The Mistake Many Travelers Make When Storing Carry-On Bags

Traveling with just a carry-on is supposed to make life easier. You board and deplane with your bag, allowing you to skip the wait by the luggage carousel and eliminate the chance your bag might end up taking its own little vacation in a different city from you. (Plus, all the reasons why you should never check a bag during the holidays!) But what happens if you take a carry-on and reach your seat to find that there's no space left in the overhead bin right above you? Well, most of us look around and store our bags in the nearest empty spot — even if it's behind us. That's a big mistake!

Storing your bag behind your seat sets you up for a logistical headache. On most aircraft, you're going to deplane at the front. That means if your bag is behind you, you'll have to do one of two things: Either you wait in your seat until everyone has gotten off before slipping back to retrieve your bag, or you're that annoying person who shuffles against the stream of passengers, holding everyone up as you grab your carry-on. Storing your bag behind you is either going to hold you up or hold up your fellow passengers. 

Is it possible to avoid storing your bag behind you? With planes running out of overhead bin space for carry-ons so fast nowadays, it can seem impossible, and many travelers take an "anywhere will do" attitude. But there are ways to make sure your carry-on is stashed in a convenient place. One is to get priority boarding. The early bird gets the worm, or in this case, the pick of the overhead bin space. You can buy priority boarding on many airlines, or you may be entitled to it via memberships or your airline credit card.

If you're team "all's fair in love and carry-ons," you can stash your bag in an empty bin near the front of the aircraft as you make your way to your seat. But beware of the wrath of your fellow passengers! According to one TikTok, this is one of the worst spots to put your carry-on because you're taking someone else's space.

Another option is to gate-check your carry-on. This does defeat some of the purpose of having a carry-on, especially if you can't pick up your bag on the tarmac when you land, but it might be worth it to avoid awkwardness onboard. Finally, you could take a smaller bag that will fit under your seat. It's not the best option for those who like a ton of legroom, but it eliminates the overhead bin scramble.