I used a big bra as a suitcase and evaded cheeky luggage fares

Chelsea Dickenson

Published September 20, 2025 9:00am Updated September 22, 2025 1:00pm

I was in the airport toilets, standing in front of the mirror, trying to wedge a bikini top into the side of my brand-new pink DD bra.

Next in went my unused gym kit, followed by my fishing vest (more on that later). With every item, my reflection became a little… curvier.

As someone who’s never had much going on in that department, it might appear like a cheap boob job. But this wasn’t vanity – it was strategy.

I was flying home from Lisbon with Wizz Air in January, and they only allow a tiny 40 x 30 x 20cm cabin bag for free.

I’d managed the outbound flight just fine thanks to a fishing vest with over 15 pockets, but I really wanted to give a different hack a go for my return.

Chelsea Dickenson holding a large bra and looking shocked, next to Chelsea on the plane giving a thumbs up. — I was wearing half my suitcase on my chest (Picture: Chelsea Dickenson)

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Chelsea Dickenson taking a selfie on the aisle seat of a plane. — I was flying home from Lisbon with Wizz Air in January (Picture: Chelsea Dickenson)

I cautiously zipped up my jacket and took one last look in the mirror before heading for my gate, praying no one would notice I was basically wearing half my suitcase on my chest.

The idea started earlier that morning, when I’d been rifling through the sales rack in Lisbon’s H&M hoping to find something to test out.

I’d hoped for a hoodie with deep pockets or a slim bag I could tuck under my coat, but instead my hands landed on a large bra with the price reduced to €5.

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I was about to push it away when an idea came to me: what if this bra was the answer to bonus luggage space?

The concept of wearing extra clothes to avoid fees certainly isn’t new. There’s a reason why Joey Tribbiani’s ‘Could I BE wearing any more clothes’ moment in Friends is still a popular meme. It perfectly sums up the theatrics we have to resort to just to get a few extra outfits on board without paying more.

However, I’d never seen anyone use a bra for this purpose. And the logic was solid: airlines weigh and measure your bag, not your body. My coat pockets had been carrying overflow snacks and chargers for years, so why not give my chest a piece of the action too?

On the day of my flight, I wasn’t about to stroll through security looking like I’d got a Portuguese breast enlargement – this was about getting through the scales and bag sizers.

Chelsea Dickenson points at clothes-stuffed large bra — It reminded of playing dress-up as a child and stuffing wads of toilet paper down my top (Picture: Chelsea Dickenson)

Technically, clothes wouldn’t trigger alarms, but the thought of a pat-down revealing wads of fabric was enough to make me blush. So I stuffed the bra in my bag, sailed through security, and headed straight for the toilets to transform.

On went the bra – over my shirt for speed – and then the stuffing began.

My bikini and gym kit slid neatly into one cup, my fishing vest into the other. With each addition, my silhouette changed and I couldn’t help but let out a cackle, reminded of playing dress-up as a child and stuffing wads of toilet paper down my top.

Would you give this packing method a try?

Absolutely! What a genius trick
No - it seems like too much work
I don't think I could get away with it

Zipping my jacket was a slight challenge, and the moment the zip reached the top, the temperature began to rise. Lisbon might have been in winter mode, but under my layers, I was experiencing my own private heatwave.

When I emerged, James – my boyfriend and travel companion – looked me up and down, his eyebrows creeping higher with each passing second. He didn’t say a word, but his expression said it all: what on earth have you done now?

Chelsea Dickenson poses with stuffed bra under shirt — I couldn’t wait to reach my seat to rid myself of my ridiculous get-up (Picture: Chelsea Dickenson)

At the gate, I braced myself. I’m always slightly on edge when pushing the boundaries of airline rules.

You hear horror stories of passengers being told to unpack their bags, shove them into baggage sizers, or pay last-minute fines that cost more than the flight itself. I imagined a gate agent pointing me out, demanding to know why I looked like I’d swallowed a small rucksack.

In reality, no one batted an eyelid. Boarding went smoothly, but I couldn’t wait to reach my seat to rid myself of my ridiculous get-up. I hastily unzipped my coat on the plane before realising my faux pas – I forgot that my bulging bra was on the outside of my shirt.

Naturally, it took me an age to unclip the clasp at the back, much to the entertainment of my fellow passengers.

Settled, I was finally able to reflect on the hack at hand.

Chelsea Dickenson gives a thumbs-up on the plane — If you don’t have big boobs already, a spare big bra will likely work (Picture: Chelsea Dickenson)

Did it work? Yes.

I avoided paying for another bag and breezed through without question. But the downsides were obvious. You can’t pack much without looking completely unnatural, it’s sweltering, and you will inevitably embarrass yourself if you decide to take it off.

Would I do it again? Nah. This was a one-and-done. For me, there are far better hacks out there:

Chelsea's top packing hacks

The neck pillow trick – fill it with underwear or lightweight clothes. It’s surprisingly roomy and no one questions it (just stick to your least-worn garments for the return journey…).

The fishing vest hack – it’s basically a wearable cupboard, complete with deep pockets for chargers, snacks, and even a laptop.

The duty-free bag dodge – pick up a bag from duty-free, slip a jumper or two inside, and stroll on board looking like you’ve just bought perfume.

The large backpack gamble – my personal go-to. Risk it all by taking a bag that’s actually too big. I find that as long as you wear it on your back and keep facing the front, they often don’t care.

All of these have worked several times for me without the heat, bulk, or awkward mid-flight unzipping.

So, if you’re in a real fix and have a spare big bra lying around, sure – give it a go. If you don’t have big boobs already, it will likely work and you might save a bob or two in fees.

But for the sake of your comfort (and perhaps even your dignity), a jacket with deep pockets will do the job just as well – so when you unzip mid-flight, you’ll look completely normal and not like you got dressed in the dark.