Travelers Stuff Pillowcases with Clothes to Skirt Airline Baggage Fees

Summer travel is soaring, with millions hitting the skies after a record-breaking Memorial Day weekend. Over 45 million Americans traveled at least 50 miles, and a whopping 3.6 million took to the air. But with airlines tightening baggage rules and hiking fees, savvy travelers are getting creative to dodge extra costs.

Enter the pillowcase hack: a clever trick where passengers stuff clothes and soft items into a pillowcase, passing it off as a travel pillow. Most airlines don’t count pillows as carry-on luggage, so these sneaky travelers board with their overstuffed “pillows” for free. Travel expert Francesca Page, fresh from a trip, noticed a surge in pillow-toting passengers. “I thought it was just for comfort on red-eye flights,” she said, “but it’s a workaround for bulky items that won’t fit in carry-ons.”

Texas-based travel guru Gary Leff, author of View From the Wing, spotted this hack gaining traction on social media in 2023 and 2024. “A pillow doesn’t raise eyebrows,” he noted. “It’s not hogging overhead bin space, so it often gets a free pass.” But Leff warns the trick’s popularity might be its downfall. “It’s getting too obvious,” he said. “Airline staff are catching on, and it’s risky.”

Some travelers go even further, transforming into human suitcases by layering on multiple outfits or cramming clothes into their pockets. It’s a bold move to skirt fees, but it’s a gamble that could leave you sweating—literally—through security.