Cabin bags for hand luggage on flights

Many travellers like to take a larger bag on board as hand luggage, with room for everything you need during the flight, plus cameras, lenses and other expensive, more fragile items.

In this post, we've put together some quick tips for choosing a bag and picked out a few options from our range.

Each airline sets its own maximum dimensions and allowances for hand luggage. Business class usually lets you bring more than economy or premium economy.

Always check the dimensions and allowances with your airline.

Choosing a hand luggage bag

A common maximum size for cabin bags is 55 cm x 40 cm x 20 cm. A hard-shell suitcase won't compress, but a soft bag can squash down smaller and is easier to fit into the overhead locker.

Examples from our range:

The Savotta 50l Keikka works well as a cabin bag. It may be a few centimetres too tall for some airlines, but it compresses easily. It's built to take serious abuse and is full of small, handy details.

Dimensions: 55 x 35 x 25 cm
Weight: 1420 g
Volume: 50 L

The Ortlieb Duffle RG 34 is waterproof, with wheels and an aluminium base plate for protection. Ortlieb also offers a five-year warranty, which says a lot about how it's made.

Volume: 34 L
Dimensions: 55 x 35 x 23 cm
Weight: 2800 g

The sleek Ortlieb Duffle 40 Metrosphere is also waterproof. You can carry it as a backpack or a holdall, and your kit stays protected from rain and splashes.

Weight: 700 g
Dimensions: 53 x 31 x 22 cm
Volume: 40 L

The Osprey Transporter Carry-on Bag works as a travel backpack, and at the airport you can slide it over the handle of your wheeled suitcase.

Dimensions: 56 x 36 x 31 cm
Volume: 44 L

Packing your hand luggage

Pack anything that's easily damaged between layers of clothing, for example. Make sure liquids, medicines, batteries and the like are packed according to the rules and that you're within the limits. It also pays to pack them so you can take them out and put them back quickly at security.

Always check the current rules on permitted and restricted items, and how they need to be packed.