If you’ve flown recently, you know there’s often a rush to board to get your carry-on bag a slot in the coveted overhead bins – and multiple announcements asking travelers to gate-check their bag to help reduce the number of luggage items in the overhead space. If you want to avoid the problem and keep your luggage with you, an underseater is an ideal option.
Designed to fit under the seat in front of you on a plane or train, underseat luggage comes in a variety of styles, including hard- and soft-sided mini suitcases, backpacks, totes, and briefcases. What’s more, depending on airline luggage size requirements, these bags are considered a personal item with most airlines, so you’ll save on carry-on or checked bag fees, and have continuous access to everything you pack in your carry-on bag.
To help narrow the options, U.S. News editors and trusted travel experts researched and shared their favorite bags that can be stowed under the seat in front of you.
The Top Underseat Luggage of 2024
U.S. News editors researched dozens of review sites, including Amazon, online retailers, travel industry review sites and more, to come up with this selection of the best underseat luggage.
(Note: Prices were accurate at the time of publication; they may fluctuate due to demand or other factors. Dimensions are listed in order of length by height by width.)
(Courtesy of CALPAK)
Dimensions: 16 x 14.5 x 9 inches | Weight: 5.1 pounds | Colors: Oatmeal, chocolate and rose quartz
Hard- or soft-sided: Soft-sided | Warranty: Limited two-year
What sets it apart: Lightweight and constructed with a matte-finish polyester fabric, this small carry-on suitcase has organizational features that make it stand out from the rest. The spacious interior compartment includes a padded laptop sleeve (which holds up to a 13-inch laptop), a mesh slip pocket, a removable mesh zipper pocket and two additional small zipper pockets.
On the outside, there’s a large front zip pocket for reading material or other documents, and a side zippered pocket ideal for a phone cord, writing utensils, earbuds or other small items you may want to reach midflight. The trolley sleeve allows you to attach this underseater to a larger carry-on or a checked rolling bag once you reach your destination.
Expert review: I love the stylish appearance of this particular design, along with the thoughtful design details like the two exterior zippered compartments, which are great for small items I want to reach easily while traveling. It is easy to slide under the seat in front of me, and I also really like this bag’s laptop sleeve, as it is especially useful for a quick business trip or when I’m traveling and planning to work remotely. Despite its compact size, it can comfortably fit 2-3 days of clothing (even more if I use compression packing cubes), and it handles well in airports and hotels on multiple types of surfaces.
Price: $165 or less
Shop now: CALPAK
Dimensions: 13 x 19 x 7 inches | Weight: 0.74 pounds | Colors: 12 options, including red and yellow
Hard- or soft-sided: Soft-sided | Warranty: 90 days
What sets it apart: This carry-on backpack works as both an underseater and a daypack. It has multiple zippered compartments to keep things organized and secure, including two side mesh pockets for a water bottle and umbrella. Constructed with a lightweight nylon resistant to tears and water, this bag comes in a variety of colors such as orange or green. What’s more, the packable backpack can also be folded up into a small pouch and put into a carry-on or checked bag, so it’s perfect to stow in your bag to use as an underseater on the way home for all of finds you purchased on your journey.
Expert review: “The ZOMAKE backpack is a compact carry-on option that easily fits under a plane seat,” says Erin Evans, managing editor at U.S. News & World Report Travel. “I’ve had two of these backpacks (in two different colors) for years – they last, they’re affordable, they’re versatile and they can fit a surprising amount of stuff.”
Price: $21.99 or less
Shop now: Amazon
(Courtesy of Vera Bradley)
Dimensions: 14 x 17 x 9 inches | Weight: 6.49 pounds | Colors: Black, botanical paisley and enchanted mandala blue
Hard- or soft-sided: Soft-sided | Warranty: Limited five-year
What sets it apart: For a true office-on-the-go setup, this bag checks the boxes. The front compartment has a laptop sleeve and mesh pockets for work essentials. There are exterior zip pockets for earbuds, writing utensils and other meetings-in-transit needs. Given the design, you can take out all your belongings for work without going into the main compartment, where clothing and personal items can be stowed.
The inside has a removable lining for cleaning, two compression straps, a mesh zip pocket and a slip pocket for a USB battery pack (sold separately). There’s a lock to keep contents secure and a trolley sleeve to attach the underseater to a full-size carry-on.
Travelers appreciate: Commuters like this bag because they can fit clothing for two to three days along with a laptop and other work necessities. The two wheels help the briefcase easily glide under the seat on an airplane, though some note it would be nice if the bag had four spinner wheels instead. Many note it is a go-to bag for travel because of its organizational features and ease of use.
(Courtesy of Travelpro)
Dimensions: 16.25 x 15.5 x 8.5 inches | Weight: 5.4 pounds | Color: Black
Hard- or soft-sided: Soft-sided | Warranty: Limited lifetime
What sets it apart: This bag is constructed of a water-resistant polyester exterior and lined with a fabric made from 100% recycled plastic bottles. The interior compartment has space for clothing and essentials for a quick overnight business trip or a weekend getaway. For quick access, the front panel opens to reveal a mesh pocket for smaller items; an internal breakaway snap feature helps keep the flap secure, so you don’t spill all of the bag’s contents onto the airport floor. There’s also a front zippered compartment for electronics and your boarding pass, along with a back trolley strap to secure it to a larger rolling bag.
Travelers appreciate: The lightweight yet sturdy handle is one of the features travelers like about this bag. They also appreciate its sturdy construction, its ability to fit in the overhead bin on smaller planes (where it is too large to go under the seat), and the high-performance wheels.
Dimensions: 13.8 x 16.5 x 9 inches | Weight: 5.6 pounds | Colors: Black, blue or purple
Hard- or soft-sided: Soft-sided | Warranty: Limited three-year
What sets it apart: The spinner wheels and integrated charging port really set this carry-on bag apart. Designed to fit under most airline seats, the interior compartment has space for one to two days’ worth of clothing, a laptop and tablet sleeve, and mesh pockets. Other features include a zippered exterior pocket with organizational features, a side zippered pocket with charging port access (personal charging device not included) and a luggage trolley sleeve.
Expert review: “I’m a big fan of the durability of the Samsonite underseater,” says James Smith, founder of Travel-Lingual. “I’ve spent a ton of time on the road, so I know how important it is to have a dependable bag.” He says the bag is built to last and that, while it doesn’t have a dedicated laptop compartment, the laptop sleeve works well for travel.
Andre Robles, general manager at Voyagers Travel Specialists, says, “The Samsonite wheeled underseater stands out as my top recommendation due to its winning combination of style and practicality.” He adds that the bag is versatile for business and leisure travel, fits well under the seat, and provides easy access to your belongings during the journey.
Dimensions: 15 x 14.5 x 7 inches; 22 x 14.5 x 7 when extended | Weight: 5.5 pounds | Colors: Black, gray or purple
Hard- or soft-sided: Soft-sided | Warranty: Limited five-year
What sets it apart: If you’re looking for versatility, this underseater expands to a 22-inch carry-on size – perfect for creating space to bring those souvenirs home from your trip. Featuring a durable and water-resistant construction on a four-wheel spinner base with a retractable aluminum trolley handle, this carry-on fits under an airplane seat when not expanded.
The interior compartment includes a padded laptop sleeve (for devices up to 13.5 inches), two inner mesh zippered pockets and elastic tie-down straps. For added organization, the exterior has four zippered pockets, including two side pockets, making small essentials easy to find. If you need additional space, the expanded section has an interior zipper you can close for two separate compartments or leave open for one larger packing space.
Travelers appreciate: Owners of this 2-in-1 style rave about the expandability options. They also appreciate that the bag is lightweight, durable, and easy to put under the airplane seat or in the overhead bin when made larger.
(Courtesy of CALPAK)
Dimensions: 16 x 14 x 9 inches | Weight: 6 pounds | Colors: Seven options, including coral, cream and brown
Hard- or soft-sided: Hard-sided | Warranty: Limited two-year
What sets it apart: This cube-shaped polycarbonate design offers a compact yet spacious interior space for three to five days of clothing and necessities. The zippered interior divider keeps the contents in place, and there are multiple pockets for smaller items. The bag also has a built-in TSA-accepted lock, spinner wheels and a retractable handle. For easy maneuverability, there are top and side handles to pull the bag out from under the seat or to place in an overhead bin.
Expert review: If I’m not taking my laptop, this bag is my go-to for quick trips. Since I have lifting restrictions, this underseater glides easily under the seat, so I don’t have to try to get it in the overhead bin (which also saves on baggage fees). I have the poppy (coral) color, and I absolutely adore it! I use compression cubes to fit up to six days of clothing inside this bag, and even when fully packed it glides along moving walkways, sidewalks and airports like a charm. While the handle doesn’t feel extremely strong, I’m able to trolley another packed tote with no problem.
Price: $165 or less
Shop now: CALPAK
Dimensions: 14 x 15 x 8.5 inches | Weight: 5 pounds | Colors: Black, navy, brown or purple
Hard- or soft-sided: Soft-sided | Warranty: 30-day
What sets it apart: Compact and smartly designed, this underseater has two exterior zippered pockets for easy access to earbuds, reading material or your boarding pass. The interior has a removable clear zippered bag for TSA-compliant toiletries, plus two additional zippered compartments for smaller travel items. For easy access, there’s a side slide pocket with a built-in port for a USB charger (sold separately) to charge your phone on the go. It also has a trolley sleeve so it can be used as a personal item in addition to a rolling carry-on bag.
Travelers appreciate: Given its compact design, buyers of this bag like that it fits more than it appears it would hold. They also appreciate that it fits under the seats of even small planes where overhead bins are extremely small. Most note that it is extremely well constructed for the price.
Price: $59 or less
Shop now: Amazon
Why Trust U.S. News Travel
Rachael Hood rarely checks a bag and likes to have her suitcase within reach while in flight. She has traveled extensively with the CALPAK Luka Soft-sided Mini and the Hue Mini, both of which she likes to maximize the interior space with compression packing cubes. To curate this list, she used her personal experience, research and retail merchandising background.