WASHINGTON – It’s that time of year again – time to get out and take a summer trip.

While vacations are great, they can be expensive. When your family gets to the airport, the last thing you want is to face even more fees for your luggage.

Dodging bag fees starts with picking the right airline. For example, Southwest Airlines lets each passenger bring two bags on free.

MoneyTalks News also suggests getting an airline credit card, or paying attention to frequent flyer programs. Some airlines will honor frequent flier benefits from one of their partners.

Surprisingly, another way to save money might be to upgrade to first class. The higher price of the ticket might be worth it since it often means no baggage fees.

Other tips include, making the most of your carry-on bags since they’re free on major carriers. Also, think about wearing some extra layers or pockets if you’re really pushing the baggage limit.

Be sure and weigh your bags before you go to be sure they’re under the 50-pound cap.

And factor your packing plans into the price before you even buy tickets, to make sure you’re really going for the best deal.

WTOP’s Max Smith contributed to this report. Follow Max and WTOP on Twitter.

(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)