How to Check Your Carry-On at the Airport for Free

When it comes to travel, are you an overpacker? Y'know, someone who travels with a week's worth of extra outfits and accessories as a 'just in case' rather than flying with just what you need?

Well, if you do, you may have to check some of your bags.

As if the price of your flight isn't expensive as it is, then they try to nickel-and-dime you the rest of the way as well. You gotta pay to check your bags, you have to pay for an inflight meal, you have to pay for a seat upgrade.

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There are some flights where you have to pay for beverage service. It's true.

Well, I can't help the other ones but there is something you can do with your carry-on luggage.

At the counter before you go through TSA you do have to check larger bags that won't fit in the overhead compartments. However, if you have a smaller bag that can fit in the overhead bin, you can take that with you (along with a backpack or something that can fit under the seat in front of you).

Though it's convenient to just pay to get your bag checked, and if it's large you'll have to, but if you bring bring a carry-on sized one and still want to check it, just carry it with you through security anyways.

Reason is once you get up to the gate, they're always looking for people to check bags to your final destination and, once through TSA, they'll do it for free.

In fact, not only will they do it for free but will even upgrade your seating time so instead of boarding last you can board earlier. Pretty neat. That's at least with Alaska Airlines.

Other services like Delta and United have done this as well.

If you can, travel with just a carry-on sized suitcase as there's a good chance they'll just take care of it for you. Comes in handy if you have layovers and don't want to lug it around the airport during your layovers.