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Passenger Comes Up With “Genius” Airport Packing Hack To Save Money On Checked Bags
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Passenger Comes Up With “Genius” Airport Packing Hack To Save Money On Checked Bags

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TikTok creator Faith Woodhall is going viral after posting an airport hack in the hopes that it may actually save travelers who overpack some money.

Every airline is different, but nowadays, travelers are expected to pay a minimum of $30 extra to check in an overstuffed suitcase at the airport, with companies like WestJet even demanding a fee of up to $100 extra. These prices may come as a financial burden to some.

Highlights
  • TikTok creator Faith Woodhall shared a viral hack to avoid checked bag fees using duty-free bags.
  • Faith's video amassed almost 13k likes, and users shared their own successful experiences with the trick.
  • Some travelers have faced consequences when trying different packing hacks, including being banned from flights.

With the increase in baggage fares, social media users are starting to share their travel hacks online

Image credits: Freepik

Content creator Faith Woodhall has almost 100,000 followers and is known for posting fashion, lifestyle, and travel videos.

In mid-August, she shared her travel tip in a clip that’s going viral: “Bring a second plastic bag full of stuff, and buy a Boots/duty-free bag at the airport so they think you’ve just bought stuff at the airport.”

Image credits: Faith in Fashion

In the video, audiences can see the content creator and her friend stashing their belongings in two duty-free bags in order to avoid baggage fees, with an audio of “Don’t be suspicious” playing in the background. 

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Faith added in the caption: “This one is for my overpacking girlies… Always works a dream — never been charged for a second bag.”

The influencer amassed almost 13k likes on this travel hack video

Image credits: Faith in Fashion

In just a year, prices for checked baggage have skyrocketed for big US airlines such as American Airlines. From 2023 to 2024, there was a whopping 33% increase, according to CNN, and many airlines are on the way to a similar percentage.

With Faith’s video gaining popularity, users on social media are sharing their own thoughts and experiences, and it seems other vacationers have found success, as well.

One viewer wrote: “Been doing this for years. Works every time! Never had a problem getting past Ryanair.” 

“I did this for Ibiza last week!!” another added.

Others are a little more unsure, as one skeptical user asked: “How does this work. Security is before duty free?”

But Faith certainly isn’t the first to come up with ideas on how to dodge traveling costs

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Image credits: Faith in Fashion

In June of this year, Dylan Springer, 23, quite literally used his own clothes as a suitcase to avoid paying extra, New York Post reports.

It was a genius, albeit unconventional, way to travel. He stuffed everything into his baggy jeans when he realized his fellow flyers were being charged approximately $60 for bringing an extra carry-on.

Luckily for Dylan, he was able to get on the plane without being charged extra.

Image credits: Faith in Fashion

Some traveling tactics do go wrong, however, and the consequences can be harsh.

Earlier in the summer, a man was banned from his flight after he tried out a viral packing hack that involved stuffing clothes into a pillowcase and zipping it up in order to hide them.

It was meant to be just a normal pillow to anyone unsuspecting, but security staff stopped him.

As the gate’s doors closed on him, the man said he would pay for it as a last attempt to get on the plane, but authorities were called, and he was escorted out of the airport.

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Social media users were quick to call him out, with one even saying: “One place I’m not going to act foolish is the airport.”

Image credits: Faith in Fashion

@faithinfashion This one for my overpacking girlies… Always works a dream- never been charged for a second bag👀🤫 #traveltips #airport #handluggage #overpacking #tipsandtricks ♬ Don’t be suspicious – io non so

Even with all these various traveling hacks on the Internet, passengers may still need to resort to checking in their oversized bags for an extra fee.

It’s always important to consider where you will be staying, as certain amenities may be available to you already.

If not, wear clothing with lots of pockets. It may not be the most comfortable plane ride, but saving an extra $100 could be worth it in the long run.

Viewers on TikTok shared their success and skepticism on Faith’s travel hack

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Michelle Tian

Michelle Tian

Writer, BoredPanda staff

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Hi, there! I'm a newswriter at Bored Panda, born and raised in Vancouver, Canada. I have a bachelor's degree in journalism from Boston University, as well as a philosophy minor. A few of my other hobbies include dancing, reading, cooking, or listening to a true crime podcast.

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Michelle Tian

Michelle Tian

Writer, BoredPanda staff

Hi, there! I'm a newswriter at Bored Panda, born and raised in Vancouver, Canada. I have a bachelor's degree in journalism from Boston University, as well as a philosophy minor. A few of my other hobbies include dancing, reading, cooking, or listening to a true crime podcast.

Ugnė Lazauskaitė

Ugnė Lazauskaitė

Author, BoredPanda staff

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I am employed as a Visual Editor in the news team. I make sure you have the best pictures near the most interesting text. In general all day I am looking at all you favourite celebrities facies and I am geting payed for it!

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Ugnė Lazauskaitė

Ugnė Lazauskaitė

Author, BoredPanda staff

I am employed as a Visual Editor in the news team. I make sure you have the best pictures near the most interesting text. In general all day I am looking at all you favourite celebrities facies and I am geting payed for it!

Karina Babenok

Karina Babenok

Author, BoredPanda staff

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As a visual editor in the News team, I look for the most interesting pictures and comments to make each post interesting and informative through images, so that you aren't reading only blocks of text. I joined Bored Panda not that long ago, but in this short amount of time I have covered a wide range of topics: from true crime to Taylor Swift memes (my search history is very questionable because of that).In my freetime, I enjoy spending time at the gym, gaming, binging Great British Bake Off and adding yet another tattoo artist that I would love to get a tattoo from to my pinterest board.

Read less »

Karina Babenok

Karina Babenok

Author, BoredPanda staff

As a visual editor in the News team, I look for the most interesting pictures and comments to make each post interesting and informative through images, so that you aren't reading only blocks of text. I joined Bored Panda not that long ago, but in this short amount of time I have covered a wide range of topics: from true crime to Taylor Swift memes (my search history is very questionable because of that).In my freetime, I enjoy spending time at the gym, gaming, binging Great British Bake Off and adding yet another tattoo artist that I would love to get a tattoo from to my pinterest board.

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StrangeOne
Community Member
2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Lost me at "influencer". We should all know these people are more in line with selling a fantasy life than reality.

LaserBrain
Community Member
2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ok it's a nice hack, probably isn't really necessary, and sorry these girls look like idiots.

Ace
Community Member
2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You want a real travel/packing hack? Take less stuff with you! These people think they're putting one over on the airline, the airline will be perfectly within their rights when they decide to make a charge for these extra bags - even if they were bought in the airport that doesn't automatically mean you can take them on the plane while ignoring the overall baggage rules, number, size and weight restrictions.

Hey!
Community Member
2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And also take up space in the over-bins for people with only a carryon but have no space because of these people with tons of bags.

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StrangeOne
Community Member
2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Lost me at "influencer". We should all know these people are more in line with selling a fantasy life than reality.

LaserBrain
Community Member
2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ok it's a nice hack, probably isn't really necessary, and sorry these girls look like idiots.

Ace
Community Member
2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You want a real travel/packing hack? Take less stuff with you! These people think they're putting one over on the airline, the airline will be perfectly within their rights when they decide to make a charge for these extra bags - even if they were bought in the airport that doesn't automatically mean you can take them on the plane while ignoring the overall baggage rules, number, size and weight restrictions.

Hey!
Community Member
2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And also take up space in the over-bins for people with only a carryon but have no space because of these people with tons of bags.

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Load More Comments
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