As winter getaways approach, one challenge remains the same: juggling strict luggage allowances without sacrificing cold-weather essentials. Exceed the weight limit, and you risk steep surcharges, but pack too lightly, and you could end up washing clothes instead of enjoying your snowy escape.

However, getting it right needn’t be such a headache, as a cabin crew member has revealed an ingenious travel trick to smuggle an additional bag aboard without spending extra. Flight attendant Miguel Muñoz has disclosed a cunning method enabling travellers to bypass additional baggage charges by making clever use of a duty-free carrier bag – ideal timing for your festive getaway.

Miguel’s brilliant strategy involves repurposing a duty-free carrier to transport clothing and miscellaneous items that exceed your hand luggage capacity, effectively allowing you to bring an additional bag aboard unnoticed.

According to Miguel, “duty-free bags don’t count as carry-on baggage,” meaning airport staff typically overlook them. To exploit this loophole, passengers can either bring a duty-free item from home or acquire one from the airport’s duty-free retailer.

Miguel explained: “If you have something that doesn’t fit in your suitcase or you want to bring an extra bag on board, here’s the trick.

“All you have to do is carry a duty-free bag. Or ask for one at the duty-free shop, and you can place whatever you want in the shopping bag. There is obviously limited space, but at least you are bringing an extra bag on the plane with you.”

He added: “Now you know. If you ever find yourself in that situation, just put whatever you want in a duty-free bag. You are welcome!”

Miguel’s clever trick follows another viral hack involving a “fake pillow”, where travellers use a pillowcase stuffed with additional items, as pillows typically don’t count towards luggage allowances.

This method has been shared by hundreds of travellers on social media, who insist that security staff and gate agents seldom notice. TikTok has become awash with tips and tricks from resourceful travellers all eager to pack more without paying expensive excess baggage charges.

A clever traveller from Handluggageonly explained on the platform, “Pack all the clothes you need in your backpack, but if that person checking you in for your flight turns around and says anything about your bag being overweight and tries to charge you the excess baggage fare, simply pop over to the bathroom and wear as many clothes as possible.

“Technically, no one can say anything about the fact that you just wore your extra clothes on you instead of having them in your luggage and more importantly, they can’t charge you the extra fare as your bag weight should be much more in line.”