The Best Underseat Luggage, Tested By Experts On Planes And Trains
The best underseat luggage easily slides into tight spaces, while still fitting all of the demands of modern air travel. If you’re looking to travel lighter, a well-organized underseat bag can spare you the need for an additional carry-on. After months of traveling, our testers chose the Thule Subterra Boarding Bag as the top overall pick. It’s designed with helpful features like a laptop compartment and has just enough structure to mold into the tight underseat space without squeezing the items inside the bag. The Nemo Equipment Double Haul 30L also earned top marks for its flexibility, while the Travelpro Maxlite 5 Underseat Bag was selected the best wheeled underseat bag.
To narrow down the best underseat luggage, I tested multiple options on a variety of trips, selecting the top performers based on size, durability and additional features, like laptop compartments and trolley sleeves. My selections also included input from Forbes Vetted senior travel editor Astrid Taran, who has traveled to over 35 countries and used many underseat bags herself. Below, the best underseat luggage for 2024.
Best Underseat Luggage Overall: Thule Subterra Backpack 27L
Most Spacious Underseat Luggage: Briggs & Riley Baseline Underseat Duffle
Best Underseat Luggage With Wheels: Travelpro Maxlite 5 Underseat Bag
Best Underseat Bag For Business Travel: Troubadour Embark Compact Duffel
Best Underseat Tote Bag: Nemo Double Haul 30L
Best Compact Underseat Luggage: Troubadour Compact Apex Backpack
Best Hardshell Underseat Luggage: Calpak Hue Mini Carry-On
Best Underseat Luggage For Style: Nomad Lane Bento Bag
Our score: 10 | Dimensions: 13.4 x 8.7 x 18.9 inches | Weight: 2.1 pounds | Colors: 3 total, including Black, Dark Slate and Vetiver Gray
Best for:
Skip if:
There’s a lot to like about the Thule Subterra 23L boarding bag. It has a clean, functional design and durable, 800D nylon exterior that easily stands up to underseat travel. Inside, the Subterra has enough space for all your necessary tech essentials plus miscellaneous gear to get through a layover or long direct flight. It also has designated storage for a 15-inch laptop, as well as a trolley sleeve for attaching to rolling luggage. Beyond that, Thule bags are simply built tough—you can count on them to last for years.
After traveling with this bag on multiple trips, I appreciated its functionality on long flights and protected storage for my computer. It has enough space to hold plenty of other essentials, like chargers and a book, and the resilient exterior helps combat spills and crumbs.
Expert tip: For those looking for a more versatile option, the hybrid Thule Subterra 2 has the same functionality as this bag but can also be carried by its side handle.
Our score: 9 | Dimensions: 10.5 x 16.5 x 11.5 inches | Weight: 2.8 pounds | Colors: 3, including Olive, Navy and Black
Best for:
Skip if:
Briggs & Riley has consistently earned top marks as a brand that produces some of the best luggage on the market, so it’s no surprise that the brand’s underseat bag is equally as impressive. The Baseline Underseat Duffle is one of the most spacious bags on this list, and the number and functionality of its pockets means you can fit quite a lot into its soft frame and still have a little space left underneath your seat. (But take note: long-legged travelers may not agree.)
Of all the options I tested, this bag’s ample interior access really stood out to me. 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.
Expert tip: I found the bag’s separate water bottle storage to be a nice touch, especially for eliminating the risk of my beverage leaking onto any tech items.
Our score: 9 | Dimensions: 17.5 x 8.5 x 14.5 inches | Weight: 5.5 pounds | Available colors: 8 total, including Midnight Blue and Orchid Pink Purple
Best for:
Skip if:
You’ve probably seen pilots and flight attendants with Travelpro luggage—the brand makes solid, sturdy bags that air travel professionals often rely on. The Travelpro Maxlite 5 Underseat Bag, in particular, is durable, nimble and easy to maneuver. The resilient frame creates a foundation when the bag is full and I was able to fit a change of clothes in the main compartment as well as many smaller items in the other storage pockets. There’s also a specific front pocket that’s well padded, making it safe to store a tablet in, even when the bag is crammed underneath a seat.
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). It leaves more than enough real estate for potentially a second full change of clothes.
Expert tip: The Maxlite 5 is made with stain- and water-resistant fabric, which I found incredibly useful (sadly, I’ve had water or food spilled on my underseat bag one too many times.)
Our score: 9 | Dimensions: 18 x 7.5 x 11 inches | Weight: 2.9 pounds | Colors: 2 total, including Black and Navy
Best for:
Skip if:
For the traveler who needs a bag that will look good at both the airport and in the real world, this bag from Troubador is a great choice. In its main pocket, there’s tidy essential storage, with varied pocket sizes for all of your necessary gear. This pick features a trolley sleeve and a detachable shoulder strap, making it easy to transition from a luggage piece to a bag that wouldn’t look out of place in a boardroom. And it has an overall handsome look, with a recycled polyester fabric and vegan leather trim that adds a touch of elegance to a workhorse piece.
Expert tip: This bag’s dedicated shoe pocket (with air circulation) is a nice feature, especially for overnights where a second pair is required.
Our score: 9 | Dimensions: 10 x 20 x 9 inches | Weight: 2.3 pounds | Colors: 4 total, including Black, Lake, Chai and Nova
Best for:
Skip if:
The Double Haul 30L is a unique product in that it’s essentially three bags in one—a tote bag, duffel bag and backpack—which makes it a good underseat choice. You can carry it as a duffel as you move through airport security, turn it into a tote while you’re sitting through a delay or waiting to board, or turn it into a closed duffel to throw underneath the seat. With just one main pocket, things are easy to find and the exterior is built to handle spills, kicking, general throwing around underneath the seat and more.
I used this on a recent trip and really enjoyed its overall functionality. Not only did it easily fit underneath my airplane seat, but it would be ideal for road trips too, since it’s so multi-functional. I was able to stash a ton of different things in the bag and easily locate everything without rummaging through it.
Expert tip: The tote handle storage compartments on the top of the bag are also great for small items like hand sanitizer or keys.
Our score: 9 | Dimensions: 16 x 11.5 x 5.5 inches | Weight: 2 pounds | Colors: 4 total, including Navy, Black and Obsidian Green
Best for:
Skip if:
Troubadour’s compact and minimalist backpack is ideal for travelers who want a minimalist look with maximum functionality. It has a sleek and stylish design, with a front zipper opening that offers easy access to small items and additional space inside the bag for those who need more storage. It comes with a trolley sleeve, so you can stow it on top of your rolling bag while sprinting through the airport between layovers. After a few trips, I found this bag to be a great-looking option for times when I didn’t need to pack my carry-on too heavily.
Expert tip: This bag features a recycled polyester exterior that can hold its own when faced with unexpected spills.
Our score: 10 | Dimensions: 16 x 14 x 8.5 inches | Weight: 6.4 pounds | Colors: 6 total, including Hazel and Mauve
Best for:
Skip if:
True to its name, the Hue Mini is one of the smaller pieces in Calpak’s range, but there’s still plenty of versatility packed into the design. With 31 liters of total space, there’s enough storage for an overnight stay and some change. The luxury of a symmetrical shape is that it very easily tucks into the underseat area or that last bit of available overhead space. Plus, it comes in a number of color choices, ensuring it will stand out if you ever need to check it.
“I used the Calpak Mini Hue on two recent train trips,” says Forbes Vetted senior travel editor Astrid Taran. “It provided enough space for two pairs of pants, three shirts, a jacket and other small accessories. I also enjoyed being able to pack it with heavier items knowing that I could roll it around instead of have to lug it over my shoulder.”
Expert tip: “I find that a softside bag can snag on carpets,” says Taran. “I appreciated that this bag’s smooth hardside exterior fit under my seat smoothly, without getting caught on anything.”
Our score: 9 | Dimensions: 10 x 8 x 17 inches | Weight: 2.76 pounds | Colors: 4, including Black, Green, Blue and Berry
Best for:
Skip if:
With its enclosed zipper pockets on one side and expandable storage on the other, the Nomad Lane Bento Bag feels like a mini-version of a hard-sided suitcase. There are zippers at every turn, making accessibility easy across the bag with multiple entry points on both sides. The bag’s exterior and interior both have a great feel—this is one of the few choices on our list to emphasize its thoughtfully-sourced materials. The brand’s choice of LWG-certified leather signals an effort to support progressive bovine and anti-deforestation practices.
I loved how elegant this bag looked when carrying it around during my travels, and the colors are timeless. I also appreciated its ample space for electronics and it has room for about a day-and-a-half of clothing (depending on the weather).
Expert tip: This bag is a bit on the wider side at the bottom. I recommend pairing it with one of our favorite pieces of carry-on luggage to lessen the chance of lopsidedness as you work your way through the terminal.
In addition to writing, researching and publishing dozens of luggage stories across the board, the Forbes Vetted travel team has spent many hours on the road and in the sky with carry-on luggage, weekender bags and travel backpacks of every kind.
Size, durability and useful features are the most important qualities to prioritize in underseat luggage. Look for bags with rip-resistant fabrics (or crack-resistant shells), strategically placed pockets and, with certain styles, comfy shoulder straps for the long walks between gates. Here are the details to keep an eye on.
If your bag doesn’t fit underneath the seat, then you’ll be asked to place it above you in the overhead bin. It’s important to make sure you don’t push the outer size limits of carry-on bag rules, since you also need a place to rest your feet. In our experience, it’s better to give up two to three inches of space in order to avoid being more crammed in the seat than you already are.
It’s almost a sure bet that your underseat luggage will get stained, kicked around and generally pushed into the framing of the seat in front of you, so it’s crucial to find an option that can stand up to all that wear. Hardshell bags fare a bit better than soft-sided bags, but backpacks can move easily to give your feet a bit more space. In either case, you want to choose a strong nylon, polyester or leather bag that can bend, flex and fold to the demands of commercial air travel.
When comparing different pieces of underseat luggage, consider which features are most important to you. For those who frequently take trips for work, a bag with a built-in laptop compartment will prove useful. Meanwhile, those who hate carrying bags on their shoulders will benefit from one with rolling wheels. If you’re traveling with additional luggage, look for a bag with a trolley sleeve—this design feature allows you to slip your bag over the handle of your wheeled suitcase.
Every domestic airline has a different standard for underseat carry-on sizing. For example, American Airlines has a dimension maximum of 18 inches long, 14 inches wide and 8 inches high, while United Airlines has underseat dimensions of 17 inches long, 10 inches wide and 9 inches high.
These dimensions (and associated weight limits) are subject to regular change, so it’s crucial to check with your airline before you head to the airport. Of course, international airlines will have a whole other set of dimensions and regulations to consider for underseat bags. Roomy first-class seats may have a few extra inches to spare, and the main cabin middle seat might have more room than its neighbors.
While both carry-on luggage and underseat luggage don’t need to be checked, they fall into two separate categories of luggage. Underseat luggage is typically classified as your “personal item,” which is expected to fit underneath the seat in front of you. Carry-on luggage is larger in size and stored in the overhead bin for the duration of your flight. Most U.S. airlines allow for one personal item per passenger free of charge, but some require an extra fee for carry-on bags.