How to pack a heavier suitcase without extra fees? Meet “bag pooling”.
High baggage fees can easily ruin the start of your dream vacation. It is no wonder that travelers are always looking for smart ways to avoid extra costs at the airport. Although many people still don’t know about this rule, there is a simple and completely legal trick that lets you carry a heavier suitcase without spending a dime. It is called “bag pooling,” which basically means sharing your weight limit.
This method can save you real money, but airlines remind us that you need to know a few important rules before you start packing.
What exactly is “bag pooling”?
Most airlines give each passenger a specific weight limit for checked bags that go into the plane’s hold – usually 15, 20, 22, or 23 kilograms per suitcase.
However, if you are traveling with a group of friends or family and you are all under the same booking, some airlines let you combine your individual limits into one big pool.
For example: If a couple buys two bags that can weigh 23 kg each, their total limit is 46 kg. Thanks to bag pooling, one suitcase can weigh 30 kg and the other just 16 kg. As long as the total weight of both bags stays under 46 kg, you won’t pay any extra baggage fees.
This solution is super popular among families with kids and groups of friends, where some people pack super light while others need to bring way more clothes or gear.
Which airlines allow bag pooling?
There is good news for passengers flying with popular budget airlines. Carriers like Ryanair, easyJet, and Jet2 officially allow people on the same booking to share their baggage limits.
However, there is one very important catch, which comes directly from safety and health regulations for airport ground staff. Even if your group’s total limit is not exceeded, a single suitcase cannot be too heavy. For Ryanair, easyJet, and Jet2, the absolute maximum weight for a single bag is 32 kilograms.
Tour operators set their own limits
Different rules apply if you are going on a holiday organized by a travel agency. For instance, TUI also allows its customers to share their baggage limits under one booking, but they set a lower maximum weight for a single suitcase.
With TUI, a single bag cannot weigh more than 25 kilograms. This means that even if your family has a huge shared limit, you cannot pack all that weight into just one giant suitcase.
One tiny detail can cost you a fortune
Travel experts remind us to always double-check the rules of your specific airline before flying. While bag pooling is a great way to enjoy a cheaper and more comfortable vacation, a moment of carelessness can cost you a lot.
Going over the maximum weight for a single suitcase (either 25 or 32 kg) will mean paying hefty extra fees or having to stressfully rearrange your things right in the middle of the airport, right at the check-in desk.
