airline charges for a carry-on bag varies. Where you’re traveling and when you pay the baggage fees affects the price.
For example, United Airlines charges a carry-on fee for their Basic Economy fares unless you’re going to South America or crossing the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean. That means if you’re flying from Atlanta to Las Vegas, you’ll be charged for a carry-on, but if you’re flying from Atlanta to London, you’ll get the carry-on as part of your ticket price.
Other airlines, like Spirit, charge based on the destination and the type of ticket you have. To make things even more confusing, they change their fees. We checked our sample flight from Atlanta to Las Vegas three times in different weeks and saw two different fees.
And just to be sure you’re paying attention, on some airlines, like Frontier and Spirit, you can pay for a carry-on on one part of a round-trip ticket. In other words, you could pay for the carry-on from Atlanta to Las Vegas, but not on your return from Las Vegas to Atlanta.
All airlines had the cheapest carry-on fees when paid while booking the ticket. The prices increase when paid during check-in. They increase even more when paid at the gate, so be sure to check and double-check your bag’s dimensions and weight before arriving at the airport.
Confused? Let us break it down for you.
Carry-on baggage fees
For our research, we looked at paying the carry-on fee during booking and for both parts of a round-trip flight.
The amounts listed are the carry-on fees (not including the ticket cost) and are based on a round trip from Atlanta, GA to Las Vegas, NV, unless the airline lists a flat-rate fee.
*This is the flat-rate gate-check fee. JetBlue does not allow carry-ons, except in specific circumstances.
*RyanAir lists their fees in euros, so if you’re paying in US dollars, the fee will fluctuate based on the exchange rate. They list a fee range depending on flight and option you choose while purchasing your ticket. This additional cost is each way.
*This is for a carry-on that is checked at the gate. The round-trip checked bag fee is $70 plus a $50 gate-check fee. You can reduce this fee by paying for a checked bag at booking and not attempting to bring the bag as a carry-on. You can avoid the fee by being very certain that your bag is the size of a personal item when flying on a Basic Economy fare.
Our tip for fees is to carefully read all the fine print everywhere on the airline’s fee page. It’s important to understand how much your flight really costs.
On Frontier’s site, for example, you select your round-trip flight and ask to see the fees. When they show you the fees, you have to read the small subheading on the chart to see that they only list them for one-way flights. You have to do the math yourself to find out the round-trip cost from the chart.
How much can I save by traveling personal item only?
The Single
Using the fees from the previous section, let’s look at a solo traveler flying from Atlanta to Las Vegas on Spirit Airlines.
Ticket Cost: $150
Carry-on Fees: $113
What else could they do if they didn’t pay carry-on fees?
She could pay for 75% of another flight to Las Vegas by skipping the carry-on and traveling with only a personal item.
Or, she could get one night at the Hilton Vacation Club or several other highly-rated hotels around Las Vegas.
She could even book a flight from Atlanta to New Orleans and have money to spare!
The Couple
Next, let’s look at a couple traveling from Atlanta to Las Vegas on Spirit Airlines.
Ticket Cost: $150 x 2 = $300
Carry-on Fees: $113 x 2 = $226
What else could they do if they didn’t pay carry-on fees?
If they traveled with only personal items, this couple could have saved almost enough for another trip!
Or, they could get a discounted room at the Bellagio. In another city, $226 would cover a nice hotel and dinner out.
The Family
Now let’s look at a family of four flying round-trip from Atlanta to Las Vegas on Frontier Airlines. They each want to bring a carry-on and pay the fees at booking.
Ticket Cost: $133 x 4 = $532
Carry-on Fees: $122 x 4 = $488
What else could they do if they didn’t pay carry-on fees?
Again, if they traveled with only personal items, this family of four could have saved almost enough for the family to take another trip!
Or, they could book three nights at the Treasure Island Hotel.
For the cost of their carry-on luggage, they could take the family to a David Copperfield show and still have spare funds. (There are so many fun things to do in Vegas, the options are endless!)
Take a look at this table to make easy comparisons:
| People Traveling | Airline | Trip | Ticket Cost | Carry-On Fee | What could they do with the money saved by packing personal item only? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single | Spirit | Atlanta to Las Vegas | $150 | $113 | She could get one night at the Hilton Vacation Club or book a flight from Atlanta to New Orleans and have money to spare. |
| Couple | Spirit | Atlanta to Las Vegas | $300 | $226 | They could get a discounted room at the Bellagio. In another city, $226 would cover a nice hotel and dinner out. |
| Family of 4 | Frontier | Atlanta to Las Vegas | $532 | $488 | They could book three nights at the Treasure Island Hotel or take the family to a David Copperfield show and still have spare funds. |
Are there other benefits to traveling personal item only?
There sure are!
1 – Personal items weigh less than any other type of luggage
On long travel days, you’ll appreciate having only one light bag to schlep around the airport.
If you’re traveling with children and end up carrying their bag in addition to yours, it will be a lot easier when both bags are small and lightweight.
2 – A personal item is easy to keep with you
If you’re traveling alone, a personal item fits easily into a toilet stall with you. You won’t have to risk leaving your carry-on unattended outside the stall or wedge it into a gross corner near the toilet.
You never have to worry about where your bags are or if someone is messing with them.
You can keep a personal item with you in your seat. Well, under the seat in front of you, but still closer than an overhead bin. That can be more convenient if you need quick access to medications or other things.
It also means no crawling over your neighbors if you have a window seat and no fighting the crowd at landing to get your bag out of the overhead storage.
3 – All your belongings are in one spot
With a personal item, all your belongings are in one spot. You’ll never be shuffling through bags, trying to remember where you put that one thing you need right now.
In other words, it’s way more convenient than having your items sprawled between both a carry-on and personal item bag.
With all these perks, why wouldn’t you try traveling personal-item only?
Were you surprised by how much it can cost to bring a carry-on? Are you inspired to try traveling with only a personal item?
Take a peek here and here for ideas. When you’re ready, let us guide you in the HPL Packing Method course! (Yes, personal item packing is our specialty.)
A little investment upfront can save you those pesky carry-on fees and give you more money for traveling. We can’t wait to hear about your adventures!
