Packing with just a carry-on is something that more and more travelers are doing. With the checked baggage prices, the annoying wait to get your luggage after your flight, and the risk of losing your bags in transit–for many people, the carry-on can truly save the day. One thing that people don’t realize, however, is that many airlines actually have weight limits on carry-on bags. So, no matter how much you can manage to stuff into that small bag–you may get slammed with an overweight fee and be forced to check the bag anyway.
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I’m one of those travelers who almost exclusively travels with a carry-on bag. I often solo travel across Europe, and when taking multiple flights between cities, having to check a bag is the last thing I want to do. I must also admit, most of the time my bag is over the airline’s weight limit. I’ve figured out a few ways to make sure that my bag never gets weighed at the airport, and I’m going to let you in on these hacks so that you don’t get charged for your carry-on, either.
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Avoid The Check-In Desk At All Costs
Melissa Tovar, a content creator who focuses on beauty, travel and lifestyle content, created a video about how she travels with carry-ons and it gained quite a lot of traction. What Tovar shares is that she has been traveling with just a carry-on for the last 10 years, and she’s never been stopped to get her bag weighed by airline employees.
Tovar explains that she always checks in online. That way she receives her boarding pass beforehand and can easily head straight for airport security. If you wait to check-in at the airport, the gate agents may ask to check the weight of your carry-on. She says that the main spot that people get caught with an overweight carry-on is at that check-in counter, so by avoiding it completely, you’re home free.
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One issue that can come up is when you do indeed have a bag to check, and your carry-on is also overweight. If you go up to the bag drop and the agents see your carry-on, they’re going to ask for it to be weighed as well. One way I’ve avoided this issue, and it only works if you are traveling with someone else, is to leave your carry-on with your travel partner while you check your full-sized luggage. This way, the check-in agent doesn’t see you have a carry-on, so you’ll avoid the possibility of the bag getting weighed.
Tovar does say a disclaimer that this might not work for some airlines, and there is a small possibility that your carry-on will get weighed when you board the plane. While I’ve personally never had this happen to me, it’ could still happen’s still possible, so be prepared to pay that extra fee.
Related:The Genius Flight Security Hack I Wish I Knew Before My Last Trip
Other Ways To Lighten Your Carry-On
It’s no easy feat to pack all of your belongings into just a carry-on, especially if you’re taking a trip that lasts over a week. There’s a few tips that I have to help lighten your carry-on, just in case you don’t want to risk the possibility of having your bag weighed at the airport.
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One option is to do the pillowcase method. Most airlines allow people to travel with a personal pillow, and you can take advantage of that. Take an empty pillowcase, and pack it with clothing from your carry-on. I always opt for larger items like sweaters or jackets–that way it helps to remove bulk and weight from the carry-on.
Another option is to take a neck pillow and remove the cushion insert. Instead, you can fill it with items like socks and underwear, which are small enough to fit in the cushion case, and will still be soft enough to make the neck pillow usable.
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This story was originally published by Parade on Dec 7, 2025, where it first appeared in the Travel section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.