Traveling can come with a lot of stress, and what bags and accessories to bring shouldn’t contribute to it. As someone who thrives in an airport and has mastered the art of a TSA checkpoint, these are my picks for the best bags and accessories I now can’t live without.
Personal Items
Arguably the most important bag you’ll be traveling with, personal items act as a lifeline under the seat in front of you in a plane. There are debates on which is the best type, and I’m here to recommend my favorites of both the backpack and tote bag categories.
With so many backpack types, it’s hard to pick just one for the entire category. Instead, I’ve picked my favorite traditional backpack and clamshell-opening backpack.
My favorite traditional backpack hands down is the Dakine Campus Backpack 25L. I’ve been using this backpack daily since senior year of high school and it has yet to show any major signs of wear. It comes in solids and patterns, and has something to fit anyone’s taste. Some of my favorite features include the laptop sleeve in the back pocket, the insulated front pocket, and the lined glasses pocket. I also love how compact this backpack is; it holds everything right against your back and really reduces strain on your back and shoulders. It fits easily under the seat on planes, and is perfect for travel.
For those who prefer a clamshell-opening backpack, my absolute favorite is the Cotopaxi Allpa 28L. This backpack opens suitcase-style, making it so much easier to bring an entire weekend’s worth of clothes and essentials in one bag. I find this one a bit more difficult to access all pockets during a flight, so I recommend sticking your must-haves in the top few pockets so you don’t have to worry about unzipping the entire thing during the flight. This backpack was my personal item for an international trip and as long as it isn’t bursting at the seams full, it fits under most airline seats.
When I’m taking a trip domestically and don’t need a laptop or I have a carry-on, I prefer to bring a tote bag because I find them more convenient in airports, especially because you can access them while you’re standing in the TSA line or waiting to board without taking it off your shoulder.
My personal favorite tote to bring as a personal item is the L.L. Bean Medium Zip Top Boat and Tote with Long Handles. I find it fits everything I need, and with the zipper top you can easily throw a sweatshirt on top for cold planes. Even better, this bag can stay upright when stored under the seat, which I find particularly helpful when traveling with a water bottle or drink. This bag allows you to take things out while it stays on the ground, greatly reducing the risk of intruding into your seatmate’s space.
Daily Bags
These bags are not ones I would choose to bring as a personal item, but rather to stow inside my other luggage to use at my destination. Depending on your preferred bag style, these picks are versatile and work with different outfits and traveling needs.
The Fjallraven High Coast Crossbody is hands down my favorite daily purse for travel. It’s three liters, making it comfortable to carry and while still holding all of your daily essentials. This was my everyday bag for a three week trip to Italy, and it was perfect for storing a pashmina to throw on when entering churches and museums. I also love how it’s crossbody; it greatly reduced my fear of getting pickpocketed because I could have my hand on my bag at all times.
My second favorite travel purse is the Lululemon Everywhere Belt Bag 1L. This one is popular for a reason; it’s my favorite for sporting events when the bag restrictions are tight, along with spontaneous hikes, and when I only really need my phone and wallet. As a bonus, the Disney designs are perfect for park days!
My In-Bag Must-Haves
Insulated water bottles are a must when traveling, especially when you don’t want to spend $6 on bottled water at the airport. My favorite for travel is the Owala FreeSip 24oz; it’s perfect to tuck in a tote bag or the side pocket of a backpack. The locking lid feature is a lifesaver on a flight, and the carry loop makes it easy to hook on a bag or hold while exploring. This bottle comes in larger sizes, which I love for home and class, but I find to be too bulky and heavy to carry around all day. I would personally rather refill my bottle a few times than lug around a huge water bottle. This bottle also keeps ice frozen solid––a game changer for TSA! You can fill it with only ice before you go to the airport and it will go through the scanner fine as long as there is no liquid (per TSA regulation), then simply fill it up at one of the water bottle fillers for ice cold water every time you fly.
Traveling can be extremely dirty and grimy, especially air travel. Airports and planes are full of high-touch surfaces, spreading germs on everything and everyone. To stay healthy while traveling, I pack an outrageous amount of individually packaged alcohol prep pads. Everyone I’ve ever traveled with knows I won’t go anywhere without at least 30, and for good reason. These are my holy grail. You can truly use them for anything: sanitizing surfaces and hands, cleaning minor scrapes/burns, and so much more. I keep them in my suitcase, personal item, and everyday bag because you never know when you’ll need them, and they come in handy at least once a day when traveling. If you picked only one thing to bring off this list, make it these, your life will be changed for the better.
Travel can be overwhelming, from researching to booking to packing, and then finally going on what may be a once in a lifetime trip. Hopefully, these must-haves will make your life a little easier and let you stress less for your next adventure!