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Ever looked at airline baggage rules and wondered: what exactly is a carry-on “personal item”? Find out what it is, how to choose one, and a few of our top picks!
How to Choose a Carry-On Personal Item
Written by: Josie Reim
Table Of Contents
What is a carry-on “personal item”?
Most airlines allow you to take two pieces of luggage on board with you that you don’t have to check-in. This is the general guideline on major flights:
- One carry-on bag, max size of 14 x 22 x 9, such as a suitcase, duffle, backpack, etc.
- One personal item, smaller than a carryon such as a shoulder bag, backpack, laptop bag or other small item.
Some airlines only allow one carry-on bag and no personal item especially on budget or domestic flights. TFG has an airline baggage allowance cheat sheet but sizes are constantly changing. Always check your airline’s website for their rules before traveling.
Your carry-on personal item is small but can accomplish many things! While your main carryon luggage should be able to fit in the overhead bin, your smaller personal item should be able to fit underneath the seat in front of you.
The type of bag you choose to use depends on the length of your trip and your planned activities. Take the time to pick out the right piece for your unique needs.
A handy tip: use a packing cube in your personal item to keep your belongings and in-flight essentials organized for your journey!
Here are some things to consider when choosing a personal item:
Size – Don’t waste your carry-on personal item on a small clutch – but that doesn’t necessarily mean you leave the clutch at home. Pack it away in a bigger piece! If you have a larger bag, you’ll have the room to consolidate smaller, important items, like a small purse, cosmetics, or electronics.
A large bag with some wiggle room is great for placing any last-minute items you need to bring but forget to pack. Use organizers like these in different shapes and sizes to keep everything in place!
Baggallini Avenue Carry-on Tote
Always check with your airline about the maximum dimensions you’re allowed to bring for a personal item. This can vary as well as the staff that enforces certain rules. At the very least, make sure it’s not too bulky and would comfortably fit underneath an airplane seat.
Trolley Sleeve: If you’ve wondered how to attach your personal item to a rolling suitcase, a luggage sleeve is the answer! Many bags today have this stellar option so you can securely negotiate busy airports and not be weighed down with a backpack or tote.
Wheels: Many travelers find a wheeled bag can be more convenient than a regular shoulder bag or backpack. In fact, these under the seat wheeled styles offer the most spacious interior maximizing the space available for your belongings! And some TFG readers have even managed to travel with just their under-the-seat bag!
Take a look at our readers’ top recommendations for the best travel bags with trolley sleeves!
Vera Bradley Iconic Travel Weekender Bag
Shape – Find a carry-on personal item with an open design that allows you to put multiple items inside. Something with a bucket-like feel that can grow or minimize with your packing needs gives you more options than a bag that’s completely compartmentalized and sectioned off. The more flexible the shape, the easier it is to bring whatever your travels require including random items you throw in last-minute such as food or a bottle of water you buy at the airport.
Fabrics – You might also want to stick with fabrics that are easy to clean – whether it gets dirty from the floor or from your feet resting on it on the flight. Leather and nylon are travel-friendly materials.
Closures and Pockets – Something with a zipper is key! You don’t want the bag to accidentally open while it’s under the seat in front of you – nothing can ruin a trip like a lost passport or keys. Plus, it’s not the easiest thing to stick your head under an airplane seat and search for items – it’s pretty cramped and the person sitting next to you may not appreciate you in their space.
Pockets are also useful because they’re like built-in packing cubes because of the way they corral your items into designated spots. The more pockets you have (inside and outside the bag), the more organized you can keep your stuff while you’re on the go!
A gym bag or a diaper tote can also make a great carry-on personal item – they have multiple pockets and are large enough to house a variety of things. If you don’t have either one in your closet and want to go a bit fancier, choose a bag that’s more stylish and cute, yet still practical!
Here’s a great round-up of bags, from totes to backpacks, or duffles, these can serve as your carry-on personal item which hits all the points we’ve mentioned above:
Best Tote for a Personal Carry-On Item
Shop: Nordstrom | Bloomingdale’s
Longchamp Le Pliage Large Shoulder Tote Bag
Classic in style, Longchamp is a brand known for quality and design. The Le Pliage tote is made from water-resistant nylon with embossed leather trim.
Editor-in-chief Alex with her Le Pliage tote
This best-seller is versatile enough for everything, including your carry-on item. It comes in a range of chic shades and has enough storage to store your in-flight things. It’s definitely TFG editor-in-chief approved!
Read our Longchamp purse review and find out why female travelers love this brand!
Shop: Nomad Lane
Nomad Lane Bento Bag
This is the ultimate under-seat bag at only 2.9 lbs! The Nomad Lane Bento bag opens up like a suitcase and has several organizational pockets. You can pack your laptop (15”), pens, earphones, all the way to light toiletries you might use in-flight.
Editor-in-chief Alex with her Bento bag
It’s sleek, sturdy, and manages to hold a ton of stuff while being lightweight and easy to carry and also fits under many standard US airline seats a. With a detachable shoulder strap and a trolley sleeve, this is the perfect personal item for business travelers, or anyone who wants to keep organized!
Read my full review on the Nomad Lane Bento Bag to find out why TFG readers and I have become such great fans of this bag!
Shop: Lo & Sons
Lo & Sons O.G. 2 Bag With Trolley Sleeve
The Lo & Sons O.G. 2 bag is a major reader fave for airline travel, as it’s a perfect size yet super spacious. It’ll keep you organized as can be with plenty of pockets, a laptop sleeve, and a shoe compartment, too!
Getting read to fly with my Away Carryon and Lo & Sons O.G.Bag
It’s sturdy, water-resistant, and really pretty, too, made of sleek nylon with soft leather accents. It’s available in both a medium and a large size!
Find out why our readers love their Lo & Sons bags in this review!
Scarleton Stylish Reversible Tote Handbag
This adorable, fashionable tote from Scarleton is reversible (in two colors), allowing you to adopt different looks or moods depending on what you have planned on a travel day. It’s also roomy enough to fit your travel essentials.
Made of vegan leather, it comes with a cute coin bag and has lovely gold hardware detailing that makes it chic, yet classic. Choose from nine different shades to fit your personal style!
For more versatile but stylish choices, see our post on the best travel tote to bring your essentials on board!
Shop: Amazon
BOSTANTEN Large Leather Travel Totes
While nylon is very practical for travel, leather offers a chic addition to any outfit. Business travelers might like this style by BOSTANTEN. It fits up to a 15” laptop and has a zippered enclosure. Plus, it’s available in various colors.
Shop: Nordstrom | Amazon | Zappos
Tumi Voyageur Just In Case Bag
The Tumi Voyageur strikes the right balance between a carry on tote and purse very well. Designed with travelers in mind, this lightweight design folds down small but opens wide enough to hold a laptop, a purse, a jacket, and a bottle of water.
Find out what our readers have to say about their Tumi Bags in this review!
Best Crossbody Bag for a Personal Carry-On Item
Shop: Amazon
Travelon Heritage Hobo Bag
TFG readers love the convenient size and storage of this Heritage hobo bag that can be converted to crossbody is large enough to store a tablet in without looking bulky. This piece is ultra-spacious and comes with a zippered RFID blocking pocket and two open-top wall pockets to provide additional organization.
Neatpack Crossbody Bag With RFID Pocket
This affordable and versatile piece from Neatpack is a terrific option for your travels. Not only will this piece give you storage to keep your essentials neat and organized, but with its thoughtfully designed exterior and interior pockets, you also have got style and security with RFID!
Shop: Amazon | Zappos | Kipling
Kipling Alvar Crossbody Bag
The compact Alvar Crossbody bag from Kipling can fit conveniently into larger travel bags, providing travelers with a bit more storage and organization along their journey.
Our readers love how this bag is small enough that it’s not bulky to carry around but big enough to comfortably pack your essentials.
Baggallini Hobo Tote
Baggallini is a huge favorite among Travel Fashion Girl readers with the Hobo tote being a popular selection from the brand. It’s stylish and uber practical!
This one has a wide assortment of pockets and sleeves and it can hold a lot while still remaining lightweight. A functional option for on or off the plane!
Suss out more picks with this list of best crossbody purses for travel!
Best Backpack for a Personal Carry-On Item
Shop: Amazon | Nordstrom | Rebecca Minkoff
Editor’s Pick: Rebecca Minkoff Julian Backpack
The Rebecca Minkoff Julian Backpack is ideal for many needs. It’s stylish, versatile, and perfect for carrying all your essentials. Although this backpack-style purse wasn’t necessarily designed for travel, it has various features that make it the ideal traveling purse for women looking for an alternative to the popular cross-body bag.
TFG editor-in-chief Alex with her Rebecca Minkoff bag
TFG editor-in-chief Alex has had hers since 2015 (and bought other colors since then) and it works for all her needs; she uses it for everything. She even used it to travel for one-week luggage-free! (Don’t forget to read our full review on the Rebecca Minkoff backpack!)
Shop: Nordstrom | Bloomingdale’s | SELFRIDGES&Co
Longchamp ‘Le Pliage’ Backpack
The Longchamp Backpack is a super popular bag for toting around on a flight or for sightseeing. It’s water-resistant, packable, and lightweight, at less than a pound! Though not a ton of pockets in this one, it does have a lot of space to hold various things. It does have a small pocket that can fit a phone and sunglasses.
Check out a comparison of the Le Pliage backpack and the Rebecca Minkoff in this review!
Shop: Amazon
Knomo London Dalston Backpack
This simple Knomo backpack can easily be used for business or casual travel. It features a generous amount of space and can fit a 15” laptop. It’s made out of an ultra-lightweight, water-resistant fabric and would work super well as your personal carryon item!
Shop: Amazon | Zappos | Nordstrom
Fjallraven Kanken Backpack
TFG readers love the Fjallraven Kanken backpack for travel. Beyond the classic mini and regular sized versions, the brand also makes a backpack with a separate padded compartment that can fit a 15” laptop in case you want to use yours in-flight. Bonus: the whole bag weighs about a pound!
Get more daypack inspiration with these top picks!
Matein Travel Laptop Backpack
This Matein backpack is incredibly functional for travel, with a 15.6” laptop sleeve, ample storage space with organizational pockets and sleeves, and durable, waterproof fabric to keep everything inside safe as can be. It also boasts a USB charging port, comfy shoulder straps, and a trolley sleeve, all while weighing a mere 1.5 lbs!
Best Duffle Bag for a Personal Carry-On Item
Shop: Amazon
ECOSUSI Weekender Duffle Bag
The ECOSUSI duffle bag is the perfect onboard item or useful to store souvenirs on the way home. It has an adjustable padded shoulder strap to wear as a satchel or cross body. The trolley sleeve allows you to slide it over the handle of your suitcase with ease and is water-resistant and has a soft fabric lining, with a special pad to protect your electronic screens. It can also fit quite a few packing cubes to help keep things organized!
Find out why the ECOSUSI duffle bag is one of our readers most popular personal item!
Shop: Amazon
Fordicher Foldable Travel Bag
If you prefer a duffle for your personal item, then perhaps the Fordicher Foldable Travel Bag is the answer to your prayers. It can hold a lot inside it, but can also be zipped into its own little folding pouch making it easy to take along just in case it’s needed. And it comes in lots of cute patterns!
Shop: Amazon
Arxus Fodable Duffle Bag
The Arxus is a great bag to carry on to the plane. It’s lightweight, with multiple pockets, and is made of waterproof and tear-resistant fabric. It can fold up after use. Also, it weighs less than a pound!
Wandf Foldable Travel Duffle Bag
The Wandf duffle bag is a lightweight duffle bag packable that can act as your personal item. It weighs ways just over 1 lb and is wearproof, waterproof, and tear-resistant. Users say the quality is nice and it comes with its own carrying case!
Find our why our readers think the Wandf is the surprising winner in the world of duffles in our review!
Shop: Amazon
iLotusBAG Travel Duffle Bag
The iLotusBAG duffle is durable and ultra-lightweight at only 0.47 lbs. It’s easy to carry around the airport with a luggage sleeve or its two top handles. It meets most airline requirements and is waterproof, wearproof, and tear-resistant. To clean it off, just slip it into the washing machine.
Check out more selections of the best duffle bag for travel!
Product Comparison Chart
| BRAND | MODEL | FEATURES | REVIEWS | RATING | PRICE |
|---|---|---|
| Best Tote for a Personal Carry-On Item | ||
|
Longchamp Le Pliage Large Shoulder Tote Bag |
The Le Pliage tote is made from water-resistant nylon with embossed leather trim. | Check Price |
Nomad Lane Bento Bag |
This is the ultimate under-seat bag at only 2.9 lbs! It opens up like a suitcase and has several organizational pockets. | Check Price |
|
Lo & Sons O.G. 2 Bag With Trolley Sleeve |
It’ll keep you organized as can be with plenty of pockets, a laptop sleeve, and a shoe compartment, too! | Check Price |
|
Scarleton Stylish Reversible Tote Handbag |
It comes with a cute coin bag and has lovely gold hardware detailing that makes it chic. | Check Price |
|
BOSTANTEN Large Leather Travel Totes |
It fits up to a 15” laptop and has a zippered enclosure. Plus, it’s available in various colors. | Check Price |
|
Tumi Voyageur Just In Case Bag |
The Tumi Voyageur strikes the right balance between a carry on tote and purse very well. | Check Price |
| Best Crossbody Bag for a Personal Carry-On Item | ||
|
Travelon Heritage Hobo Bag |
This piece is ultra-spacious and comes with a zippered RFID blocking pocket and two open-top wall pockets to provide additional organization. | Check Price |
|
Neatpack Crossbody Bag With RFID Pocket |
This affordable and versatile piece from Neatpack is a terrific option for your travels. | Check Price |
|
Kipling Alvar Crossbody Bag |
The compact Alvar Crossbody bag from Kipling can fit conveniently into larger travel bags, providing travelers with a bit more storage and organization along their journey. | Check Price |
|
Baggallini Hobo Charcoal Tote |
This one has a wide assortment of pockets and sleeves and it can hold a lot while still remaining lightweight. | Check Price |
| Best Backpack for a Personal Carry-On Item | ||
|
Editor’s Pick: Rebecca Minkoff Julian Backpack |
It has various features that make it the ideal traveling purse for women looking for an alternative to the popular cross-body bag. | Check Price |
|
Longchamp ‘Le Pliage’ Backpack |
It’s water-resistant, packable, and lightweight, at less than a pound! | Check Price |
|
Knomo London Dalston Backpack |
It’s made out of an ultra-lightweight, water-resistant fabric and would work super well as your personal carryon item! | Check Price |
|
Fjallraven Kanken Backpack |
TFG readers love the Fjallraven Kanken backpack for travel. | Check Price |
|
Matein Travel Laptop Backpack |
This Matein backpack is incredibly functional for travel, with a 15.6” laptop sleeve, ample storage space with organizational pockets and sleeves, and durable, waterproof fabric to keep everything inside safe as can be. It also boasts a USB charging port, comfy shoulder straps, and a trolley sleeve, all while weighing a mere 1.5 lbs! | Check Price |
| Best Duffle Bag for a Personal Carry-On Item | ||
|
ECOSUSI Weekender Duffle Bag |
It has an adjustable padded shoulder strap to wear as a satchel or cross body. The trolley sleeve allows you to slide it over the handle of your suitcase with ease and is water-resistant and has a soft fabric lining, with a special pad to protect your electronic screens. It can also fit quite a few packing cubes to help keep things organized! | Check Price |
|
Fordicher Foldable Travel Bag |
If you prefer a duffle for your personal item, then perhaps the Fordicher Foldable Travel Bag is the answer to your prayers. | Check Price |
|
Arxus Fodable Duffle Bag |
It can fold up after use. Also, it weighs less than a pound! | Check Price |
|
Wandf Foldable Travel Duffle Bag |
Users say the quality is nice and it comes with its own carrying case! | Check Price |
|
iLotusBAG Travel Duffle Bag |
It meets most airline requirements and is waterproof, wearproof, and tear-resistant. To clean it off, just slip it into the washing machine. | Check Price |
How to Organize Essentials in a Carry-On Personal Item
Once you decide on your personal item, it’s time to pack it! One way to organize your essentials is by using packing cubes. These can hold things like wet wipes, makeup, or even things like sleep masks and earplugs.
We designed our own brand of slim packing cubes, with a unique color and numbering system, so it’s easy to remember where you’ve packed everything which is illustrated in this video below.
Learn our hacks with packing cubes in the video above!
We also put together a five-part YouTube series showing the different methods to use packing cubes for travel. If you use this specific packing strategy, packing cubes can also compress your belongings. This is the secret to traveling carry-on only!
Now, here are some tested ways (I’ve done them all) on how to pack your carry-on personal item:
- Bottom – Place heavier items that you won’t be using right away, such as snacks and entertainment, near the bottom. I rarely use my jewelry or my chargers when I’m on the go so I usually put those items at the bottom.
- Top – You’ll want to pack any items you need to show security (e.g. the 3-1-1 bag of liquids and identification) at the top of the bag so you can easily take it out and put it back in. You can rearrange it after you’ve gotten through security so that your in-flight necessities are easy to reach.
- Pockets – Pockets are great for keys and other important documents. The act of zipping up is a good way to ensure that any important items are secured into your bag.
When it comes to carry-on luggage, the main piece gets all the attention. The hand luggage is the quiet sidekick but its potential is so much greater than most people give it. Hope these tips help you make the most of your luggage workhorse: your carry-on “personal item”!
Editor-in-Chief Alex and Her Favorite Carry-on Personal Items
On your next trip, don’t forget these tips so that you can maximize that extra piece of luggage that the airlines let you carry on!
What kind of bag do you use for your carry-on personal item? Please comment below!
For more packing tips, please read:
- Best Under the Seat Luggage
- How to Choose the Right Suitcase
- Airline Outfit Ideas
- Most Recommended Carry-on Suitcases
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Author Bio: Josie Reim has been traveling the world with a carry-on luggage since 1995 and has visited 18 countries. She loves immersing herself in the local culture, including learning the language and seeking out local wildlife. Packing is a way of life for Josie as she and her husband move their home around the United States often.
I purchased the Rebecca Minkoff Julian Backpack after finding it from TFG and I love it so much! My favorite bag, not only for travel but also for day-to-day. I eventually purchased the larger size as well as a work bag because it can hold a laptop. If you are debating which size, they are both great, but for me, there is something about the smaller size and how soft it is that makes me love it even more despite not being able to fit as much.
Thanks for all the great tips!
I love MZ Wallace and also Longchamp for my personal item. The bigger the better. Sometimes I take a backpack but sometimes a tote. All depends on destination and purpose of trip.
My crossbody bag, a jacket & my ipad (& a few snacks!) must be able to fit in my ‘tote’/backpack
I’m still in search of the perfect personal item for me. I think I may try one of the backpack options to try to fit a little more! Thank you for these tips!
Great article. I’ve purchased one like the iLotus. I love it that it folds up and if I don’t want to use it as a carry on on the way out on a trip, I can use it on the way back for gifts or clothes that would otherwise go in my suitcase so fragile gifts can fit in my suitcase.
Bought the Longchamp bag at this year’s Nordstrom anniversary sale! Been looking at it for a while and even better at sale price.
Great options in lots of price ranges. I used these suggestions when choosing my personal item. Thanks for doing research!
Love this blog. I am interested in purchasing the Nomad Lane Bento bag. It looks sleek.
I used to be all about a backpack (especially travelling with babies) for the hands free aspect. It may well have been the best option in that season of life but my kids are bigger now and I am annoyed having to take the backpack off and find somewhere to perch it while I take things in and out. I found I was misplacing things of value (phone, bording pass) because I would delay putting them away. I just got a beautiful leather tote from Roots with easy access pockets that I can get into while wearing it and things are way smoother and safer for me. It makes a big difference that I am not also wearing a baby and am able to move a little more quickly in general. I find cross body or totes so much more convenient in the airport. Backpacks certainly have their place though.
I love your suggestions , and have the nomad lane bento bag on my wish list!
I friend suggested I read your blog posts to help me learn to pack lighter and better. I’ve been enjoying your site and posts now for many months. About to head to Greece for 12 days and will do my FIRST carry-on only trip! I came here to figure out my personal item. After reading about them and researching and reading the reviews I’ve decided to take my favorite travel backpack (Eddie Bauer 30L Stowaway Backpack) to the local shoe/ luggage repair shop and ask them to sew on a trolley sleeve. !!
I have an old Vera tote that Zi love but need to get a new one with a zip top. Flying KLM in Europe in a few weeks and their PI size limit is 16”x12”x6”. I might be able to squeeze that a little with a soft Vera bag if Zi don’t stuff it full. Any suggestions??
Thank you all the packing tips….it’s like a 12 step program for overpackers.
I am going to read this paying lots of attention. Need a personal item that is as light as a cloud to be able to travel with carry on to Rome for the first time!!! Also the airline limitations are 16x12x5. Good luck to me!
I love them all. I need one that weights almost nothing and I am having a hard time finding one!
I prefer being hands free, so a backpack is my choice. My latest has tons of room, the large section opens like a suitcase and will easily hold everything I need for a weekend, however, it wouldn’t fit under the seat on my Atl/Dca trip! Ended up in my checked bag for the flight home. Ugh!
We are leaving via Air Canada to Aruba in 32 days….super excited so we are only using a carry on and a personal item first time ever doing this. My carry on is a 21 h” x 13″ l x 8″ w if I’ve measured it correctly and I want to use my fave beige bag but I’m guessing it’s a duffle bag but I’m not fully sure if it’s right to be considered as a “personal item”
Hi Tonya, the best advice would be to check directly with the airline to see what they consider to be a personal item, (I do not want to give you the wrong advice advice and then you have some problems when checking in). From just having a quick look online it would appear that the measurements which they allow for their personal item are 6 x 13 x 17 inches. I would also highly recommend that you join our TFG facebook group and post your question there: https://www.facebook.com/groups/travelfashiongirls/ Its a fabulous community of helpful female travelers that have the best advice and experiences to share, they may be able to help you with their own personal experiences of flying with Air Canada. Hope this helps. Have an awesome trip! ?
I bought the nomad lane bento bag for my husband. Now, I need to get one for myself ! Thank you for the great suggestions!
Best personal item bag when traveling overseas alone? Not sure it’s safe to run to bathroom and leave your personal item bag under seat….
Hi there, if you are worried about safety, have a look at our recommendations for anti-theft bags here: https://www.travelfashiongirl.com/top-5-anti-theft-travel-bags-for-women-best-sellers/ Hope this helps. Safe travels!
Thank you! I decided to go with an anti-theft bag.
I love my Longchamp when traveling. I often use it while on my trip when I am out and about and need a little extra room to carry a jacket or sweatshirt.
There’s a cute black backpack-style bag in the first photo. Unfortunately, I can’t see the brand. Who makes it?
Hi Megan, I am afraid that the image at the top of the article is a stock image so I am not sure of the jacket. If you are looking for a backpack-style bag, you may find this post interesting: https://www.travelfashiongirl.com/best-business-backpack/ The bag in the photo is quite similar to the Thule backpack or the EO travel backpack. Sorry I could not have been of more help. 🙁
I recently bought a 15″ rolling under the seat bag by Leisure. I am wondering if it meets the size restrictions will I be able to take it as my personal item in addition to my carry on? I am concerned if the airport personnel notice the wheels they won’t let it count as a personal item.
Hi Julia, the best advice would be to contact the airline directly and ask them your question! I don’t want to offer you the wrong advice! Sorry I could not be of more help 🙁
If your bag is like mine, it has long carry straps as well. I just made sure to carry my bag like a tote when I went through the ticket check at boarding. I did have a problem putting the bag under the seat on planes that have seats without much space from the seat in front (and forget about getting the bag out while in the air,) and also when seated on the aisle where some airlines are placing the video components.
Hey what can you put in a Personal item 10k suitcase on plane thanks
Hi Lesley, you may find this 10 step guide to how to pack using one suitcase helpful: https://www.travelfashiongirl.com/10-step-guide-to-packing-in-one-suitcase-for-any-trip/ You may also find this post useful, it has tips for using all the available space in your suitcase: https://www.travelfashiongirl.com/top-7-carryon-luggage-packing-tips-for-women/ Hope this helps! 🙂
Hey Alex! I just got a bag that I was wondering if I could use it as a personal item, it’s leather and flexible, but *a bit* bigger than the personal item size restraints. Do you think that, as long as I don’t overpack it, I could use it? Thought I’d hear your advice!
Hi Sydney. While the personal items are rarely measured, it really depends on the airline. They tend to weigh personal items only on extremely strict airlines (5kg or 7kg carryon limits). If you do decide to use it, you have to be comfortable with the idea that you’d have to check the suitcase you plan to use as a carry-on. I’d recommend to join our free Facebook group and ask the same question but include the airline name so that travelers that have flown with them can offer firsthand feedback. It sounds like it might be okay but there never is a guarantee. Hope you have a great trip!
I am flying Easy Jet in June. I paid extra for the front seats which allows a personal item as well.What’s the biggest bag that I can carry as a personal item? Can you make a recommendation? I am thinking backpack rather than purse.
Lug puddle jumper, very organize!
great choice!
The airplanes I’ve been flying Economy class on (like American airlines) seem to actually allow 3 total carry-ons, provided that one fits in the overhead, one fits under the seat, and the third is a small purse. However, I’ve been challenging whether or not this third item could be a mini-backpack or not… Still waiting on their reply to an email I sent asking, because I’ve been using a super tiny purse which can just hold my phone and lip balm in, and would like more space. The mini-backpacks I’d like are just the right size conditions for what they consider a small purse, too. So just gotta hope they say it’s okay (it’s two different airline companies I’m asking).
Not to mention balancing weight on the shoulders and make it easier to walk since my laptop bag is super heavy on my one shoulder and gets tangled with my shoulder purse hanging on the other side.
Hi Kouki, I definitely prefer a backpack purse than a regular purse when traveling. These are my top picks: https://www.travelfashiongirl.com/cute-backpacks-for-travel/
For my personal carry on I use the Von Baer Milan Leather Travel Bag. It has enough space for my 14″ laptop and more. Plus what’s not to love about the quality leather and the design
I can fit everything I need for a 3 week trip on my person in a small rip stop nylon Eddie Bauer daypack.
However, I just learned that both airlines I will be using airlines limit not only the size, but also the weight of a carry on to 8 lbs.
Has anyone else encountered this?
Are the airlines strictly enforcing this carry on weight limit?
Hi Jennifer, the budget ones tend to enforce it. Try these tips to help you pack lighter: https://travelfashiongirl.com/baggage-allowance-how-to-pack/
For my personal item I have been using a nylon bowling bag. The bag is sturdy and the zipper opens up fully to expose all of the contents.
Thanks for sharing this Sandy 🙂 Such a clever idea!