Lululemon

This was the bag I ended up choosing. Inside the bag I was able to fit three packing cubes and a pair of heels. The bag has two zippered exterior pockets that can act as extra storage for smaller toiletries or tchotchkes you may need; I used them to hold my travel size shampoo and conditioner along with my makeup. 

My favorite aspect of the bag, however, is the exterior padded pocket, which can fit a 16-inch laptop. One of my biggest challenges while finding the perfect bag was finding a bag that could not only fit my clothes but also my laptop. Being that I’ll be working remotely on my trip, bringing my work laptop is kind of non negotiable. While this bag may not fit smoothly under the seat in front of me (I’ll most likely have to shove it a bit) it’s big enough to fit all my belongings and more while still counting as a personal item! 

Need more space? I also got the Lululemon Belt Bag to hold my more important items such as my passport, AirPods, ID and sunglasses. (Let’s be honest, it’s a fanny pack; calling it a belt bag is all marketing.) Being that the belt bag is small enough to be strapped on my person most airlines never normally give me a problem with it. If the airline does strictly adhere to the “one personal item per person” policy, the bag can easily be shoved into your backpack then taken out once on the plane.