10 Expert Tips to Fly Without Checked Luggage

During the travel chaos of 2022, Apple AirTags catapulted into popularity. With so many airlines losing checked bags, they became a way of at least keeping track of the real-time location of checked luggage.

But if you want to completely eliminate the risk of an airline losing your bag, an obvious solution is to travel with hand luggage only (or “HLO”, as it’s sometimes called on the Australian Frequent Flyer forum).

There are many other benefits of travelling without checked baggage as well. For example, you can avoid paying baggage fees and save time because you won’t need to wait at the baggage carousel after arriving at your destination.

If you have access to an airport lounge on arrival, you also won’t need to rush to collect your bag and can enjoy the lounge for a bit longer. And if your flight happens to be delayed or cancelled – or you simply want to change to an earlier flight – it’s much easier for the airline to move you to another service if you don’t have a checked bag.

As AFF moderator JessicaTam said on an AFF on Air podcast interview, “when the door of the aircraft opens you’re the master of your own destiny to be able to leave the airport.”

Travelling light is also more convenient because you won’t need to carry as much around and won’t need to find somewhere to store your luggage after checking out of your hotel.

Of course, there are also disadvantages of travelling with hand luggage only. The obvious one is that you won’t be able to take as many things with you because most airlines have size and weight limits (generally 7-10kg) for carry-on bags.

This makes it harder to purchase souvenirs while on holiday, and may mean you need to do a load of washing during your trip. If you’re travelling overseas, it also means you’ll need to limit the size of any liquids, aerosols or gels carried with you.

For many frequent flyers, the trade-offs required to travel only with carry-on luggage are more than worthwhile. So, how do they do it?

We spoke to several experienced travellers who haven’t checked in a bag in many years. Here are 10 of their expert tips…

Select your carry-on bag carefully

While packing is a key part of travelling light, there can be a big difference between the bags themselves.

Some “HLO” flyers choose to travel with a light backpack that can be rolled up, while others choose a “rollaboard” bag that comes in under the standard size limit for most airlines. The combined dimensions (length x width x height) for a carry-on bag on some airlines cannot exceed 105cm, while for other airlines it’s 115cm.

Keep in mind that your bag may weigh several kilograms even when empty. If its empty weight is 3kg, as it often is, that’s almost half the 7kg limit on some airlines. Also, the bag’s height is measured from the bottom of the wheels – so four-wheeled bags with large protruding wheels may be a poor choice.

Pack ruthlessly

This may seem obvious, but only take what you will actually need during your trip. Be ruthless when packing and don’t take extra stuff “just in case”. You probably don’t need to pack that hairdryer or French horn.

Unless you’re travelling to Antarctica or going camping in a remote outback location, people probably live at your destination and there will be shops. If you forget something, you can buy it at the destination (or pick it up at your hotel)!

Choose your clothes carefully

Clothes generally take up the bulk of the space in your luggage, so travelling with light clothing where possible is obviously the way to go.

If you’re travelling to a warm destination, buy lightweight clothes that dry fast. If going somewhere with a cold climate, pack for the coldest part of your trip.

If you’re taking a jacket, buy one with lots of pockets and wear into onto the plane. Those pockets could also come in handy if your bag is overweight. 😉

Plan to do laundry while travelling

Carry enough clothes to last up to a week, and if you’re travelling for a longer period, allocate time in your itinerary to do washing. This could be at a laundromat, at your hotel or even in the sink of your hotel bathroom if you get desperate. Some people carry a small amount of washing powder for this purpose.

Finding a hotel or Airbnb with a washing machine can be helpful if you’ll need to do some laundry.

Roll clothes to save space

When packing clothes, the most efficient use of space is often to roll them. Some people also find packing cubes useful.

Buy toiletries under 100mL

If you’re flying internationally, you won’t be able to take any liquids, aerosols or gels over 100mL in your carry-on luggage due to security restrictions. This is where small, travel-sized toiletries such as toothpaste, deodorant and shampoo can come in handy. (Some of those items may be provided at your hotel or come in an airline amenity kit anyway.)

Frustratingly, most of the toothpastes sold at Australian supermarkets are just over 100mL. But you can often find toothpastes just under 100mL at bargain stores like The Reject Shop or Cheap As Chips.

Rationalise your electronics

Try to keep the amount of electronics and cables carried to a minimum, in order to limit the weight taken up in your bag. If you’re travelling overseas, get a universal power adaptor with multiple USB ports and try to buy electronics that can be charged with a universal charger (e.g. with a USB port) rather than electronics that need their own specific charger.

Carrying a lightweight laptop like a MacBook Air or simply a tablet can reduce weight, as can carrying a Kindle or other e-reader rather than physical books or maps.

Get priority boarding

If you’re planning to take a larger carry-on bag on board, you’ll probably want to store it in the overhead locker during the flight. Unfortunately, overhead space can be at a premium and there might not be any room left if you board last – meaning you might need to gate-check your bag or store it under the seat in front (taking up part of your legroom).

If you can access priority boarding, this is one way to ensure you’re one of the first on the plane and therefore will have access to overhead locker space. Alternatively, if you select a bulkhead or exit row seat, bags cannot be stored under the seat in front so will need to go into an overhead locker (unless gate-checked).

If you’re flying on a QantasLink Dash 8 service, the Premium Hand Luggage service is great – simply leave your bag at the foot of the aircraft stairs and collect it as you leave the aircraft!

Make sure your bag is under the lowest weight limit applicable for your trip

If your trip includes flights on multiple airlines, ensure it’s under the weight limit for whichever flight on your trip has the lowest limit. Weighing your bag before leaving home will help to ensure you’re under that limit.

If you get caught out, remember to use those jacket pockets and keep in mind that some airlines will let you take on an additional “personal item” (such as a handbag or computer) as carry-on luggage.

You can post souvenirs or luggage

If you accumulate too many things during your trip and can’t carry everything onto the plane with you, you can always send a parcel home with souvenirs or any items you no longer need on that trip.

Postage prices can vary significantly between countries. If in Europe, Germany’s postage rates are among the most reasonable.

If you want to send an entire bag home (or to your destination), there are also door-to-door courier services such as Send My Bag that can help.

Read more AFF member tips on travelling light or share your own on the Australian Frequent Flyer forum!

Matt Graham

The editor of Australian Frequent Flyer, Matt's passion for travel has taken him to over 70 countries… with the help of frequent flyer points, of course!
Matt's favourite destinations (so far) are Germany, Brazil & Kazakhstan. His interests include economics, aviation & foreign languages, and he has a soft spot for good food and red wine.

You can connect with Matt by posting on the Australian Frequent Flyer community forum and tagging @AFF Editor.