I Traveled to Europe for a Week Without Checking a Bag Thanks to This Flight Attendant-approved Packing Hack

As someone who typically prefers to travel with just a carry-on bag, I’ve tried pretty much every packing hack to fit as much as possible into my suitcase. A glance inside will uncover shirts wound around hair tools, socks stuffed into shoes, and dresses tightly rolled into every crevice. I’ve become so confident in my ability to stuff a suitcase that I’ve typically been skeptical of packing cubes—that is, until my last Europe trip.

You see, when I was recently packing for a near-week-long London trip, my usual methods weren’t cutting it. Despite planning my outfits for every day and night of the trip, my carry-on suitcase was overflowing. I decided to try packing with the Gonex Compression Packing Cubes, which are flight attendant-approved and on sale at Amazon for Labor Day—and much to my delight, everything that I’d laid out to pack now fit in my carry-on. 

Gonex Compression Packing Cubes

Apart from their space-saving magic, I’m impressed by how easy Gonex packing cubes are to use. Currently on sale for 33 percent off, they open from the top, allowing you to stuff in as many clothes as possible (which, trust me, I did), and close it like a pouch. Then, you simply push down on the cubes and use an extra zipper to manually compress them. All together, it’s extremely satisfying to witness in action. I have the pink packing cubes, but this four-piece set comes in 19 styles total, including more neutral colors and a fun floral pattern that I’m tempted to order myself. 

They’re sold in three sets depending on your packing needs: A four-piece packing cubes set, a five-piece set, and a six-piece set that includes four packing cubes, a toiletry bag, and a shoe bag. I opted for the four-piece set that includes one 17.3-inch by 13-inch extra-large pouch, plus the large, medium, and small packing cubes. The brand recommends that you pack larger items like jeans and sweaters into the larger cubes, while the smaller sizes can be used for socks and underwear.

All four cubes are designed to fit together into your carry-on like a puzzle. However, my personal favorite way to use them is to start with the extra-large cube and work my way down if I feel I need more space. I’ve found that the largest cube fits perfectly into one side of my go-to Away Bigger Carry-on.  

The Gonex packing cubes have over 7,000 five-star ratings at Amazon, with 1,400-plus reviewers praising their high quality and durability. They’re made with waterproof, lightweight nylon to alleviate some of your common travel conundrums: if liquid leaks into your bag, you don’t have to worry about it getting on your clothes, and the cubes won’t make your suitcase heavier. Each pouch also has a durable handle to make it easier to pull in and out of your suitcase. I was also excited to discover that my clothes didn’t wrinkle any more than usual inside the packing cubes, since they are packed so tightly together. 

I recently put the packing cubes to the test once again—here’s what my suitcase looked like before using them:

But once I packed everything into the Gonex packing cubes, I was left with more empty space. This ended up being the perfect spot to tuck my shoes so I wouldn’t have to worry about them getting dirt on my clothes. And just imagine how much more I was able to fit into my suitcase once I convinced my puppy to move. 

I was so impressed with the packing cubes that I raved about them to my family and friends, and my brother already ordered them in blue for his next trip. Amazon reviewers have called them everything from their “favorite packing necessity” to “rockstars,” and many of their fans are flight attendants.

One wrote, “They are great space savers and make it possible for me to pack for a four-day trip to frigid destinations without having to bring an extra bag.” Chiming in, a second flight attendant shared, “I routinely pack for a week in the medium bag only. If I used all four bags, I could pack enough to last months.” 

Gonex Compression Packing Cubes

Another reviewer said these Gonex packing cubes were “worth every penny” after using them to pack everything they needed for two weeks in Europe in a carry-on bag, and a traveler added, “The compression feature allowed me to overpack and still get everything neatly tucked into my suitcase.” They made sure to note that the zippers still worked smoothly, no matter how much they overstuffed the pouches. 

It’s safe to say that I’m no longer a packing cube skeptic. After my London trip, I’m now more confident than ever in my ability to pack just a carry-on for my upcoming trips. I even just booked an economy ticket to Paris to avoid checked bag fees.

Whether you’re looking to skip checking a bag like me or just want to fit more into your suitcase, you won’t regret ordering the Gonex Compression Packing Cubes for your next trip. Read on for more carry-on packing essentials from Amazon, starting at $9.

More Carry-on Travel Essentials at Amazon:

Mrsdry Travel Bottles for Toiletries

Soidram 2-piece Makeup Bag Set

Bagsmart Toiletry Bag With Hanging Hook

Bostanten Sling Bag

Pascacoo Passport Holder

At the time of publishing, the price started at $20.

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