You reach the airport on time. You feel happy about your trip. Then the airline person at the counter asks you to put your bag on the weighing scale. The number on the scale goes higher than the limit. The person says, "Sir, this is extra weight. You have to know how to avoid extra baggage charges in flights."

Suddenly your happiness goes down. You open your bag at the counter. You remove things here and there. You feel embarrassed. And in the end, you still pay two thousand or three thousand rupees extra.

This happens with so many of us. Extra baggage charges in flights are very common in India. But here is the good news. You can avoid this problem. You do not need any trick. You do not need to fight with the staff. You just need to plan a little before leaving home.

In this article, we will show you simple ways to avoid extra baggage charges. These methods work for IndiGo, SpiceJet, Air India, Akasa Air, and all other airlines. Let us start.

Why Do Airlines Charge Extra For Bags?

Why Do Airlines Charge Extra For Bags

Before we talk about solutions, let us understand one thing. Airlines do not charge extra because they are bad. They charge because they have limits. Every plane has a fixed space for bags. Every flight has a fuel limit. More weight means more fuel cost.

Low cost airlines like IndiGo and SpiceJet keep ticket prices low. But they charge for check in baggage separately. That is their business model. So when you cross the free limit, they charge you.

But you as a traveller can stay inside the limit. You just need to know the rules and follow some habits..

Read Also: Travel Tips For Students Traveling In India

First Step – Know Your Airline Baggage Limit

This is the most important step. Most people do not check the limit before booking. They assume every airline gives 15 kg check in. That is wrong.

Here is what you should do.

Before booking your flight ticket, go to the airline website. Look for a page called "Baggage Allowance" or "Free Baggage Limit". Write down these three things.

  • How many kg free for check in bag

  • How many kg free for cabin bag (hand bag)

  • What is the size limit for cabin bag

For example.

  • IndiGo gives 15 kg check in and 7 kg cabin bag on most domestic flights.

  • Akasa Air gives 15 kg check in and 7 kg cabin bag.

  • SpiceJet gives 15 kg check in and 7 kg cabin bag but some cheap tickets give zero check in.

  • Air India gives 20 kg check in and 8 kg cabin bag on domestic flights.

If you are flying international, the limit can be 23 kg or 30 kg. But always check.

Keep this information in your phone notes. Do not guess. Because guessing leads to paying extra at the airport.

Second Step – Weigh Your Bags At Home

Do you have a small weighing machine at home? The one you use for your body weight. You can use that.

First weigh yourself without the bag. Write the number. Then hold the bag and stand on the machine again. The difference is your bag weight.

Example. Your weight is 70 kg. You hold the bag and the machine shows 85 kg. That means your bag is 15 kg.

If you do not have a machine, buy a small luggage scale. It costs only two hundred or three hundred rupees on Amazon or Flipkart. That small expense can save you two thousand rupees at the airport.

Weigh your check in bag and your cabin bag both. Many people only weigh the big bag. They forget the small bag. Then at the airport, the small bag also gets weighed and it is 9 kg instead of 7 kg. Then you pay extra.

So weigh both. Fix both.

Third Step – Pack Light With Smart Choices

Packing light does not mean packing less. It means packing smart. Here are some simple rules.

Rule 1 – Wear your heavy items
Jeans, jacket, sweater, sports shoes. These are heavy. Do not put them in the bag. Wear them on the flight. Even in summer, you can wear jeans and keep a light shirt on top. It looks normal and saves 2 to 3 kg easily.

Rule 2 – Use small bottles for liquids
Shampoo, face wash, oil, lotion. Do not carry full size bottles. Buy small travel bottles from the local store. Fill only what you need for the trip days.

Rule 3 – Roll your clothes instead of folding
Rolling saves space and also saves weight distribution. It is not a big magic for weight but it helps you organise better. Less mess means you can see what is unnecessary.

Rule 4 – Take out what you do not need
Be honest with yourself. Do you really need three extra t shirts for a two day trip? Do you need two pairs of shoes? Do you need the big power bank that weighs half kg? Remove such things.

Rule 5 – Use one bag policy
Some people carry a backpack, a laptop bag, a hand bag, and a check in bag. That is too many. Try to carry just two things. One check in bag and one small cabin bag. Everything else should fit inside these two.

Fourth Step – Use The Cabin Bag Fully But Correctly

Your cabin bag is free. That means you must use it well. But do not make it too heavy.

Put these things in your cabin bag.

  • Medicines

  • One extra shirt

  • Phone charger

  • Power bank

  • Toothbrush and small paste

  • Important documents

  • Valuables like laptop or jewellery

Do not put heavy books, many bottles of water, or large electronic items in cabin bag.

Also keep in mind that sometimes at the boarding gate, airline staff may check cabin bag size and weight. So keep your cabin bag within limit. Do not think "they will not check". On full flights, they check.

Fifth Step – Buy Extra Baggage Online Before Check In

Sometimes you cannot avoid extra weight. Maybe you are going home after many months. You have gifts for family. You have sweets and clothes. That is fine. You do not need to remove things. You just need to buy extra baggage online.

Here is a very important fact. If you buy extra baggage at the airport counter, you pay double or triple price. If you buy online before check in, you pay much less.

For example.

On IndiGo, if you buy 5 kg extra online, you pay around eight hundred to one thousand rupees. At the airport, the same 5 kg can cost two thousand to three thousand.

So do this. One day before your flight, log into the airline app or website. Go to manage booking. Look for "add baggage" or "buy extra kg". Pay online. Take a screenshot. At the airport, show that screenshot if needed.

This is not a trick. This is the official way. And it saves you a lot of how to avoid extra baggage charges in flights.

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Sixth Step – Share Baggage With Family Member

If you are travelling with family, you can share the total weight limit.

Example. You and your wife are travelling on same PNR (booking reference). Airline gives 15 kg each. Total 30 kg. Your bag is 18 kg. Her bag is 12 kg. That is okay because total is still 30 kg. One bag can be heavier. The other can be lighter.

But this only works if you are on same PNR. If you booked tickets separately, then each person has separate limit. So always book family tickets together.

Also remember, no single bag should cross 30 kg even if total is less. Because airports have a safety rule that one bag cannot be too heavy for workers to lift.

Seventh Step – Ship Some Items Separately

Sometimes you have too much stuff. Like you are moving to a different city. Or you are bringing home things from hostel. In such cases, instead of paying airline extra charges, use a courier service.

In India, you can send a parcel from one city to another for very low price. Use India Post, Delhivery, or any local transport service. A 20 kg parcel from Delhi to Mumbai may cost only six hundred to one thousand rupees. Airline will charge you three thousand for same weight.

Yes, the parcel will come after two or three days. But you save money. And you reach home without tension.

Eighth Step – Use Clothes As Packing Protection

This is a small but helpful tip. Instead of using bubble wrap or plastic covers for fragile items, wrap them inside your clothes. For example, put a steel tiffin box inside a sweater. Put a small laptop charger inside a folded shirt. This does not reduce weight directly. But it removes the need for extra packing material. And packing material has weight. So removing that material helps you save a little bit of weight.

Also you do not need to buy expensive packing cubes. Use old shopping bags or clean plastic covers to separate things. Every gram saved is good.

Ninth Step – Check Special Allowances For Students And Senior Citizens

Some airlines in India give extra baggage for students or senior citizens. For example, Air India gives extra weight for students going abroad for studies. Some flights give extra for senior citizens on domestic routes.

You need to check this at the time of booking. Call the airline customer care and ask clearly. If they say yes, ask them to add a note in your booking. Carry proof like student ID card or senior citizen card.

This is not very common. But when it works, you get 5 kg to 10 kg extra free. That is a big help.

Tenth Step – What To Do If You Reached Airport And Bag Is Heavy

What To Do If You Reached Airport And Bag Is Heavy

Sometimes even after all planning, your bag is heavy at the airport. Do not panic. Do not argue with the staff. They are just following rules. Here is what you can do.

Option 1 – Remove heavy items and wear them
Take out jeans, jacket, sweater, or sports shoes. Wear them. Even if you look a little funny, it is okay. You will remove them after security check.

Option 2 – Shift items to cabin bag if cabin bag has space
But make sure cabin bag is still within limit.

Option 3 – Leave some non essential items at the airport
This hurts but sometimes you have to do it. You can give a water bottle, old book, or cheap slippers to airport cleaning staff. It is better than paying two thousand rupees.

Option 4 – Pay online from mobile at the counter
Some airlines allow you to buy extra baggage from their mobile site even at the counter. Ask the staff. If yes, do it immediately. It will still be cheaper than counter price in some cases.

Do not stand and argue. That will not reduce weight. That will only make you miss your flight.

Common Mistakes That Make You Pay Extra

Let us list some common mistakes. Avoid them and you avoid extra charges.

  • Mistake 1 – Not checking airline limit before booking

  • Mistake 2 – Packing at night before flight in a hurry

  • Mistake 3 – Putting heavy shoes and jeans inside the bag

  • Mistake 4 – Carrying full size shampoo and oil bottles

  • Mistake 5 – Not using a weighing machine at home

  • Mistake 6 – Thinking cabin bag will not be checked

  • Mistake 7 – Waiting to buy extra baggage at the airport

Fix these mistakes and you fix 90 percent of your baggage problems.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Does IndiGo allow 15 kg check in for all tickets?

No. Some cheap IndiGo tickets called "Lite" tickets do not have check in baggage. Always check your ticket type before packing.

Q2. Can I carry one extra laptop bag without weight limit?

Most airlines allow one small laptop bag or handbag in addition to cabin bag. But that bag should be very small. It should fit under the seat. Do not pack heavy things in it.

Q3. What is the penalty for extra 2 kg on domestic flight?

It depends on airline and route. Usually between six hundred to one thousand rupees per extra kg. Sometimes more. So do not think 2 kg is okay. 2 kg extra can cost you one thousand rupees.

Q4. Does Air India give more free baggage than low cost airlines?

Yes. Air India gives 20 kg to 25 kg on many domestic routes. But ticket price is also higher. So choose based on your need.

Q5. Can I take sweets or food items in check in bag?

Yes. But pack them properly so they do not open. Also remember, food items add weight. So keep that in your calculation.

Q6. Is there any trick to avoid baggage check at the airport?

No. Do not try to hide weight. Do not try to fool the machine. That can get you into trouble. Follow the rules and plan better.

Final Words

Extra baggage charges in flights are not a big problem. They become a problem only when we do not plan. And planning is very simple. Read the airline limit. Weigh your bag at home. Pack light. Wear heavy items. Buy extra baggage online if needed.

You do not need to be a rich person to avoid these charges. You just need to be a smart traveller.

Next time you book a flight, open this article one day before packing. Follow these steps one by one. When you reach the airport and your bag goes on the scale without any extra weight, you will feel relaxed. And that relaxation is worth more than money.

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