Best Personal Item Bags for Flying
Every airline lets you bring one personal item along with your carry-on, and every airline decides for itself how big that item can be. (Yes, really. The bag that sailed onto one flight can get the eyebrow at the next gate.) So the number that matters is the one on your bag, held up against the one on your carrier's website.
Enter: our personal item bags. Small overnight bags, totes, travel backpacks, and crossbodies made to ride along with your carry-on, so your hands stay free for the important stuff. (Coffee. We mean coffee.)
Top Features in Our Personal Item Bags
You know the moment: one hand on your roller, one hand on your coffee, and a third bag you're apparently supposed to carry with your teeth. Our personal item bags are built around fixing exactly that.
- Trolley pass-through. Slide your bag over the handle of your carry-on and roll everything together. On many of our bags it zips shut and becomes an extra pocket.
- Laptop pockets. Every one of our backpacks has a padded laptop pocket, and most of our totes and weekenders have room for one too.
- Grab-and-go crossbodies. Our crossbody bags keep your passport, wallet, and phone within reach. The Sport Pack and The Crescent Catchall, our two crossbody styles, each have a built-in key leash, so no more excavating.
- Water-resistant lining. Most BÉIS bags are lined with a water-resistant lining that helps protect your belongings from liquid.
Our Favorite Personal Item Bags by Trip
Not sure where to start? These are the ones we reach for first.
- For the weekend away: The Mini Weekender. Our personal-item-sized overnight bag holds 32 L, enough for a night or two, and its padded pocket fits up to a 16" laptop.
- For the work trip: The Travel Backpack. It opens full-zip and lay-flat, so packing feels like a suitcase, and it takes up to a 16" laptop.
- For the everything-bag person: The East To West Tote. Our structured travel tote holds 31 L and fits a 13" or 15" laptop, so it covers the commute and the flight.
- For parents on the move: The Backpack Diaper Bag. The changing pad, odor-proof bag, pacifier pouch, and teething ring all come in the box. (You're welcome.)
How to Pack Your Personal Item Bag
Packing a personal item is a negotiation, and historically the bag wins. Tip the odds back in your favor.
- Check the size first. Look up your airline's personal item dimensions, then use our weekender bag size guide to pick the right bag.
- Load heavy first. Laptops and chargers go at the bottom of your travel backpack or duffle bag. Heads up, we don't size any of our duffles as a personal item, so check those against your airline's carry-on limit instead.
- Corral the small stuff. Small pouches keep toiletries, cords, and snacks from turning into a scavenger hunt.
- Keep crossbodies light. Only your most important items go inside, so security is a five-second event rather than a scene.
Pro tip: zip the trolley pass-through closed and it turns into an extra pocket. Storage you were already carrying!
With a smart packing strategy, even a small overnight bag can fit everything you need for a quick trip.
What Is the Best Size Bag for Your Personal Item?
There isn't one number, and anyone who hands you one is guessing. Every airline sets its own personal item allowance, so we won't tell you a bag is universally compliant.
Our Domestic Carry On Sizing Chart covers carry-on allowances, and even those don't agree with each other:
- 22 x 14 x 9 inches on Alaska, American, Delta, Hawaiian, JetBlue, United, and Virgin America
- 22 x 16 x 10 inches on Allegiant
- 22 x 18 x 10 inches on Spirit
- 24 x 16 x 10 inches on Frontier and Southwest
Personal item limits sit below those and are set carrier by carrier. Pull up your airline's published personal item limit, compare it against the dimensions on each bag's product page, and board with one less thing to wonder about.
Every airline lets you bring one personal item along with your carry-on, and every airline decides for itself how big that item can be. (Yes, really. The bag that sailed onto one flight can get the eyebrow at the next gate.) So the number that matters is the one on your bag, held up against the one on your carrier's website.
Enter: our personal item bags. Small overnight bags, totes, travel backpacks, and crossbodies made to ride along with your carry-on, so your hands stay free for the important stuff. (Coffee. We mean coffee.)
