Stylish, functional, and built to survive under a seat and in the overhead bin.

If a bag doesn’t have all the right compartments, zippers, and slots to make your travel life easier, then it shouldn’t even be considered. It should have lots of pockets, a zip top, and straps long enough to put over your shoulder.  A good bag needs to be a combination of style and function. If you go for all style, you won’t be able to pack as efficiently as you’d like.  Here are some that I would consider:

The Luka Tote Bag by Calpak is expandable and durable.  It also has an exterior trolley sleeve that slips over the handles of your roller bag.  It has a zip enclosure, shoulder straps, exterior zip pocket, interior pocket that fits most 15” laptops, and a bottom zip compartment that expands up to 4”.  It measures 15.75” L x 11.75” H x 6.25” D.   $157.03

This Baggallini Carryall Expandable Lightweight Travel Tote is often sold out because it is a great bag for under $60.00. When you are not using it, it folds into a 9”x12” pouch for storage. It expands from 12.5” H to 18.5” H, and is 16” W at the bottom, and 22” W at the top.  It weighs 13 oz. and is made from water-resistant material. It comes in 8 colors. $60.00.

The Bagsmart tote bag is a lightweight puffy tote with superior organizational features.  It has deep side pockets, comes in three sizes, and is versatile. It comes in 22 colors. It measures 16.1” L x 6.1” W x 12.2” H. $39.99.

The Bellroy Classic Getaway Bag has a matte finish, tonal stitching, leather accents and a top-handle design.  It has a rear 15” pocket for your laptop in a case, and a phone-sized slip pocket. It has a two-way expandable zipper which makes access to items buried deep in the pockets easier.  It is made from water-resistant material. It measures 13.8” x 21.7” x 9.8”. It comes in six colors. $149.00.

This is the Away Featherlight Tote.  It has two handles – one for shoulder carry and one for hand carry. There is a slip pocket for your passport, a padded 16” laptop sleeve, and an extra zipper pocket for things you don’t want to lose track of.  There is also a trolley sleeve to fit on your suitcase. It measures 19.5” x 8.5” x 12.5”. it comes in three colors, and can be personalized. It is machine washable. $98.00.

The L.L. Bean Boat and Tote is the quintessential carry-all.  This one has the all-important zip top which makes it a good travel bag. It holds a lot of stuff, it’s lightweight, and it comes in thirteen colors and four sizes –  Small, Medium, Large and Extra-Large.  It can be personalized.  The Large size is 15” H x 17” W x 10” D.  That is the size I would choose to carry on, but I travel with too much stuff. $49.95.

The ReNew Transit Weekender from Everlane has a laptop sleeve, two water bottle holders, exterior zip pocket, and a luggage handle pass-through.  It is made from recycled water bottles turned into polyester.  It is 14.2” H x 7.3” W x 19.5” L. $118.00.

This Tumi ‘Just In Case’ tote folds into a lightweight pouch and is sturdy.  It has a sleeve so that it can ‘ride’ through the airport.  It comes in seven colors and patterns and can be personalized with embroidery.  It has just one pouch so you might want to add an organizer.  14.0″ X 23.0″ X 9.0“.  $175.

Sometimes the classics remain popular for a reason.  The Longchamps Original Le Pliage Large Tote bag folds and snaps into a small square.  It holds 13” laptop and comes in eight colors and is so well made that my 20 year old bag is still my ‘go-to’.  I like a bright bag when I am traveling – as I never leave it behind. It has two, small flat internal pockets, so consider an organizer.  11 in (L – measured at the base of the bag) x 10.4 in (H) x 6.1 in (W). $180

ASE subscriber, Kathy A. submitted a great addition this morning, a handcrafted Sea Bag travel tote.  I love Sea Bags, made in Maine from recycled sailcloth, and had wondered if they made a zippered tote, but then promptly forgot!  It’s called the Trolley Sleeve tote.  It has a zipper, a trolley sleeve, a large wrap around pocket, and an interior zippered pocket.  It has lovely reinforced stitching.  $260.00.

Hint: One option is to choose a tote with fewer pockets and supplement it with an organizer which can hang on the seat in front of you. Again, I like a bright color so that I don’t leave it behind.  $24

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