More Australians than ever are ditching the checked bag entirely, and once you experience the freedom of flying with carry on only, it's hard to imagine going back. No baggage fees, no carousel waits and no lugging a 25-kilogram behemoth through cobblestone streets — just you, a compact bag and an open itinerary. Whether you're heading to Bali for two weeks or embarking on a proper lap of Europe, packing carry-on only is more achievable than most people think.

The benefits of travelling with carry-on luggage only

Flying with just a carry-on suitcase saves money

Let's talk money first, because airline baggage fees have quietly crept to eye-watering levels. On budget carriers, which most of us use for short-haul trips around Asia or across the Tasman — checked luggage fees can now rival the price of the seat itself. Flying carry on luggage only means that extra $50 to $80 per leg stays firmly in your travel fund. For a couple doing a two-week trip through Southeast Asia with multi-city flights, skipping checked bags can save several hundred dollars. That's another night or two in a beachside bungalow, a cooking class in Chiang Mai or a very decent spread of street food.

Flying with a carry-on saves time

Beyond the dollars, flying with carry on only gives you back something equally valuable: time. Check in online, walk straight to security, head to your gate. At the other end, you're off the plane and out the door while everyone else is standing around the baggage carousel willing their suitcase to appear. Early flight to catch a connection? A transfer where every minute counts? When you're carry-on only, you have a massive buffer that checked-bag travellers simply don't have.

Tips for flying with just seven kilograms

Most airlines carry allowance — including Jetstar, AirAsia and Scoot — cap carry on luggage at seven kilograms. This sounds impossibly restrictive until you actually think about what you're packing. 

Wear your bulkiest items on the flight

The biggest space and weight offenders are bulky items: thick jumpers, multiple pairs of jeans and shoes you'll never actually wear. If you're travelling somewhere warm like Bali, Thailand, Japan in summer or the Greek islands, you simply don't need any of it. Lightweight clothes, a couple of pairs of shorts, a dress or two and a versatile pair of sandals will see you through most warm-weather trips comfortably.

Cut down on footwear

Footwear is the other silent culprit. Three pairs of shoes is almost always too many. Aim for two: one casual pair that can handle a day of walking and one smarter option if you're dining out. For beach trips, a pair of thongs does the job for most of the day and, if you're struggling for space, one pair can always be tied to the outside of your bag. Wear your heaviest pair of shoes when you get on the flight.

Wash on the go

Hotels and hostels almost always provide towels and a hairdryer, so leave yours at home. People also tend to overpack underwear and socks, forgetting to factor in time spent in swimmers and thongs, or that a quick handwash in the sink makes most items re-wearable between proper washes. Learn the ranger roll (a military-style clothes-rolling technique) to compress T-shirts, shorts and lightweight pants into surprisingly small bundles.

Don’t be afraid to leave it behind

The "just in case" pile is where most people go wrong. If you're visiting a major city or popular tourist destination, there will be shops. You can buy toiletries almost everywhere, and it might be fun to try new brands. Leave the maybes at home and trust that the world is reasonably well stocked. 

Be sure to bring any medications or specialty diet items, as these are the things that could be harder to get overseas.

There's still space for fun and games

Packing carry on only doesn't mean sacrificing everything you enjoy. In fact, travelling lighter often frees up room for the things that actually matter to you — a good book, a travel game, a laptop for working on the road. For toiletries, decant everything into small containers under 100 millilitres to comply with airport security rules, and consider solid shampoo and conditioner bars. They're lighter, spill-proof and last ages. Who knows? You might even want to bring a portable size of Vegemite or a handful of your favourite tea bags.

If you're travelling as a couple, the logistics become even more manageable. Distributing weight between two seven-kilogram bags gives you a combined 14 kilograms of carefully selected gear, somehow easier to manage than one person trying to cram everything into a single bag, and more than enough for most trips.

Backpack vs carry-on suitcase

The right bag depends on your travel style. A 20-litre to 35-litre backpack works well for most trips. It fits in overhead lockers, slides under seats and is easy to carry through busy airports. If you prefer a hard shell, a compact carry-on suitcase (typically 20 inches or under) will meet most airline carry-on size requirements. Whatever you choose, weigh it empty first — a heavy bag before you've packed a single thing will make hitting that seven-kilogram limit very difficult. 

• Perks of a backpack: Easier for travel on uneven surfaces, motorbike rides, adapting into carry-on compartments. 

• Perks of a suitcase: Easier to carry on smooth surfaces, more convenient to pack and unpack, items might be better protected.

Before you start packing, it's worth brushing up on what you can and cannot pack in your carry on bag and checking our ultimate guide to international carry on restrictions so there are no nasty surprises at security. If you haven't fully committed to the carry on life just yet, our reviewed luggage guide will help you find the right bag for your style of travel, and these four easy ways to avoid excess baggage fees are worth bookmarking regardless. Travelling with little ones? Our complete packing guide for travelling with kids has you covered.