Money Hack: Score extra baggage on your next flight for nix
These airlines will let you check in a second bag for free (or close to).
I don't know about you, but I find that whenever I go on holidays I always come back with more than I left with.
Whether you're the kind of person to bring your whole wardrobe with you or bring a whole new one back (guilty!), having excess baggage attached to your booking can be a blessing in disguise and add a lot of relief when you creep up to the check-in scales, hoping you don't cop a massive fee for being "overweight".
The good news is that there are some airlines that let you fly with more for nix. Or, at least, next to nix.
And you won't have to upgrade your seat for this, either.
The hack:
Book with the right airline to score the biggest baggage deals.
For extra weight without the extra damage to the hip pocket, Royal Brunei is a winner, offering 15kgs of additional baggage absolutely FREE. The catch? This deal is only available to students. If you fit that bill though, you're in luck as the airline already offers a generous 30kgs of baggage with its economy seats, bringing your potential total up to 45kgs.
To be eligible for this offer, you must be a student either travelling to your country of study or returning home and you must show proof of your status with a student visa as well as a valid student ID card.
For everyone else, Air New Zealand is your next best deal, allowing anyone flying to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, Vancouver or Buenos Aires to add a second checked bag, of up to 23kgs, to their itinerary for $1 each way. For return fares, that brings your total to $2 for a total of 46kgs of baggage (the first 23kgs comes free with your seat).
Another top way to keep your checked luggage fees at bay is to add it on during booking as airlines charge checked luggage fees on a sliding scale, which increases dramatically the later you leave it. The worst thing you can do is add it on at check-in where you stand to pay up to four times the amount compared to adding it during booking.
On international flights, Eithad has one of the best deals, saving you up to 30% when you prepay compared to at-airport rates. On other airlines, including Singapore Airlines, you stand to save up to 20% by prepaying.
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