Best Personal Item Bag for Flying 2024

Don’t you just love that personal item that you can stuff with extra things and take with you on the plane? Your regular carry on is subject to scrutiny if it even appears slightly overweight or oversized but your handbag can be pushing its limits and still be allowed without a second glance. You don’t have to tag it like your carry on either.

The best personal item bag for flying is roomy enough to hold everything you need during the flight plus a little extra, and is easy to carry over your shoulder, across your body, in your hand, or on your back. When you want to be completely free, you can maybe take it piggybacking with your wheeled luggage.

Top Picks for Best Personal Bag for Carry On Plane Travel

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Carry On Vs Personal Item: What is the Difference?

A personal item can be a laptop bag, tote, camera bag, purse, messenger bag or backpack. That does not mean it can be a large bag that has space for a laptop or camera along with several changes of clothes! That would be more in the realm of a carry on bag where the longest dimension measured is 20″-22″ or lower. A carry on bag does not have to fit under an airline seat but it does have to fit in the overhead compartment. A diaper bag or diaper backpack is additional piece you can carry if you’re traveling with an infant or child.

Personal bags for flying have to fit under the plane seat, as you’re not allowed to hold the bag on your lap while taking off and landing. Some spaces under seats are tighter than others so different airlines have different dimension restrictions. We have researched the carry on personal item bag size limits for as many USA based airlines as possible, but not all airlines list maximum dimensions of a personal item. An 18 x 14 x 8 inches bag seems to be the standard acceptable size, although you can probably allow for an extra inch with any one dimension if the bag has a soft and flexible design that allows you to compress it a bit.

So what does one carry on and one personal item mean, according to the airlines? This means that you can take one bag that conforms to its stated carry on dimensions as well as one free personal item according to a different set of dimensions (explicitly stated or not) along with you on board your flight. The carry on has to fit into the overhead bin, while the latter has to fit under the seat in front of you. If your personal item exceeds what the airline accepts, you might have to gate check your carry on bag while keeping your personal item as your actual carry on. Not all airlines and flights allow both on board so check beforehand to be sure.

We have shortlisted a few bags that do very well for travel and are guaranteed to be allowed as a personal item bag for women. These are not wheeled bags so if you want bags that can fit under an airline seat but can be rolled along too, we have separate recommendations for that.

If you want to keep your bag more secure, you could try some crossbody anti-theft travel bags.

Best Personal Item Bag With Trolley Sleeve

As the name suggests, a trolley sleeve is an extra travel bag feature that fits over your wheeled checked or carry-on baggage handle to keep your bag balanced. The bag with luggage slide can be attached firmly to the handle rather than being carried over your shoulder or worn as a backpack. A variety of travel bags for personal items are available with trolley sleeves, including backpacks, duffels, satchels, and totes.

Briggs & Riley Rhapsody-Essential Tote Bag

If you’re looking for a travel tote that can take you straight from the plane or train to the boardroom, the Briggs & Riley Rhapsody-Essential Tote Bag is a good bet. It is made of a lightweight micro weave nylon outer fabric in a sleek design with elegant and rich color options like black, navy, and plum.

Transport it either by the leather dual top handles or by the wide piggy-back sleeve at the back that slides over any telescopic handle for easy wheeling. There’s a leather luggage tag that can be removed if you want.

The organization on the exterior is just right here. There’s one large zipped Speed-thru pocket under the front handle to store your travel documents and phone that need to be accessed frequently. This one is invaluable for keeping your passport and boarding pass safe. If that’s not enough, there’s a hidden RFID blocking security pocket with soft interior lining behind the luggage slide sleeve to keep your passport and cards safe.

The inside of the bag features one zippered pocket in the middle to divide the main compartment into 2 halves. There are two elastic pockets and pen loops on one wall and a well padded laptop sleeve on the other to hold a 15″ laptop. There’s even space for your TSA-compliant toiletries bag or a power bank or a travel cord organizer. This bag has a magnetic flap closure on the top rather than a traditional top closure.

This bag measures 16.5″ x 13.5″ x 6.5″ and weighs 1.6 lbs.

Pros:

• Smart design with lots of storage space.
• High quality materials for durability.
• Strong shoulder straps.
• Quite light.

Cons:

• The magnetic snap closure instead of a zipper may feel inadequate for some.
• No adjustable shoulder strap.

Dagne Dover Landon CarryAll Bag

The Dagne Dover Landon Carryall Bag has everything you need. It is a tote bag with several features like an in-built padded laptop sleeve, water bottle pocket, and interior pockets like two air mesh pockets where you can sort your personal items. It also has a mesh zip bag attached to a detachable key leash where you can put all your essential documents such as passports and boarding passes.

Size isn’t an issue as it is available in 5 different sizes all the way from extra small to extra large. Some of the sizes of the Dagne Dover Landon Carryall Bag come with a luggage sleeve that owners can slide over a rolling suitcase’s telescopic handle. The dimensions of the Large Dagne Dover Landon Carryall Bag are 16.5” L x 9” W x 11” H, which is perfect for a personal item. There are side snaps that can be released to make extra room for small souvenirs that you may have on your return flight.

I particularly liked the phone pocket on the outside of the bag. This pocket is at the back and well-hidden, almost to the point of being indistinguishable. You can put your phone or keys in this slot without having to worry about anyone stealing them from you.

The Dagne Dover Landon Carryall Bag is equipped with a crossbody strap and various short straps that you can sling on your shoulders with ease. There is also a shoe bag that comes with this tote bag, as well as a dust bag to protect it in storage.

The tote bag is designed using premium-quality materials, prioritizing both style and comfort. The fabric is made from neoprene and is quite resilient to tears and damage, while the interior lining is made of a fabric from recycled plastic bottles.

Pros:

• The neoprene in the material makes the tote bag easily washable by hand.
• Has a lot of pockets and sleeves for easy assortment of items.
• The material is quite durable and resistant to damage.
• Several size options and colors.

Cons:

• The fabric can develop creases and pills, which need to be removed or smoothed over.
• Can’t be machine washed.

Away Travel – The Everywhere Bag

For a satchel-style tote bag, the Away Everywhere Bag Is a stylish and minimalist option that you can use as your personal item on planes or as your everyday work bag. It does have a dedicated padded laptop compartment that can hold a 15″ laptop. It is secured by a lockable magnetic zipper. The main compartment opens by rugged dual zippers that go all the way down the sides to give you easy access to the interior. It has gusseted sides so that nothing falls out when it’s fully open. There are 5 other pockets inside for organization, including a water bottle pocket, and a detachable key clip. The rest of the main space is very roomy.

There are two zippered exterior pockets. One is on the luggage sleeve at the back and is good for holding your travel documents, while a second smaller hidden pocket on the front is for your phone.

This is a soft abrasion and water-resistant nylon fabric bag with leather trim. It is easy to clean with a damp cloth and gentle liquid soap. The bag is available in 3 colors. The back has a piggyback luggage slide so that you can slip the bag over your wheeled bag’s extended handle and the bag will be perfectly balanced on top. The other ways to transport it are by the dual carry handles that are just long enough to fit securely over your shoulder, or by the detachable and adjustable padded shoulder strap.

This 19L tote bag with luggage slide over measures 16.3″ x 7.3″ x 10.2″ and weighs 2.2 pounds without the detachable strap and 2.7 pounds with it.

Pros:

• Easy to pack and see inside the bag.
• Plenty of pockets.
• Easy to clean.
• Also good as a work bag or gym bag.
• Maintains its form even when empty.
• Nice minimalist look and stylish colors.

Cons:

• Not the lightest bag when empty.
• No exterior pocket for a water bottle or umbrella.

ECOSUSI Duffle Bag Travel Tote Carry On

Perhaps the most unstructured of our choices here is the ECOSUSI Unisex Large Travel Weekender Bag. If you’re looking for a large slouchy type bag, this is it. Available in three colors and made of water-repellent nylon with beautiful black faux leather accents and gold hardware, this satchel-style tote can be carried by dual top carry handles or by a padded detachable and adjustable shoulder strap to make carrying the bag very comfortable.

It also has a wide back panel that slides over any telescopic handle of a wheeled bag so that you don’t need to carry it on your body for long periods of time. This back panel features a zippered pocket that’s big enough for a passport and boarding pass.

It weighs 1.2 pounds, measures 18.5″ L x 11.8″ H x 7.8″ W at the bottom with slow tapering towards the top, and will fit under any airline seat. You can stuff quite a lot in here but note that the actual height of the bag is closer to 8 inches because the zipper is sewn into the fold of the bag and cannot be unfolded. The large main zippered compartment features a padded velcro pocket for a tablet or 15.4″ laptop, three slip pockets, and one zippered pocket.

The wide bottom is semi-rigid and features 4 metal feet to keep the bag upright when set down.

Pros:

• Detachable shoulder strap lets you take the bag from travel bag to everyday work satchel.
• Very good value.
• Can hold a lot.

Cons:

• The usable height of the bag is only 8 inches.
• No lockable zippers.

Baggallini Avenue Tote

The Baggallini Avenue Tote may not appear to be much, but it is a strong contender for best travel tote bag with trolley sleeve if you don’t want to spend so much for the above options! It is the ideal carry-on shoulder tote bag, with plenty of space for your own travel accessories.

You can expect it to last indefinitely, and because of its classic look, this nylon bag can tour the world with you. It’s even machine washable. This 1 lb 4 oz. tote measures 18″ by 12″ by 5.5″.

It has a sleeve at the back to slide over wheeled luggage. You can also wear it across your body with the long and adjustable shoulder strap or over one shoulder with the dual tote straps. It’s small enough to fit under the seat, but it can be crammed.

If you’re carrying a diagonally 15.5″ laptop, that will fit nicely inside the secure padded 10″ by 13″ pocket. There are credit card slots, a zipped pocket and several slip pockets and pen slots inside, so you won’t have to rummage around for small items. There’s a handy removable RFID-protected phone wristlet as well that will protect not only your phone but also your important cards and passport. The front zippered pocket hides a pull out ID tag and if you don’t use the sleeve at the back, you can just zip up the bottom and use it as an extra zipped compartment instead.

Pros:

• Machine washable.
• Three ways to travel with it.
• Plenty of organization features.

Cons:

• Only one small exterior pocket.

Nomad Lane Bento Bag V3.0

If you want a more structured and sturdy bag with more organizational features, this Bento Bag by Nomad Lane may just be the best personal item carry on bag for airline travel. It’s got features galore to make traveling from the plane to the boardroom easier and it is available in a few different professional colors.

This 17 x 10 x 8 inch bag weighs 2.9 lbs, is made of premium nylon and faux leather, and is available in a few dark colors with either bronze or silver hardware. The thick dual carry handles, adjustable and detachable shoulder strap with extra thick sliding pad and wide trolley sleeve at the back of the bag make all three methods of transport a breeze. The trolley sleeve features a large zippered pocket for travel documents.

There are pockets and compartments galore on this bag. It unzips via dual zippers down the center to separate into two packing zones that can lay flat next to each other like a suitcase. The rear zone has a dual-zippered compartment that’s perfect for all your clothes and it has a zippered fabric divider that will keep everything in there neat and tidy and separate from the rest of your things. The outside of the divider features a padded laptop sleeve for a 15″ laptop and another sleeve for a tablet. Both are secured by a velcro fastener. Since these devices are completely separate from anything else, it’s easy to just quickly unzip the top part and slide the devices out for the security check at the airport.

The front zone of the bag is separated from the rear by a zippered mesh divider and this space is further divided into three compartments. The one that’s the innermost is only accessible via the mesh panel and is good for packing underwear or a pair of shoes. There are two drawstring shoe bags also provided. The other two compartments are side by side and are accessible via their own external zippered L-shaped openings. One can be used for a toiletry bag and the other for a travel organizer pouch. Both these accessories are provided with the bag – one is a clear TSA-approved size toiletry bag.

Finally, there’s a dual zipper organizer compartment on the front with gusseted sides to prevent anything from falling out. There are plenty of pockets and slots for all your smaller gadgets and digital accessories. There’s also a USB-A port connected from this compartment to the bottom side of the bag so that you can charge your devices on the go, although you’ll need an adapter if they’re not USB-A compatible. You’ll also need your own power bank.

We rate this as perhaps the best personal item bag for air travel.

Pros:

• Lots of included accessory bags and compartments.
• Easy to pack and access things from.
• All the zippers are water resistant.

Cons:

• You’ll need an adapter to connect to the charging port if your device is not USB-A compatible.
• The accessory bags are not of great quality.

Vera Bradley Women’s Microfiber Compact Weekender Travel Bag

This brand has the iconic cotton weekender and carry on travel duffle bags that just fly off the shelves, so it only makes sense that they do a similar smaller version as a personal item bag. Vera Bradley’s Women’s Compact Weekender Travel Bag measures 16″ x 10″ x 7″ and weighs just 1.4 pounds but it holds a ton in its 20L capacity. It’s probably the perfect dimensions for a personal item, and it’s designed to fit under any airline seat.

The exterior is made of an ultra-lightweight microfiber polyester fabric that’s machine washable and available in fun solid colors. There are 3 ways to transport this bag – via its dual carry handles, its adjustable and removable shoulder strap with a movable pad, or its piggy back sleeve at the back that fits over a telescopic handle of wheeled bags.

This small boarding bag has two pockets on the outside and in front – a larger u-shaped double zipper one and a smaller single zipper straight one. There’s a side slip pocket on one end for a water bottle. Inside the main compartment that closes via two zippers are 5 mesh pockets. You can stuff a sweater inside the main compartment along with other large items. Although there is no padded sleeve for a laptop, you can fit a 15″ one in here or use one of the larger mesh pockets inside for a tablet. Since two of these are placed side by side, you can even unpick the separator stitches between the two to make a nice large pocket for a laptop.

Because its internal design is sleek and simple with no unnecessary straps and clasps, there’s more room for your things. The only downside is that there are no feet on the bottom so you should be careful not to set it down on a dirty or wet surface.

Pros:

• Very light when empty.
• Very comfortable cross body shoulder strap.
• Machine washable.

Cons:

• No feet on the bottom of the bag.
• All mesh and no zippered pockets inside.

Travelpro Maxlite 5 Underseat Travel Tote

This soft duffel style travel bag is made of polyester fabric with water and stain resistant coating and is available in several colors. The Travelpro Maxlite 5 Tote duffel bag is a great personal item luggage option for both men and women.

The main compartment opens from the top via a u-shaped flap with dual lockable zipper pulls. There’s a zip top mesh pocket inside. You may find that the use of some organizers are best to pack lots of different items and keep the interior from getting messy. The front exterior features a large padded dual zippered u-shaped pocket that’s good for a 15″ laptop or tablet and there’s another smaller easy access pocket in front of that. There’s a large dual zippered u-shaped gusseted side pocket for a pair of shoes or a water bottle and other small items.

There are three ways to carry this personal carry on bag. The first is by its detachable shoulder strap that’s adjustable for length and comes with a sliding pad. The second is by its sturdy dual grab handles on the top that can be kept together by the velcro wrap. The third method is by the piggy-back strap at the back that will fit any telescopic handle on wheeled luggage, although this method isn’t the best as the strap is thin and can be a bit loose around some handles.

This bag measures 18″ x 11″ x 8″ and weighs 1.6 lbs. Can this duffel bag be a personal item? Yes, on most airlines. If you don’t stuff it too much, it can be squeezed under many other seats too as it is a soft tote.

Pros:

• Great organizational features.
• Lifetime warranty.
• Very lightweight but durable.

Cons:

• Won’t fit under some tight economy seats.
• No external water bottle pocket.

Camtop Ladies Travel Carry On Tote Bag

The Camtop Ladies Travel Carry On Tote Bag has a wide range of features that make it one of the best choices for taking it along on your travels. The fabric of this tote bag is a soft and durable canvas with 100% cotton lining, designed to make it as lightweight as possible. Its dimensions are 16.2″ (L) x 14.5″ (H) x 8″ (W), making it perfect for a small weekend trip bag.

Even though the tote bag is small and compact, it can hold an impressive quantity of items without any distortion to its shape. It can be used as a carry-on bag as it meets most airlines’ requirements. This tote bag has an adjustable shoulder strap made from PU leather.

While the bag provides enough capacity for a weekend trip, sometimes you may still need a suitcase. In such cases, the tote bag rises to the occasion as the back sleeve of the bag can be placed over the handle of the suitcase. You don’t have to worry about handling too many items at once.

I particularly liked how versatile the tote bag is. This bag isn’t just for traveling, although it certainly helps with that. You can use it for beaches, gyms, business, shopping, sports, and practically anything that you can think of.

Pros:

• Compact size allows it to fit in tight spaces.
• Has a sleeve that can fit over handles of suitcases.
• The zipper pocket is excellent for carrying mobiles, IDs, and cash.

Cons:

• Canvas fabric needs to be washed carefully by hand.
• The tote bag may get frequently creased and thus needs to be smoothed over.

Best Personal Item Backpack for Travel

Backpacks that are soft and unstructured can do very well as personal items even if their dimensions are a bit over the maximum limit. The secret is to not pack them fully so that they can be squished into the sizer bin to fit. One such personal item size backpack is the Hynes Eagle 38L Flight Approved Backpack.

Himawari Laptop Backpack Travel Backpack

The Himawari Laptop Backpack is your go-to choice for traveling and carrying your items in a safe and convenient manner. The backpack is available in two sizes and has lots of features in it. It has a laptop pocket that can easily carry your laptop if it’s up to 15 inches. Furthermore, it also features a USB charging port, allowing you to charge your devices while on the go.

Because of its features, it isn’t just a backpack exclusively for travel. You can use it as an office bag, travel bag, gym bag, weekend bag, or even a sports bag. Its sizable capacity can fit a lot of items like lunches, shoes, umbrellas, and other essential things that you can quickly have access to. The dimensions of this backpack are 11″ x 16″ x 6.3″.

The reinforced edges and steel frame give a lot of sturdiness and durability to the backpack. The padded back panel and shoulder straps are quite comfortable and can be adjusted according to your desire. The shape of the backpack will not be disfigured even if you pack it to the full capacity.

Apart from its functionality, the backpack also has a high aesthetic appeal. The overall design is quite impressive to look at. The backpack is available in an astonishing 31 colors; hence, you can see what color attracts you the most.

Pros:

• USB port to charge your electronic devices.
• The backpack is extremely durable and sturdy.
• It has a lot of pockets, making it a multi-purpose backpack.

Cons:

• Cannot carry extra-large and heavy laptops.
• The shoulder straps may need constant readjusting.

Lily & Drew Casual Travel Daypack with Doctor Style Top Opening

One such backpack that would work extremely well as a personal item for women is the Lily & Drew Casual Travel Daypack. What makes this backpack great for travel on a plane is its large tote-style zippered opening to the main compartment on the top, but with the inclusion of several carrying options.

Inside this bag is a padded sleeve for a small 14″ laptop and 2 slip pockets. All your belongings can be found easily and wide items just slip right in. You can also pack a change of clothes in there. There are two external zippered pockets on the front. One has a hidden zipper and is tall and narrow – perfect for a cell phone. The other lies below and is wide and deep – good for travel documents. Each side features a water bottle slip pocket and there’s one external zippered pocket on the back too for a newspaper or magazine.

There are several ways to carry this bag. You can use the padded adjustable shoulder straps, the dual grab handles with wrap grip on the top, or the trolley strap on the back to slide it over the telescopic handle of your rolling luggage.

This backpack with trolley sleeve is lightly padded on the bottom, measures 15″ tall, 10.2″ wide, 8.7″ deep (including the external pocket), and weighs 1.6 lbs. It is made of water resistant polyester and can be hand washed if necessary.

It does seem that you should be careful with the side pockets, as some customers have said that they can rip if you try to use a bottle with a tight fit. The main zipper also needs two hands to open – one to hold one end of the top and the other to pull one zipper pull the other way. However, both left and right handed people can appreciate that there are two zipper pulls to to allow for opening and closing in either direction.

Pros:

• Has a luggage slide sleeve, which is rare on backpacks.
• Easy to clean.

Cons:

• Only for 14″ or smaller laptops.
• Doctor style opening makes it harder to insert and remove wider objects.

Rangeland Travel Backpack

If you are looking for a personal item backpack featuring a sizable capacity for storage, the Rangeland Travel Backpack is perfect for you. For an underseat backpack, it is quite big in size hence you should ensure your airline does allow it. Because of its increased size, its capacity is up to 21 liters which is quite impressive. The dimensions of the Rangeland Travel Backpack are 7” x 16” x 12”.

The travel backpack can also be used as a regular backpack. You can easily put a 15” laptop in it with no difficulty. The laptop pocket has foam padding in the back panel while your clothes will go into the main compartment, hence your laptop should be quite safe between the two.

The main compartment of the Rangeland Travel Backpack has elastic straps that are designed to make sure your items don’t move around much. Furthermore, there are several mesh pockets and pen holders on the top of the bag. The external side compression straps keep the bag compact and secure but also let you attach items that won’t fit inside or that you want easy access to, like a windbreaker or travel pillow.

If you don’t want to carry the bag yourself, the Rangeland Travel backpack has a luggage strap that you can slide over suitcase handles, thereby freeing you from the extra burden. The shoulder straps are, nevertheless, quite comfortable as they are padded and breathable, as is the back panel. Even if the backpack is full, you should be able to carry it easily.

Pros:

• It has a huge capacity for lots of items.
• The main compartment of the backpack opens like a suitcase, making packing and visibility easier.
• Very good padding in the laptop compartment.
• Very light for its size and capacity.

Cons:

• Its size may not be suitable for a personal item backpack in some cases.
• The zippers could be better quality.

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