Finding the Perfect Personal Item Bag for Your Travels

Hey, fellow travelers! If you’re like me, finding the perfect personal item bag is key to smooth travel. In a recent video on our YouTube channel, The Mobile Retiree, I purchased and reviewed four different underseat personal item bags, each with its pros and cons. But before we dive into those, let’s break down the basics of personal items vs. carry-ons.

What’s the Difference Between a Personal Item and a Carry-On?

When flying, many airlines allow two pieces of luggage: a carry-on and a personal item. But what’s the actual difference?

• Carry-On Bag: This is usually a small suitcase or duffel that goes in the overhead bin. It’s where most of your clothes and larger travel essentials will go.
• Personal Item: Smaller items like a backpack, tote, weekender or compact duffel that must fit under the seat in front of you. This is where you want to keep your flight essentials—think electronics, snacks, and a book for the plane ride.

In the video, I mention how important it is to pick the right personal item for you. For me, choosing the right personal item is crucial because it, along with my carryon sized roller bag, needs to be compact yet spacious enough to hold everything I need for fulltime travel for months at a time. Personally, I never board a flight without my laptop, snacks, and and my airplane essentials kit (more on that later).

Airline Rules: What to Keep in Mind

Here’s the tricky part—airlines are getting stricter with what they allow. Some even limit you to two total items, meaning that small purse or messenger bag might count as one of those. That’s why it’s a good idea to leave space in your personal item bag to tuck your purse inside before boarding. This way, you don’t have to scramble at the gate or risk paying extra fees.

The key is understanding your airline’s rules. Some airlines specify the dimensions for personal items, so be sure to check those before you pack. Check your airline’s specific rules.

Pro Tip: Always be prepared for the unexpected! Sometimes, you’ll have to check your carry-on at the gate if overhead space runs out. Pack essentials like your electronics, toiletries, and a change of clothes in your personal item bag, just in case.

Best Personal Item Bags for Air Travel

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of how each of these bags performs as a personal item.

For the review I packed each bag with the exact same stuff (clothing, electronics, toiletry bag, liquids, my airplane comfort kit and other essentials.

BAGSMART Weekender Bag

Size: Compact and fits perfectly under the seat.
Organization: Includes multiple pockets for easy organization, great for quick access to travel documents.
Laptop Safety: Padded compartment keeps laptops secure.
Trolley Sleeve: Yes, it even has a zippered pocket for phone and passport.
Price: $38.99*
Watch my review of the Bagsmart Bag here

Stuery Canvas Travel Duffle Bag

Size: Dimensions exceed underseat size, but you might be able to squash it down if not filled to the brim.
Organization: Includes multiple pockets for easy organization, great for quick access to travel documents.
Laptop Safety: Padded compartment keeps laptops secure.
Trolley Sleeve: Yes, it even has a zippered pocket for phone and passport.
Price: $49.99*
Watch my review of the Stuery Bag here

Missnine Expandable Weekender Bag

Size: It’s going to be a tight squeeze if fully packed
Organization: Includes multiple pockets for easy organization, great for quick access to travel documents.
Laptop Safety: No laptop compartment
Trolley Sleeve: Strap only and no zippered pocket like the others
Price: $32.99*
Watch my review of the Missnine Bag here

ECOHUB Personal Item Travel Bag

Size: It’s going to be a tight squeeze if fully packed
Organization: Includes multiple pockets for easy organization.
Laptop Safety: Padded compartment keeps laptops secure, though like others the padding on the bottom of the compartment is lacking (I have a tip for that in the video!).
Trolley Sleeve: Yes, it even has a zippered pocket for phone and passport.
Price: $31.99*
Watch my review of the Ecohub bag here

Personal Experience: Why I Started Searching for a New Personal Item Bag

For the past travel year I had been using my Osprey Fairview 55 Women’s Travel Backpack and Jeff has the Osprey Farpoint 55L, and we shared a smaller roller bag.

Both the Osprey Fairview55L and the Farpoint 55L consist of two backpacks; a 40L backpack and a fully detachable 15L daypack.

During our the year of fulltime travel we stopped carrying quite a few things that we had brought with us just in case. That left the roller bag about half empty. Each time we changed locations I tried to reconfigure what I pack into my backpack and daypack with the idea that maybe we could avoid using the a roller bag at all.

But then I came to the realization that a) I preferred using the roller bag because wheels and it opened like a clamshell so I didn’t have to unpack if we were only staying overnight or if the accommodations lack storage space, and b) if the daypack, which I used as my personal item on flights, was just a little bigger, I could loose the 40L backpack.

Plus while the 40L Backpack is very adjustable and technically fit, I found wearing it for any length of time uncomfortable so most of the time it sat on the roller bag (or Jeff carried it) and I wore the smaller daypack on travel days. But that also meant that between the two of us we were managing five bags and had to check one bag when flying.

Thus the search for the perfect (for me) personal item bag began.

I wanted something that could fit under the seat in front of me while on planes, had a trolley sleeve (that’s the little band of fabric or strap that slips over an extended suitcase handle to help it sit on top of suitcase), and more importantly could hold 3-5 days worth of necessities, had an easy access padded laptop compartment, opens down the middle for easy packing and had organization features like pockets for easy access to passport and travel documents.

My goal? a bag that:

1. Has a trolley sleeve for easy stacking
2. Can hold 3-5 days’ worth of essentials
3. Includes a padded laptop compartment
4. Offers enough organization features
5. Was Affordable

All of the bag descriptions stated they had the features I was looking for, well except for one, which I bought because it resembled a folding tote bag that costs $100 and the dupe had received rave reviews and I just had to check it out for myself.

Final Thoughts on Personal Item Bags

Choosing the right personal item bag can make or break your travel experience. Whether you’re looking for something budget-friendly, tech-safe, or super organized, the key is to find one that meets your needs and fits within the airline’s regulations.

For the full breakdown, don’t forget to check out the video where I show each bag in action. You can skip the video’s intro and jump right to the the bag review in the video here. If you have any questions or want to share your own travel tips, feel free to reach out to us via our [Contact Us] page—we’d love to hear from you!

FAQs About Personal Item Bags

What size bag fits under an airplane seat?

Most airlines allow personal items that are about 18 x 14 x 8 inches. However, always check your specific airline’s dimensions.

Are personal item bags allowed on all airlines?

Yes, but size restrictions and the number of items allowed vary by airline. Some only allow a carry-on and a personal item, while others allow additional bags like a purse.

How do I pack my personal item bag for long flights?

Pack essentials like electronics, toiletries, snacks, and a change of clothes in case your carry-on has to be checked at the gate.