Best cabin bags for travel in 2024, from small suitcases to overnight backpacks

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Whether you’re travelling light for a weekend away or want to keep your most valued possessions close at hand, the best cabin bags should offer good practicality without compromising on style.

When it comes to packing before you travel, there are ample options to choose from. There are duffel-style bags with removable straps as well as over-the-shoulder types that offer the perfect combination of style and ‘stuffability’ – in other words, easy access and room for pretty much everything, barring the kitchen sink.

Travellers with an abundance of tech should consider tougher builds. We’d recommend opting for cases with waxed fabric (as this will provide brilliant protection against wear and tear) and plenty of pockets (ideally ones accessible from the interior and exterior) for cables and power packs.

Adrenaline junkies and backpackers, meanwhile, are more likely to value bags with multiple interior compartments, which are a lifesaver when it comes to separating sand- or sweat-covered gear from other items. On the other hand, soft-sided bags – especially ones with exterior compression straps – can be useful when space is at a premium.

Keep reading to find out which ones had us on cloud nine.

How we tested the best cabin bags

Whether it’s for work or pleasure, we travel a lot. While we might have a few favourite luggage brands, we’re always open to experimenting with new ones. As keen scuba divers, snowboarders and mountain bikers, we demand a lot from the bags we use, and we’re also pretty good at identifying features that will come in handy – along with the ones that simply aren’t worth the extra cash.

These particular bags were put through their paces on visits to Singapore, Indonesia and Manchester, and we used them to transport everything from computers and cameras to the dive gear we needed for a visit to one of Indonesia’s most remote archipelagos.

The best cabin bags for 2024 are: