Tips for travelling with hand luggage only

Travelling light is the way to go if you want to save both time and money on your trip. A smaller case will give you the freedom to avoid charges for extra luggage on budget airlines and that priceless feeling when you skip baggage reclaim at your destination too!

So ditch those bulky cases and reduce your belongings right down to the essentials with our handy tips for travelling with hand luggage only.

It’s easier than you think and will mean that you’ll arrive at your destination relaxed and ready for your holiday.

Find the right case first!

If you’re travelling with just hand luggage, then the first thing you will need to do is find the right case to take with you.

It will need to match the permitted dimensions for hand luggage for your airline. Most airlines stipulate a uniform size (55cm x 45cm x 25cm) to make life easier, but be sure to double-check in their terms and conditions.

And you can make travelling super easy by choosing a case with wheels and a long handle to make transporting it a breeze.

Once packed, you should be able to lift your case easily into the overhead locker.

Reduce your clothing

We’ve all been guilty at some point of packing clothes and shoes that we’ve never worn on holiday, sticking to the same few comfy and practical outfits.

Now is the perfect time to get a capsule wardrobe together. This means choosing a small number of items that work well together to create a variety of outfits.

You might want to choose a few key pieces in neutral colours to make mixing and matching easy with some vibrant accessories to add a splash of colour.

Space-saving packing

How you pack is just as important as what you pack. Instead of folding clothes and placing them one on top of the other, try rolling clothes that don’t require too much ironing and squeezing them into the smallest of spaces.

You can also use packing cubes, which not only compress your clothes right down but organise them too.

Fill shoes and any gaps you can find with small items like socks and underwear.

Packing toiletries

Security rules mean you can only take one small clear bag for your liquid toiletries, which must be in quantities of no more than 100 ml.

Pack your clear bag in an exterior pocket on your carry-on case if you have one for easy access at security.

If you think your toiletries will exceed the limits, then consider taking solid shampoo and soap bars instead of liquids.

You can also use the toiletries provided by the hotel or buy them once you’re at your destination.

Keep the essentials to hand

Once you’ve stowed everything away in your carry-on case, grab a small cross-body bag to store your most essential items. These are things that you don’t want to be rummaging around for in a tightly packed case.

You should include:

• Passport and other travel documents
• Any medication you may need to take on the journey
• Purse or wallet
• Phone and charger
• Entertainment devices such as tablet and charger
• Headphones
• Sunglasses

What you don’t need to pack

Just as important as the things you need to take with you are the items you really don’t need to pack:

• Expensive jewellery. Reduce your jewellery to what you can wear on the journey to save space and have less to worry about.
• Extra toiletries. Unless you’re going to the most remote destinations, you should be able to replenish your toiletries easily when you get to your holiday spot.
• Uncomfortable shoes. Who wants to wear uncomfortable shoes when you’re sightseeing? Ditch the heels and pack some fancy flip-flops that take up less space instead.
• Guidebooks. Information about your destination should be readily available online, so don’t be tempted to take up valuable space in your suitcase with books.
• Hairdryer. Almost all hotels and self-catering accommodation will be equipped with hairdryers. Or you can just let your hair dry au naturel for the duration of your holiday.
• Travel insurance UK for a policy tailored to your needs

Finally, don’t forget your travel insurance! It’s just as essential as the items that you’re going to take with you, giving you the peace of mind to travel both light and worry-free.

Check out our travel insurance compare service to find a policy that's tailored to your travel needs.

You can find annual or single trip insurance, and even insurance for pre-existing medical conditions, making travelling light accessible to everyone.

If you’d prefer to speak to one of our advisors, contact us to chat over the phone about your travel insurance requirements. They can guide you to the perfect policy to make your trip not only light on the luggage but a hassle-free experience too!

If you are a person with reduced mobility and travel is on your wish list, you may feel daunted at the prospect.

But don’t let those doubts stop you. There are lots of ways to make your trip seamless and hassle-free.

Read our guide for tips on how to travel with reduced mobility and medical aids. You’ll be planning that next trip before you’ve got to the end of our article!

Know your rights

Our first tip for travel with reduced mobility is to know your rights. If you have a disability or your mobility is reduced, then you are entitled to free 'Special Assistance’ when travelling by air.

People who can benefit from this could be:

• Elderly
• Wheelchair users
• Have a physical disability
• Have communication difficulties, which could be the result of dementia or autism, for example

Special assistance is applicable when:

• You are flying on any airline from an airport in the UK
• You are flying on a UK or EU-registered airline to an airport in the UK
• You are flying from outside the UK or EU to the EU on a UK airline

To book special assistance, contact your airline 48 hours before your flight.

What kind of medical equipment and mobility aids can I take?

First, check with your airline what their rules are about medical equipment and mobility aids.

If you use an electric wheelchair or other mobility aid, you will need to provide details about its specifications.

If you need to take large amounts of medication, you may need to provide a medical certificate. This is a must if you intend to take more than 100ml of liquid medicine through security.

And if you use oxygen, contact your airline to understand their policy. If you are thinking of taking your own oxygen cylinders, know that most companies don’t allow their equipment to be taken out of the UK.

In this case, you can take portable concentrators or use oxygen provided by the airline, which must be booked in advance.

What should I do when I get to the airport?

Know in advance when you should check in to your flight. For passengers with reduced mobility or disabilities, airlines may require extra time.

When you arrive at the airport, look for the assistance point. Here, a designated member of staff can help you with the entire process of checking in, going through security and boarding the plane.

If you use a wheelchair, you can use your own chair up to the departure gate or check it in and use one provided by the airport.

You can find out more about accessing special assistance at the airport here.

What happens when I get to my destination airport?

Your wheelchair or mobility aid will be returned to you at the arrival gate.

You should be offered assistance through passport control, customs and baggage reclaim, and possibly up to the airport car park, taxi rank or train or bus station.

The level of provision may vary from country to country and airport to airport.

What about ‘fitness to fly’?

When you request special assistance, you may be asked to provide proof of fitness to fly. In many cases, all you will need to do is provide information about your condition.

Sometimes an airline will ask you to provide further details about how flying could affect your condition. You may also be asked for a letter from a doctor to confirm that it’s safe for you to fly.

What if I have hidden disabilities?

If you have a hidden disability, you can request an identifying lanyard or badge from the special assistance desk or you may wish to purchase your own ID in advance.

Is there help for other forms of transport?

If you’re travelling by train or bus, you are also entitled to support. For example, passenger assistance must be offered at rail stations, and buses carrying over 22 passengers must comply with regulations that allow easy access to vehicles, such as using ramps or lifts.

Check out the rights of disabled passengers on transport to know more.

Organisation is key

Our final tip is to be organised when it comes to planning your trip. Ensure you have any paperwork such as medical certificates, your itinerary, travel insurance details and emergency contact numbers printed out.

If you’re flying, book special assistance well in advance and know what to expect once you reach your destination. Make sure you arrive at the airport or other transport hub well in advance of departure.

Find the right travel insurance UK

Long before you land, you should have adequate travel insurance in place for extra peace of mind.

Check out our travel insurance compare service as soon as you’ve booked your ticket to find the right policy for you.

You can even find a policy for pre-existing medical conditions or for the over 60s, so you can be sure that you’ll get the right level of cover for your needs.

And if you’d prefer to speak to one of our professional advisors, contact us to talk through your needs. We are only too happy to help make your longed-for trip a stress-free experience!

Mediterranean beaches and European capital cities are once again busy with English tourists, thanks to the FCO giving exemptions to approximately 70 countries from the “all but essential” travel advice.

Here at PayingTooMuch.com we’ve been working hard with our panel of insurers to get coronavirus cancellation cover built in to new products. We’re delighted to announce that as of 9th July you can now purchase this option from a few insurers, with more being added each week.

What’s included as standard?

Provided you left the UK whilst the FCO advice did not advise against travel, all our policies will cover your medical and repatriation expenses should you contract coronavirus whilst abroad.

None of our travel insurance policies will cover you if you are travelling against government or FCO advice.

COVID-19 Cancellation Cover – what’s included?

Check the specific wording of your policy before purchasing as there may be some subtle differences between each provider. However, generally, COVID-19 cancellation cover provides a refund on accommodation and travel costs in the event of:

• You, or anyone on the policy, or any person you have arranged to stay with during your trip receives a diagnosis of coronavirus within 14 days prior the start of the trip
• You, or anyone on the policy, is admitted to hospital due to coronavirus within 28 days of the start of the trip
• Your accommodation being required to close after you have checked in because of you, a guest or employee being diagnosed with coronavirus
• You, or anyone on the policy, being denied boarding following either a coronavirus diagnosis or a temperature test, or other medical test reading, which falls outside of the transport provider’s terms of travel

A positive NHS antigen test will be required by the insurer as confirmation if making a cancellation claim. If you are denied boarding as a result of coronavirus you must have documented proof of this from the airline.

What’s not included?

Claims will be denied in the following circumstances:

• if you, your travel companion or close relative had symptoms associated with coronavirus at the time of booking the trip or the travel insurance

• if you or your travel companion or close relative are awaiting results after undertaking a coronavirus test or had tested positive within the 15 days prior to booking your trip

How to buy Covid-19 cover?

When browsing the PayingTooMuch.com travel insurance results page you’ll see a tick or a cross next to ‘COVID-19 Cancellation Cover’. This indicates whether each policy includes the new COVID-19 cancellation cover.

Clicking on the ‘Policy Wording’ link will bring up the policy document containing all the terms and conditions.

How much does it cost?

A single trip policy with COVID-19 Cancellation can be purchased one year before the date of travel. The cost will generally be higher if booked well in advance due to the length of cover being longer, and risk of cancellation being higher.  

Purchasing insurance closer to the date of travel may be cheaper, but you are leaving yourself uninsured for a period of time.

Does my existing policy include COVID-19 Cancellation Cover? 

Only selected policies purchased after 9^th July will have COVID-19 cancellation cover included. All other products purchased before this date will still provide you with medical and repatriation cover should you catch the virus whilst travelling.

All travel insurance policies have a 14-day cooling off period after purchase. Within this time, you can cancel and receive a full refund. So, if you have purchased your policy within the last 14-days but wish to cancel and re-buy a new policy with COVID-19 Cancellation cover, simply call us on 01243 784000 and we’ll be happy to help.

Can I travel whilst in lockdown?

If you are unfortunate enough to live in an area of the country which is currently in lockdown, such as Leicester, you’ll be travelling against government advice, and therefore uninsured.

What if FCO advice changes?

You will also be uninsured if the Foreign and Commonwealth Office removes the country you are travelling to from the list of exempted countries due to coronavirus, before you travel. In both cases, you will be unable to claim on your travel insurance for cancellation.

If the FCO advice changes due to non-coronavirus related issues you will still be able to make a claim for a refund.

More information

If you need more information the best place to start is the policy wording document available from each insurer. If you have any outstanding questions, give our team a call on 01243 784000.