Not All Weekender Bags Are Created Equal. These Are Our Travel Editors' Favorites.
The right bag can truly make your trip smoother, whether it's a rolling carry-on that never catches on sidewalk cracks, a backpack that doesn't dig its way into your shoulders after hours of traveling, or a duffel that fits all your needs for a long weekend away.
At Wirecutter, we've spent years testing travel bags of all shapes and sizes — overpacking them, underpacking them, shoving them into smaller spaces, and dragging them across airports and cities. These bags have survived it all and even earned a permanent spot in some of our editor's lives. Below, we've rounded up the weekend bags we trust most to get you — and your belongings — where you need to go. Bon voyage.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Thrill Geek
5 minutes ago
- Thrill Geek
Disneyland Resort to Resume Sales of Select Magic Key Passes Aug. 26
Disneyland Resort fans hoping to unlock more visits throughout the year will soon get their chance. The resort announced that two types of Magic Key annual passes – Imagine and Enchant – will once again be available for purchase beginning Tuesday, Aug. 26, no earlier than 9 a.m. PT, while supplies last. A Magic Key pass is one of the best ways for frequent visitors to enjoy the magic of Disneyland Resort again and again. These passes provide reservation-based admission to both Disneyland park and Disney California Adventure park, along with added benefits like discounts on select dining, merchandise, and parking. Magic Key holders also get the opportunity to experience seasonal celebrations such as Halloween Time, Plaza de la Familia, and Holidays at the Disneyland Resort. Limited-time favorites like the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival and special events for the Disneyland Resort 70th Celebration are also included. Imagine Key for SoCal Residents The Imagine Key pass, available exclusively to Southern California residents, includes the ability to make reservations (subject to availability) on select weekdays, with availability extending into early December 2025. Monthly payment options will also be available for California residents, making it a flexible option for those looking to visit throughout the year. Passholder Options While the Inspire and Believe Key passes remain available for renewal only, this new sale allows more fans to join the Magic Key program at a time when seasonal offerings and limited-time events are in full swing. Those interested in purchasing can visit the official Disneyland Resort site for full details and availability starting Aug. 26. Janine is a theme park and pop culture nerd from an early age. Since 1994, she's been traversing the theme park world and has enjoyed all things from Halloween events to new ride releases and beyond. When she's not at a theme park, she's probably at a concert or doing something fun with her kiddo.
Yahoo
34 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Aussie mum reveals Woolworths, Coles trick for $10,000 freebie: 'Haven't paid in years'
A Bathurst mum has shared how her regular Woolworths and Coles grocery shop has helped her score free flights. The mum of two said she's been able to travel to Bali, Malaysia and domestically and hasn't paid for a flight in years. Sarah Taylor started collecting Qantas and Virgin frequent flyer points about three years ago after giving birth to her twins, Austin and Avery. The 30-year-old social media coach and content creator told Yahoo Finance her growing family meant travel would be a lot more expensive than it was before. 'I had the realisation that we would have to pay for four flights all of a sudden when they were born and we started looking at holidaying,' she said. 'That's when points collecting came up and I started doing it.' RELATED Aldi reveals 'small details' that make shop cheaper than Coles, Woolworths Centrelink alert for retiring Baby Boomers wanting to caravan around Australia Little-known superannuation rule sparks warning for millions of Aussies Taylor said the number one way she earns points is through her regular grocery shopping. She collects Qantas Points through Woolworths by converting Everyday Rewards points, and Velocity Points through Coles converting Flybuys points. Taylor is signed up to the Everyday Rewards and Coles Plus loyalty programs, which let her collect double points and get 10 per cent off her shop each month. She also bases her grocery shopping around the points boosters on offer. 'That's definitely the main way I've earned points. I do that through just taking an extra 10 minutes before I do my shopping to have a look at what products I can get bonus points on,' she said. 'I tend to shop around points boosters, rather than specials most of the time, which in the long run saves me money.'Taylor spends $400 a fortnight on groceries and alternates between Woolworths and Coles to take advantage of the 10 per cent monthly discount. With the points boosters, Taylor said she earns between 2,000 and 3,000 points on average on each grocery shop. 'At the moment, I think my balance is sitting at around 350,000 points between the two points systems,' she said. Aussie scores $10,000 worth of free travel Since she started collecting points, Taylor has redeemed them for multiple international and domestic flights. She estimates she would have saved roughly $10,000 on flights with Qantas, Virgin and partner airlines like Jetstar over the last three years. 'We've used them to fly to Bali a few times and then I flew to Malaysia,' she said. A trip to Bali, for example, cost roughly 20,000 points each way flying with Qantas. You do still have to pay for taxes and fees, but Taylor said this was a small amount when compared to the actual cost of flights. Qantas said it had seen a record number of points redemptions on flights in the last 12 months. Finder research also found 70 per cent of Aussies had cashed in their rewards points in the last 12 months, with 48 per cent using them to save money off their everyday expenses, 13 per cent cashing them in for flight rewards seats, and 10 per cent getting money off consumer goods. Finder personal finance expert Sarah Megginson said Aussies were getting increasingly savvy with their points. 'The great thing is you can usually 'stack' rewards. So at the supermarket, you might activate a points booster, shop the half-price specials, use a 10 per cent reward discount and then pay using a discounted gift card, and you'll earn rewards points on the whole shop, too," she said. 'When you stack all the deals and discounts together, it adds up to substantial savings." 'Devalued': Qantas makes major loyalty point change Qantas Frequent Flyer is one of the country's biggest loyalty programs with more than 17 million members. However, Qantas made changes to its loyalty program earlier this month for the first time in six years, with the value of points "declining significantly". That's according to Finder travel expert Angus Kidman, who told Yahoo Finance a single Qantas point used for Classic Rewards was previously worth 2 cents for Economy flights and 8 cents for Business flights. While the exact increase varies, the devaluation is between 5 and 20 per cent, plus Qantas is also increasing fees and surcharges for business and first class seats. For example, a Sydney to Melbourne economy class seat will go from 8,000 points and $55 in fees, to 9,200 points and $55 in fees. While a business class seat will go from 144,600 points plus $473 in fees, to 166,300 points plus $648 in fees. However, Qantas has released 400,000 new Classic Rewards seats across its international and domestic network, including its premium cabins. The airline has also reduced the number of points required to book a reward seat on Jetstar domestic flights within Australia and New Zealand, with flights available from 5,700 points one way, down from 6,400. Kidman said flyers can still score a decent deal if they follow "two key tips". "Don't be obsessed with flying Business class, and look into flying to regional locations—those seats are often very expensive to buy but aren't as pricey as a Qantas Classic Reward," Kidman said. "And don't fall for the trap of paying any carrier charges using Qantas Points—that's a waste of money." You can read about the changes here. Other ways Aussie mum earns points Along with grocery shopping, there are a few other ways Taylor incorporates points earning into her everyday spending. Her electricity and insurance bills, for example, are linked to providers who allow her to earn Qantas points. Her electricity provider Red Energy gives her points on money spent on bills and also gave her a sign-up bonus, while her car and home insurance is with Qantas Insurance. 'Sometimes I will switch between providers and insurance companies. I obviously look at the price and everything and I don't want to be ripping myself off just for the sake of points,' she said. Taylor will also buy gift cards through Coles and Woolworths to pay for big purchases and buys them when she can earn bonus points on them. For example, she recently bought $500 worth of gift cards and got 20 times points on the purchase. 'That's money that I was spending anyway on buying a dryer,' she said. She also has a Qantas points-earning credit card, but does not use this often. 'If you are going to be spending the money anyways, you might as well make it work in your favour. I don't condone buying things just for points and putting yourself in debt and getting credit cards just to build points up,' she said. 'But if it's money that you're already going to be spending that five minutes out of your day to do a bit of research before you spend could literally have you in Bali once a year on holidays with your family, so it's worth taking the extra time."Sign in to access your portfolio
Skift
35 minutes ago
- Skift
Travel Industry Looks for Fed Signals at Jackson Hole
The Federal Reserve's annual retreat in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, is the summer's main stage for central bankers. And this week, the travel industry is paying close attention. U.S. Fed Chair Jerome Powell will speak Friday at the Kansas City Fed's Economic Policy Symposium, where markets expect him to hint at a September interest-rate cut. Markets are pricing in at least two cuts before year-end. The stakes for travel companies are high. Airlines, hotels, and hospitality providers rely on debt markets to finance planes, properties, and new business. Lower rates mean lower interest costs. A single quarter-point cut could save businesses millions. And the knock-on effect for the travel industry is massive. Travel spending is discretionary and tied to sentiment. Weal
