When placing luggage in an overhead compartment, first lift it onto the top of the seat. Place your hands on the left and right sides of the suitcase and lift it up. If your luggage has wheels, make sure the wheel-side is set in the compartment first.

To lift luggage into an overhead bin safely and avoid back strain, follow a "legs-first" technique. First, stand directly in front of your seat with your core tight and feet in a wide, stable stance. Bend your knees slightly—not your waist—and grab the suitcase by its main handle and the bottom. Hoist the bag halfway up, resting it momentarily on the top of the seat back to regroup your grip. From there, place both hands on the sides of the bag, use your legs to propel the weight upward, and slide the bag into the bin wheels-first. If you find the bag too heavy, you can try hooking the top wheels onto the edge of the bin and then "levering" or twisting the bag flat and pushing it in. Always hold the bag close to your body to maintain your center of gravity and avoid twisting your spine or reaching sideways. In 2026, if a bag is too heavy to lift unassisted, it is a "gold standard" safety rule to ask a fellow passenger or a flight attendant for help rather than risking an injury to yourself or someone sitting nearby.