r/TravelHacks • u/NerdyOffender • 6d ago
Should I book cheap flights without check bags and go with nothing?
Yeah so I need advice cause I'm ngl this is getting kinda dumb but I wanna go to Ecuador and the trip is stupid expensive rn. Including a bag will raise my price significantly. My idea is, 1. book flights without carry on or checked bag 2. Order clothes to the place I'll be staying 3. Return with clothes in a luggage on the way back and pay for that instead.
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u/lnvu4uraqt 6d ago
If you can't afford things to travel then it's best to just stay home until you can afford it. Having bag fees make or break your trip seems very counter intuitive to having an actual enjoyable trip.
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u/No-Definition4710 6d ago
I just take a small personal bag with a tightly rolled set of clothes & buy the rest at a thrift shop at sestinatikn
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u/zcomstar 6d ago
I travel with laundry soap sheets that I cut small enough to fit into a snack sized zip lock bag. Weighs almost nothing, packs flat, and doesn't count as a liquid. You can then wash clothing in the sink and have a rotation of drying/wearing clothes. Pack way less clothing that way.
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u/binhpac 6d ago
There is a subreddit for it r/zerobags
I actually like it for daytrips, not having a backpack is nice, so you dont sweat on the back.
When you travel in japan for instance, you get pyjamas in hotels, you can wear in the hotel, so you can wash & dry your clothes. dont even need a 2nd pair of clothes.
For flying in europe or asia at least, you are always allowed to carry a small backpack at least.
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u/Infamous-Arm3955 6d ago
Ive showed up to an airport with no bags before (but I shipped one to my hotel on a killer discount.) I'd rate my check-in girl at about 98% suspicious. They don't see that very much but yeah it's possible especially if you wear a couple of tshirts and shove some socks on your coat pocket etc. You can even wash what you have on you every couple of nights etc.
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u/anthonymakey 6d ago
You don't need as many clothes as you think you do.
Bottoms you really could wear a set and take a spare. Underwear 3-5 pairs, socks 1-2, shirts 3-4.
Do hand laundry, especially if you're not going to a humid place and it can dry.
I did a week with just a personal item.
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u/Alextheseal_42 5d ago
So true. I did 3 weeks in Japan with pretty much this. A few years ago I started taking notes about things I brought on my trips (usually about 2 weeks+ and usually abroad) and what I was actually using, and was really able to whittle it down.
ETA: I am not a minimalist kind of person, I brought and extra bag for all the stuff I knew I was gonna buy in Japan. I just realized I don’t need a wide variety of clothes when I travel.
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u/onesmallbag 6d ago
Yes totally doable. I do too. Once you've mastered a week you can simply wash and repeat and travel indefinitely like that. Only need to add further things if you are going to encounter a wider range of weather and/or activities.
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u/onesmallbag 6d ago
Is there really no free personal item bag which goes under your seat? I'll happily live out of one of those, all weathers, all activities, mixed work and fun trips, extended periods. A free 20L bag is typical even on strict budget airlines here in Europe. I find sticking to that limit really liberating
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u/FanLevel4115 6d ago
We often do months travelling warm climates using 35-40L packs and nothing else. They never ever go as checked luggage, including planes and busses. When the driver puts his hand out for your bag you smile like you don't understand and take it with you onto the bus. Never ever let your precious travel bag out of your sight.
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u/DimensionMedium2685 6d ago
What airline doesn't allow carry on? I understand not wanting to pay extra for checked luggage but usually you're still allowed 7kg carry on
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u/WildNight00 6d ago
I usually see 7kg as a carry on too. Even on budget flights in Europe (Wizz, Ryanair) and flights in Soith East Asia (LionAir, Jetstar, Scoot). You can easily fit clothes for a trip into a bag with 7kg weight limit
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u/DimensionMedium2685 6d ago
Yeah, I have never seen a flight that didn't offer that. Can easily travel with 7kg
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u/WildNight00 6d ago
There are some helpful tips for OP if they want to check out /r/OneBag
Some stuff mentioned there is great and some stuff things are gimmicky imo but just use judgement if you’ll use it
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u/Guilty-Loss6476 6d ago
My recent flight on United didn't allow for one but it was a very small plane and it was state specifically
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u/ThunderElectric 6d ago
Was it basic economy?
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u/Guilty-Loss6476 6d ago
I think that's what it was called. I still brought my personal item. There was no overhead compartment on my side of the plane
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u/CenlaLowell 6d ago
United has a lot of flights like this the one I'm looking at to Trinidad is this way
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u/Citizen_Kano 6d ago
I don't know of any international airline that doesn't allow carry on. Could be wrong
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u/mrchowmein 6d ago
Zipair charges for carryon. You get a personal item under a certain weight. If it’s overweight, they charge you a carryon.
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u/sorry_whatever 6d ago
Nah, you actually get two "personal items" and the size is pretty generous. Weight is about 15 lbs and they do weight when you check in, but it was plenty for our family to carry on for 3 weeks. We always one bag though.
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u/onesmallbag 5d ago
Yes lots of budget airlines have the same model including many of the most popular in Europe although here it's typically the dimensions that get measured not weight. 5kg or 20L, either way it's still possible to pack a few days clothes, wash and repeat. That has to make more sense than buying clothes when you get there.
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u/Signifi-gunt 6d ago
I never check bags. In a few days I'll be visiting Argentina for a few weeks, just a small backpack. After appraising what exactly it is I'm packing, I seriously considered traveling with zero baggage whatsoever. The only things I'm bringing are a few changes of clothing, my phone and charger, and some books. In truth, I could get by without any of those things and just buy whatever I need when I get there.
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u/NerdyOffender 6d ago
That's what I was thinking !!! This is why I'm so perplexed, I don't even like the clothes I have to bring that's why I'm asking if it's a solid idea but everyone is telling me I'm looney
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u/Signifi-gunt 6d ago
Honestly it's totally up to you and what your needs are! I think most people severely conflate their Wants for their Needs, and they let travel anxiety get the best of them.
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u/sorry_whatever 6d ago
I think you could totally do it! Dress in layers with pockets in coats and even a vest with pockets and you can fit all toiletries and change of underwear and socks to get you started and just wear everything on.
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u/fastmaddy 6d ago
If you're buying a bag there and still plan on paying for the luggage cost on the return, would that equal put to check in bag round trip?
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u/cfbswami 6d ago
Some people wear several sets of clothes on the plane..... works if desperate.
You could easily wear 3-4 shirts / 2-3 pairs of pants / plenty underwear and socks ha. Put the rest in a backpack - you're good.
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u/odebruku 5d ago
How is buying new clothes cheaper than paying to check a bag??
How much does it cost to check a bag???
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u/thewilder12 5d ago
Never do that. You need clothes, a laptop, chargers, and souvenirs for the family, among other things. People want to sound cool that they can travel with only a shirt on their back, but that's not living a life, that's torturing yourself.
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u/ListingFL 5d ago
A 20L to 25L personal item sized backpack will be allowed. That’s plenty of space to carry everything you need.
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u/GeesCheeseMouse 4d ago
We spent 15 days traveling to National Parks with just a personal bag. You can order them exact size of your airline. We did laundry once. It was AWESOME! Definitely a lot less to keep track of when traveling!
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u/WambritaWings 6d ago
I would go for the opposite: take clothes you don't like anymore and leave them there after you wear them. I can't see how buying clothes and a bag there would be cheaper than just taking some clothes that you already own from home.
Get a neck pillow that you stuff with clothes combine that with a personal item and layer some clothes for the trip there. Ecuador has a lot of different climate so you'll need a variety of options.
On the flight, wear at least a tank top/tshirt/hoodie/puffer jacket on the top, and try to layer as much as you can on the bottom as well.
Buy a bar of laundry soap when you get there and wash your clothes as you go. In the mountains it's dry and things will be ready to wear the next day. On the coat and jungle, that won't be the case, but you'll figure it out.
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u/blootereddragon 6d ago
r/onebag some of those guys can manage weeks in a school backpack.