The best personal item bags in 2025, tested and reviewed

CNN

19 hours ago

The best personal item bags I tested
Best personal item bag: Calpak Luka Duffel
Best personal item backpack: Bagsmart Faro 29L Travel Backpack
Best small underseat bag: Arden Cove Carmel Convertible Bag Your choice of the best personal item bag for your flights hinges on how light or heavy of a packer you are, as well as the type of trips you take. That's not to take away from what a personal item bag is. A smaller bag to be stored under a seat of a plane, it's where you pack your flight and day-to-day essentials for quick and easy access. As long as it meets an airline's under-the-seat size guidelines — typically 18 by 14 by 8 inches (45 by 35 by 20 centimeters) — it could be anything from a purse to an ultralight backpack or a small weekender bag.
However, if you're about to purchase one, you should pick an underseat bag that will also meet your packing needs. I've done everything from shorter trips two to three times a month as a travel writer to a long-term trips where I'm gone for months at a time, and in my experience, a personal item bag can also be valuable extra storage for any luggage overflow you might have.
With so many options out there, whittling down your choices isn't easy. Since I've done more than my share of flying and used many underseat bags over the years, I'm here to give you a head start by testing 17 of the highest-rated underseat travel bags. In the end, I narrowed the list down to the three best personal item bags for every type of traveler.
Calpak Luka Duffel Bag
This compact, padded personal item bag has a 25-liter capacity and many organizational pockets, including a secret pocket to keep your travel documents, money and cards safe from petty thieves.
Bagsmart Faro 29L Travel Backpack
Like the Luka Duffel, the Bagmart Faro underseat bag can fit more travel essentials than it looks and has many organizational pockets. What's more, it has several lash points for you to attach and secure additional gear on.
Arden Cove Carmel Convertible Bag
Small yet mighty, the Arden Cove Carmel may look luxe, but it's filled with security features — namely, an RFID-blocking wallet pocket, easy-to-use anti-theft zipper clasps and waterproofing. More of a weekender than a true duffel, the Calpak Luka Duffel is a personal favorite of mine, but I didn't just choose it as the best personal item bag overall for that reason alone. It will only take you one full use of this puffy (aka padded) bag to realize that it's a wonderful travel companion and not just for all the obvious reasons.
It's relatively lightweight, of course, at only 2 pounds when empty. It's surprisingly spacious with a 25-liter capacity, despite its compact appearance, and at 16 by 12 by 8 inches, it effortlessly slides into most planes' underseat space. Plus, it comes with a trolley sleeve so you can secure it to your carry-on while rushing from gate to gate or trudging your way from the airport to your hotel.
But there's more to the Calpak Luka Duffel beyond the basics. Its robust, padded construction offers some level of protection for my travel gear while its soft matte finish is kind to my skin when I'm carrying it on my shoulder. It comes with an adjustable shoulder strap, but its handles are thick, padded and long enough that you won't need it. At least, I never did.
The main compartment offers plenty of room for electronics, toiletries and a change of clothes (in case the airline loses your checked luggage), but it's the generous assortment of organizational pockets that I appreciate more. There are five internal pockets — one of which can accommodate a water bottle and another that can fit a 14-inch laptop — and there are two external ones — one for a water bottle, the other a big zipped one for things you need to quickly access. There's also a shoe compartment that's spacious enough to store a set of clothing.
My favorite, though, is the secret pocket hidden inside the trolley sleeve. It's deep, spacious and more importantly, secure, providing a place for me to store my passport, money, credit cards and other valuables that's both safe from pickpockets and easy for me to access. When I'm traveling to destinations notorious for petty crimes, this pocket is exactly what I need for peace of mind.
During testing, it was a toss up between the Calpak Luka Duffel and the equally impressive Beis The East To West Tote, but it's this secret pocket that ultimately won it the top spot. Well, that and its more compact design and minimal flaws. In fact, apart from missing padded laptop sleeve, which doesn't really matter anyway since the whole bag is padded, I really can't think of any.
There were quite a few excellent personal item backpacks in my product pool that could have taken this spot, including the Tom Bihn Synik 26 and Waterfield Air Porter Backpack. However, in our current economic climate, an under-$100 backpack is a better value than an over-$200 one, especially when it ticks all the right boxes. That's the Bagsmart Faro 29L Travel Backpack in a nutshell.
Like the Calpak Luka Duffel, this travel backpack is relatively lightweight and more spacious inside than it looks, boasting a 29-liter capacity in its 17.4 by 11.4 by 7.5 frame. That means that while you can effortlessly slide this under the seat in front of you, it will still fit a long weekend's worth of travel essentials — more than enough if you're only away for a short time and don't want to lug around a carry-on.
If you do want that carry-on experience, though, its main compartment zipper offers a 180-degree opening for easy packing and unpacking, as well as compression straps that will keep your clothes secure and neatly folded, even after you had to sprint your way to your gate because you were running late for a flight. (By you, I mean me.)
If you prefer to keep it as a personal item bag, however, the Bagsmart Faro 29L is the perfect backpack for the job, whether you're going on a city getaway or an adventure-filled trip. It may not look it, but this bag's 300D-encrypted fabric is waterproof while its top panel is lined with lash points to which you can hang more stuff, like a pair of waterproof shoes or hiking boots.
I haven't gone on a multi-day hike with this bag, but these features mean it'll make for a great day pack for my dream Camino de Santiago hut-to-hut hike, especially when you factor in all its other amazing features. Its side water bottle pocket is deep and big enough to accommodate a 40-ounce water bottle. It has two very accessible front compartments, the top of which boasts several organizational pockets, and it has a spacious shoe compartment accessible from the bottom.
One of its more unique features is the included crossbody bag. It's not something I would normally use because of its flatter design, but it did come in handy during testing, especially with its extra pockets and lash points. Just like on the Calpak, however, my favorite unique feature here is the external hidden side pocket with a rear zipper. Whether this bag is attached securely to my carry-on suitcase via the trolley sleeve or on my back, I can rest assured that my passport and other valuables are not vulnerable to theft.
All that for a $75 bag? This isn't just the best personal item backpack; the Bagsmart Faro 29L is also the best budget option in my product pool.
Light packers will still need a small personal item bag that keeps day-to-day essentials such as travel documents, IDs and credit cards, makeup, phone and earbuds accessible during flights. After all, it's very inconvenient to take your carry-on out of the overhead bin and rummage through it mid-flight, especially in economy class. That's why I had to throw in the Arden Cove Carmel as my third pick.
This small personal item bag is as robust and functional as it is luxurious-looking. It's a fantastic bag for carrying all those essentials during day tours and trips, but I cannot stress enough the level of versatility this bag offers as well, thanks to its convertible design (by changing or rearranging its straps, you can use it as a crossbody bag, a backpack or a shoulder bag), security features and impressive waterproofing.
I loved wearing it as a backpack during a recent trip to the Philippines because of its anti-theft features, with the easy-to-use zipper clasps deterring pickpockets and the RFID-blocking wallet pocket ensuring that more advanced thieves can't access my credit card information.
What's even more impressive is its waterproofing prowess, partly because the Arden Cove Carmel looks more like a bag you'd carry around at a resort than a rugged one that'll survive the elements. Even after three days of being splashed with salt water and exposed to the harsh elements of the tropics, it still came out looking like new.
Of course, it comes with all the basics as well: pockets and several card slots, as well as a main compartment that fits more than you think it would. But it's those three marquee features above that make this a worthy addition to my best personal item bags list — not to mention, well-worth its admittedly high $259 price.
I made sure to spend at least a week with every product in my testing pool, using it not just on flights but in my daily commutes as well. This way, I could get a good sense of how each bag performs in different real-life situations and how it feels ergonomically.
During testing, I assessed each underseat bag based on the following criteria before choosing my top picks:
Performance
Functionality: While the best personal item bag for you largely depends on your needs, there are still some basic conditions it needs to satisfy to be considered a good option. Is it spacious enough to accommodate all your essentials? Do the zippers glide effortlessly? Do the straps make it easy for you to carry the bag for hours? Can you attach the bag to a carry-on suitcase without fuss? What are its bag safety features? These were among the many important features I looked at during testing.
Water resistance: Much like our day-to-day bags, personal item bags do not require waterproofing. However, some level of water resistance is important as you may be dealing with inclement weather when traveling, so I made sure to test each bag's level of water resistance.
Design
Build quality: Travel can subject travel bags to a lot of abuse, even if they don't end up in the cargo hold, so having an underseat bag that can hold its own against the elements, rough handling, drops and more is a priority. During my time with each bag, I paid close attention to how well it survived day-to-day use, as well as inclement weather.
Organization: This is a very important criterion. Traveling can be chaotic. No matter how organized your trip is, you're bound to come across factors that are out of your control that will mess up your plans. Having a well-organized bag can make a difference in minimizing complications, and organizational pockets can help massively. You wouldn't want to spend several precious minutes rummaging for your passport when you find yourself going through customs, or risk being denied entry to your plane because you can't find your boarding pass.
Size, weight and capacity: Though your personal preference and packing needs largely influence your choice's ideal size, weight and capacity, I still assessed each personal item bag's capacity, especially relative to its size and weight.
Value
Price: Taking all the other criteria above into consideration, I assessed if each bag is a great value for the price, especially compared to the competition.
More than any other travel bags and luggage, picking the best personal item bag is a choice based on your preferences and packing needs. So instead of just going for one of my top picks above, I suggest exploring other options as well (and you can start by perusing the other personal item bags I tested below).
But before looking at your options, think about what kind of personal item bag would serve you best on your travels. Are you an overpacker who likes to keep a lot of your stuff handy during flights? You may prefer a bigger-capacity bag. Are you a chronic organizer? An underseat bag with more than its share of organizational pockets may be a better choice. Or do you prefer to travel light? Then, a small bag that only fits the essentials might suit you best.
Of course, it's a matter of taste too. Getting an underseat bag that matches your aesthetic, whether you prefer neutrals or love a pop of color, is easy because there are so many options out there. I tested 17 bags, and I've barely scratched the surface.
Whatever you pick, just make sure that it meets airline size requirements. Those requirements may slightly vary from airline to airline, but the general rule is that a personal item bag has to be 18 by 14 by 8 inches and must fit under the seat in front of you.
Finally, choose an underseat bag that can accommodate your travel gadgets and personal electronics, such as a laptop, a travel camera or a translation device, because you really shouldn't be keeping such expensive travel gear in your carry-on luggage.
Away Featherlight Crossbody
This lightweight crossbody bag is just as great for work as it is for travel. It's a good option if you want to travel light, but that's about it. This 10-liter crossbody bag is the ideal underseat size at only 13 by 11 by 3.9 inches. It also ticks several of the personal item bag boxes: It's water repellent, has a trolley sleeve and comes with pockets that help keep your valuables secure, such as a spacious external pocket with its own easily-accessible passport pocket inside and a hidden pocket on the strap for your credit cards and earbuds. The fact that it's lightweight, soft to the touch and machine washable makes it even more appealing for travel.
However, the Away Featherlight Crossbody isn't really the best option for anything other than traveling light. You can fit a 14-inch laptop inside, but there's no padded laptop compartment to protect it. The main compartment could stand to be a bit more spacious and have more organizational pockets. And the strap isn't padded, so if you're lugging around heavy stuff, your shoulders could suffer.
It's affordable — I'll give it that. But I'd rather pay a little more for something much more functional for my trips and leave this one at home for work commutes.
Baggu Small Cloud Carry-On
Don't let the "small" in its name fool you. This bag is so big inside that you might be able to squeeze in four to five days worth of clothes and essentials in there. The Baggu Small Cloud Carry-On may fit perfectly under the seat, but when I tell you this bag can fit four to five days' worth of clothing and travel essentials, I'm not exaggerating. In fact, I used it as my weekender bag for a week-long tropical island getaway. That's impressive considering it's only 16.5 by 12.5 by 6.5 — you can slide it under the seat in front of you and still have enough room for your feet.
There are two deep water bottle pockets, two big external pockets and a removable interior one, as well as a laptop compartment. And because it's made of lightweight nylon and the strap is long and padded, it'll never feel too heavy on your shoulder, even when it's filled to the brim.
However, the lack of padding or robust protection here makes me hesitate to recommend it for anything other than clothes. Yes, I packed my laptop in it during my trip, but if I had a choice, I probably wouldn't have. It would, however, make for the best bag to pack your souvenirs and gifts in, since it's extremely packable.
Baggu Cloud Bag
Best for packing your clothes, shoes and toiletry bags in, this is another spacious choice for a personal item bag if you're not carrying valuable gear. Just like the Baggu Small Cloud Carry-On, the Baggu Cloud Bag is very lightweight, extremely packable and almost impossibly spacious inside. It's also machine washable, which makes it very easy to clean post-vacation.
Unless you don't need protection for your gear or organizational pockets, though it's not the ideal choice for an underseat bag. There's no trolley sleeve, water bottle pocket, laptop sleeve or any sort of padding to protect your stuff. Though its straps are padded, they're not the ideal length to put over your shoulder when the bag is full.
I like that it's affordable at only $56. However, I would only pack clothes and toiletries in it.
Waterfield X-Air Duffel
Great for business travelers, this very functional personal item bag can fit enough items for a week-long trip. It has enough pockets to keep you organized as well. The Waterfield X-Air Duffel 16 by 11 by 9-inch bag has a capacity of 27L, which means that if you're a light packer, you'll get away with just this bag for your whole weeklong trip. That makes it the perfect underseat bag if you're traveling with a budget airline that charges extra for carry-on items.
It's on the expensive side with its near-$500 price tag, but it comes with many useful frills, from double zipper pulls that can accommodate a lock, waterproof zippers, a 'work compartment' with a padded laptop sleeve, three organizational pockets, front pockets with magnetic buckles, 11-inch-long handles and a well-padded strap.
I'm not a big fan of the X-Pac high-performance material Waterfield uses in terms of feel and look. However, if you're a no-nonsense business traveler, it's a perfect fit.
Calpak Mini Luka Duffel
Great for packing your day essentials in, this is a smaller version of my top pick. It won't fit as much, but it's great for day tours and excursions. It seems a little too pricey for its size, though. If you like the idea of the Calpak Luka Duffel but prefer it in a smaller package, then the Calpak Mini Luka Duffel may be the perfect choice for you. It's almost exactly like its big sister, with a soft-to-the-touch finish, attractive aesthetic and lightweight padded (aka 'puffy') design.
There are minor differences, however, apart from the size. At 14.5 by 10 by 6.75 inches, it's obviously smaller overall, but it also has smaller side pockets, no laptop compartment and fewer pockets in general. The shoe compartment is gone as well.
It's the perfect personal item bag if you're a light packer —that is, if you're willing to pay that steep price. But if you need more space, this is more of a day excursion bag than an underseat one.
Béis The East to West Tote
This gorgeous and spacious tote from Beis would have been my top pick, had it not been for its size. If you're willing to risk it, however, you're going to love it. The 31-liter Béis East to West Tote is my second-favorite in the testing pool. It's gorgeous, well-made and very spacious inside, with a zippered front pocket for things you need easy access to; a trolley sleeve with a zippered bottom and a magnetic top, so it can moonlight as a pocket; and several internal pockets to see to your organization needs.
Because it's massive inside, there's even space for two water bottle pockets and a padded laptop sleeve to fit a 15-inch notebook. Unfortunately, its size is a double-edged sword. At 17 by 14 by 9 inches, it's dangerously close to being too big for underseat storage. Board a smaller plane, and you may have a hard time stuffing it in there, especially if you packed it to the brim.
It's a little cheaper than my top pick, the Calpak Luka Duffel, and most airlines wouldn't look at it twice as a personal item bag. However, I would double-check first before you start packing.
Delsey Paris Chatelet Air 2.0 Wheeled Underseater
A carry-on-suitcase-slash-weekender-bag hybrid, this luxe underseat bag from Delsey Paris gives you a taste of both worlds. It's also surprisingly cheap for something so premium-feeling. The Delsey Paris Chatelet Air 2.0 Wheeled Underseater may look a tad too big, but at 16.5 by 15.75 by 8.25 inches, it's within the acceptable range of most airlines' size requirements. Still, you should check before your flight, in case the plane you're boarding is on the small side.
What's appealing about this personal item bag is that it looks and feels like the lovechild of a carry-on suitcase and a weekender bag. It comes with two rolling wheels and a telescoping handle, making it easier to lug around. But it also has a luggage sleeve and is small enough to attach to an actual carry-on. It's an almost genius design, especially since Delsey Paris also threw in an antimicrobial lining with odor control, compression straps, a TSA-accepted lock and a clamshell opening for easy access.
Unfortunately, its 20-liter capacity is too small for its actual size, and it's also heavy at 5.97 pounds when empty.
Away Everywhere Zip Backpack
This elevated, minimalist backpack helps you stay organized and stylish. However, it's spacious enough and comes with a high price tag. Great if you're going for that elevated look, the Away Everywhere Zip Backpack is a beautiful personal item bag for stylish travelers who love that minimalist look, which is basically Away's fanbase.
There's a lot to love here. It stands on its own, has zippers that offer a wide opening for easy access and comes with a padded 16-inch laptop compartment with an accompanying tablet storage. It's only a 20-liter personal item bag, but it has lots of organizational pockets, a secret zippered compartment, good water repellence and a trolley sleeve.
However, I would have loved a water bottle pocket, more padding in the straps and a more lightweight design. It's also a little too expensive for something with a smaller capacity.
Away Featherlight Backpack
A more lightweight and casual alternative to the Everywhere Zip Backpack, this machine-washable backpack is a great day excursion bag as well. Smaller, more lightweight and almost $100 cheaper than the Everywhere Zip Backpack, this more casual yet still elevated Away backpack may only have a 15-liter capacity, but it's still impressive in its own right. It has a 14-inch laptop pocket, a passport-sized sleeve in its front pocket and water repellence.
It also does two things better than its pricier counterpart: It's machine washable, which makes it easy to clean after every trip, and it has a small water bottle pocket. Because of its casual design, it also makes for a perfect day pack that you can use to carry your essentials while you're out exploring.
I just wish it had more organizational pockets and a more robust security feature set, especially at that near-$100 price.
Tom Bihn Synik 26
Hands-down the best travel backpack out there, the only reason why the Tom Bihn Synik 26 didn't top this list is its high price. It's worth every penny, but most people will prefer something more affordable. If money is no object, the Tom Bihn Synik 26 is without question the best personal item backpack on the market, and I say that as someone who isn't a fan of its uber-serious, uber-functional design. Aesthetically, it's actually not my thing. And at $340, it's also a splurge for most people, especially in this economy.
However, this is hands-down the most thoughtfully designed underseater I've tested. Seriously, the attention to detail here is what all underseat bags should wish to emulate. Not too big, not too small, it has a laptop compartment with two points of access, five exterior pockets, each with its own unique features, a full clamshell zipper opening and plenty of lash points so you can hang things that won't fit in its surprisingly large-capacity interior. There are even compression straps inside, as if everything else I mentioned wasn't enough.
Make no mistake: the Bagsmart Faro 29L Travel Backpack is the best value choice. But if you can afford to splurge, the Tom Bihn Synik 26 is worth every penny.
Waterfield Air Porter Backpack
Live your "On the Road" dreams with this rugged backpack boasting weathered charm and abundant pocket offerings. It's an expensive purchase, however. Prefer not to be burdened by a rolling carry-on? Consider this Waterfield backpack, especially if that rugged, weathered, 'On the Road' look is your kind of thing. This isn't necessarily my aesthetic, but even I can see its appeal. Due to its construction, it's a little on the heavy side, which obviously isn't ideal if you're backpacking your way through South America. But it offsets that with its foam layers for comfort.
The bag is only 22 liters, but it's very spacious and has an ample array of pockets, including two top pockets that allow your belongings to be within reach when the bag is under the seat in front of you. There are other thoughtful details here as well, including waterproof zippers and zipper pulls that can accommodate locks.
That's as far as it gets in terms of security features, though, which is bizarre since it looks like the kind of bag that would have more to offer. Plus, there aren't a lot of lash points on hand. And, of course, there's the price; it's the most expensive personal item bag of the lot.
Calpak Luka Laptop Backpack
The backpack version of our current winner, this is a great option if you don't like the Bagsmart Faro 29L. It even comes with the Luka line's hidden pocket feature. At this point, I should just admit that I'm a big fan of everything from Calpak's Luka line since I love this 15-inch laptop backpack almost as much as I love its duffel counterparts. It doesn't fall far from the tree: very lightweight, soft to the touch, completely padded.
This personal item backpack comes with all essentials, of course, including a padded 15-inch laptop compartment with two big pockets and a water bottle pocket. But it has its share of frills as well, including a shoe compartment and the line's legendary trolley sleeve with a hidden pocket for your passports, cash and cards.
It's a great candidate for the best personal item backpack title, and you should definitely consider it. However, it's just not as good (or as affordable) as the Bagsmart Faro 29L.
No Reception Club The Getaway Bag
Great for new parents as well as photographers and content creators, the Getaway Bag from the No Reception Club comes with a lot of adjustable compartments. Flying with kids, especially young ones, is never easy, but having a bag that will keep you organized and everything you need easily accessible, especially when you're in economy class, can be a big help. The Getaway Bag from No Reception Club might be the right underseat bag for the job. It comes with two removable shelves, top and side openings, two stroller clips and even an insulated lunch bag. It even has odor resistance in case you need to stuff a dirty diaper in there.
Because of its customizable shelf design, it's a great personal item bag for photographers and content creators as well. I was able to use it as such when my friends and I were shooting a short film, and it worked out perfectly. It even has a padded compartment for 15-inch laptops.
At $235, it's a fantastic bag that fits a lot. And amazingly, it still fits perfectly under an airplane seat.
Portland Gear Cascade Backpack
Another waterproof personal item bag, this is a great option if the Arden Cove Carmel is just a bit too small for your travel needs. If you're seeking a waterproof option that's much roomier than the Arden Cove Carmel, then you'll want to take a look at the Cascade Backpack from Portland Gear. Its waterproofing is impressive, and I honestly could have used it when I got caught in the rain in — where else? — Spain. Made perfectly for inclement weather, its two external water bottle pockets even have holes at the bottom to prevent water pooling.
It has a wireframe top, which I find appealing in theory but maybe not so much in practice, as well as a spacious hidden security pocket that's only accessible from the rear. And of course, it has a laptop sleeve and some pockets.
It's a great backpack that comes in two sizes (13.5 liters and 21 liters). It's not as versatile or functional as the Bagsmart Faro 29L, but if you want a bigger waterproof personal item bag, it's worth a look at the very least.
What items are not allowed in a personal item bag?
What items are not allowed in a personal item bag?
The list of items allowed in your carry-on or personal item bag depends on the country or destination you're flying from. Here in the US, it's best to consult the official TSA-approved list if you are unsure, lest you risk confiscation or worse, paying civil penalties for packing prohibited items.
Among the most common items not allowed in a personal item bag are liquids over 3.4 ounces, sharp objects and weapons (including firearms, knives, explosives, ammunition and pepper spray) and flammable items such as flammable liquids and fireworks.
Can you bring multiple personal item bags onto a flight?
Can you bring multiple personal item bags onto a flight?
No. Most airlines have a one-personal-item-bag-per-passenger policy — and with the exception of budget airlines (which typically charge for everything) you may have a carry-on bag allowance as well.
If you have an additional personal item, the airline may charge a fee or ask you to check one of your bags, depending on how strict the ground crew or how full the flight is. Alternately, you can explore a higher-class fare that offers more baggage allowance.
Are personal item bags a good place to keep clothes?
Are personal item bags a good place to keep clothes?
In case of an emergency, it's a good practice to pack one or two sets of clothes in your personal item bag. Since that bag is always with you, you'll have something to use if, for example, delays impact your travel or the airline loses your luggage.
CNN Underscored has a team of skilled writers and editors who have many years of experience testing, researching and recommending products, and they ensure each article is carefully edited and products are properly vetted. We talk to top experts when applicable to make certain we are testing each product accurately, recommending only the best products and considering the pros and cons of each item.
Testing writer Michelle Rae Uy has years of experience covering travel gear and writing product reviews. She's written many of CNN Underscored's travel content, including our best garment bag, best travel pillow and accessible travel accessories guides. An avid solo traveler, she recently came back from a tropical beach vacation, during which she tested several types of travel and beach gear.