Cabin bags, also called carry-on bags or hand luggage, are usually limited to around 7 to 10 kg for economy passengers. Sometimes this is the combined weight of the cabin bag with a personal item, while other times this weight limit is solely for the cabin bag. It’s always worth checking the airline’s specific cabin baggage allowances before you fly, as this limit can be less on some airlines and substantially more on others. Your ticket class might also dictate how much you can bring.

Cabin bags are often weighed and size checked, but not always. Whether your cabin bag is checked or not often depends on the airline, airport or even which check-in staff member is assisting you that day. For a stress-free check-in experience, we recommend ensuring your bag is within the weight and size limits the airline specifies. If the staff deem your bag too large or too heavy, it will be checked and you will likely have to pay a fee.

A personal item usually refers to a purse/handbag, a backpack, or an electronics bag, such as a camera case or a laptop bag. It might also be an umbrella, book or pillow. The rule of thumb is that the ‘personal’ item should be compact enough to be stowed under the seat in front of you. Some airlines refer to this as a ‘small item’, which is usually an object or small bag rather than a backpack. Your airline might combine your personal or small item weight with your cabin bag weight allowance.

It’s strongly recommended that you measure and weigh your cabin bag at home before you leave for the airport as this will ensure it fits your airline’s requirements. However, if you do get to your flight and your cabin bag is oversized or overweight, the likelihood is that you’ll be asked to check it into the hold for a fee. Should this happen, make sure you remove any essentials, such as medication, that you might need during your flight.

Some airlines, such as AirAsia, Air New Zealand, and Cathay Pacific permit passengers to bring a small backpack (classed as a personal item or small item) and a cabin suitcase on board. The backpack must fit under the seat in front of you and your cabin suitcase will go into the overhead bin. Airlines including Emirates, Etihad, and Singapore Air only permit a cabin suitcase with no additional items allowed.

Check your airline’s personal/small item restrictions to ensure you stay within size and weight limits.

There are numerous items you’re not allowed to pack into your cabin bag when flying from Australia, typically for safety reasons. Firearms, weapons (including replicas), sharp items (including manicure scissors or tweezers with sharp points), and liquids in containers over 100ml in size are not allowed in your cabin bag. If in doubt, pack the item into your checked bag or leave it at home to avoid it being confiscated. Once you’re through airport security, you can buy liquids in containers over 100ml, such as drinks or lotions, and take these onto the plane in your bag.

There may be a small difference in carry-on allowance when flying domestically rather than internationally as domestic flights sometimes permit slightly larger carry-on bags. However, it’s best to check details with your specific airline before travelling to avoid costly fees.

Our top tips for packing light to avoid checked baggage fees include:

• Opt for a light carry-on bag, such as a canvas backpack, that’s as close to the permitted size as possible. This will mean you don’t waste precious kilos and will be able to benefit from the maximum packing space.

• Packing cubes can help to compact clothes and other small items so you can fit more into your carry-on bag.

• Check what amenities are available at your accommodation before packing. It could be that you can leave items like hairdryers and irons at home if they’re available where you’ll be staying.

• Wear layers to avoid packing a bulky hoody or jacket into your carry-on bag. There are also specific items of clothing, such as coats, created especially for travellers which have lots of pockets for storing items.

If you can get everything you need into your cabin bag, you’ll find this comes with plenty of benefits. You’ll enjoy a speedier airport process as you won’t need to spend time checking in a bag, and your flight is likely to be cheaper as you won’t need to pay fees to add extra luggage to your ticket. You also won’t need to wait at the luggage carousel when you get to your destination as you’ll have everything with you.