10 Best Wheeled Underseat Carry On Bags [Buyering Guide]

4.9K

Also check out:

The Best Travel Backpacks 2016 
The Best Travel Routers 2016

As an avid traveler, you’ll need to make sure that you have the best underseat carry on bag for your travels. If you choose the wrong bag and get caught at the gate, you’ll be forced to check your bag. This big mistake can add another 30 minutes, even an hour or more to your trip at baggage claim!

We prefer an underseat carry on as you’ll never have to worry about the lack of overhead bin space. You’ll always be able to easily slip it under your seat.

We’ve reviewed the top Underseat Carry On Bags on the market and are here to report back to you on our most beloved choices!

Here’s a quick comparison chart

[table id=3 /]

Product Reviews

1. Samsonite Wheeled Underseat – Best Overall Pick

You just can’t go wrong with a classic sturdy Samsonite carry on. Samsonite has been a big name in the luggage industry for a long time now. From the very beginning, it’s positioned itself as a provider of great value at a lower price. This particular underseat carry on is no exception. The Samsonite Wheeled Underseat bag is our best overall pick!

Samsonite keeps it simple with just one color option: black. The material of this carry on bag is reasonably sturdy with a blend of polyester and nylon. You’ll find a large front outer pocket with two side pockets. The vertical upright position of this underseat carry on bag helps you easily retrieve items from the bag without opening the entire lid.

This one size fits all bag features solid wheel construction you’ll find that it wheels around easily at the airport. The inner compartment of this carry on is very spacious. The upper lid has three portions with three fabricated separation markings consist of a plain cover, a plastic cover and a netted cover.

This wheeled under seat carry on bag from Samsonite pretty much sets the industry standard. If you’re searching for a solid product from a trusted brand, this is a great pick!

2. LUCAS Wheeled Under the Seat – Best Runner Up

Are you a frequent flyer? All things considered, this underseat cabin bag from Lucas has all the qualities to be a solid choice for your  travel companion on your next trip.  It features a large tummy, stacks of external pockets, and a well-built structure.

High-quality polyester is used for this carry on which makes it both lightweight and flexible. You don’t have to worry about stains since a simple damp cloth can easily clean it to be good as new. This strong bag is pretty durable and can uphold frequent trips quite effortlessly. You’ll find that the handle of this particular carry on is T-shaped. There are also many external pockets on this bag. On its outer body, there are three front facing zippered pockets and it sports two ample sized pockets on both sides of the bag.

A standout feature of this carry on would be its ability to fit a lot of stuff in an organized fashion. Thanks to its unique design, you don’t even have to zip open the inner compartment all the way in order to retrieve your things. The handle expands up to 23.5 inches; therefore, tall guys or little girls will both find it extremely easy to wheel around.

We love the sturdy construction and organizational ability of this squat little carry on. It’s sturdy enough to last through a heavy traveling schedule!

 

3. Briggs & Riley Transcend – Best Luxury Underseater

Briggs & Riley is a trusted luggage brand with a lifetime warranty on all its products. This particular carry on luggage is a super cool piece of gear with a presence all its own. This bag will make your travels a breeze with all its nifty features.

From first glance, you’ll love the design of this particular Briggs and Riley bag. This bag is made up of 100% nylon. It is a flexible and waterproof carry on with plenty of useful pockets. It’s also very lightweight and can be easily cleaned with water. The height of this carry on is approx 12.5 inches, which complies with most of the airline size restrictions.

This Briggs and Riley bag also has spacious inner compartments. It’s also quite  suitable for one-handed usage. Along with your clothing, there is plenty of space for your electronic gadgets and travel essentials. If you’re a business traveler, you can easily fit your laptop, tablet, mini projector, etc.

This strong and flexible cabin bag from Briggs & Riley is a great pick for frequent fliers. It can hold almost all of your daily necessities and can fit also fit easily into the airplane overhead storage bins. We especially love the clean and sleek design!

 

4. Nicole Miller Jardin – Most Stylish 

Just utter the name Nicole Miller and any fashionista’s gonna perk up!  We absolutely love the black version of this bag, which comes in three colors. The lilac design is a total cutie too!  Designer for the female traveler, this is easily the most stylish underseater on this list.

We love the contrast of the patterned shade with the shiny handles and trimmings. The fabric is made of polyester and you’ll adore the lightweight and compact design of this underseat carry on. The Nicole Miller Jardin is sturdy and should last you through many travels.

This bag features a u-shaped opening which allows you to access your belongings easily. This carry on was designed with a T-shaped handle. Even though we’re not fans of T-shaped handles, it’s definitely a stylish feature. There are many compartments inside the bag so you can separate your toiletries from your other belongings.
Overall the Nicole Miller Jardin features an unparalleled design. We also love the organizational design and the roominess inside!

 

5. Chocolate New York 18″

Searching for a carry on? Hate bags that are rigid? Looking for a fun-looking under-seat carry on with super easy maneuverability? You can find your perfect little travel companion right here with this playfully designed under seat luggage from Chocolate New York.

The first thing that is going to strike your attention would be the design. If you’re no wallflower, you’ll love the different shades available for this sporty underseat from Chocolate New York. (We especially love the pink one!) Also, the luggage will be more resilient to oil, dust or grease because of its busy print.

This carry on is specially made to be fit under the seat on the plane. Also notable is that it has four wheels. This particular functionality will allow you to move effortlessly through crowds. The internal compartments of this underseat bag are well organized. You’ll notice that the bag is more spacious than it looks! It measures around 20 inches high (with the wheels), 16 inches wide and 9 inches lonh including the wheels and handles. The zippered corners are pretty easy to open.

The Chocolate New York is a perfect little carry on with its playful print, 4-wheeled maneuverability, and roomy compartments. It’s your new favorite companion for your overnight trips.

6. Ciao Carry On Wheeled Under Seat Bag

If you’re looking for a budget bag that is well-built and lightweight you might consider this underseat carry on from Ciao. Whether it’s an overnight business trip, an urgent business meeting or a family weekend, this little bag is pretty handy in every situation.

The Ciao carry on is available in black or navy blue. The nylon fabric with a 2-wheeled design makes it a very lightweight and easy to handle travel bag. This bag can easily be washed with a damp cloth. You would notice that Ciao has added a lot of external pockets measuring in different sizes. We found these pockets especially convenient for our small sized gadgets.

The inside of this bag is well designed. Whether it be your overnight change of clothes, cosmetics, grooming kits, laptops, iPads, shoes, toiletries, or other daily necessities, you can stuff all those items into this under seat bag without a hitch. The dividing flap of the interior with zipped compartments lets you store your gear separately in a very organized way. One of the key features of this carry on bag is that thanks to its compact size and shape, you can store it under your seat while traveling via flight. You don’t have to struggle for overhead compartments anymore.

The Ciao carry on is a great choice if you are searching for reasonable quality at a lower price point. You’ll especially like the internal and external baggage compartments and their arrangement. Finally, a durable little fellow!

 

 

7. Delsey Quilted Rolling UnderSeat

We like how Delsey switches it up with a quilted exterior and it’s colorful internal lining. It’s a stylish option for an under seat carry on. It also features super spacious compartments inside

The specialty of this under seat bag is its quilted design and polyester material which is very durable and resilient. With this polyester material, you don’t have to worry too much about the wear and tear. This little baby slips easily under your seat (we think that slippery polyester helps too!) We love it’s color options in purple, black and brown. The two attached wheels are well built and work perfectly.

You can fit all your basic travel needs into this bag without any difficulty. You’ll be surprised at how much this bag can accommodate! Even though it does not have a separate laptop flap, you can easily find space for your laptop within the inner compartment.

This quilted Delsey bag is an easy pick if you want something compact yet spacious inside. We like that it is designed in the style of a purse but way more functional in a travel situation.

 

8. Kemyer 15 Inch Underseat Carry-on

If you looking for a minimalist design , this 15 inch underseat carry on luggage from Kemyer might be for you.

The Kemyer is made up of high-grade polyester. The black and white contrast from it’s white chain lining definitely makes the bag stand out. Vertically the bag is 15 inches which enables it to fit in most of the underseat and overhead bins including even the budget airlines. On the outer walls, it sports two considerably large front facing zippered pockets. However, it doesn’t feature any side pockets.

This carry on luggage is very simply designed with its two external pockets and single internal compartment. There aren’t flaps inside to separate your belongings. You have the freedom to stuff it however you like. On an overnight stay, our reviewer packed 2 dress shirts, 2 polo t-shirts, 2 round collar t-shirts, a pair of dress shoes, a pair of flip-flops, grooming kit, laptop, iPad, and a whole range of other little USB devices and trinkets effortlessly.

Finally, the Kemyer wheels around quite comfortably with its pair of sturdy wheels. This is a high-quality travel bag for its price range.

 

9. Rockland Melrose

The Rockland Melrose has a simple design available in several color options. Kids and fun-loving adults alike will love the owl design, businessmen maybe not so much! It also features a spacious main compartment with adequate external pockets

This bag features two pockets in the front and two net mesh pockets on both sides for water bottles, newspaper, or snacks. The backside of the carry on has a strap designed to attach the bag to the handle stand of a wheeled luggage. We love this little feature, you can easily stack it on top of another, larger piece of luggage and not have to worry about it falling off.

The internal compartment is spacious enough for an overnight change of clothes, shoes, toiletries, and other electronic gadgets. You can stuff and store your necessities easily.

It is easy to retrieve things from this carry on bag thanks to its vertical design. With a solid waterproof material, quilted design, and that cool little strap feature, this Rockland is a solid pick.

 

10. Travelon Wheeled Underseat Carry-On

The standout feature of this Travelon bag is that it is on the only one on this list that comes with a backup bag.  For the last couple of decades, Travelon has created a solid brand in the luggage industry.

The Travelon underseater is it is built with microfiber resulting in a very lightweight finished product. Also, the microfiber materials have a nice feel and the internal padding protects your belongings inside. On the exterior, you’ll find a single zippered pocket and open pocket at the front. On one side, you’ll find a sizable zippered pocket and we love the water bottle holder on the opposite side. The handle feels pretty solid and sturdy.

This spacious carry on bag does have a pretty good internal compartment arrangement. You can stuff a lot of thing into its inner large compartment – from your change of clothes to shoes, electronic gadgets, toiletries, and other necessary files or documents. The zippered side-bag has two inner slots with netted mesh pockets. The tote back-up bag is pretty sizable, made with thin and rigid material. The quality of this tote bag is not super strong so it’s better suited for lighter items

With a refined exterior, well-built structure, and spacious interior, this carryon luggage from Travelon is a solid choice. Especially note it’s bonus tote bag!

---

How to Pack a TSA Approved Toiletries Carry On Bag

It’s happened to us countless times. Getting caught by the TSA and being told to toss expensive face creams or perfumes is a total bummer! April Athena is a Youtuber that we love and we really loved her tips on how to pack the perfect carry on bag. We did a little Youtube cut-up below with all her recommended tips!

BTW the links to all the products listed in these instructions can be found at the end of this section

This is the perfect little toiletries bag to pack for a weekend getaway. This little bag should fit in any of our recommended underseat carry on bags reviewed in this article! We like to use a plastic bag, it’s super easy to clean and you can easily see all your goodies inside!

TSA APPROVED guidelines: 

3.4 oz bottle or less for liquids.

1 quart bag to store liquids or clear bag

Buy a set of empty travel containers, you can pick these up easily on Amazon.com. You can pick up an expensive travel set with pre-filled toiletries, which can be pricey. We wanted to show you the most cost effective way to get things done!

Use some stickers to label your containers. You can abbreviate also, S is for shampoo, C is for conditioner, etc. Grab your full sized products and fill the corresponding bottles. **Make sure to really close and seal the bottles well so that they don’t open and spill!

TIP: Use a butter knife to put face creams into the smaller jars.

Cover the stickers with a clear piece of tape since the stickers aren’t waterproof. This way it won’t smudge of smear and you won’t accidentally use your conditioner as your face wash!

List of recommended items to pack

• Cotton Swabs
• Shampoo
• Conditioner
• Lotion
• Makeup Remover
• Baby Wipes
• Tampons
• Face Moisturizer
• Facial Cleanser
• Acne Spot Treatment
• Sunscreen
• Toothpaste
• Toothbrush
• Mouthwash
• Aspirin or Midol
• Floss
• Deodorant
• Antibacterial Hand Gel
• Travel Sized Perfume
• Eye Masks
• Nail Polish Remover Pads
• Febreze
• Colgate Wisps
• Bar of Soap

WATCH THE ENTIRE VIDEO BELOW

April Athena’s Favorite Recommended Products
Clear toiletries bag
Sticker labels
Empty travel size containers
Neutrogena Rapid Clear acne
Lush Gorgeous Moisturizer
Nail polish remover pads
Cetaphil SPF 50
Caress soap
Seventh Generation Baby Wipes
Antibacterial hand gel
Chloe Roller Perfume
Febreeze
Travel toothbrush kit
Tongue Scraper

 

 

---

Free Printable Travel Checklist

---