Here are few tips: - organise your staff as much evenly as you can, - use the extra space between and next to handles underneath the bottom, - if you're taking extra shoes, use extra space inside them, - place small item inside packets of your clothes, - use external hand luggage packets to store some narrow items, - if you're taking any boxes (like gifts), fold the box and the item will take less space, - take as much items you can on you (they're not weighing people) - take small heavy items from bag into your trousers/jacket pockets (e.g. cables, chargers), - dress your-self using the heaviest clothes you're taking with you (e.g. multiple trousers, sweaters or jackets) as usually clothes are taking the most of space), - hand on your-self any wearable items (such as cameras) - they're not extra bags, - if items are not wearable, use strings and wear it under your jacket, - hold in your hands any trouble/big items (such as umbrella, laptop) - they're not bags as well, - take extra backpack on your arms, because: - you can put big and heavy staff there as usually they don't check/weight the backpacks, - when spreading out your staff between 2 bags, it's better than having one big bag with suspicious/unusual size, - most airlines they accept small hand-bags (such as backpack), because you can put it under your seat, - backpacks are less visible, - try Apple bags (with strings), they're almost invisible in the front, - if you're going with friend, ask to do the same as above (fill their pockets with extra staff as well), - when you're with friend, go to check-in desk separately looking after each other bags, they won't check/weight something that they don't see, - when going to departure gates, security clearance always choose the path with people who looks nice and easy (statistically usually man-woman, woman-man rule works, so if you're man - go to woman and smile nicely), - when they ask you to measure your bag, go to the next gate and try again, - always remember that at security gates they're not care how big/heavy your bags are, the only risky places are at check-in desk and departure gates.