Avianca Airlines can be a great value for international flights, but Avianca baggage policies are strict. For lower class flights, you’ll need to pack light and measure your bags!
I recently returned from Costa Rica where we booked roundtrip flights using S-fare for 87.6k points. S-fare does not include checked bags – only a personal item and carry-on. And Avianca has really high fees on baggage not included in the fare (over $80 per bag for us) so we decided to pack light!
Measurements for Avianca S-Fare Bags
Avianca baggage policies for S-fare state that your personal item should be no larger than 25 cm (9.8 inches) x 35 cm (13.7 inches) x 45 cm (17.7 inches). I initially planned to bring my 26 Liter Osprey Laptop Backpack, but it was too large as a personal item. I already had an Osprey Daylite Plus Day Pack and it was the perfect size. My husband didn’t have a good travel backpack, so I got him the Osprey Daylite Day Pack.
Avianca baggage policies for S-fare state that your carry-on bag should be no larger than 25 cm (9.8 inches) x 35 cm (13.7 inches) x 55 cm (21.6 inches). My Osprey Sojourn 45 was a perfect fit on the way to Costa Rica and just barely met requirements on the way back when I’d overstuffed it with souvenirs! My husband’s Travelpro Bag was a perfect fit for both directions, and it probably a safer choice if you tend to over-stuff like me!
Avianca is very strict on their measurements. Before you board (either at check-in or the gate), you will most-likely have to place your bags into the “fitter.” These are metal containers that are exactly the maximum size to contain a personal item and carry-on. If you place them into the fitter at check-in, you will get a sticker on your bag to show that your bags have already passed the test for Avianca baggage policies.
As a side note, it appeared to be okay to carry on items that you purchased in the airport after security. In other words, you don’t have to cram your take-out into your personal bag; you can just carry it in its sack.
Packing Light
Our trip to Costa Rica was focused on the Guanacaste region. We planned to spend the majority of our time at the beaches with one hike/swim to a waterfall, an afternoon at some hot springs, and one hike in the Monteverde Cloud Forest. To save money on eating out, we rented an Airbnb with a kitchen. We also had access to a washer and dryer.
Packing light and packing to save money while traveling are at often at odds. We had to be very intentional about what we packed by asking ourselves two questions:
- Is it absolutely necessary for our needs and wants?
- Will it save us money by bringing it?
Here is what we managed to fit into two small personal items and two carry-ons:
Her Clothing
- Three tanks (one dry-fit for workouts)
- Two shorts (one pair workout)
- swimsuit cover-up (doubles as sundress)
- One pair of leggings
- One sports bra
- Two bralettes
- Five underwear
- Two pairs of socks
- Two bikinis
- One sleep set
- Large scarf’/wrap (used as a jacket/blanket)
His Clothing
- Three tanks (one workout)
- One nice t-shirt
- Shorts: 2 workout, 1 hiking, 1 casual
- Three swimsuits
- Five underwear
- Two pairs of socks
- Sweatpants
Her Shoes
- Old running shoes (wore in airport to save room in luggage)
- Chaco sandals for hiking and water
His Shoes
- Recovery Sandals
- Old running shoes
- Trail running shoes
- Water shoes
- Hoodie
Gear
We are nerdy about our gear! We love to optimize our life, and having the right gear is one way we save time and money while improving our quality of life. Here is what we packed for our Costa Rica trip and fit into one personal and one carryon bag!
- Life Straw Water Bottles (can fill with water from anywhere and it filters it so it’s safer to drink)
- Collapsible water jugs (so we could refill our water bottles and not buy bottled water when we were out for the day)
- Collapsible coffee cups to reduce purchased coffees and teas while we were out),
- Smoothie bottles (so we could bring our smoothies with us for the day and save money on snacks)
- Poncho (to cover our backpacks in the rain)
- Rain jackets
- Snorkel mask (so we wouldn’t have to rent it or go on a paid tour to snorkel)
- Baseball caps
- Five pairs of sunglasses (we’ve learned or lesson after losing so many to the sea gods through the years!)
- Noise cancelling headphones (him)
- Running headphones (him)
- Earbuds (her)
- Earplugs
- Multiple port power block with USB cords and Garmin watch charger
- Battery pack (we LOVE this one!)
- Two laundry sheets (easy way to pack laundry detergent while traveling!)
- Bag with toiletries (I LOVE this one because it hangs up to save space!)
Booking your travel on Avianca Airlines can bring tremendous value, and with a little planning ahead, you’ll save money and have everything you need!
