Buy a Budget Airline to Kill $60 Carry-On Fees? One Startup Says Yes

NATIONWIDE - AUGUST 2025 - (USAnews.com) — The scene is familiar to anyone who has flown on a budget airline. You shuffle toward the gate, ticket in hand, already picturing your destination. But then, a gate agent points to your carry-on bag and directs you to the metal sizing cage. It does not quite fit. Your heart sinks because you know what comes next: the extra charge that can cost as much as the ticket itself.

For most passengers, this is where the story ends. But for a growing number of savvy travelers, there is a new twist. They unzip a wool-like overcoat, pull back the flap of one of four cavernous pockets, and reveal a perfectly legal stash of clothing, gadgets, and travel essentials. The bag is left behind, the fee is avoided, and they walk onto the plane with confidence.

That coat has a name: Packit Jacket. And it is quietly sparking a shift in the way travelers prepare for trips.

The Origin of Packit Jacket

Every innovation begins with a problem. For Packit Jacket, that problem was simple: rising baggage restrictions and fees. Budget airlines had built their empires by enticing travelers with ultra-low fares, then inflating the true cost of travel with additional charges. Baggage fees were the most frustrating of all.

The mission was straightforward: create a wearable jacket that functions as luggage without looking unusual. The goal was not a novelty product, but a garment people could wear daily while making travel easier.

How It Works

Travelers head to the airport as usual and pass through security without issue—since baggage size limits aren’t enforced there. The real test comes at the gate. If the agent starts checking bag sizes and charging fees, Packit Jacket users have a secret weapon: they quickly move any excess items into the jacket’s four oversized pockets. With the help of the included packing cubes, this takes less than a minute. Once repacked, they simply board the plane—no fees, no hassle.

From Idea to Practical Design

Early adopters quickly proved the concept worked. One traveler described how they saved hundreds in fees during a summer of flights across Europe. For them, Packit Jacket was not just about savings, but about peace of mind.

Creating the jacket meant balancing form and function:

• Pockets large enough to hold clothing, shoes, or small electronics, yet discreet in appearance.
  
  

• Fabric that felt like wool and presented a refined look.
  
  

• A design that could transition seamlessly from airport to everyday use.

The breakthrough came when Packit Jacket stopped being viewed as a “travel hack” and instead as a versatile garment. That shift made it useful for more than airports and helped it earn a place in travelers’ wardrobes.

Who Uses Packit Jacket

For backpackers, digital nomads, and budget-conscious travelers, the jacket offers independence. Students on weekend trips can avoid luggage stress. Digital workers can carry cords, laptops, and clothing without adding a bag. Travelers connecting between airlines with strict baggage rules can simplify transitions.

Packit Jacket has spread through word of mouth, online communities, and travel networks. It represents not just a way to save money, but also a tool that simplifies moving from one destination to another.

Standing Apart from Competitors

Wearable luggage is not entirely new, but many products in this category struggle with style. Oversized coats with bulky compartments may work for boarding a plane, but often look out of place in daily life.

Packit Jacket differs by being subtle, stylish, and functional in multiple settings. Owners can wear it on the street, in cafés, or while exploring a city, without drawing attention to the storage it contains. This blend of usability and discretion is what sets it apart.

Stories Behind the Jacket

Travelers report using Packit Jacket for everything from multi-country backpacking trips to quick city getaways. For some, it reduces the stress of packing. For others, it represents the freedom of traveling with fewer restrictions.

These stories highlight how design, when applied thoughtfully, can solve everyday frustrations in meaningful ways.

Looking Ahead

Packit Jacket reflects a larger trend in travel: finding practical solutions that put convenience back in the hands of passengers. As airlines continue adjusting their policies, products that offer flexibility are likely to become even more valuable.

In that sense, Packit Jacket is not only about storage or style. It signals a new way of thinking about travel apparel — clothing that performs beyond the ordinary and adapts to the realities of modern travel. 

The founder envisions a future where the Packit Jacket brand grows large enough to buy shares in low-cost airlines, secure a board seat, and put an end to outrageous carry-on fees.

Learn More

Travel is best enjoyed with less stress and greater freedom. Packit Jacket offers a practical way to simplify trips, reduce the likelihood of added fees, and stay comfortable in style.

For more information, visit hugeasspockets.com or follow Packit Jacket on Instagram.