Checklist · 10 picks · 4 categories
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Carry-on only is the main-character way to fly: no checked-bag fee, no carousel, no lost luggage.
The trick is two bags that actually fit the rules. Pack Hacker reviewed carry-ons and personal item bags, and its picks come with the sizing catch for each one; budget airlines are the strictest, so a tiny backpack can save you a fee. Inside, packing cubes keep a week of outfits squished and sorted, and refillable bottles handle the liquids rule: the TSA says liquids go in containers of 3.4 ounces (100 mL) or less, in a quart-sized bag. The Samsonite hardshell is OutdoorGearLab's pick; everything else comes from Pack Hacker. Each card shows the drawback its outlet called out.
Who this is not for. Skip this if you're checking a big suitcase for a long stay; the Study Abroad list has checked bags, and the Travel list has trackers and chargers.
Tell me what you can spend. I pick a tier for every item, essentials first, and show what is left. The first amount covers everything you need at the cheapest tier.
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Estimates based on typical prices, checked Oct 30, 2026. Prices change; see the store for today's price.
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BAGSMART Roamer Expandable 20-Inch Carry On Luggage | budget | $50-100 | a carry-on with a handy water-resistant pocket | 1 outlet |
| Samsonite Freeform Spinner | mid | $150-200 | a few trips a year on a mid budget | 1 outlet |
| Travelpro Maxlite 5 21-Inch Carry-On Expandable Spinner | mid | $150-200 | frequent flyers who want a bag that just works | 1 outlet |
Best carry-onbudget pick · 20 in
Best for a carry-on with a handy water-resistant pocket
Pack Hacker's best budget carry-on: for the price, it's hard to beat.
Heads up. Expanding it pushes it past many airlines' size limits, and the wheels and handle feel cheaper than pricier bags
1 outlet. Pack Hacker best budget carry-on.
$50-100
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mid pick · Standard
Best for a few trips a year on a mid budget
OutdoorGearLab's Best Buy hardshell: the most packing space for the money in a light, flexible shell that resists cracks. A solid pick if you only fly a few times a year.
Heads up. Weak trolley handle, scratches easily and so-so wheels, per OutdoorGearLab. Check your airline's size limit too.
1 outlet. OutdoorGearLab best Buy hardshell carry-on.
$150-200
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mid pick · 21 in
Best for frequent flyers who want a bag that just works
Pack Hacker's best value carry-on: smooth, reliable and simple.
Heads up. Not the most stylish, and it's so popular you could confuse it with someone else's
1 outlet. Pack Hacker best value carry-on.
$150-200
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CabinZero Military Backpack 28L | budget | $50-100 | fitting a lot under the seat for less | 1 outlet |
| Fjallraven Kanken Laptop Backpack 13 | mid | $100-150 | strict budget airlines with tiny personal item limits | 1 outlet |
| Travelpro Maxlite 5 Carry-On Rolling Underseat Bag | mid | $100-150 | rolling instead of carrying | 1 outlet |
Best personal item bagbudget pick · 28 L
Best for fitting a lot under the seat for less
Pack Hacker's best budget personal item bag: designed to work as a personal item on most airlines.
Heads up. The back panel bulges when fully packed and can be uncomfortable, and the logo is big
1 outlet. Pack Hacker best budget personal item bag.
$50-100
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mid pick · 13 L
Best for strict budget airlines with tiny personal item limits
Pack Hacker's best value personal item backpack: its managing editor's go-to bag for budget airlines.
Heads up. The side pockets are too small to be useful, and the fabric faded around 3 years in
1 outlet. Pack Hacker best value personal item backpack.
$100-150
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mid pick · 26 L
Best for rolling instead of carrying
Pack Hacker's best underseat luggage: everything you're used to on a big rolling bag in a small package.
Heads up. Too big to get through the gate every time on some budget airlines
1 outlet. Pack Hacker best underseat luggage.
$100-150
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Best packing cubessplurge pick · S, M, shoe pouch
Best for squeezing a week of clothes into one small bag
Pack Hacker's best compression packing cube: clean and dirty pockets keep laundry separate, and they compress easily.
Heads up. Multiple zippers around the outside, so check which one you're grabbing
1 outlet. Pack Hacker best compression packing cube.
$50-100
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budget pick · 4 cubes
Best for your first set of cubes
Pack Hacker's best budget packing cube: great starter cubes that have held up well after years of reviews.
Heads up. Materials don't feel very premium, and you can only buy the pack of four
1 outlet. Pack Hacker best budget packing cube.
$15-25
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Best travel bottlesbudget pick · Kit
Best for cheap bottles that won't crack in your bag
Pack Hacker's best budget travel bottles: tough HDPE plastic, like a water bottle, in shapes that help you remember what's what.
Heads up. The largest sizes are too big for airport security, and there's little room to label them
1 outlet. Pack Hacker best budget travel bottles.
under $15
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mid pick · Several sizes
Best for frequent flyers who refill and reuse
Pack Hacker's best value travel bottles: food-safe silicone with a locking cap that handles thin and thick liquids.
Heads up. The caps can break if handled roughly, and hair and dust stick to the silicone
1 outlet. Pack Hacker best value travel bottles.
$15-25
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means three independent outlets recommend a pick, means one, and limited evidence means none has yet. I research these picks. I have not tested them myself. How I pick · Broken link, wrong price range or an outdated pick? Tell me
A carry-on, a personal item bag that fits under the seat, packing cubes and refillable travel bottles. If you need trackers, chargers or a plug adapter too, our Travel list has those.
It depends on the airline. Pack Hacker lists limits as small as about 15 x 11 x 3.9 in on Lufthansa and names Ryanair, Lufthansa and Air France as the strictest, while Delta, Spirit, American and Frontier are the roomiest. Check your airline before you fly; Pack Hacker's 13 L Kanken is its go-to for budget airlines.
The TSA says carry-on liquids, gels and aerosols must be in containers of 3.4 ounces (100 mL) or less, packed in a quart-sized bag. Pack Hacker warns that the largest Nalgene bottles in its kit are too big for security, so stick to the small ones.