Best Handbag for Flying UK | Cabin Bag

When travelling by air, selecting the right handbag is crucial to ensure comfort and compliance with airline regulations. We understand the importance of blending practicality with style, and our focus is on bags that offer both. Adept at navigating the diverse requirements of different airlines, we keep an eye on size restrictions and security processes to help you choose the perfect travel companion.

Packing efficiently is a fine art, and the handbag you carry on board plays a pivotal role. It must be compact enough to fit under the seat or in the overhead compartment, yet spacious enough to hold your essentials. We’re here to guide you through features such as multiple compartments for easy organisation and durable materials that withstand the rigours of transit.

Security checks are smoother when your handbag is designed for travel. We consider options that allow for quick access to your electronics and liquids, helping streamline your experience at airport security. With the right handbag, we’ve found that journeys are less stressful, leaving you free to focus on the excitement of flying to your destination.

Choosing the Right Type of Handbag for Air Travel

When selecting a handbag for air travel, it’s crucial to consider size, comfort, and accessibility. Our aim is to help you understand which types of bags best meet the needs of cabin baggage.

Totes and Tote Bags

Size: Totes are typically spacious, which allows for easy packing of essentials and a few extras. They should be compliant with airline hand luggage dimensions.
Accessibility: The open design of tote bags offers convenient access to your belongings during a flight.

Backpacks and Travel Backpacks

Comfort: Backpacks distribute weight across both shoulders, reducing strain and increasing comfort, particularly during long transits.
Storage: Several compartments in travel backpacks help in organising items efficiently. Look for designs that include a padded laptop sleeve for added protection.

Crossbody Bags and Sling Bags

Ease of movement: Crossbody bags and slings can be easily manoeuvred to the front, allowing for hands-free access to passports and boarding passes.
Security: Their close-to-body design can aid in deterring theft, making them a secure option for keeping valuables while navigating through busy airports.

Essential Features of a Reliable Travel Handbag

When selecting a travel handbag for flying within the UK, we prioritise durability, comfort, and organisation. To ensure a stress-free journey, we consider materials, portability features, and compartment design.

Materials and Durability

Leather: Renowned for its strength and longevity, a leather handbag can be an excellent investment. It withstands wear and tear, making it ideal for frequent flyers.
Nylon Tote Bag: A durable alternative, nylon is lightweight and often water-resistant, which protects contents from unpredictable UK weather.
Waterproof: Seeking a waterproof or at least water-resistant feature in a travel handbag is crucial. This guards against spills and rain, keeping essentials dry and secure.

Comfort and Portability

Padded Straps: For maximum comfort, especially when carrying heavy items, we look for handbags with padded straps that evenly distribute weight.
Trolley Sleeve: A trolley sleeve is immensely useful for securing the handbag onto suitcase handles, making navigation through airports more convenient.

Compartments and Organisation

Zippers: Sturdy zippers are a must for securing items. We opt for handbags with smooth, reliable zippers that don’t catch or break easily.
Pockets: Ample pockets, both internal and external, allow us to sort and access travel essentials quickly – passport, tickets, and devices stay within easy reach.
Compartments: Well-designed compartments keep our belongings organised. We favour a mix of large sections for bulkier items and smaller ones for quick accessibility.

Security and Practicality for UK Airports

When selecting the best handbag for flying, we must ensure it supports quick security checks while safeguarding our valuables and technology.

Laptop and Technology Security

Laptop Compartment: Bags with a dedicated and padded laptop compartment allow us to remove and replace our laptops quickly during security checks at UK airports.
- Suitability:
  - Laptop Size: Ensure the compartment fits our laptop’s dimensions.
  - Padding: Adequate padding is essential to protect against impacts.
Chargers and Cables: Dedicated sections for chargers and cables prevent tangling and damage.

RFID Protection and Zipped Pockets

RFID Protection: To safeguard our passports and credit cards against illegal RFID scanning:
- Material: Look for bags with materials that block RFID signals.
Zipped Pockets:
- Security of Liquids: Bags with easily accessible and secured pockets facilitate the storage of liquids in compliance with UK flight regulations.
- Tablets and iPads: Additional zipped pockets provide secure storage for tablets or iPads, keeping them safe but easily accessible.

Best Practices for Packing Your Handbag

When flying, we want our handbags to be neatly organised and security-ready. Here’s how to pack smartly and efficiently.

Utilising Packing Cubes and Separators

Packing Cubes: We make use of packing cubes to sort items by category – clothes in one cube, electronics in another.
Separate Compartments: Our handbag should have dedicated compartments. We assign a spot for travel documents, another for snacks, and a separate one for money and cards.

By compartmentalising, we ensure easy access to our essentials during travel.

Carrying Liquids and Essentials

Liquids:
- We store all liquids in containers of no more than 100 ml.
- These are placed in a clear, resealable plastic bag, with a total capacity not exceeding 1 litre.
Essentials:
- Passports and boarding passes are kept in an easily accessible pocket.
- Valuables like money and electronics are stored in inner, zippered compartments for added security.

We follow these guidelines to ensure a hassle-free experience at airport security and during our flight.

Top Handbag Picks for Different UK Airlines

When considering handbags for air travel, it’s vital to account for the cabin luggage restrictions unique to each UK airline. Weight and size limits play a crucial role in our choice.

Handbags for British Airways (BA)

For British Airways’ standard cabin baggage allowance, we recommend the Antler Chelsea Overnight Bag. This option allows travellers to maximise their use of BA’s generous cabin bag dimensions (56cm x 45cm x 25cm).

Antler Chelsea: 45cm x 36cm x 20cm, 28L capacity, lightweight at 1.2kg

The versatile Away The Everywhere Bag also fits BA’s criteria comfortably, providing both style and functionality:

Away The Everywhere Bag: 40cm x 21.5cm x 18.5cm, durable nylon, and multiple compartments for organisation

Suitable Options for Ryanair and EasyJet

Both Ryanair and EasyJet have stricter policies, with EasyJet allowing one cabin bag with no weight limit, but dimensions should not exceed 56cm x 45cm x 25cm. Ryanair’s non-Priority customers are limited to one small bag that must fit under the seat in front of them (40cm x 20cm x 25cm).

For these airlines, we propose the Antler Business 100 Cabin Backpack, which is specifically designed to fit under seats or in the overhead compartment: