The most common mistakes when packing a suitcase

Weight and timing: errors discovered too late

Packing your suitcase the night before departure, with your alarm set for just a few hours later, increases the odds of forgetting something and leaves no time to spot a broken zipper or excess weight. Not weighing your suitcase before leaving means discovering overweight baggage at the check-in counter, in front of a line, where fees are almost always higher than what it would have cost to remove a few items comfortably at home.

Carry-on dimensions: a specific low-cost airline mistake

Many low-cost carriers enforce smaller carry-on limits than the standard you may be used to: Ryanair allows only a small bag under the seat for free (40x30x20 cm), while the overhead bin trolley (55x40x20 cm, max 10 kg) must be purchased separately; easyJet includes a free bag up to 15 kg under the seat, but a larger bag in the overhead bin requires an Up Front or Extra Legroom fee. Showing up at the gate with oversized baggage almost always means paying a supplement right there, which costs more than declaring it online when booking. Before you leave, it's worth checking the updated carry-on rules, as they change frequently from season to season.

The metal sizers near the gates, used to verify maximum dimensions, leave no room for negotiation: if your suitcase doesn't fit, the fee is charged automatically.

Liquids, batteries, and items forgotten in the wrong pocket

The 100 ml limit for liquids remains the general rule, but since summer 2025 several Italian airports (including Fiumicino, Linate, Malpensa, Bergamo, Bologna, and Turin) have installed new 3D CT scanners that allow you to bring liquids up to 2 liters without removing them from your baggage; the old rule still applies for flights to the United States and Israel even from those same airports, so always verify your specific destination. Arriving at security without a clear plastic bag organized in advance, where this rule still applies, forces you to reorganize your suitcase right in front of the line.

Spare lithium batteries, including power banks, must always go in your carry-on: they are banned in checked baggage due to overheating risk, and forgetting one in your suitcase causes the baggage to be held for manual inspection. The same applies to certain types of lighters or small DIY tools forgotten in a pocket from a previous trip.

Details that create problems only at your destination

Forgetting to remove old luggage tags from previous flights, or failing to attach a new and legible one, makes your baggage harder to identify on the carousel and, in worst cases, harder to trace if lost: the details on what to write and where to attach it are in the luggage tag guide. Leaving without checking the standard electrical outlets in your destination country leaves your phone and devices drained by the first evening.

Finally, stacking shoes directly on clean clothes without any protection in between leaves marks on delicate garments: a dedicated bag or, if necessary, a shower cap used as an improvised cover is enough.

Weigh your suitcase and check the carry-on dimensions of your specific fare at least one day before departure: it's the single check that prevents most supplements and surprises at check-in.