13 best hand luggage bags to avoid airline fees

Roll-top bags often feel somewhat flimsy but that isn’t the case here, thanks to a reassuringly solid back panel that provided sufficient support when we were wearing the bag but didn’t affect the ease with which we could slide it under airline seats.

There’s a compression valve on the side, to keep things compact, and we appreciated other added extras that are usually missing on bags of this style. For example, the bag has a well-padded internal laptop compartment, as well as two smaller elasticated pockets. 

There were none of the common security-related gripes with this bag, either – although it’s a roll-top, there’s also a zip, and the rubberised material (which is actually recycled TPU) will protect the contents from damp and dust, too.

This is another bag designed to meet Ryanair’s maximum measurements for personal items, and its boxy shape means it’s impossible to flout them (unlike some other bags, which might risk exceeding restrictions when filled to capacity).

Favourite features include the extra-long handles (which extend down to the bottom of the bag, for extra security) and the accessible side pocket. We also love the way it folds flat when not in use – on occasions when we were travelling with checked baggage, we could simply empty it and shove it in our suitcase after the flight.

The first thing we noticed is how this bag’s zip didn’t just extend along its entire length but extended over one end of the bag, slightly, too. Why is this important? Because, when your bag’s filled to bursting, easy access is crucial. 

We were reassured by the extra reinforcement on the straps, and were pleasantly surprised by the generous size of the internal pocket – it was more than large enough to accommodate a passport and a purse. Other added extras we found inside included a dust cloth and a handle, enabling us to sling the bag over our shoulders.

This bag is exactly the same size as Ryanair’s maximum allowance for fitting under the seat, enabling you to make the most of limited space.

Waterproof fabric and a tough nylon handle offer a sense of unexpected toughness. Meanwhile, although the design is relatively simple, all the basics – including a small internal and external pocket, in addition to the large central compartment – were present. An unexpected extra was the trolley sleeve, which enabled us to slip it over the handle of our checked baggage.

First things first: admittedly, this bag will struggle to meet Ryanair’s restrictions when full, although, we’ve also used it without issue on flights with the airline, and the fact its generous proportions come mostly from its width means sliding it under most airlines seats won’t be a problem. Handles on the top, back and sides make wrangling it out of small spaces a breeze, and we found the abundance of pockets – on both the inside and outside – incredibly useful.

We loved the extra padding on the laptop compartment, and on the bag’s rear – when bags are stashed under seats, it’s all too easy to deliver an accidental kick to our most valuable items, but the extra padding provided peace of mind.

This is a simple but versatile bag that doubles as both a backpack and a duffel. It was easy to extract it from its accompanying stuff sack (and cram it back in), and we were slightly shocked that a bag of this quality could be squeezed into the aforementioned sack, especially as added extras include removable straps (for use when it’s being carried as a backpack).

A strip of looped material that extends around the top of the bag enables it to be grabbed at multiple points. When worn as a backpack, the lack of pockets on the rear provided peace of mind in the security stakes.

The interior errs on the minimalist side, although, we appreciated the small, accessible pocket at the top (perfect for keys and power banks). While it stashed easily under our Easyjet seat, its capacity to expand makes it ideal for longer breaks when flying with more generous airlines. It gets bonus points for the three-sided zip, which made accessing the contents a breeze.

If you’re thinking it’s a case of style over substance with this bag, think again. Its lie-flat design, paired with its ability to expand dramatically, means this is a great option for travellers at the mercy of stringent carry-on restrictions while providing enough space for that “I love Paris” teddy bear or those beautiful scarves you picked up at a Marrakesh souk.

The internal space is maximised through a minimalistic approach – there’s just one small inner pocket – and the extra-strong handles provided reassurance when we’d filled the bag to capacity. In summary? Despite the dainty, sequinned, flower-powered gorgeousness of this bag, don’t underestimate its toughness.

The sturdiness of this bag was a hit from the start – in an era when we’re not only cramming more into our hand luggage than ever before but being increasingly ruthless when forcing our bags into limited under-seat spaces or overhead luggage bins, this bag’s rigidity reassured us that travelling light doesn’t mean skimping on protection for our essentials.

We use the phrase Tardis-like regularly but it’s truly justified in this case. The bag features a buckle-closure lid and easy access, courtesy of a vertical front zip, which enabled us to open up the bag like a can of sardines.

Side compression straps came in useful when we found ourselves pushing the limits of Ryanair’s carry-on baggage allowance, and the internal laptop pouch was a bonus we weren’t expecting in a backpack of this size. Sturdy back support meant it doubled as a great day pack on hikes around tourist spots, too.

The beauty of this bag is its rigid design – not only will it slide under seats on the stingiest of airlines, but its wide, flat shape and sturdy sidewalls mean we could wrangle it into the smallest of spaces without worrying about damaging the contents.

There’s no shortage of smaller compartments (including one on the front and another at the top) and we absolutely loved the pen-shaped internal pockets in the main compartment (trust us – when you’re on a plane scrambling around for one to fill in your arrival card, you’ll appreciate them as much as we do). We also like the way the laptop pouch is an entirely separate compartment at the rear. Straps were soft, wide and comfortable and a horizontal strap allowed us to slip the backpack over the handle of our checked bag, making that dash to the departure gate infinitely less painful.

We’re huge fans of Fjällräven – every time we pass through an airport, we see at least a dozen of the brand’s Ryanair-friendly Kånken backpacks. The high coast duffel is slightly larger but we can confirm it still made it onto a Ryanair flight, and its ability to expand dramatically when full means it’s suitable for occasions when you’re not bound by draconian rules relating to carry-on luggage.

We were especially impressed by the press-stud-adorned loop of material on the top handles – when we hadn’t quite filled the bag to capacity but weren’t far off, this allowed us to compress the contents and made squeezing it into the smallest of spaces even easier. It can be carried as either a duffel or a backpack, and even the most organised of travellers are well-catered for – the pocket on the front is ideal for boarding passes and passports and there’s a surprisingly well-padded laptop pocket in the main compartment.

Everything about this bag, from the zip to the slide-out luggage tags, feels top quality. There’s a huge amount of room, despite its ability to slide under airline seats, and the spare shoulder strap came in handy when lugging it through crowded airports. Duffels are often lacking when it comes to easily accessible pockets for items such as passports and boarding passes, but this one’s perfectly positioned exterior pocket was a hit.

Separate compartments are also often lacking on duffels but, again, this wasn’t the case with Briggs & Riley’s bag, which has two separate compartments at either end of the bag and a small internal pocket divided into the compartments (perfect for our keys and charger). A mesh pocket on the inside of the opening was perfect for stashing our dirty laundry.

Does the fact a bag has a cloud-like softness mean we can cram more in? No, but when the material is this soft, it’s a major bonus. As seasoned travellers, we can vouch for the fact that, for example, a super soft bag like this doubles as a great pillow on long bus journeys.

As for the design, we’d describe it as perfection. A full-length zip allows for easy access, and, although there’s only one pocket on the inside, there are two smaller compartments at either end of the bag, which we found to be ideal for smaller items. The additional removable strap enabled us to carry the bag over our shoulders when not using the duffel-style handles.

Although we’ve awarded the “squashability” award to another bag, there’s no denying this bag excels in this particular department, too. It’s more capacious than it initially looks, so much so, you might struggle to squeeze it under the smallest of under-seat spaces when filled to capacity. However, we could easily pack enough into it for a weekend away and still squeeze it into a Ryanair under-seat space. Bonus points for the internal pockets, too – more specifically one zippered pocket and two easy-access smaller ones that are perfect for keys and pens.