Backpack Travel Hacks
Efficiently pack a week for travel in one backpack, avoiding expensive airline fees.
Airline baggage fees have never been higher — a carry-on can cost $50 extra and a checked bag can run $100 or more each way. One traveler decided to skip both. USA Today editor Morgan Greenwald packed everything she needed for a full week in Portugal and London into a single backpack, paying nothing extra at the airport.
Her method works because airlines still allow one free "personal item" — a bag small enough to fit under the seat. With the right backpack, smart packing tools, and a stripped-down wardrobe, a weeklong trip fits. Here is exactly how she did it.
Rising Airline Fees Are Forcing Travelers to Downsize
In 2008, American Airlines became the first major U.S. carrier to charge for checked bags. The fee was just $15 then. Today, that same bag costs $35 to $40 on American — and up to $49 to $59 on JetBlue during peak seasons, according to Fast Company. United, JetBlue, and others all raised fees again in 2024.
The total cost adds up fast. On a round trip with a carry-on, a traveler can pay $100 or more just in bag fees. Airlines collected $148.4 billion globally in ancillary fees in 2024 — a 26% jump over 2023, according to research firm IdeaWorksCompany. Frontier Airlines alone pulls 62% of its total revenue from fees. Travelers are responding by packing less.
The Right Bag Makes or Breaks a Personal-Item Trip
The most important step is choosing a bag that fits airline rules. Most carriers define a "personal item" as no larger than 18 x 14 x 8 inches. Many airports now use metal sizers at the gate to check bags. If your bag does not fit, you pay a fee on the spot — sometimes more than you would have paid upfront.
Greenwald recommends backpacks over tote bags for this kind of trip. Backpacks distribute weight evenly and compress more easily. Bags like the Calpak Terra 26L and the Osprey 26+6 are designed to max out the under-seat space without going over the limit, according to NBC News. Both were featured as top picks during Amazon Prime Day 2024.
Packing Cubes and a Capsule Wardrobe Do the Heavy Lifting
Once you have the right bag, organization is everything. Packing cubes compress clothes and keep items sorted. Greenwald used them to fit a full week of outfits — including clothes for cool London weather and warm Portugal days — into one small backpack. Brands like Veken and Bagsmart sell compression cube sets for under $30 on Amazon.
A "capsule wardrobe" is the strategy behind this. That means choosing a small set of clothes that mix and match into many outfits. Merino wool items are a favorite in the "one bag" travel community because they resist odor and can be worn two or three days in a row. The online forum r/onebag has over 500,000 members who treat this kind of packing as a skill.
Is the Savings Worth the Stress? Travelers Are Split
The financial case is clear. A traveler who switches from a carry-on to a personal item saves at least $50 per flight leg. On a round trip through multiple European cities, that can easily top $200 in savings. CNET reported that checking a bag on a multi-leg trip to London and Portugal can cost more than the base fare itself.
But not everyone is convinced. Travel traditionalists argue that the stress of under-packing and the need to do laundry mid-trip cancels out the savings. Airlines also frame the fees as "customer choice" — arguing that travelers who pack light effectively subsidize lower base fares for everyone. Greenwald's answer: "The most essential part is having a solid item to pack in." For her, the math was simple.
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