The list below represents our top picks for the best carry-on backpacks in 2025.

Below, find advice from stylish frequent fliers (and Strategist staffers) about the totes, duffels, and backpacks ... personal item because it’s lightweight and custom-designed for air travel ...

No matter what kind of traveler you are, this trio of the best ... backpack could count as your personal item, leaving you free to bring another main piece of carry-on luggage if your airline ...

Even though much of my job as a travel ... be the best for most people — it’s big enough for a week’s worth of clothes but small enough that you can use it as an airline personal item ...

The Cotopaxi Allpa 35L Del Dia Travel Pack and the larger Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L offer the best combination of ... this single backpack (plus a personal item) has replaced nearly every ...

Of course, as long as it fits under a seat, just about any bag can be a personal item (what the airlines call any purse, briefcase, or small backpack ... Air Porter Carry-On Bag offers the best ...

and functional travel bags, and their backpacks are among my favorites. The Go-Bag is available in three sizes, and the mini (32L) is best for an airline personal item. The Baboon to the Moon Go ...

The Matador Freerain22 Waterproof Packable Backpack comes with a small mesh compression sack that makes it ideal for travel ... it's best suited to individuals who tend to carry bulkier items ...

We tested backpacks with kids aged 3 to 18 years old and picked the best bags for upcoming trips. Anna Popp is a New York-based associate editor at Travel + Leisure, covering all of the best ...