‘I’m a travel expert – there’s reason I’d never take a suitcase as my cabin bag’

A savvy jet-setter shared why she’d never travel with a wheeled carry-on when flying out of the UK.

Budget airlines have become increasingly competitive in recent years, meaning you can grab a return flight to several European hotspots for as little as £20. However, these low-cost tickets normally come with a few catches: don’t expect a sociable flight time, and definitely don’t think you’ll have a generous allowance when it comes to the size of your bags.

Of course, if you’re only nipping over to France for a few nights – you don’t need a huge checked-in suitcase and large backpack. But, the strict rules around these are getting harsher and harsher – which can result in hefty fines…

Travel enthusiast Chelsea, known as Cheap Holiday expert on TikTok, amassed a whopping 144,000 followers due to her handy tips to help people jet off without breaking the bank. In a recent video, the content creator said the cheapest way to fly on budget airlines including Ryanair, Wizz Air, and Easy Jet is to only travel with a ‘small cabin bag’.

“That [does not mean] a suitcase,” she added. “There are a couple that do fit the tiny dimensions but most do not and there’s no better way to alert airline staff that your bag is too big than to be stood in line with a suitcase, which could lead to an extra fee!”

Chelsea says the handles and wheels take up too much ‘space’ so opting for a ‘soft, fabric bag’ is better – unless you need a suitcase for accessibility reasons. “Also, if you want to risk a bag that’s slightly too big (I do this all the time) stick to a backpack that you can wear in the queue – I’ve found staff don’t care so much when it’s hidden away with this!” she said.

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Over a thousand savvy travellers rushed to the comments section to praise the hack, with many claiming to have gotten away with wearing larger backpacks than they should. “Spot on!! The minute they see wheels they charge you. Ordered an aerolite bag. Sorted,” one user raved.

Another commented: “Don’t know why people love using wheeled bags, a backpack is way handier.” While a third added: “The crazy thing is – take a massive backpack that’s bigger than you as your personal item and never get checked.”

However, many argued they had never had an issue with taking a wheeled suitcase as their carry-on – while others said they just pay for ‘priority’ boarding, which entitles travellers to one under-the-seat bag and one carry-on to go overhead.

What’s the travel hack you swear by? Let us know in the comments section below