Best Carry

Prices start at $10 for these traveler-loved suitcases, backpacks, weekenders, and more.

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Travel + Leisure / Reese Herrington

Catching a flight soon? Make sure that your legs can handle the ride. The average legroom in coach is just 30 to 32 inches depending on the airline — and if you’re a long-limbed person like me, you (and your numb calves) know that this isn’t a lot to work with, especially once you factor in the space that your bag will take up. In addition to getting an aisle seat so you can easily stand up and walk around, you can also invest in a compact travel bag that will stow neatly under your seat without hogging up your precious space. Your back will also thank you for not hoisting it into the overhead compartment.

Underseat carry-on bags come in many shapes and forms and can tackle a whole host of other flying conundrums, from storing your laptop and charging up your phone to cleverly compartmentalizing your belongings and even protecting you from identity theft. To simplify your search, we've rounded up the best suitcases, collapsible duffels, travel-friendly backpacks, and more carry-on options that fit under your seat without compromising legroom. With these brilliant luggage picks on board, you’re ready for takeoff; keep scrolling to shop the 13 best underseat carry-on bags.

Amazon

If you’re in the market for something as close as possible to a standard rolling carry-on suitcase, you might as well opt for a classic, tried-and-true brand like Samsonite. The Ascella 3.0 softside luggage has the good stuff that you’ve come to expect, like four spinner wheels and a telescoping handle. But, it also has some fun extra add-ons like an external battery compartment with a USB pass-through pocket and an incorporated laptop sleeve. And don't worry, its 18-inch frame ensures that there's still plenty of room to spread out.

Amazon

You'd be hard-pressed to find a carry-on bag that's this indestructible. For starters, the Canway 65L Travel Duffel Bag is made with rip-proof polyester that's impervious to water and other damaging elements. It’s packed with pockets (six in total) and even has a compartment dedicated to keeping your dirty shoes separate from the rest of your wardrobe.

According to one of its 12,700-plus five-star reviewers, "The bag is a perfect 'personal' item for travel. It fits under the seat and it looks good enough to carry as a handbag if necessary."

Amazon

This best-selling travel backpack has us sold with its multi-compartment design, which helps you pack smarter since there's a spot for everything. What's more, the outside is waterproof and the interior is specially built to maintain an optimal environment that won’t retain heat or moisture. And, it even has an anti-theft pocket hidden in the back so you can have peace of mind that your valuables are safely stored.

In their review, one Amazon shopper shared, “My cousin and I did a quick weekend girl's trip to New York City, and this had plenty of room for me to pack everything I needed for two-and-a-half days while not being bulky or difficult to carry. It fit right under the seat in front of me as my carry-on."

Amazon

This striped canvas duffel with a sleek leather trim is the perfect carry-on for a few cute weekend trip outfits, and it can even fit a 15-inch laptop. But what really makes it special is its trolley handle, which lets you attach it to your suitcase handle to give your shoulder a break as you move through the airport. When you do get it under your seat, its four metal feet will hold it in place and prevent it from getting knocked around, a design feature you'll be thankful for when you need to grab something from it mid-flight.

Taking to the review section, a traveler noted that it's made with “sturdy, high quality material" and "makes air travel easier with the convenient pocket for important documents.”

Rimowa

This weekender is so elegant that you'll want to carry it around as a purse or backpack long after your flight — heck, why not? The Italian-made travel bag provides ample packing space for short trips, whether they're for business or pleasure, and is stocked with multiple interior pockets for added organization convenience. Its main compartment can fit a 13-inch laptop, and you can carry it two ways (with the top handles or around/across your shoulder). Or, you can slip it over your luggage handle to go hands-free in the airport, taxi line, hotel lobby, etc.

Amazon

Duffel bag fans will find this Rockland version to be heaven on wheels. It takes all of the compact, structured storage abilities of a traditional duffel bag and adds a telescoping handle and inline wheels so you don’t have to lift it (but if you need to, it has handles, too). Its sturdy polyester material comes in several fun patterns like this playful polka dot print, and it only costs $39, which is a fraction of what most suitcases are priced at.

"This excellent, rugged duffel bag passed the carry-on test on a recent trip," one Amazon customer exclaimed. "It's tough, well-made, and fits under the seat."

Amazon

This roomy backpack can be expanded 40 extra inches and includes a padded laptop compartment. But what makes this spacious bag really special is that it's specifically designed for air travel; it opens at 90- or 180-degree angles so you can easily access, remove, and replace your stuff while going through security. It's waterproof, durable, and even comes with two clear toiletry cases. Still not convinced? Well, wait until you hear that it has a handy port so you can juice up your phone or laptop on-the-go?

For one traveler, it was the perfect companion for a "7-day trip to the Caribbean… This fits 10 swimsuits, 10 cover-ups, my toiletry bag, makeup, hair brushes and a straightener, two purses, my Apple AirPods Max headphones, and two pairs of sandals." Even though it "was packed to the brim," they assured that it still "fit perfectly under the seat in front of me."

Amazon

This compact suitcase has a handy USB port built right in and lets you carry on an underseat-sized bag — without actually having to carry it. Plenty of pockets are located along the spacious interior and rugged exterior to keep your items organized and secure, and there's a sturdy telescopic handle to help you get through the airport smoothly.

After taking it on a weekend trip, one jet-setter was happy to report that "it had plenty of room for all of my things, and fit great under my seat on American Airlines with a little room to spare."

Amazon

Plenty of minimalist travelers prefer to bring a simple tote bag on the plane to carry their essentials. If you're looking to pack lighter and smarter, then this Bag Wizard Laptop Tote is a prime example of maximizing the storage and function of a smaller bag. Inside, you'll find a padded laptop compartment, a zippered pocket, and plenty of compartments to ensure that everything has a place. Not only will this bag fit everything, but it will also keep everything organized and prevent the bottomless pit conundrum that gives tote bags a bad name.

According to one reviewer, “The straps are the perfect length not causing shoulder and neck pain.”

Amazon

If you plan to go shopping or bring back souvenirs while you’re away, make sure this lightweight, waterproof duffel bag by Narway is your carry-on. It was made specifically for smaller airlines like Spirit and Frontier (but you can take it on any airline) and it folds up so small that you can pack it in your luggage — and then use it as an extra carry-on for the flight back.

Vouching for the travel duffel, a shopper said, “This bag is a game-changer when it comes to maximizing your space and adhering to the strict size restrictions of budget airlines."

Amazon

Looking for a travel backpack that means business? This one by Lumesner can fit up to one week’s worth of clothes, has a built-in USB port, and comes with three packing cubes in various sizes for sweaters, T-shirts, toiletries, makeup, and more — as well as a separate drawstring bag for your shoes. It’s the perfect marriage of a backpack and a weekender bag.

“This survived a two-week trip to Bali and the Philippines,” one customer wrote. “It fit everything I needed for a wedding, hiking, and [the] beach, including dress shoes, sandals, and a toiletry bag.”

Amazon

It’s rare that we see a product this highly rated at Amazon, but the Falanko Laptop Backpack has an impressive 4.8-star average rating from thousands of shoppers. Perfect for anyone who fears what’s going on behind their back, the bag is designed with anti-theft RFID-blocking technology in its many pockets. It also has a USB port for on-the-go charging and is sturdy, water-resistant, and pretty sharp-looking.

“This one has been banged around all year by my college-aged daughter and still looks nearly new," a customer shared. "All the zippers have held up well, she fits an amazing amount of stuff in here, and it has been great for everything from class to using as her personal item when she flies home on breaks.”

Amazon

If you like using backpacks as carry-ons to better distribute the weight of what you’re packing, this Nicgid Sling Bag is a great, lightweight alternative to the classic travel bag. It hangs diagonally across one shoulder, but unlike many sling bags, it has serious capacity; it can hold your laptop (without a sleeve), as well as several days’ worth of clothes — and it has lots of little pockets for extra storage and organization. Reviewers also pointed out that the padded strap is pretty comfy.

And, it's versatile, too. One shopper said, "I bought this for my son for a future trip. It's the right size to work as a carry-on as well as a daytime bag for touring. There's room for a bottle of water and anything else you need."

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