We Found the 14 Best Travel Purses of 2024

Stylist-approved picks from Calpak, Dagne Dover, Madewell, and more.

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Composite of the Best Travel Purses of 2023 including dagne dover LANDON NEOPRENE CARRYALL BAG, calpak Luka Expandable Laptop Tote, and calpak Luka Belt Bag

InStyle / Marcus Millan

Your favorite purse might be perfect for brunch or wearing out for drinks with friends — but would you take it on a plane? If you’re anything like us, the answer is probably not because while aesthetically pleasing, not all purses have enough useful features to work well in transit.

“For me, a great travel purse has a balance of organization, durability, and design,” says travel creator and digital storyteller, Alexa Moore, who has traveled to 49 countries. “Travel takes you often through different environments, from sightseeing in a quaint city to rushing through an airport, and everything in between.”

So we ask again: Do you have a purse up to the task? If not, you’ll be thrilled to know that we chatted with several travel experts about what makes a top-notch travel purse. We also tested a bunch of purses ourselves by bringing them onto planes and sightseeing through new towns. We gathered all of these insights into this handy article, so you can find your next favorite purse to take on your trip to Italy.

Our Top Picks
Best Overall:
Dagne Dover Landon Carryall Bag at Nordstrom ($185)
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Best Budget:
A New Day Modern Dome Tote Handbag at Target ($45)
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Best Splurge:
Milaner Woven Handbag at Bymilaner.com (See Price)
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Best for International Travel:
Athleta All About Crossbody at Gap.com (See Price)
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Best Crossbody:
Fossil Carlie Leather Satchel Bag at Fossil.com (See Price)
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Best Backpack:
Paravel Mini Fold-Up Backpack at Tourparavel.com ($55)
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Best Anti-Theft:
Arden Cove Crissy Full Crossbody at Amazon ($179)
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Best Sling:
Nomatic Navigator Sling at Amazon (See Price)
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Best Belt Bag:
Calpak Luka Belt Bag at Nordstrom ($58)
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Best Tote:
Béis East To West Tote at Beistravel.com ($108)
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Best Overall

Dagne Dover Landon Carryall Bag

Dagne Dover Landon Neoprene Carryall Bag

Dagne Dover

View On Nordstrom $185 View On Dagnedover.com View On Shopbop.com $185
Our Ratings
  • Capacity
    5/5
  • Design
    5/5
  • Portability
    4/5
  • Value
    3.5/5
  • Durability
    3.8/5

What We Love: It’s durable, organized, and sold in five sizes, so if you want to match your purse to your duffel, you can.

What We Don’t Love: The neoprene needs to be reshaped if you wash it.

We’re big fans of Dagne Dover at InStyle, having written about the backpacks and weekend bags many times over. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that the brand tops this list, too. Even though the viral Landon bag comes in five sizes (and eight colors), for a purse, we recommend going for the XS or S sizes because it will hold all your essentials — and work as a personal item on the plane — without being too cumbersome. It can be carried by its top handles or adjustable, detachable crossbody strap, giving you that much-needed versatility while on the go. Both sizes offer plenty of space with organization capabilities and an exterior pocket for storing your phone; however, the small size might be a touch more useful because it specifically features an added tablet sleeve, a large interior zip pocket, a mesh pocket on each end of the interior, and a detachable key leash connected to an included Air Mesh Pouch — all of which proved necessary when traveling.

Like all of the Dagne Dover products, the neoprene, while durable, still needs to be reshaped if you plan to wash it, and if not stored properly, it can gain permanent wrinkles in the fabric. And if you need a little less room, say, for a quick weekend flight or a road trip, New York City-based fashion stylist Audree Kate López, also recommends The Dagne Dover Micah Crossbody, which is a more traditional purse silhouette and more slender.

Materials: Neoprene | Dimensions: 14” L x 9” H x 4.5” W | Colors: 4

Best Budget

A New Day Modern Dome Tote Handbag

A New Day Modern Dome Tote Handbag

Target

View On Target $45
Our Ratings
  • Capacity
    5/5
  • Portability
    4/5
  • Ease of Use
    5/5
  • Value
    5/5

What We Love: The laptop sleeve in the middle is big enough to fit a bulky Dell computer.

What We Don’t Love: The top handles would dig into the shoulder a little if the bag was too heavy.

Considering this bag is only $45, you would be surprised how many compliments we’ve gotten on it when we carried it to business trips and offsite meetings. It’s sleek and practical, giving us everything we could need in a travel tote without going too bulky. There’s a laptop sleeve in the middle that doubles as a divider, and we could fit our Dell computer (which is much bulkier and bigger than a Macbook) without a problem. The zipper still closed around it without putting up a fight. In the compartments to the left and right of the laptop, we kept essential notebooks, pens, passports, wallets, and phones. Our only complaint was that the handles, although long enough to fit comfortably on our shoulders, would begin to uncomfortably dig into the skin if the bag was fully packed.

Materials: Polyurethane | Dimensions: 16.5” L x 11.88” H x 5.25” W | Colors: 3

Best Splurge

Milaner Woven Handbag

Milaner Classic Elena Woven Handbag

Milaner

View On Bymilaner.com
Our Ratings
  • Capacity
    5/5
  • Portability
    4/5
  • Ease of Use
    4/5
  • Value
    5/5

What We Love: It has the design and quality of a designer bag but for a fraction of the price.

What We Don’t Love: The snap closure feels a little less safe during travels.

If you want the quality of a designer leather bag but don’t want to spend thousands of dollars, we found this option to be equal in style and luxury but for a fourth of the price. The woven bag (which is both chic and trending right now) is handcrafted in Italy using genuine leather. The interior features a deliciously soft suede which not only looks opulent but protects our belongings from scratches as well. We used this bag as a personal item to Palm Springs and found that it could hold just about anything, including laptops, books, cameras, change of clothes, and all our other essentials, so it functioned both as a carry-on bag and a sightseeing purse. Unfortunately, it has a snap closure instead of a zippered closure, which makes things feel slightly less secure during trips. But if you’re confident in your ability to keep everything safe, the bag is well worth the splurge.

Materials: Leather | Dimensions: 20” L x 14” H x 3” W | Colors: 9

Best for International Travel

Athleta All About Crossbody

Athleta All About Crossbody

Athleta

View On Gap.com
Our Ratings
  • Capacity
    3/5
  • Comfort
    5/5
  • Ease of Use
    4/5
  • Value
    5/5

What We Love: The crescent shape is spacious and comfortable to carry under your arm for safe-keeping while traveling abroad.

What We Don’t Love: It has no outside pockets.

For international travel, we love turning to a crossbody bag — particularly to this one from Athleta. Its lightweight nature made it easy to move through busy airports and unfamiliar cities without weighing us down. “This is a fanny pack meets crossbody — it’s spacious, close to your body (so it’s no fuss while walking around) and lightweight, so you can roll or fold it into luggage,” López says. The bag, which is made in part with recycled water bottles and comes in three versatile neutrals, features a wide adjustable strap, a key leash, and a spacious interior to easily store a phone, wallet, passport, hotel key, and more. We wish it had an exterior pocket to hold small things we need on the fly, like lip balm, or to quickly stash receipts, but for how roomy the interior pocket is, we can easily forgive that one bit.

Materials: Polyester | Dimensions: ​​12.25" L x 7.5" H x 4" W | Colors: 3

Best Crossbody

Fossil Carlie Leather Satchel Bag

Fossil Carlie Leather Satchel Bag

Fossil

View On Fossil.com View On Macy's $250 View On Zappos $181

What We Love: It zips completely closed and fits an impressive amount of items in.

What We Don’t Love: When the bag isn’t full, the shape isn’t as rectangular and folds in softly.

Believe it or not, writer Bianca Kratky’s first big-girl purchase was this bag from Fossil (or at least an earlier version of it from six years ago) with the intention of having it be her travel bag as she rucksacked her way around the world on her own. For 365 days, this was the bag she used to carry her passport, camera, snacks, tickets, phone, and notepad. It was ideal because it came with both a top handle and a crossbody strap, making it cute for strolls into cities and practical when her hands needed to be free.

It closes completely with a zip, making it safe from any theft. The bag opens up impressively wide as well — Kratky never had to leave anything behind as everything always miraculously fit. When it’s half empty, however, the bag looks less rectangular, collapsing into itself a little. Because the leather weathered all the hustle and bustle so well, it’s in great condition still and Kratky keeps it in her closet with the intention of handing it down to her children one day to go off and explore the world as well.

Materials: Leather, polyurethane | Dimensions: 10” L x 8” H  x 5.5” W | Colors: 2

Best Backpack

Paravel Mini Fold-Up Backpack

Mini Fold-up Backpack

Paravel

View On Tourparavel.com $55 View On Shopbop.com $55 View On Maisonette.com $55
Our Ratings
  • Capacity
    5/5
  • Design
    5/5
  • Durability
    5/5
  • Value
    5/5
  • Comfort
    5/5

What We Love: The lightweight backpack is made sustainably using water-resistant nylon.

What We Don’t Love: It costs extra to get it customized.

You would think just any backpack would do for travel, and then you try this option from Paravel and realize you’ve been mistaken all along. This backpack is made of ultra-lightweight durable nylon that not only feels as light as a feather but has a water-resistant finish to it. So even if you’re schlepping your way through the rain to your Airbnb, you don’t have to worry about your essentials getting soiled. On top of that, it comes with a convenient little pouch that you can fold the backpack into, making it extremely easy to transport when not in use. It hardly takes up any space, so you could even keep the pouch in your purse if you know you’ll need an extra bag (say for groceries) while out and about. It fits an impressive amount of items into the bag, including a change of clothes, water bottles, passports, and more. The fact that you can customize it to include your initials is just the icing on the cake, although it will cost you an extra few dollars.

Materials: Recycled plastic bottled nylon | Dimensions: 10” L x 12” H x 6” W | Colors: 6

Best Anti-Theft

Arden Cove Crissy Full Crossbody

Arden Cove Crissy Full Crossbody With Faux Leather Strap

Amazon

View On Amazon $179 View On Ardencove.com

What We Love: The waterproof bag not only has a lot of room for essentials, but an RFID-blocking wallet built-in and locking zippers for additional security.

What We Don’t Love: The straps feel flimsy and thin.

If you’re super worried about being pick-pocketed (or losing anything), we recommend the Arden Cove Crissy Full Crossbody. The waterproof, slash-proof bag is designed with a large main zip compartment with a smaller front zip compartment. The main compartment contains two additional slip pockets and a key ring for easy organization, while the smaller one offers a built-in wallet made of RFID-blocking material, which accommodates eight cards and a few bills. Additionally, the zippers on this bag lock together, so nobody will be able to slyly steal your belongings.

It comes in eight different colors, including neutrals and some punchy jewel tones. Some reviewers complained however that the strap feels less luxurious, even a little flimsy and thin.

Materials: Waterproof nylon | Dimensions: 8.5” L x 6.5” H x 3.5” W | Colors: 8

Best Sling

Nomatic Navigator Sling

Nomatic Navigator Sling 6L

Nomatic

View On Amazon View On Nomatic.com View On Best Buy $130
Our Ratings
  • Quality
    5/5
  • Capacity
    5/5
  • Ease of Use
    5/5
  • Fit
    5/5
  • Value
    5/5

What We Love: There is anti-theft protection on it with ample amounts of organizational capabilities.

What We Don’t Love: The hard shell makes it less flexible and hard to pack when not in use.

We were incredibly impressed with this thoughtfully designed sling bag. This was truly made with the traveler in mind, with anti-theft protection, organizational features, and a water-repellent exterior. There was ample space, pockets, and hidden slits to carry just about everything we could possibly need on a day out, including our 17-inch tablet, makeup, sanitizers, wallets, passports, and keys (in the keyholder). There’s even a water bottle holder on the exterior of the bag, which turned out to be an appreciated feature that allowed us to maximize the space inside the bag. There’s an RFID front card pocket which, although unlikely, is designed to protect our contactless credit cards from being accessed. And thanks to the charging cable hole, we could charge our electronics while on the go and still use our devices.

The bag was easy to adjust in length and swipe from front to back. We never worried about anything getting stolen and it never felt like it was in the way of our movements. That being said, the hard shell is less flexible and more difficult to pack when not in use.

Materials: Nylon | Dimensions: 9” L x 13.5” H x 4” W | Colors: 2

Best Belt Bag

Calpak Luka Belt Bag

Nordstrom Calpak Luka Belt Bag

Nordstrom

View On Nordstrom $58 View On Calpaktravel.com $50
Our Ratings
  • Quality
    5/5
  • Capacity
    5/5
  • Ease of Use
    4/5
  • Fit
    4/5
  • Value
    5/5

What We Love: It’s spacious, organized, and sold in a bunch of colors.

What We Don’t Love: The lighter colors stain easily.

InStyle contributor Rebecca Norris owns this belt bag in six colors — that’s how much she loves and uses it. Most recently, it accompanied her on a 12-day trip through Europe, allowing her to zip through the airport and explore new cities without any trouble. But at home, she still uses it for casual errands, shopping trips, and gym seshes, so trust us, it’ll be useful even when not in transit.

We appreciate how roomy it is compared to other belt bags. The spacious bag features a trendy puffy exterior with a back zip pocket that can sit on our chest or waist. Inside, there’s a front mesh zip pocket and a back opaque zip pocket, which makes grouping items a cinch. The bag is sold in 15 colors, as well as a new miniature size if you prefer something a bit smaller. Both sizes, though, work with the Luka key pouch, an additional accessory that clips onto the band for a smidge more storage — we recommend it for items that get easily lost in a purse or you wouldn’t want to be mixed with other items, like a card case or dog treats. Just be careful with the lighter colors as they tend to stain easily.

Materials: Polyester | Dimensions: 11" L x 5.5" H x 3.5" W | Colors: 15

Best Tote

Béis East To West Tote

View On Beistravel.com $108
Our Ratings
  • Capacity
    5/5
  • Portability
    5/5
  • Ease of Use
    5/5
  • Value
    5/5

What We Love: There are ample amounts of compartments for perfect organization.

What We Don’t Love: The top zip doesn’t close all the way.

The Béis East to West Tote was our favorite travel tote in our tote bag roundup, so it only makes sense to reiterate all the reasons why we loved it here. This bag was intentionally designed for the aesthetically inclined traveler. We were met with every compartment we could possibly want without it being overwhelming — a laptop sleeve, passport slot, water bottle socket, and even a key strap helped to keep everything organized. And still, there was enough space in the middle for spare clothes, snacks, books, and more.

We could carry it on the top handle or the detachable shoulder strap, but even more impressive was the sleeve intended for suitcase handles. We simply plopped the bag on top of our suitcase and it remained flush against the handle without falling off. Our only complaint is that the top zip doesn’t close all the way, which invites potential lurking hands to steal items.

Materials: Nylon, recycled polyester | Dimensions: 17.13” L x 14.17” H x 9.06” W | Colors: 2

Best Shoulder Bag

Polène Numéro Dix

View On Polene-paris.com

What We Love: You can wear it as a shoulder or crossbody bag.

What We Don’t Love: The hard cover makes it more difficult to pack in suitcases.

We’re going to take a wild guess here and assume you’d like to travel in style, in which case we recommend this gorgeous shoulder bag from Polène. The Parisian label has become somewhat of a superstar on social media, thanks to its luxurious materials (in this case, Italian textured calf leather) and designs. Writer Bianca Kratky happened to own this bag, courtesy of the brand, and has been using it non-stop for adventures where she needs to carry her essentials, keep her hands free, and look chic. Despite its crescent shape and smaller size, the bag fits an impressive number of items in it. Valuables like phones, wallets, AirPods, keys, chapstick, and hand cream fit in like a dream. She can wear it over the shoulder, or extend the strap to become a crossbody bag. While its hard cover makes it a little more difficult to pack, Kratky’s tip is it stuff it with socks and underwear before placing it in the suitcase.

Materials: Italian pebbled calf leather | Dimensions: 9.4” L x 7.9” H x 3” W | Colors: 17

Best for Work

Everlane Luxe Italian Leather Tote

 Everlane Luxe Italian Leather Tote

 Everlane 

View On Everlane.com $275
Our Ratings
  • Capacity
    4/5
  • Portability
    4/5
  • Ease of Use
    4/5
  • Value
    4/5

What We Love: The sleek Italian leather still looks luxurious after three years of use.

What We Don’t Love: The top can’t be closed.

We’ve used this tote for the office as well as on business trips because its sleek exterior and spacious interior make it ideal for such occasions. And of course, knowing that style icon Meghan Markle is out there somewhere carrying the same bag makes us feel pretty cool. It’s made of smooth Italian leather and features one slip pocket on the interior. It’s big enough to fit our 15-inch laptop, a sweater, books, snacks, a toiletry bag, and more, which is why it’s been so useful during our long hauls across the country. It’s weathered the last three years pretty well, despite our not-so-gentle handlings. We do wish, however, that the top could be sealed closed with a zip but unfortunately, that is not the case.

Materials: Italian leather | Dimensions: 20.8” L x 12.8” H x 7” W | Colors: 3

Best Convertible

We The Free Soho Convertible Sling

We The Free Soho Convertible Sling

Free People

View On Freepeople.com $128 View On Zappos $128

What We Love: It has various compartments and can be worn as a sling or backpack.

What We Don’t Love: The non-traditional shape might be a bit oblong for larger items.

While many bags these days are convertible from crossbody to shoulder iterations, fewer can be worn as a sling and a backpack. But that’s exactly what this rugged leather convertible sling from Free People can do. “I love the zippered details and all the color options,” says travel content creator Alli Talley. But aside from looks, the bag has three compartments, so you can easily keep your items organized. The vaguely triangular shape might make storing larger items inside a bit more challenging, but we promise it is still a roomy bag — and it allows you to easily go hands-free.

Materials: Leather | Dimensions: 10” L x 14” H x 5.5” W | Colors: 7

Best Lightweight

Baggu Fanny Pack

Baggu Fanny Pack

Baggu

View On Baggu.com

What We Love: Despite how lightweight it is, it’s extremely durable.

What We Don’t Love: The strap is a little slim, and a bigger version would have felt more secure on the body.

We’ve tested a bunch of bags from Baggy thus far, and their materials always impress us with how durable yet lightweight they are. This one has the added bonus of being extremely spacious, despite its compact size. Not unlike Mary Poppins bag, you can keep placing items in it and it always seems to be able to take in more, be it books, notepads, wallets, snacks, makeup, chapstick, and more. The fanny pack can be worn across the hips, chest, and over your shoulders, all of which leave your hands free for exploration. If we could change one thing, however, it would be to make the strap slightly thicker so that it feels a little more supportive around the body.

Materials: Nylon, recycled nylon | Dimensions: 8” L x 6.5” H x 2” W | Colors: 16

Our Testing Process

To produce this article, we tapped into our rich source of editors to identify their favorite travel purses over the years. They rated their bags by ease of use, transportability, safety, compartmentalization, and quality of material. We also called in additional bags into our testing site and incorporated them into our trips as we went sightseeing. Bags that came with additional perks, like a waterproof exterior or a pouch to fold the bag into, received additional points.

What to Keep in Mind

Size

Purses come in all shapes and sizes, and if you need to carry a lot of items while traveling, a clutch isn't going to work. With this in mind, it’s important to consider your essentials while traveling to determine what size works best for you. If you plan on carrying no more than your phone, wallet, and keys, a smaller bag — like the Calpak Luka Belt Bag or Arden Cove Crissy Crossbody — works great. Anything more, like a laptop or water bottle, a larger silhouette — like the Béis The East to West Tote or Everlane The Luxe Italian Leather Tote — makes more sense. No matter what your needs, López says to avoid micro bags, as they’re just not realistic while traveling.

Material 

The material of your travel purse can determine two things: how durable it is and how formal it looks. Generally speaking, Moore says that leather is the most durable — and it’s arguably the most professional in appearance, too, hence why we love the Everlane The Luxe Italian Leather Tote and the Polène Numero Dix bags. She also recommends nylon, which is renowned for its weather-resistant finish, which can be found in the Baggu Fanny Pack and Paravel Mini Fold-Up Backpack. “Leather or nylon will always fare best,” she assures us. That’s because in addition to being strong materials, they’re harder to scuff or stain, and they’re easy to wipe down.

Functionality

We love a pretty purse but when traveling, function is of the utmost importance. “As far as design, a good travel purse is something crossbody — it allows you to keep the bag close to your body and makes it far more difficult to be taken off,” Moore says. But that’s not all it takes to be a travel-friendly bag in her book. “A great travel bag has organization, specifically a great pocket system,” she says. (The Dagne Dover Medium Landon Neoprene Carryall Duffle Bag  and Béis The East to West Tote are great examples.) “One of my big travel tips is to never have all of your important or high-value items in the same bag, or even in the same pocket. I like to keep my phone in one compartment of my bag, and money and IDs in different pockets.”

Re-touching on the crossbody feature, it’s not just great for security’s sake. “A crossbody will help with weight distribution on your shoulders during long travel days,” López says, emphasizing her love of the Athleta All About Crossbody. This makes for more comfortable wear and a smoother, more positive travel experience overall.

“Comfort, pockets, and a durable yet lightweight material are key,” Talley adds on the topic. “Those long-haul travel days can be brutal — the last thing you want is an uncomfortable purse that's always falling off your shoulders or giving you back pain. Being a mom of two active toddlers, I appreciate pockets more than ever — for snacks, sunscreen, pacifiers, chapsticks, etc. And because my kids tend to dig through my purse just as much as I do, a material that hides wear and tear is crucial."

Your Questions, Answered

Do I need to use an anti-theft purse while traveling?

As many pick-pocketing horror stories as there are swirling around social media, Moore says that anti-theft purses are great but not necessary. “I think it’s better to know how to protect your purse and belongings no matter the bag you decide to bring,” she says because “a lot of the anti-theft bags are just not the most attractive,” she admits. Doing things like not leaving your purse on the back of the chair, on the seat next to you, or at a table — especially in situations where you’re easily distracted, like a restaurant or nightclub.” She says it’s also important to be mindful of how you’re carrying your bag. While it may be more comfortable to sling it over your shoulder, on your back, or behind your hip, keep a purse tucked under your arm or held closely to your body in front. Even just choosing something that zips will help you avoid getting pick-pocketed since it makes getting into your bag more challenging.

Is a travel purse considered a personal item while flying?

Generally speaking, a purse is often considered its own item, so it’s important to find a silhouette that can easily fit into your larger personal item (if you have one). That said, it depends on the airline and who’s working the desk when you start to board. “I travel with both a backpack and a purse/crossbody bag on every trip and I’m not usually stopped on standard airlines like Delta or United for having too many personal items,” Moore shares. “If I’m flying one of those budget airlines that are pretty strict, my little secret is ditching traveling with a handbag altogether and rather opting for a cute crossbody sling bag. Those bags lay flat against your body, and are rarely seen as ‘extra baggage.’”

Why Shop With Us

Bianca Kratky is a commerce writer with three years of experience covering fashion and beauty. She’s also an avid traveler, having wandered around the world by herself for a year, and therefore knows a thing or two about smart packing. Rebecca Norris has covered women’s lifestyle content for the past 10 years. For this story, she spoke with New York City-based fashion stylist Audree Kate López and travel content creators Alexa Moore and Alli Talley to determine the key characteristics of a stylish, functional travel purse. With their tips and insights in mind, she presents the best travel purses

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