Tested
IN THE BAG

Best underseat luggage for airlines UK 2024, including Ryanair and EasyJet

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IS there anything nicer than bagging a bargain summer holiday?

It has to be one of the most satisfying deals you can get; before, of course, you look at the baggage costs and suddenly your cut-price ticket is not such a bargain after all.

To maintain your joy, therefore, we’ve reviewed a selection of the best under-seat bags available. These are currently free of charge to transport with major airlines, including budget carriers (though who knows how long that will last).

You’re allowed one under-seat bag per person and honestly, if you pack lightly you can squeeze in enough to last several days. I was surprised just how much I could fit in, for example in the bags below I managed to pack:

  • One pair of lightweight trousers
  • One dress
  • One pair of shorts
  • One swimsuit
  • A sarong
  • Three sun tops
  • Underwear
  • PJs
  • Flip flops
  • Flat sandals

And there was still a bit of room left over for sunscreen.

Obviously the thicker and heavier the clothes the less you’re going to fit in the bag, but if you’re packing for a week in the sun you’re probably going to spend most of your days in swimwear or shorts anyway so you don’t need much.

The best underseat bags come with lots of different pockets and sections, so you can easily find what you’re looking for. There’s also a great selection available for all different budgets, so you’ll definitely discover something suitable with a bit of research.

Read on for our reviews of the best underseat bags in the UK right now to make sure your flight is stress-free.

Happy holidays!

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Best underseat luggage at a glance

  • Best overall:  
  • Best value:
  • Best mid-range:
  • Best premium:

(AD) IT Luggage Bewitching Underseat Bag

Pros: Affordable price, equipped with TSA lock, several compartments including outside pockets, eight-wheel spinning system, 10-year warranty

Cons: Design will split opinion, doesn't fit Ryanair's maximum dimensions

Rating: 4/5

First things first, a disclaimer; while this bag adheres to the underseat dimensions for most airlines, including EasyJet, it's too big to take on a Ryanair flight without paying.

Apart from that, it's delightfully practical. For example, it comes equipped with a TSA lock, which makes travel a bit more stress-free in the event you're asked to put your bag in the overhead locker or hold. The lock took all of two minutes to set up, although it's a bit fiddly (you'll need a chopstick or similar implement to push down the reset button).

which is heavier and doesn't have any external pockets, or which is more expensive (although it's currently on sale for £40, the same price as the Bewitching).

Size: 44 x 33 x 20cm, Weight: 1.9kg Capacity: 24L, Lock: Yes, Guarantee: 10-year warranty

Away The Everywhere Bag

Pros: Separate section for laptop, lots of pockets, detachable shoulder strap, trolley sleeve to fit over cabin case handle

Cons: None

Rating: 5/5

This bag has been designed for maximum efficiency when it comes to packing the essentials.

I think you could easily pack a day or two’s clothing in here if you were going away on a business trip. There’s also a separate padded section for your laptop, which includes one pocket, as well as five pockets in the main section, the largest of which is zipped, and a pocket on the outside.

The main compartment features an extended zip so you can open the bag almost fully for packing, which is a useful touch. It also has a detachable key clip for convenience and the laptop section has a magnetic zip fastening.

I love this bag. It sits happily on top of your case thanks to the trolley sleeve and remains secure, even if you end up running – for the train in my case.

Size: 41.4 x 25.9 x 18.5cm, Weight: 1.25kg with shoulder strap (1kg without),  Capacity: 20L, Lock: No, Guarantee: one-year warranty

Ecohub Ryanair Cabin Bag

Pros: Lots of separate sections, padded shoulder straps, laptop and tablet pockets, great price

Cons: None

Rating: 5/5

This is a great little bag for plane travel and makes a useful day bag when you reach your destination. From the size of it you could be forgiven for thinking it’s made for devices and journey essentials rather than clothes, but this bag is a bit like the Tardis and will surprise you.

The main zip opens to reveal a section complete with luggage straps and two zipped pockets – you could easily fit a couple of days clothes in here.

Behind this is another zipped section that contains a padded pocket with Velcro fastening for your laptop, and two mesh pockets. There’s a small, zipped pocket on the top that is large enough for your phone and passport, as well as three more zipped pockets on the front – one is big enough for a tablet and incorporates pen holders and more pockets, the second is large enough for books, notebooks or magazines and the third is great for bits and pieces.

There’s a stretch water bottle pocket on one side, a padded grab handle on the other and a second padded grab handle on the top. The padded shoulder straps are adjustable, integral buckle fastenings on the outside add extra security and there’s even a strap for securing the bag over the handle of your suitcase.

The fabric is made from recycled plastic bottles and is water-resistant. It’s amazing how much thought has gone into designing this bag.    

Size: 40 x 25 x 20cm, Weight: 0.57kg,  Capacity: 20L, Lock: No, Guarantee: one-year warranty

READ MORE:

Tripp Retro Pewter Underseat Cabin Suitcase

Pros: Good capacity, has the features you’d expect from a larger suitcase

Cons: No pockets

Rating: 4.5/5

This is a sturdy little case with all of the attributes of its bigger cousins. It is hard shell ABS, has a very long extending handle, a grab handle on the side and it has spinner wheels for easy manoeuvrability (albeit just four of them).

Inside there’s a zipped, fabric divider creating two separate luggage compartments and compression straps to keep your clothes in place. There are no pockets though.

I was surprised just how much I could fit into it and pleased to see it moves easily on all types of surface, without falling over.

Size: 45 x 36 x 20cm, Weight: 2.3kg,  Capacity: 27L, Lock: Yes, TSA lock, Guarantee: 5-year guarantee

Rock Paris Underseat Suitcase

Pros: Very light, lots of room for clothes, useful pockets inside and out

Cons: Just two wheels so not as nimble to manoeuvre

Rating: 4/5

New from Rock, this underseat suitcase is very light and ideal for a few days away as you can pack more into it than you would imagine.

Despite its small size, features inside include an adjustable luggage strap to hold contents in place and a large, zipped pocket.

The case zips around three sides so when it’s unfastened there is ample access for packing and unpacking. There’s also a useful – and large – padded pocket on the outside in which you could fit a tablet, books, or work items.

Paris has a shoft shell and is made from a tough polyester material. It boasts a padded grab handle on the top for comfortable lifting, as well as a retractable handle and two wheels for ease of movement.

I love that even though it is so small, it still manages to provide those details that make a difference – notably pockets. It’s certainly bigger on features than its size implies.

Size: 45 x 36 x 20cm, Weight: 1.9kg,  Capacity: 28L, Lock: No, Guarantee: Manufacturer’s warranty

Rock Kensington Holdall

Pros: Lots of storage space, several pockets, great price, lightweight

Cons: No separate laptop section

Rating: 4/5

The Kensington Holdall from Rock is a lot of bag for a great price and I easily packed enough clothes in here for several days. Inside, there’s three pockets, the largest of which is zipped. There’s a small pocket on the outer front and a further large, zipped pocket across the integral trolley sleeve, so there was plenty of room for my essentials.

The bag is incredibly lightweight and the polyester material looks robust. There’s also a detachable shoulder strap and I found the padding made carrying the bag full, very comfortable.

I received the bag in black, but it’s also available in purple, navy, charcoal and khaki.

Size: 40 x 25 x 20cm, Weight: 0.7kg,  Capacity: 20L, Lock: No, Guarantee: one-year warranty

Kipling Cicely Tote Bag

Pros: Tote bag style means you can use it daily on holiday, lightweight

Cons: Expensive

Rating: 4/5

This bag will hold everything you need for your plane journey, including a change of clothes and a laptop, thought there’s no separate section for that.

Inside, there’s one zipped pocket, two smaller pockets and two pen holders to organise your personal items. There’s also a key strap in the same fabric as the bag, which I think is a nice touch.

The two pockets on the front aren’t large but are big enough to hold my passport in one, and my phone and glasses in another.

I received the bag in navy and I like that it’s a tote bag style so it’s something I want to use as a day bag on holiday, not just for the journey. The zips are chunky, the handles comfortable and it goes great with jeans!

Size: 51.5 x 37 x 13cm, Weight: 0.44kg  Capacity: 12L, Lock: No, Guarantee: two-year warranty

Konos Under The Seat Holdall

Pros: Cheap, good-sized packing space, adjustable shoulder strap, large outside pocket

Cons: Shoulder strap not padded, plastic strap clips and D-rings, no separate sections

Rating: 3.5/5

This is a basic bag that gives you 20L packing capacity and I managed to fit a weekend’s worth of clothes and associated items into it.

It has three small pockets inside, one of them zipped, and it is lightweight. There’s also a removable shoulder strap, but it’s not padded and the fastenings are plastic, so I’m not sure how they would hold up carrying a fully-loaded bag.

There’s a large, zipped pocket on the outside, which is useful for travel documents and your phone, and the trolley sleeve on the back secures it to your suitcase.

If you’re after advanced features then you’re not going to find them here, but for the price it’s a fair buy.

I think this would be a good bag for children as they could fit food, toys and books in it for the journey, and it folds flat for storage once you reach your destination.

The fabric doesn’t feel very substantial, though on the plus side, the bag has four feet on the bottom to help prevent damage to the material when you set it down.

It’s also available in lots of different colours.

Size: 40 x 25 x 20cm, Weight: 0.45kg,  Capacity: 20L, Lock: No, Guarantee: one-year warranty

Aerolite Ryanair Cabin Bag

Pros: Cheap, carry handles and shoulder strap, luggage strap, comes with a small padlock, lightweight

Cons: No inside pockets, just one outside pocket, shoulder strap not detachable

Rating: 3.5/5

If you’re looking for an under-seat bag without the bells and whistles then this one may well fit the bill – it’s lightweight and gives you 20L of packing space for less than £20.

It suits major airline requirements, not just Ryanair, and it folds down small when not in use. It also features a large, zipped pocket across the front and a strap to attach it to your suitcase at the back. I found the padding on the shoulder strap wasn’t enough when the bag’s full and I’m not convinced how long the material will last as it seems thin to me. I would have also liked pockets inside.

Nonetheless it does the job and should last a few trips if treated well.

Size: 40 x 25 x 20cm, Weight: 0.45kg,  Capacity: 20L, Lock: Small padlock supplied, Guarantee: five-year limited warranty

How we tested these products

We tested our selection of the best under-seat bags in real-life situations where possible. All were packed with a variety of clothes for summer to gauge the capacity of each. Some had more space than others, but even the under-seat bags that were designed more for work were able to hold at least a change of clothes or two, as well as essential toiletries.

We also considered how heavy the bags were to carry when they were full, as all but one were wheel-free. We looked for grab handles, luggage sleeves and padding in the shoulder straps, whether they were adjustable, how well the bag fitted when on the shoulder or back and how durable the fabric appeared.

We took into account the number of separate sections and pockets that could be used to hold individual items such as laptops, tablets and other devices, whether they were padded or soft-lined, and the quality of the zips.

Where to buy under-seat luggage

Under-seat luggage can be considered as being of two types: any small bag that will fit under an airline seat and luggage designed specifically to fit under an airline seat and so avoid airline baggage charges.

The second type is available from a variety of luggage retailers, including chain and department stores, some supermarkets and homewares stores.

Online, check out Amazon, which has a huge selection and don’t forget to look at the individual websites of the brands you’re interested in.

We found the under-seat luggage reviewed in our feature at:

How much does under-seat luggage cost?

Price varies depending on what you buy. Basic bags are available for just a few pounds, but if you want more functionality – think lots of pockets, a separate section for your laptop, clothes section and compression straps – be prepared to pay more.

That said, you can buy multi-compartment backpacks for around £35 and these are great value, offering so much more in the way of features than a basic holdall for around £15.

Some under-seat bags will last longer than others and it’s fair to say that the more expensive the bag or cabin case, the greater the likely longevity.

The under-seat bags we reviewed here cost from £13.59 upwards, with the most expensive coming in at £155.

Airline allowances for under-seat luggage

Under-seat luggage requirements vary according to the individual airline and they can change without notice, but the information below is current as of April 2024.

Always check with your airline before travelling so you’re aware of the most up-to-date baggage allowances.

  • EasyJet: 45 x 36 x 20cm, up to 15kg
  • Ryanair: 40x20x25cm, maximum weight not stipulated on website
  • Jet2: 56 x 45 x 25cm, up to 10kg and a personal item that must fit under the seat in front. No size or weight stipulated for personal item on website
  • Tui: 55 x 40 x 20cm, up to 10kg (to go under the seat or in overhead storage compartments)
  • British Airways: 40 x 30 x 15cm, up to 23kg
  • Virgin: 56 x 36 x 22, up to 10kg to go in overhead storage lockers and a small handbag or backpack to fit under the seat in front (no size or weight stipulated on website)
  • Emirates: 55 x 38 x 22cm is given as the size for cabin luggage, there is no separate size stipulated for under-seat bags on website
  • Air France: 55 x 35 x 25cm, up 12kg (cabin case to go in overhead locker) and a personal item 40 x 30 x 15cm to go under the seat in front of you
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