People who are planning their next holiday abroad have been reminded that making one change to their usual airport booking could save them time as well as money – if they are willing to sacrifice one thing. Travel specialist Chelsea (@Holidayexpert) claims that people who can make it work should consider sticking to hand luggage only for their next trip away.
She said: “My biggest tip for you would be to think about travelling hand luggage only. I know some of you won’t like it, but please think about it. I believe in you, you can do it.”
The frequent flyer, known for expert segments on ITV’s This Morning, claims that hand luggage is “the one way to escape these lines” when arriving at the airport. By bringing only hand luggage, passengers skip what is usually the first step in jetting off on holiday.
She says that not only do passengers skip the baggage drop at the start of the process, but this also removes the waiting around at your destination for it to return. Instead, hand-luggage-only passengers can walk straight off the plane and get through passport control before the queues really start to build.
Chelsea added: “I’ve got to tell you, the amount of times when I check in a bag, and then on the other side, I’m having to wait half an hour for my bag to come through, I just think ‘Why have I done this to myself?’
“It’s also such a win when it comes to the new border system when you arrive in a destination because, say you’re stuck in a queue for a couple of hours, it means you don’t have to worry about where your luggage is.”
On top of the time saved, passengers who can fit all their essentials within their airline’s hand luggage allowance will also save money on baggage fees. Checked luggage costs on popular airlines like Ryanair, Jet2, and easyJet vary by route, weight, and when you book.
Prices range from roughly £9 to £60, with booking online in advance always cheaper than paying at the airport. This fee is usually paid per person, so it can quickly add up for families or groups.
Chelsea said: “If you do want to get there a little bit earlier so can give yourself a bit of breathing time, find out where you need to go and make sure you don’t miss your flight, the issue is that, if you have a checked bag, [airlines] often only let you check in maybe two hours before your flight.”
Always double-check the limits your airline sets for hand luggage that goes through for free, as they vary widely depending on which company you book with. For example, Ryanair is the strictest airline, with passengers allowed one free underseat piece of hand luggage measuring 40x30x20cm.
Passengers on Jet2 get the most generous offer among budget airlines. Passengers are allocated space for a large overhead cabin bag (56x45x25cm) plus a small personal item for free on their standard basic tickets, with the only restriction being that the large bag is capped at a 10kg weight limit.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
