The Best Underseat Luggage To Use As A Personal Item, Based On Testing

Forbes

21-04-2025

The best underseat luggage is lightweight and easily able to fit underneath the seat in front of you on a plane or a train. Typically classified as a personal item, these cabin bags can help you stay organized, and since some basic economy tickets only allow for one personal item in place of a carry-on suitcase, they may also help you avoid extra baggage fees. Our panel tested over a dozen underseat bags and chose the Thule Subterra 2 27L Backpack as the best overall pick thanks to its ideal size, functional design and many interior pockets. For fans of wheeled bags, the Travelpro Maxlite 5 Underseat Bag also scored high marks from our panel due to its durability and removable hanging organizer.
The best underseat luggage is lightweight, well-organized and easily fits into tight spaces.
When evaluating different options, pay close attention to the dimensions, durability and additional features, such as padded compartments for your laptop or tablet. 'I recommend looking for products that can universally fit under seats across various airlines,' says Georgene Rada, vice president of design for Briggs & Riley. 'Having organized compartments and padded pockets for electronics is essential to make the travel experience less stressful and to keep your valuables from being damaged.' Domestic airlines often have different size restrictions for underseat luggage, so be sure to check with your airline before you begin packing. Ahead, the best underseat luggage of 2025.
Amazon
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Dimensions: 13.4 x 8.7 x 18.9 inches | Weight: 2.1 pounds | Colors: 3 total, including Black and Vetiver Gray
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This well-designed backpack is crafted from highly durable 800D nylon with a water-resistant finish and a padded air mesh back panel for breathability. The bag features two side pockets for a water bottle and an umbrella, and the many interior pockets help keep you well-organized while traveling. Two standout features include the padded interior sleeves for storing your laptop and tablet, as well as an organizational panel for pens, keys and smaller items. 'After traveling with this bag on multiple trips, I appreciated its functionality on long flights and protected storage for my computer,' says our tester. 'It has enough space to hold plenty of other essentials, like chargers and a book, and the resilient exterior helps combat spills and crumbs.'
Amazon
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Dimensions: 17.5 x 8.5 x 14.5 inches | Weight: 5.5 pounds | Available colors: 7 total, including Burgundy and Orchid Pink Purple
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Having a bag with wheels helps you move around the airport with ease, no matter how heavy your bag may be. This underseat bag from Travelpro, a popular brand among flight attendants and frequent travelers, features a durable frame and high-performance wheels that glide smoothly across any surface. It also comes with a removable hanging organizer and a padded laptop sleeve to keep your tech safe. 'Since I don't travel with much formalwear, I liked that I could remove the bag's interior garment pocket and have an open cavity to put in clothes and a pair of shoes (which I would place in a packing cube),' says our tester. 'It leaves more than enough real estate for potentially a second full change of clothes.'
Briggs & Riley
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Dimensions: 10.5 x 16.5 x 11.5 inches | Weight: 2.8 pounds | Colors: 4, including Olive and Navy
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Briggs & Riley is a well-reviewed brand that consistently earns top marks from our travel team, with the Briggs & Riley Baseline 22-Inch Carry-On being our top choice for the best softside luggage. The Baseline Underseat Duffle is no exception. It's one of the most spacious bags on this list, and it has several helpful exterior pockets for when you need to grab something quickly. Other useful features include a trolley sleeve, a monogrammed nameplate and an adjustable shoulder strap. 'Of all the options I tested, this bag's ample interior access really stood out to me,' says our tester. 'It was incredibly easy to grab or remove things as I went through security. And despite having such robust storage space, the bag still maintained a stylish look, even as I stuffed it to the brink. Also great: Briggs & Riley products come with a lifetime warranty.'
Béis
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Dimensions: 16 x 16 x 8 inches | Weight: 3.4 pounds | Available colors: 8 total, including Atlas Pink and Beige
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If you're heading on a quick trip and need a bag to hold the essentials, this compact bag is an excellent pick. The main compartment can fit a change of clothes and several personal items (such as deodorant, a book and a phone charger), and there's a separate bottom compartment for storing your shoes. The trolley sleeve slips over the handle of your suitcase, and it has enough structure that it won't fall over as you're trying to pack or unacpk. 'I think the Mini Weekender is the perfect underseat bag,' says a flight attendant at a major airline, who always travels with this bag. 'It slides under the seat smoothly and has different compartments for more fragile items like a laptop, or more malleable things like snacks, chargers, toiletries, etc. As a bonus, it also looks and feels very chic and refined.'
Away
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Dimensions: 17.9 x 15 x 9.1 inches | Weight: 8.4 pounds | Available colors: 4 total, including Coast Blue and Olive Green
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This petite suitcase resembles Away's best-selling Softside Carry-On, but it has a smaller size that glides under your seat while you're in the air. It's best suited for trips from one to three days, and it's constructed from a durable, water-repellent nylon with 360-degree smooth-gliding spinner wheels. This bag offers all of the great features of an Away carry-on, including an interior compression system that I found to be very helpful (I'm a chronic overpacker). I also enjoyed its spacious front pocket, where I was able to store my boarding pass, wallet and other items that I needed on hand. I deducted a half of a point off of my final rating only because I wish the bag were a tad lighter—it comes in at just under ten pounds before it's packed.
The Forbes Vetted travel team has researched, written and published dozens of in-depth roundups on luggage, including the best luggage, best carry-on luggage and best lightweight luggage.
We relied on expert advice, independent reviews, research and personal experience to select our top recommendations for the best underseat luggage.
Although size is admittedly the first thing to consider, durability and additional features (such as a padded tech sleeve) should also be taken into account. Here's what to look for when shopping for the best underseat luggage.
Every airline has different standards for underseat carry-on sizing, so check the airline's requirements before packing to ensure your bag is the correct size. If your bag doesn't fit underneath your seat, you'll be asked to place it above you in the overhead bin, and you won't have quick access to things you may need during your flight. When in doubt, opt for a smaller bag than you may need to ensure you have enough space to stretch out comfortably.
While both hardside and softside luggage have distinct benefits, experts agree that softside options are an excellent choice for smaller spaces, such as under an airline seat. 'Space is limited beneath seats, so having a soft bag that can be compressed into a tight space is one way to make your travel experience easier and stress-free,' says Rada. 'It also allows one to maximize your packing capacity.' Popular materials include ballistic nylon (which Briggs & Riley uses for most of its underseat luggage), polyester and coated canvas. Rada notes that the material should be easy to wipe down, because your bag might get kicked around and pushed into the seat in front of you.
Underseat luggage, like other pieces of luggage, needs to withstand frequent handling and being tossed around. Hardside bags are generally most resistant to rough handling and turbulent conditions, but a thicker woven fabric (for example, ballistic nylon) is just as durable and an excellent choice for flying.
Many suitcases come with helpful extras that can make traveling more seamless, such as a padded tech sleeve to store your laptop or a separate, water-resistant compartment. Another worthwhile feature is an expansion option, which can add several extra inches of packing space. Consider which features you will use the most and find the most helpful before making a purchase.
After extensive research and hands-on testing, the Thule Subterra 2 27L Backpack is our pick for the best underseat luggage. It has a compact, streamlined appearance with plenty of pockets to store tech, personal items, a change of clothes and more. It also works well as a commuting or work bag, and our tester appreciated the protective storage pockets and resilient exterior.
If you're a frequent flyer, investing in underseat storage is a good idea. 'I do believe [underseat luggage] is worth it when there's limited space on the aircraft,' says Ricks. 'There may be times when it's your turn to board and there's no more overhead space left, so you'll want a bag that's small enough to fit smoothly under the seat. You just never know when checking bags these days; things can happen. Carrying on is always the best option.'
Every airline has different standards for underseat carry-on sizing, so it's essential to check the requirements for the airline before packing and heading to the airport. American Airlines requires underseat luggage to be a maximum of 18 inches long, 14 inches wide and 8 inches high. In comparison, United Airlines has underseat dimensions of 17 inches long, 10 inches wide and 9 inches high.