Pack for carry-on

Whether you’re a frequent flyer or are embarking on your first overseas holiday, learning how to pack for carry-on is one of the best travel hacks you can do.

These days no-frills airlines want to charge for anything and everything on top of your airfare. But avoiding those additional luggage fees will leave you with extra money in your pocket for more adventures on the road.

Besides the financial benefit, going carry-on only will give you less stress when you fly. You’ll skip the queue at the baggage carousel, be one of the first to grab a taxi, and know your luggage is right there with you at all times. There’s nothing more frustrating than arriving in a new destination to discover the airline has lost your luggage.

Choose The Right Bag

Airports can be strict with carry-on weight limits (7kg) and dimensions for overhead luggage, so the first step in packing for carry on is to have the right bag.

But a carry-on bag needs to be more than just a certain size. It also needs to make your packing life simple. Does it have multiple internal compartments for organising your gear properly? Is it easy to carry, or does it have wheels to drag along? Is it durable enough to be jammed into an overhead compartment? These are all important things you also need to consider.

It's best to have a bag that is made with soft material as well. This way it can mould its way into tight spaces (think if you're the last person on the plane and most of the overhead compartment room is taken up), and can compress down if you still have some space available.

Variable straps on the side of your bag are great to shrink the total volume, and the smaller your bag looks the less questions you're likely to get from the ticket-checkers. In addition, soft material will generally be lighter, meaning more of your packing weight can go on actual items, rather than the bag itself.