Luggage weighing scales are a must-have accessory for the savvy traveller. They will save you time and money (possibly lots of money) before you even leave for the airport, and that makes them an essential travel accessory.
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Here’s why you need luggage weighing scales:
1. Know what to leave at home
Whether it’s a business trip or a holiday you’re packing for, it’s all too easy to overload your suitcase. Your digital luggage scale is a great way to sense-check that you want/need everything you’ve crammed into your bag.
Maybe you don’t need all of those shoes after all? You do? It’s OK – I understand…
2. Easy to use
Have you ever tried to balance a bulky suitcase on your bathroom scales? I have and it’s no fun. So tricky and so very inaccurate! Whenever I weighed my bag on the bathroom scales, I was always worried that I was going to blow my luggage allowance and end up with a hefty charge at the airport.
3. No nasty surprises at check-in
Take it from someone who has done it, there is little more embarrassing than holding up the queue at the check-in desk, frantically having to fish items out of your checked luggage to avoid excess baggage fees! It’s also pretty grim trying to switch items between bags in such a public environment.
Even worse is having to dispose of items, so you don’t exceed the baggage limit! It’s never a great start to a trip.
4. Save on excess baggage charges
Excess baggage charges can be a real stinger! Airlines publish their tariff of charges, but BEWARE – excess baggage is a very expensive business. That extra outfit you squeezed in could end up costing more than you paid for it!
Check out excess baggage charges for all major European airlines here.
Pro Tip: If you know your bag will be overweight, it’s cheaper to pre-pay for an extra hold bag than to pay excess baggage fees at the airport.
5. Peace of mind
Most airlines have weight limits for cabin bags in addition to size limits. If your airline allows you to have more than one cabin bag, remember that your cabin bag allowance is for their combined weight!
It’s a good idea to weigh everything both before you go and before you head back home again.
Pro Tip: Take your portable hand scale for luggage with you on your trip, so you don’t get caught out. It takes up no space and could save you £££s.
6. Perfect for multi-centre trips
When you’re travelling to more than one destination, remember to check your airline baggage allowance for all of the “legs” of your journey. International flights tend to have a more generous luggage allowance than domestic ones.
It’s not a problem if you’ve taken your luggage weighing scales away with you, but it’s easy to end up paying those excess fees if you don’t check.
When I travelled to China, the cabin bag allowance on the international flight was 10kg, but the allowance on the internal flights was only 7kg. I nearly got caught out, but my luggage scales saved me, and I shuffled some of the items from my cabin bag into my hold bag.
7. Do your back a favour!
Even when they have wheels, super heavy bags can damage your back! Most airlines label bags weighing over 20-25kg as “heavy” so the baggage handlers don’t get injured when lifting them.
Be kind to your back and check the weight of your bag before you set off with it for a trip (especially if it’s a large one). Try to split heavy items across two or more bags if you can.
My ancient pink Samsonite hard-shell suitcase served me well for over 20 years on long trips, but it was heavy before I packed it and was 8a complete pain to manoeuvre through an airport or train station as it only had two wheels. So, I’ve retired the faithful “pink monster” and replaced it with a new ultralight Samsonite case instead for the few trips where I don’t want to travel with just a carry-on.
8. Reduce stress
Some airlines are (much) more strict about excess baggage fees than others. While some will let you get away with a couple of extra kilos, others are inflexible and will charge for every single kilo over your allowance.
Save yourself loads of stress by weighing your luggage before you set off. The best luggage scales are digital ones, which are accurate to 0.1kg, so you don’t need to worry about being just one kilo over!
Further Reading
- 12 things I can’t travel without
- How to get flight upgrades (and what NOT to do)
- Long haul flight tips
Have you ever been stung by excess baggage fees? Or do you have a great tip for avoiding them? Please share your stories and tips in the comments below.
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