I’m a cheap traveler, which means I’m often packing light. When I took a five-day trip to Paris a few years ago, on a budget airline that charges a fee to bring a carry-on, had to fit in a small bag under the seat in front of me. Friends, I did it.
You can, too. I first wrote about this trip right when I returned, in 2017, but I can say now that I still use these techniques (except packing dress shoes for a casual trip—what I thinking??). We’ll get to the specifics of what I packed and how, but this is a feat that’s more about the planning than the execution.
Here’s what I mean. The space under the seat in front of you is pretty roomy: It’s big enough for an average-sized backpack, or an overstuffed messenger bag. But don’t eyeball it! If you misjudge, and you can’t quite wedge your bag into that space, the crew will ask you to put it somewhere else.
That could mean another fee, or depending on how crowded the plane is, you might even need to hand it over to be gate-checked. Avoid this minor nightmare by . On my trip, the carrier (the now-defunct(?) Wow airlines) allowed 17 by 13 by 10 inches for personal items, including handles and wheels, and with a weight limit of 22 pounds.
Check your airline’s website, and then whip out a tape measure and verify. (If your bag is soft-sided, make sure to measure it when it’s fully packed.) To be prepared, though, you also need a Plan B.
Maybe you’ll buy a few too many souvenirs, and need to check your bag. Or some.
