We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Travel Products Luggage + Bags Suitcases + Duffel Bags The 8 Best Carry-on Duffel Bags of 2024, Tested and Reviewed From lightweight to wheeled options, here are the best duffels for your next flight. By Anna Popp Anna Popp Anna Popp is a New York-based commerce writer at Travel + Leisure covering all of the best travel products, from luggage to outdoor gear. She has been a travel writer and product tester for over five years. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines Updated on March 18, 2024 Fact checked by Rich Scherr Fact checked by Rich Scherr Rich Scherr is a seasoned journalist and editor who has traveled across the U.S., Canada, and Europe, and spent more than a decade reviewing hotel room. Travel + Leisure Fact Checking Process In This Article Expand In This Article Our Top Picks ReviewsOthers We Liked Our Testing Process Tips For Buying FAQ Why Trust T+L Photo: Travel + Leisure / Joy Kim A duffel bag is an incredibly useful piece of luggage that can fit just as much as a standard suitcase (if not more) and can compress down for hassle-free storage. Whether you’re embarking on a weekend getaway or flying overseas, there are plenty of options for carry-on duffels that are comfortable to carry and easily fit in an overhead compartment. To find the best carry-on duffel bags on the market, we evaluated more than 60 duffel and weekender bags of all shapes and sizes based on traits like organization, maneuverability, and durability. We combed through the top-performing bags to find the options that fit the standard 22 x 14 x 9-inch airline regulations for carry-on bags to pick out our favorite ones for your next flight. Our Top Picks Best Overall: Aer Travel Weekender at Aersf.com (See Price) Jump to Review Most Durable: Patagonia Black Hole 40L Duffel Bag at REI ($159) Jump to Review Best Budget: Gonex Canvas Duffel Bag at Gonexsport.com (See Price) Jump to Review Best Style: Dagne Dover Landon Carryall Bag at Nordstrom ($185) Jump to Review Best Organization: Béis The Commuter Duffle at Nordstrom ($138) Jump to Review Best Canvas: Mark & Graham Beckett Waxed Canvas and Leather Weekender at Markandgraham.com ($229) Jump to Review Best Vegan Leather: Monos Metro Carry-All Duffel at Monos.com (See Price) Jump to Review Best Expandable: Samsonite Elevation Plus Duffel at Samsonite.com (See Price) Jump to Review Best Overall Aer Travel Weekender PHOTO: Aer View On Aersf.com Our Ratings Capacity 5/5 Organization 5/5 Design 5/5 Portability 5/5 Durability 5/5 Why We Love It The modular design means you can wear this pack in various ways. What to Consider It's very utilitarian in style, and it only comes in black and gray. A versatile bag like this one from Aer is one of the best luggage investments you can make. You can carry the overnight bag as a tote or duffel with the removable and adjustable shoulder strap, and the 35-liter size means you can use it for a wide range of activities. Heading to the office? It features a handy 16-inch padded laptop pocket. Or, if you're traveling via airplane, the smaller measurements of the bag mean it can fit on various airlines (even the budget ones with strict policies). In testing, we found it was a simple task to pack the bag full of weekend trip essentials thanks to the various pockets and organizational features. Made with durable ballistic nylon, the weekender proved to be particularly sturdy during our durability tests, after which it came out looking as good as new after we dropped it off a table several times. The bag can feel a bit heavy when it's packed full, but the tote and shoulder straps are comfortable to carry it for long periods of time. The Details: 19.5 x 12 x 9 inches | 2.7 pounds | 35-liter capacity | Ballistic nylon | 16-inch laptop pocket Travel + Leisure / Jessica Juliao Travel + Leisure / Jessica Juliao Travel + Leisure / Joy Kim Travel + Leisure / Jessica Juliao Most Durable Patagonia Black Hole 40L Duffel Bag PHOTO: Patagonia $159 At REI $159 At backcountry.com View On Patagonia.com Our Ratings Capacity 4/5 Design 4/5 Portability 4.5/5 Value 4/5 Durability 5/5 Why We Love It It can collapse into a built-in bag for easy storage. What to Consider It has a rugged and outdoorsy look. Made of recycled polyester and water-resistant TPU coating, we think this Patagonia duffel bag is equipped for any adventure whether you’re an outdoor enthusiast or a frequent flier. The exterior proved to be as resilient as it looked, showing no signs of damage after it was dropped from a ladder several times. There weren’t any scuff marks, zipper damage, or scratches to the shiny coated exterior. Our tests lead us to believe that this bag will last over time making it ideal for all types of traveling. The opening flap has a mesh pocket on the inside for storing undergarments or toiletries, and there’s an exterior pocket on the side perfect for phone chargers and wallets. We love that the duffel can compress down into a smaller bag included so you can easily store it without taking up too much space. We found the tote bag straps comfortable to hold onto, and the bag includes detachable padded backpack straps to convert the duffel into a backpack. This makes the duffel bag extremely versatile for hiking, camping, or walking through an airport. The Details: 19.7 x 12.5 x 8.5 inches | 2.19 pounds | 40-liter capacity | Recycled ripstop polyester | Water-resistant Travel + Leisure / Nick Kova Travel + Leisure / Nick Kova Travel + Leisure / Nick Kova Travel + Leisure / Nick Kova Tripsavvy / Nick Kova Travel + Leisure / Nick Kova Best Budget Gonex Canvas Duffel Bag PHOTO: Amazon View On Gonexsport.com Our Ratings Capacity 4.5/5 Design 4.5/5 Portability 4.5/5 Value 4.5/5 Durability 5/5 Why We Love It It has plenty of pockets to help you stay organized. What to Consider The main compartment is on the smaller side. If you like to stay organized while traveling, opt for the Gonex Canvas Duffel Bag with its abundance of pockets for every travel item you could need. We love that you can separate your shoes from your clothes with two side pockets that can also fit books, jackets, or other bulky items. Plus, there are several front and back zippered pockets, as well as a few slip pockets to easily grab a passport or phone. While the main compartment is a little smaller than we would’ve liked, it was still able to hold a solid amount of clothes with room in the larger pockets to add more, if desired. Both the shoulder strap and tote handles were comfortable to hold and it was easy to maneuver the bag, leading us to think it would be an excellent duffel for navigating busy airports or other crowded areas. The cotton canvas material held up perfectly against several drops from a ladder and it absorbed the impact keeping all the packed contents safe. We think the value of this budget-friendly duffel bag is unmatched thanks to its superior performance during testing. The Details: 20.8 x 11.8 x 9.8 inches | 2.8 pounds | 50-liter capacity | Cotton Travel + Leisure / Nick Kova The 19 Best Weekender Bags of 2024, Tested and Reviewed Best Style Dagne Dover Landon Carryall Bag PHOTO: Dagne Dover $185 At Nordstrom View On Dagnedover.com $185 At shopbop.com Our Ratings Capacity 5/5 Design 5/5 Portability 4/5 Value 3.5/5 Durability 3.8/5 Why We Love It It's a premium duffel bag packed full of helpful features like a laptop pocket, a trolley sleeve, and expandable corners. What to Consider The fabric wrinkles a bit. Made out of sleek neoprene material, Dagne Dover's large Landon Carryall is a must-have for traveling in style. The lightweight neoprene fabric is soft and flexible so you can easily pack it to the brim for a long weekend using the extending corners for more of a tote bag look or leave the corners buttoned to the side for a more compact shape. With helpful features like a trolley sleeve, a 13-inch padded laptop sleeve, a water bottle pocket, and a removable shoe bag, this premium duffel bag is fit for all types of adventures both long and short. We noticed some slight creasing in the softside bag, so it's possible that the fabric may crinkle if it's stored in a cramped position, but this is by no means a dealbreaker for a well-made and durable weekender, and you don't want to shell out for a new gym bag, the Landon Carryall also fills this role well. The Details: 16.5 x 11 x 9 inches | 2 pounds | 29-liter capacity | Neoprene Travel + Leisure / Conor Ralph Travel + Leisure / Conor Ralph Travel + Leisure / Nick Kova Travel + Leisure / Nick Kova Travel + Leisure / Conor Ralph Best Organization Béis The Commuter Duffle PHOTO: Beis $138 At Nordstrom View On Beistravel.com Our Ratings Capacity 4/5 Organization 5/5 Design 5/5 Portability 5/5 Durability 5/5 Why We Love It There are various compartments and pockets for staying organized effortlessly. What to Consider The bag can get heavy, but the straps help with carrying it comfortably. Béis is one of the best brands in the business, so it's no surprise that its Commuter Duffel wowed us when it comes to organizational features. The bag is bursting with compartments and pockets for organizing small, medium, and large items so you can pack efficiently before a weekend getaway. After we packed the bag full of clothing, shoes, and a toiletry bag, it was fairly heavy, but the shoulder and tote straps were shockingly comfortable and helped balance out the weight. Plus, we love the pass-through luggage sleeve for placing it on a rolling bag for superior portability. Made with durable nylon, the design and build of the bag appear sturdy and long-lasting, so we had no initial doubts about the durability. We also through it off of a countertop several times, and it didn't sustain any damage for extra reassurance on the longevity of the stylish duffel bag. The Details: 21.5 x 12 x 9 inches | 3.15 pounds | 24.2-liter capacity | Nylon, PU, Polyester | 15-inch laptop pocket Travel + Leisure / Jessica Juliao Travel + Leisure / Jessica Juliao Travel + Leisure / Jessica Juliao Travel + Leisure / Joy Kim Travel + Leisure / Joy Kim Travel + Leisure / Joy Kim Travel + Leisure / Jessica Juliao Best Canvas Mark & Graham Beckett Waxed Canvas and Leather Weekender PHOTO: Mark & Graham $229 At markandgraham.com Our Ratings Capacity 5/5 Organization 4.5/5 Design 5/5 Portability 5/5 Durability 5/5 Why We Love It The waxed canvas material looks stylish and will withstand the test of time. What to Consider It could have more organizational features. Looking for a rugged carry-on duffel? This stunning waxed canvas bag from Mark & Graham is the perfect balance of gritty and stylish. In our tests, we discovered that the duffel can fit more than enough clothing and accessories for up to four days of traveling thanks to the spacious interior. While we wish there were a few more pockets and compartments for organization, the bag has several on the inside and outside, including a 15-inch laptop pocket with padding and straps for extra security. The waxed canvas exterior and leather accents proved to be perfectly durable and showed no signs of wear and tear after we threw it off a table to the ground. Plus, the exterior material is known for being particularly durable (lots of outerwear is made with waxed canvas), so we think this bag could last a lifetime. The Details: 21 x 12 x 10 inches | Waxed canvas, leather, cotton | 15-inch padded laptop pocket Travel + Leisure / Jessica Juliao Travel + Leisure / Jessica Juliao Travel + Leisure / Jessica Juliao Travel + Leisure / Jessica Juliao Travel + Leisure / Joy Kim Travel + Leisure / Joy Kim The 12 Best Personal Item Bags of 2024, Tested and Reviewed Best Vegan Leather Monos Metro Carry-All Duffel PHOTO: Monos View On Monos.com Our Ratings Capacity 5/5 Organization 5/5 Design 5/5 Portability 5/5 Durability 4.5/5 Why We Love It The vegan material looks just as sleek and elegant as regular leather. What to Consider The structured design might make it difficult to store in small spaces. The newest addition to the Monos luggage collection, this sleek Metro Carry-all Duffel bag thoroughly impressed us in the lab. It's extremely spacious with over 27 liters of room to pack for at least four days' worth of clothing and the structured shape makes it easy to see where items are located within the main compartment. There are various pockets on the interior and exterior, but our favorite ones are the large pockets on each end of the duffel for packing easily accessible items like headphones, snacks, or a water bottle. The vegan leather material is sleek, sturdy, and surprisingly lightweight, so it won't weigh you down while traveling, Plus, it comes in various neutral colors like ivory, tan, and mahogany. The Details: 20 × 12 × 10.4 inches | 4.14 pounds | 27.3-liter capacity | Vegan leather | 16-inch laptop pocket Travel + Leisure / Jessica Juliao Travel + Leisure / Jessica Juliao Travel + Leisure / Jessica Juliao Travel + Leisure / Joy Kim Travel + Leisure / Joy Kim Best Expandable Samsonite Elevation Plus Duffel PHOTO: Samsonite View On Samsonite.com Our Ratings Capacity 5/5 Organization 5/5 Design 5/5 Portability 4.5/5 Value 5/5 Why We Love It The recycled polyester material didn't get damaged during our durability tests. What to Consider It's a bit too large to fit underneath an airplane seat when fully packed and expanded. Like all luggage, duffel bags can take a hit during traveling, whether you're tossing the bag in the back of a car or the cargo hold of an airplane. Since durability is such an important factor in luggage, we recommend the expandable and sturdy Elevation Plus Duffel from Samsonite. In testing, T+L Senior Editor Jasmine Grant didn't hold back when shoving the bag off a table multiple times, and the recycled polyester material proved to be extra hardy after it came out completely unscathed. Grant was able to fill the main compartment of the duffel with enough clothing for a week's worth of travel with the help of the expandable zipper to add an extra three inches of space. However, the duffel also works well for weekend getaways since the capacity can be downsized when the expandable zipper isn't in use. When packed full, Grant noted that the duffel was comfortable to carry with the padded straps that evenly distribute weight. The only thing to note is that the bag may be a bit too large to fit underneath a seat when fully packed with all the zippers extended, but it fits just fine in an overhead compartment. The Details: 22 x 12 x 9 inches | 2.6 pounds | Recycled polyester | Expandable Other Carry-on Duffel Bags We Liked There were plenty of top-performing carry-on duffel bags we tested, and there were a few that had high scores but didn't quite make the cut for our list above due to some minor inconveniences found during testing. Lo & Sons The Catalina Deluxe: The dual-compartment bag is ideal for storing clothes in the main section and shoes in the smaller bottom section, and the duffel has a detachable messenger strap and trolley sleeve for carrying it in several different ways. However, the capacity is very small so it would be better suited for a weekend trip rather than a weeklong vacation. Travel + Leisure / Conor Ralph Away The Everywhere Bag: This duffel boasts key storage for organizing travel essentials, and there are designated pockets for a water bottle and laptop. We wish the duffel was a bit bigger as it could only fit a few outfits and a toiletry bag, but it's still an excellent option for short trips. Travel + Leisure / Jhett Thompson Herschel Outfitter 30L Duffle: We were impressed with the bag's durable materials, but the shoe compartment took up so much space that the main cavity was much smaller. Overall, the design felt slightly awkward with the shoe compartment. Travel + Leisure / Jessica Juliao Lululemon 2-in-1 Travel Duffle Backpack 45L: Sleek and spacious, this modular bag has super comfortable backpack straps, but there are so many straps that it feels a bit chaotic to switch between the backpack and duffel straps. Travel + Leisure / Jessica Juliao State Wellington Weekender: The bag is stylish and offers numerous pockets for organization, but the bag felt bulky and heavy when packed full, and there is no padding on the straps. Travel + Leisure / Jessica Juliao Our Testing Process We've tested more than 60 duffel and weekender bags in our New York City lab, and to determine the best options, we combed through detailed tester insights from our top-performing bags that fit the standard 22 x 14 x 9-inch carry-on dimensions set by most airlines. To evaluate each bag, we rated the bags on a scale of one to five based on traits like organization, portability, and durability. Travel + Leisure / Nick Kova First, we recorded the dimensions and weight of each bag before we tested capacity by packing the duffels with five shirts, five pairs of pants, two jackets, two pairs of shoes, a mug, and a toiletry bag. The duffels that scored a five for organization had plenty of storage solutions and enough room that made packing intuitive and hassle-free. After packing up the duffels, we walked around with the duffel bags, carrying them with the tote handles, shoulder strap, or backpack straps, if applicable. Our top-scoring bags for maneuverability were comfortable to hold and distribute the weight evenly to prevent unwanted pain or aches while traveling. Durability is a crucial factor when it comes to luggage, so we threw each duffel off of a ladder or a table several times to check for scuffs, scratches, or damages to both the outside of the bag and the contents inside, like the breakable mug. Duffels that scored fives for durability showed no signs of damage and kept the contents safe. Travel + Leisure / Nick Kova Lastly, our testers were unaware of the cost of each bag prior to testing and were only made aware after the series of tests were complete. We then judged the overall value of the duffel to determine if it performed accurately or better than advertised to evaluate its worth. Tips for Buying a Carry-on Duffel Double-check the dimensions Before you invest in a duffel bag to carry on, you’ll want to check the dimensions of the duffel bag and the size limit of the airline you plan on traveling with. While most airlines use the standard 22 x 14 x 9-inch limit for all carry-on bags, the specific dimensions can vary a few inches depending on the airline and for international travel. Some duffels can be further compressed to fit into sizing bins. Consider your organization needs For travelers prioritizing storage solutions, consider a bag with plenty of inside and outside pockets for smaller items. If you prefer to use packing cubes, a duffel bag with a large main compartment might be better suited to hold them. Duffels that have lots of outside pockets and compartments might have less interior space in the main compartment, so you’ll want to factor that into your organization preferences when choosing a duffel bag. Frequently Asked Questions What size duffel bag counts as a carry-on? The standard carry-on dimensions for most airlines are 22 x 14 x 9 inches. While it can vary by airline, it’s important to check ahead of time to avoid checked bag fees in case your bag is too large. Keep in mind that you can squeeze unstructured bags made from soft materials more easily squeeze into bins, especially if they're not packed to the brim. Can I bring a duffel bag and a backpack on an airplane? Depending on the airline and airfare type you purchase, a carry-on duffel bag will count as your one carry-on item and a backpack or purse will be your allotted personal item. If you purchase the most basic fare of some airlines like United or JetBlue, you may have to pay extra for a carry-on item. Why Trust Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Commerce Writer, Anna Popp, tests and writes about T+L’s best travel products. She has been a travel writer since living overseas in 2018 and began testing products for various publications in 2021 before joining T+L in 2022. Anna collaborated with travel editors to determine the results for the best carry-on duffels based on a series of tests completed in our New York City lab. The 8 Best Duffel Bags of 2022, Tested and Reviewed Love a great deal? Sign up for our T+L Recommends newsletter and we'll send you our favorite travel products each week. Edited by Jackie Cucco Jackie Cucco Jackie Cucco is a Commerce Testing Editor at Travel + Leisure, where she assigns, edits, and writes travel-related product reviews based on in-depth product testing. She previously worked as a travel agent, has a Master’s degree in journalism, and has over six years of experience creating gift guides and writing about various products. She has made over 100 TV appearances discussing consumer products and shopping trends. learn more Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! 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