Flight Attendants Swear by This Underseat Carry-on

Nobody is more skilled at stuffing several days’ worth of essentials into a carry-on bag than flight attendants. Logging as many air miles as they do makes them bonafide packing experts, but being able to travel for several days with nothing but a personal item requires more than just talent. It also takes a top-quality piece of luggage, and flight attendants consistently turn to the Travelpro underseater for the job.

More than 90 airlines globally use Travelpro as their go-to luggage brand, and the Maxlite 5 Softside Underseat Carry-on has become an industry favorite that both pilots and flight attendants use on a daily basis. It’s compact, timeless, and sturdy enough to handle the rigors of frequent travel—and with Amazon Prime Big Deal Days underway, now’s a great time to add this tiny sidekick to your collection.

Travelpro Maxlite 5 Softside Underseat Carry-on

This little rollaboard hails from the best-selling Travelpro Maxlite collection, known and named for its bags’ ultralight construction. According to one flight attendant reviewer, lightness is “paramount” for short trips, and this bag—measuring just over 16 inches wide and 15.5 inches tall, wheels included—weighs just under 5.5 pounds. The soft exterior helps keep it feathery and flexible, another important feature for a bag you plan to cram into the awkward space under a plane seat. 

Even without the rigid protection of a hard shell, this softside suitcase is amazingly durable. Its polyester fabric is coated in a water- and stain-resistant coating, and its ergonomic, strong zippers can withstand serious force. With its aluminum telescopic handle and padded bumpers that’ll protect the wheels from inevitable knocks and smacks as you move through crowded airports, a bag like this is a long-term investment (though not an exorbitantly priced one). In fact, a flight attendant who rated it five stars used an older Maxlite underseater bag for seven years before upgrading to the new version.

In addition to flight attendants, pilots also rate the bag highly. One called it “the best overnighter ever,” and although they recommended it for two- to three-day getaways, other reviewers say the carry-on can fit everything they need for trips lasting up to six days. So, don’t let the size deceive you—people can’t believe how much this “small but mighty” bag holds.

While this underseat carry-on is usually priced at $140, you can score it for $119 during Amazon Prime Big Deal Days. The fall sale contains countless deals on more flight crew-loved luggage brands, not just Travelpro. Below, we compiled similar styles of softside underseaters you might like, all on sale for as little as $50.

More Deals on Underseat Carry-ons:

Samsonite Underseat Carry-on

Tprc Smart Underseat Carry-on

Bagsmart Underseat Carry-on

Hanke Underseat Carry-on

Coolife Underseat Carry-on

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