The 12 Best Weekender Bags, According to Travel Experts and Jetsetters (2024)

Weekend getaways are refreshing for the soul, but finding the right bag to carry a couple of days’ worth of essentials can be oddly challenging. That’s why we turned to experts in the travel world, including bloggers who are frequent fliers and a writer who says he’s been to every country, to see which carryalls they use on the go. Their picks include classic duffels, compact roller bags and others that will easily fit in the airplane overhead compartment.

Adventure-ready backpack

As the co-founder of solo travel adventure travel company Flash Pack, Lee Thompson has counted on Cotopaxi’s 42-liter backpack as his “trusted travel companion” on everything from whitewater rafting trips to African safaris. It even doubled as a hiking bag during the London-based traveler expert’s 10-day trip to Jordan. “I am always amazed at how much I manage to fit in here,” he says, adding that “it’s extremely manageable to run around with.” The 22- by 14- by 11-inch bag, which weighs just over 4 pounds and has several handy compartments, including a padded laptop sleeve and an exterior water bottle pocket. He has found the pack to be comfortable and able to “withstand any type of weather,” since it’s made of coated polyester with tough nylon panels. Thompson also noted that he loves the lifetime warranty, though he hasn’t had to use it yet.

Upgraded laptop bag

Jessica Nabongo, author of the National Geographic Book “The Catch Me If You Can: One Woman’s Journey to Every Country in the World,” is constantly on the road. “For someone who’s moving through the airport all the time, an extra 10 seconds to get a laptop out ‘x’ number of times, adds up,” she says. That’s why she loves Asian American-owned brand Lo & Sons’ newest take on The O.G. bag, which has a dedicated laptop sleeve on the outside, though she also slips her plane slippers and compression socks into it for quick access. In the main compartment, she stores items like her headphones and a water bottle, so everything is a quick zip away for short trips. Nabongo slips the nylon bag through its pass-through sleeve onto a spinner suitcase, which she says is crucial to moving through airports quickly. Since she travels so much, she remarks that small details matter, making this bag’s practical touches “super well-designed for frequent travelers” looking to get to their destination as efficiently as possible.

Pocketed hardside suitcase

The Monos Carry-On Pro is a top choice for Kelley Louise, co-founder of the Impact Travel Social Club and head of marketing at Fora Travel, since it allows quick access to her laptop. This version of the brand’s popular 22-inch spinner stands out thanks to its front compartment, which fits a 15-inch laptop and keeps it protected within its tough polycarbonate shell. She calls the suitcase “super functional and versatile,” thanks to thoughtful features like its water-resistant outer shell, soft antimicrobial lining and interior compression pad to help maximize space for weekend trips.

Sleek spinner

It’s easy to be fooled by the simple appearance of this spinner suitcase, but it’s actually filled with handy features, according to Evita Robinson, founder of NOMADNESS Travel Tribe and NOMADNESS Fest. The bag includes a hinged front pocket complete with padding to store laptops and other electronics, an adjustable foam roll bar that securely holds shirts so they don’t wrinkle and a USB port that allows you to plug in your own external battery and charge your devices from the outside. “It’s way more spacious than what meets the eye,” Robinson says, since the hard shell material has some flexibility.

Lightweight soft-side

At less than 4.5 pounds, it’s hard to believe this soft-side suitcase has such a sturdy structure (reinforced by an ultralight aluminum frame) and a 40-liter capacity. It’s made of 100% recycled materials, the company notes, and is a favorite of travel expert Lee Abbamonte—who holds the claim of having visited every country and both Poles. He especially values it when flying in smaller planes: The wheels are tucked underneath the bag, making it easy to store in the overhead compartment. The bag also has a laptop sleeve, plenty of organizational pockets and a Travel Sentry ID built in; if your suitcase gets lost, anyone who finds it can enter the unique ID code on the TSID website, facilitating its return.

Stylish yet tough suitcase

If he’s headed out on a weekend excursion, stylist and DJ Matthew Mazur turns to the Rimowa Essential Cabin spinner. “It’s lightweight, practical, the wheels are smooth—and always fabulous,” he says. It’s made out of a tough polycarbonate material and is available in 11 shades ranging from glossy mango orange to deep matte blue. Mazur notes that its 21.7-inch-by-15.8-inch-by-9.1-inch frame can fit everything needed for a short trip. Inside, a flex divider on each side helps keep belongings in order, while the telescopic handle on the outside reaches higher than most, to about 44 inches.

Crew-inspired spinner

When Abbamonte needs a bit of extra space, he depends on Travelpro’s Crew VersaPack Max Carry-On Expandable Spinner, which he often spots pilots and flight attendants using. “I find it to be sturdy, spacious, reliable and durable,” he says. The soft-shell bag has corner guards, an aluminum handle extension and a fabric coating that resists stains. Measuring 23 inches by 15.5 inches by 10 inches and weighing 8 pounds, the suitcase is designed for easy maneuvering, and it still has plenty of convenient pockets to keep your organized, as well as a built-in USB port. The only drawback can be you’ll have to gate check it on smaller planes, Abbamonte adds, since it might not adhere to all airlines’ carry-on baggage size limits.

Basic duffel

Be it an outdoor adventure or a casual getaway, there’s never a bad time to turn to a duffel, especially one as dependable as the North Face’s Base Camp Voyager. The 2.5-pound bag made of recycled fabric “is a really manageable size and has some well-made, sewn handles on the ends,” says photographer Cait Oppermann. The self-proclaimed overpacker tends to use hers as a spillover bag, often just throwing it on top of her rollaboard suitcase. With internal pockets and dividers, it’s impressively easy to stay organized. Available in six colors, the duffel’s straps can also be rearranged so you can divide the weight evenly across your back and carry it as a backpack.

Versatile zip tote

It may look like a plain weekender bag at first glance, but this Everlane carryall can transform into anything you need it to be—crossbody, shoulder, or handbag—according to Wit and Folly travel blogger Melissa Teng. The inside pockets are plentiful—and unique. “I love not having to carry a separate laptop bag as it comes with a laptop compartment,” she says of the bag that comes in five neutral colors. She also notes the two water bottle pockets add a convenient touch and the luggage handle pass-through sleeve “makes it easy to pair with a suitcase on a longer trip.” Sustainability is also top of mind, since the bag is made of 100% recycled polyester and 90%of its plastic use is from recycled materials, the company notes.

Dependable carry-on

There’s a reason you can spot an Away bag every few minutes in almost every airport. The suitcase’s flexible frame and spacious build is what Turiaf raves about, adding that using it means there’s “no hassle” while traveling. Measuring 21.7 inches by 13.7 inches by 9 inches and weighing 7.1 pounds, the bag is easy to fit in most airplane overhead compartments. Turiaf has rolled the Away bag (on its smooth 360-degree spinner wheels) along as he traveled to South Africa, the French West Indies and more. He specifically enjoys being able to separate his clothes and shoes, thanks to a zippered divider and separate laundry bag. Available in eight colors, the Away bag—which comes with a 100-day trial—also has an add-on external battery pack that slides into a compartment tucked right under the handle, so you’ll never be out of juice.

Vintage Chic

For the last two years, this Delsey Paris spinner has been Teng’s go-to bag for plane travel, accompanying her to Hawaii and Alaska. Upon unzipping the 7.7-pound suitcase, there’s an internal zippered divider, while the other side is exposed to maximize packing space. Also inside are a foldable hanger, laundry tote and shoe bag—all of which Teng has found handy on the go. It has a tough polycarbonate shell with vegan leather trip, as well as a TSA-approved lock and USB port. “It’s extremely durable, can fit a lot of stuff and [is] also quite stylish with its vintage, Parisian-chic design,” Teng adds.

Classic tote

Simplicity meets style with this recycled canvas tote from Longchamp’s Energy line, which Elena Nikolova, founder of the Muslim Travel Girl blog, has taken all over the world during the past three years. She notes that the reliable bag is “easy to clean and maintain” and “extremely durable,” adding that the single open compartment makes it easy to make use of every corner of the bag. Two inner pouches also help safeguard small items, but perhaps her favorite aspect is how easy it is to carry thanks to the adjustable shoulder strap.