Dubbed “flying naked,” it’s the trend that travelers are trying out, but it doesn’t mean exactly how it sounds.
Instead of hopping on a plane with a carry-on or checking your bag at the front, passengers are traveling with the bare minimum.
The concept behind this trend is not entirely new; in fact, people have been testing the move out for years, and it’s recently been gaining traction.
The idea is that you hop on a train, fully clothed, with nothing but what is already in your pockets, although headphones seem to be one exception.
Some Reddit users joined in on the conversation, with some appearing to appreciate the idea and others finding the concept to be too limiting.
This can range from a brief overnight trip to multiple days with people breaking down their “zero bag trips” and sharing how they plan to attempt their travels with limited resources.
One user on TikTok posted a video of themselves walking through the airport, captioning the footage, “Getting on a plane with no carry-on bags is the weirdest feeling. It’s like you’re just hopping on the local bus and a little while later you [are] off in a completely different city.”
Another creator posted a series of travel videos titled “Traveling with No Bags, Just Vibes.”
Another flyer posted a similar video saying, “Woke up and decided to get on a flight with no checked bag or carry on, just vibes.”
While some hopped on the “flying naked” bandwagon, others said they couldn’t grasp the concept.
“I don’t get how come people are on the JFK AirTrain with no bags. Traveling [with] no inventory is insane to me,” another TikTok user said in a video.
There appear to be some beneficial aspects to flying without bags.
There may be less stress that comes with having to find overhead bin space or concern about your checked luggage not making it aboard a connecting flight.
An additional perk could include not having to pay additional fees for checking a bag.
In 2023, airlines made over $33 billion in baggage fees, FOX Business reported.
Some airlines, like Frontier, will even pay personnel an additional fee if they catch someone with a carry-on bag that is too large for the overhead bin space in the cabin as a way of incentivizing employees and passengers to follow the strict baggage policies, Reuters reported.
The “flying naked” trend is in contrast to another packing hack that people attempted while flying, which involved an over-abundance of bags while boarding an airplane.
Instead of flying with barely anything on you, some passengers have tried to bring additional bags on the plane, aside from their carry-on and personal bags, by hiding them under their clothes.
One TikTok user posted a video of a woman wearing a backpack on the front of her body, before putting on a sweatshirt to give the illusion that she was pregnant.
Others have tried to bring a pillowcase stuffed with additional clothes, a hack that quickly backfired, leading to one passenger getting involved with security, according to several news reports.
While the idea of “flying naked” might seem relaxing at the beginning, the next question is: What do you do when you land?
Some people claim they’ll live off the clothes on their back and continuously wash the items in the shower or sink, according to social media posts.
Others see it as an opportunity to shop or thrift for clothes when they arrive at their destination, but then they have to buy a new bag or suitcase to bring pack all the newly acquired clothing items they have purchased.
Another option would be to ship home the items they purchased, which could result in a payment that costs more than the fees required to check a bag.
Thrillist, a media company that covers travel, food, drink and more, categorized “naked flyers” into three categories: Totally Bare, Pocket People and Delivery Crew.
Those who go “Totally Bare” only bring the basics, which consist of a phone, charger and wallet. Thrillist noted that these people are in it for the challenge and will not ship luggage.
“Pocket People” are those who will fill up all available pockets with items they might need, including headphones, additional clothes and other toiletries.
“Cargo pants and zipper pockets are their friends,” the outlet said.
The last group, “Delivery Crew,” is only trying the “flying naked” trend because they want a smooth flying experience, while their luggage will be shipped to their final destination and be waiting for them upon their arrival, Thrillist reported.
Fox News Digital reached out to Frontier Airlines for comment.
Reuters contributed to this report.
