The best carry-on bags for travel
Airlines usually allow one personal item and one carry-on. this is a review of the 4 best personal item bags I found.
Now that we are all traveling again, I needed the best carry-on bag for my personal items. I wanted a carry-on that was both roomy and stylish, and that fit under the seat.
First, I looked at the requirements for each of the major airlines. (I suggest you doublecheck the personal item size limits on your airline of choice before selecting the perfect bag for you.)
Personal Item size limitations
- United 17” x 10” x 9” (128 square inches)
- American 18” x 14” x 8” (168 square inches)
- Delta 22” x 14” x 9” (231 square inches)
I was looking for a stylish bag that was also lightweight, and that would fit under the seat in front of me.
These are the best carry-on bags that I found for my personal items 1) MZ Wallace Travel Jimmy Bag $275, 2) Lo and Sons Catalina Deluxe Tote (On sale now for $129), 3) Calpak Luka Duffel $110, and 4) Caraa Nimbus Large Tote Bag ($250).
When I fly, I like to travel with a large handbag, 2 computers, and a pair of shoes easily accessible under the seat in front of me – so I tested the roominess of each bag by stuffing my large All Saints tote bag (13”x12”x6”), a pair of shoes, and 2 computers into each bag. All bags come with a shoulder strap, and are available in a variety of colors.
I reviewed 4 of the best carry-on bags. here’s what I thought.
1. The best carry-on bag for the stylish traveler who packs light
MZ Wallace Travel Jimmy Bag ($275) is a great bag.
The Wave Tie-dye pattern made it easily the most beautiful bag of the bunch. It was also the smallest, and even though very roomy, it didn’t quite fit my tote bag, shoes, and 2 computers.
However, I know most people won’t travel with as much “stuff” as I do — and this bag is stylish enough to stand as a handbag or tote on its own.
Dimensions and pockets: 18”x11”x7”. The bag has 6 pockets: 3 exterior, 1 interior zipped, 2 interior additional pockets.
Recommendation: I recommend this bag for someone that wants a lightweight, stylish bag, and who may not regularly carry as much as I do. The dimensions of this bag also meet the maximum requirements for all three major airlines.
MZ Wallace Travel Jimmy Bag ($275)
2. The best carry-on bag for the practical traveler - durable, and packs a ton in a small space.
Lo and Sons Catalina Deluxe Tote, $205, but on sale for $129. This bag was very roomy. It has a classic tote design, so was the most efficient and neat at packing a variety of items. They have a great video that shows just how much you can pack into this bag. This is a great bag if you prefer something that you could use as a large weekend bag.
Dimensions and pockets: 18” x 18.5” x 9” Two exterior pockets (with one doubling as a trolley sleeve), one zipped interior pocket, and one without a zipper.
Recommendation: This bag wasn’t as lightweight as the others, but was the most practical and durable of the 4 bags that I tested. It fit my belongings easily, and due to the tote design, the bag was balanced and easy to carry. It optimized space the best, which means that it’s the best bag here to carry the most items in a compact size.
Lo and Sons Catalina Deluxe Tote ($129)
3. The best carry-on bag for the traveler that appreciates simple lines and modern color
Calpak Luka Duffel, $110. This bag was the least expensive one that we reviewed. It was very roomy, and was the only one available in gold, which gave it a really unique and futuristic look. This bag was stylish, but felt bulky when I tried it on. The fabric also made the shoulder straps slippery.
Dimensions and Pockets: 16”x 12” x 7” (112 sq inch volume) 1 large zipped outer pocket, one without a zipper and 4 inside. There is a great shoe compartment and side water bottle pocket, too.
Recommendation: This bag is available in a variety of modern colors (including red, baby blue, and the gold shown here). It is a great bag for someone that needs a roomy bag, and as a bonus, was the least expensive bag that we reviewed.
Calpak Luka Duffel ($110)
4. The best carry-on bag all around - stylish and with tons of space 👍 👍👍
Caraa Nimbus Large Bag, $250. For me, this was the best carry-on bag for personal items. I found it to be roomy, and the straps were comfortable. It easily fit all of my belongings, and had nice magnets to hold the straps together.
Dimensions and pockets: The bag measures 18.5”x 13”x 8.5”, and is available in black, brown, and rose.For those that like a lot of separate compartments, this one is a winner – It comes with a water bottle pocket and exterior phone pocket plus 6 zipped interior and 3 unzipped interior pockets.
Recommendation: This was my favorite of the four bags. It was stylish, easy to carry, and easily fit my extra tote bag, pair of shoes and two laptops. However, the dimensions are slightly larger, and may not fit perfectly within the carry-on bag dimensions listed for some of the airlines.
Caraa Nimbus Large Bag ($250)
SUMMARY
I was looking for style together roominess to carry two computers and a large extra handbag or tote. For me, the best carry-on bag for under seat stowage was the Caraa Nimbus Large Bag. It was roomy and stylish, and also very comfortable to carry on my shoulders. I also loved the wave tie-dye pattern and light weight of the MZ Wallace Travel Jimmy bag.
Travelers that are looking for durability and efficiency should purchase the Lo and Sons Catalina Deluxe Tote, and someone that loves simplicity and modern lines should purchase the Calpak Luka Duffel.
Have you identified any great personal item bags? Tell us about them in the comments below.
If you enjoyed this article, please see my other piece about my experience reselling my designer clothing on sites including Vestiaire Collective, Etsy, and TheRealReal.
Here’s an article that I wrote about selling my furniture for cash.
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