EasyJet: Martin Lewis shares 15 tips to save money on flights and avoid booking fees

EasyJet is one of the biggest airlines in the UK with over 900 domestic and international routes across more than 34 countries.

The airline is famously known for being low-cost but there are some ways to save more money when booking with EasyJet, according to Money Saving Expert, Martin Lewis.

Scroll through to find out the 15 tips Martin Lewis shared to save money and avoid booking fees when booking with EasyJet.

1. Paying to bring a second larger bag on board

With a standard EasyJet seat, you can only bring a small bag into the cabin, measuring up to 45cm x 36cm x 20cm – roughly the size of a rucksack.

However, from £5.99 extra, you can take a second larger bag (56cm x 45cm x 25cm) on board and also benefit from “speedy boarding.”

2. Using a carrier bag to boost your hand luggage

There’s a loophole to get around the one bag limit of the standard seat for free: one “post-security” shopping bag.

According to Money Saving Expert: “Some passengers report they've been able to stuff the odd item which won't fit in their hand luggage into it, or even a handbag – others say they've successfully boarded with a carrier bag they brought with them specially.”

3. Defy the size limit restrictions with squishable hand luggage

Holdalls can be a good option to carry all you need whist also fitting into the overhead lockers even when they're mostly full of hard-sided wheelie cases.

They are also easier to cram into the bins all hand luggage must fit into if asked to prove it's the right size.

Staff might also let a holdall through even if it’s slightly bigger than the rules for cabin luggage allow.

There are plenty of hand luggage options available to purchase online, from cheap and cheerful cabin bags on Amazon to premium options that are EasyJet approved.

4. Safe money by booking as soon as EasyJet launches its seats

The price of EasyJet seats are dependent on demand and the lowest demand point is almost always the very moment the seats are released.

Money Saving Expert said: “In the past, these seats have shot up in price 2-3 hours after being made available, so being online bright and early is the key to bagging a bargain.”

Martin Lewis added: “This has been a very successful technique for many people, and indeed if you want certainty of a cheap price it's worth doing. Do benchmark what a good price on that route is beforehand, just so you can check if it's worth it. Though of course, if later on a particular flight is very substantially under-booked, you could get seats even cheaper then – that's just far more difficult to predict.”

To learn when the next batch of seats will be released, visit EasyJet’s website.

5. Make the most of the price promise with EasyJet schemes

In 2017, EasyJet scrapped the price promise guarantee that if you find the same flight for less after booking, you'll get the difference back (as long as the price is not a sale price) as a credit voucher, which you have to use within six months.

However, the scheme is still open to EasyJet Plus and Flight Club members, and the refund trick can still be done by becoming a member after booking your flight.

6. Check in 30 days in advance to guarantee better seats with no extra fees

Unlike other airlines, EasyJet allows passengers to check in 30 days before their flight and allocates a seat for free. Therefore, the earlier you check in, the better chance you’ll have of being allocated a better seat.

If you are travelling with kids, EasyJet will always try to seat parents next to children where possible, even if they don't pay to reserve a seat, although it recommends you check in as early as possible, as seats are allocated on a first come, first served basis.

7. Board earlier to make sure you and your luggage stay together

Like most airlines, storage space in EasyJet cabins is at a premium, and if you board late, you risk the overhead lockers near you being full and having to place your bag at the other end of the plane.

To avoid the hassle of this scenario, Money Saving Expert recommend getting to the gate and queue as soon as you can.

8. Pay the right way for extra protection

A flight over £100 will be covered by the Section 75 protection if it has been paid with a credit card.

This means the card company's jointly liable if anything goes wrong. Note, however, in the case of a return journey, each individual single flight will need be £100 or more to get the extra protection.

If you pay by debit card, you may be eligible to “chargeback” - which is less powerful than section 75 - and applies to most debit and charge cards, as well as Visa, Mastercard and Amex credit cards – though it isn't a legal requirement.

9. Compare prices before booking extras like car hire, hotels and travel insurance with EasyJet

Martin Lewis recommends to get travel insurance as soon as you book your flight, however, be aware that it is usually far costlier to buy it through an airline or holiday agent than by doing a comparison and finding your own policy.

For example, when Money Expert Saving looked, EasyJet offered a single-trip to Berlin from £24 per person but for a single-trip bought separately, prices started at about £9 for an individual Europe policy.

10. Pack right, and you might be able to take more than you think

It’s important to remember that EasyJet includes the whole bag (including wheels, handles and so on) in the size limit dimensions. If the dimensions of your bag exceed these, you may risk having to pay to put it in the hold.

The bags also have a weight limit of 15kg, but you may be able to squeeze in more than you think.

You can carry multiple 100ml containers as long as they fit in one transparent, 20cm X 20cm, resealable bag.

Use a cheap, lightweight, soft case which will be easier to get in and out of the cabin lockers and leave space in the case for any extra souvenirs you might bring on the way back from your trip.

11. Always decide how much luggage you’ll need and book checked bags in advance

Hand luggage is the best way to keep costs down, however, if you feel like you will benefit from a checked baggage, it’s best to always pay in advance to check luggage in and avoid charges of £100 per return flight.

EasyJet has two options for checked baggage online: an “up to 15kg” bag from £6.99 per flight and an “up to 23kg” bag from £9.49 per flight. The price goes up to £40 if you wait to pay at the airport check-in desk.

EasyJet also gives the option to increase the weight limit online for £15 per 3kg - up to a max of 27kg if you've booked a 15kg bag and 32kg if you've booked a 23kg bag - which beats the £12 a kg at the airport.

12. Wear your luggage

A very valuable asset to reduce your luggage load is yourself. The more you carry on you, the less you need to squeeze into your cabin bag.

Try wearing any heavy coats, big boots or chunky jumpers you are taking with you to save up space in your case. If it gets too stuffy on the plane, you can always stow items under the seat in front of you.

13. Avoid sky-high food prices by packing a picnic.

You are allowed to bring food for a mid-air picnic, so why not make the most out of it?

It could save you a fortune compared to flight prices and even prices in the shops after security. Plus, you may win on taste as well as price.

You could even take the opportunity to theme your meal around the holiday destination to hype up yourself before landing.

14. Always compare flights before assuming EasyJet is the cheapest.

Whilst EasyJet has a reputation as a low-cost carrier, you may find a better deal elsewhere. It’s important to compare before settling with booking directly with EasyJet.

15. You could be owed £100s in compensation if your flight was delayed in the last six years.

If your flight was delayed by over three hours in the past six years, you could be entitled to anywhere between around £100 to £500 in compensation if the delay was the airline’s fault.