I’ve made quite the packing journey as a traveler. I went from overpacking massive suitcases that needed to be checked in to traveling with just one bag – a carry-on backpack. It’s made a world of difference in how I travel and I can safely say, I’m never going back to packing any other way. Of course, this travel style isn’t for everyone but if you’re looking to pack more minimally, and effortlessly move from place to place, keep reading. This post covers the basics of traveling with a backpack (including my answer to the question above: “Can you use a backpack as a carry on?”) + my recent trip to Portugal where I packed for 10 days in the Minaal 3.0.
Can you use a backpack as a carry on?
The short answer is yes. Of course, each airline has size limits and maximum dimensions for a carry-on item so the size of your backpack is incredibly important. Some airlines also have a weight limit so that’s important to keep in mind. I have the Minaal 3.0 which is 35L and about 20 pounds when fully packed out with everything you need for your trip and a laptop. It is completely compliant with both US and European airline carry-on limits and I’ve taken it on major airlines such as United Airlines and American Airlines as well as a few budget airlines. It easily fits into the overhead compartment without a problem. I’ve also taken a similarly\-sized backpack on a few tiny planes in South America and Greece with zero issues.
For easy access, here are the official guidelines of some of the major airlines:
- Delta allows 22 in x 14 in x 9 in (56 cm x 35 cm x 23 cm). According to Delta the combined length + width + height of baggage must not exceed 45 linear inches. Individual length, width and height measurements may not exceed 22” x 14” x 9” (56 cm x 35 cm x 23 cm) respectively. There is no maximum weight requirement except in Singapore, Beijing, and Shanghai.
- Southwest allows 10 in x 16 in x 24 in (25 cm x 40 cm x 60 cm). According to Southwest, these dimensions include wheels or handles (which you won’t need to worry about with a backpack!). No need to worry about weight with Southwest either.
- United allows 9 in x 14 in x 22 in (22 cm x 35 cm x 56 cm). According to United, the exception to this is if you’re traveling on a Basic Economy ticket where you can only bring one personal item on board.
- JetBlue allows 22 in x 14 in x 9 in (55.88 cm x 35.56 cm x 22.86 cm). According to JetBlue, including wheels and handles, carry-on bags must not exceed 22″ L (55.88 cm) x 14″ W (35.56 cm) x 9″ H (22.86 cm). The exception is the Blue Basic fare which only gives you one personal item.
- American allows 22 in x 14 in x 9 in (56 cm x 26 cm x 23cm). According to American Airlines carry-ons shouldn’t exceed 22 x 14 x 9 inches (56 x 26 x 23). Even their basic tickets allow a carry-on bag.
For reference, the carry-on Minaal 3.0 is 21.6 in x 13.7 in x 7.87 in (55 cm x 35 cm x 20 cm) fully-packed. The dimensions of the bag are even printed subtly on the shoulder strap, which makes it easy to show an airline agent that your bag is indeed compliant.
So can you use a backpack as a carry-on? With the Minaal 3.0 you absolutely can!
Why travel with just a backpack?
If you’re asking yourself this question, don’t worry you’re not alone. I too scoffed at the notion years ago and equated backpack travel with being just out of college and backpacking across Europe with a heavy pack on your back. I already traveled with just carry-on luggage so why would I ever need to change my travel style?
There are so many rewarding reasons to travel with a carry on backpack:
- It won’t be gate checked. Even if you bring a tiny roller suitcase there’s always the chance of it getting gate checked.
- Avoid additional feels. Some airlines can be really strict especially if they are a budget airline. You’re less likely to get stuck with fees with a carry on backpack. Even if your backpack is a bit outside of the dimensions, it generally attracts less attention than a roller suitcase.
- It makes walking from place to place easy. Ever try rolling your suitcase on cobblestones? It’s a nightmare. A backpack makes it easy to quickly get one from place to another.
- It helps you be more flexible. Not able to drop off your luggage at your hotel before check in? No worries. You can still easily explore the city with your backpack.
- It reduces the amount you pack. Which reduces the amount of time you spend trying to figure out what to wear.
- It’s easier to keep an eye on your stuff. When you only have one bag to worry about you can easily keep it under your feet, or even in your lap if need be.
I could go on and on but hopefully you get the gist on why this is one of the best ways to travel!
Who is backpack travel for?
Traveling with a backpack is for someone who already travels with carry-on baggage only. Sure, you could make a drastic leap from checking in your suitcase to backpack travel but I don’t recommend it.
In order for this to truly be a travel packing shift, you need to take baby steps. If you know me you know I am terrible at taking things one step at a time and prefer to make changes by just diving into the deep end, but I did work my way up to backpack travel.
The reason I recommend this travel style for those who already travel with a carry-on is because you need to have some idea of how to pack minimally already. It’s a much easier transition this way and is more likely to be a sustainable one.
Why I chose the Minaal 3.0
I did a ton of research on the best travel backpacks. I read countless threads, watched dozens of YouTube videos from PackHacker, and more. After narrowing my list down from about 50 packs to just 3, I ultimately chose the Minaal 3.0 for a few reasons:
- The sleek design. The bag comes in two colors, grey and black and both look very sleek. You can also hide the shoulder straps under a zippered flap, the water bottle pocket is low-profile, and it’s extra lint-resistant
- The easy to access laptop compartment. I loved how the Minaal 3.0 has a separate compartment for my gear making it a really great laptop backpack. As an entrepreneur, I have to have my laptop with me at all times and am frequently reaching for it at airports and coffee shops.
- The clamshell opening. As I am relatively new to backpack travel, I wanted a bag that opened all the way so I could easily see all of its contents. A clamshell opening also allows for a quicker packing process.
- The water-repellent rain cover. This was another important factor for me to ensure that my gear is protected even if the weather is bad.
- The adjustable straps / overall harness system. – I frequently strain my neck or hurt my back so support for load lifters, a sternum strap, and a hip belt was crucial for me.
How I Packed for 10 days in Portugal in the Minaal 3.0
I traveled to Portugal at the end of April which meant the weather was all over the place. Layers were key as I packed. I wanted to keep my packing minimal but still look cute (hello, it’s Portugal).
Here is what I packed for 10 full days. The key here is using packing cubes!
Main Compartment:
Large Packing Cube
- Black jeans
- Blue jeans
- White silk cami
- Black long sleeve button up
- Chambray button up
- Jean jacket
- Black blazer
- Colorful, floral dress (short)
Small Packing cube
- Enough intimates for the trip (bras, underwear, and socks)
- Bathing suit
- Sports bra and leggings
Toiletry Pouch
- Toothbrush + toothpaste
- Night cream
- Day cream
- Face wash
- Makeup eraser
- Mini perfume
- Razor
Makeup Pouch (all minis)
- Eyeliner
- Mascara
- Concealer
- Lipstick (2)
- Blush
- Highlighter
- Two makeup brushes
Shoe Pouch
- Black booties
Laptop Compartment:
- Phone charger, laptop charger, and apple watch charger
- Laptop (15″)
- iPad
- Travel Outlet Adaptor
Outside of the bag:
- Water bottle (water bottle holder)
- Passport + emergency credit card (the bag has a secret pocket just for this)
- Medication
- Deodorant (small pouch for this)
- Misc. smaller items
What I wore on the plane:
- Leggings
- Loose t shirt
- Sneakers
- Medium-weight jacket
As you can see, I fit quite a bit into the backpack. The main tip here is to pack articles of clothing that can mix and match. At first glance, it may seem like I did not pack enough clothes for 10 days in Portugal but because everything worked well together, I was able to easily come up with a unique outfit for everyday. I didn’t repeat the same outfit once!
My Review of the Bag Post Trip
Easy to pack
With how often I travel, an easy to pack backpack is truly a must. My favorite features of the Minaal 3.0 are the clamshell opening and how the bag is organized. The main compartment of the bag is definitely designed for packing cubes which help to give it more structure. With all of my clothes and bulkier items in packing cubes, I was then easily able to put my smaller and loose items in the various compartments. Everything had its own place which made it easy to find something at a moment’s notice.
We went to four different destinations within Portugal so I was constantly unpacking and repacking the bag. The clamshell opening and the lay-flat packing made it so incredibly easy to re pack my bag that I was honestly impressed with myself. Maybe there was a back pat (or two).
Comfortable to carry
I can’t believe how much I love this bag. Well, I did spend hours of researching to find the perfect bag so I guess I can believe it. The combination of the hip pads, chest straps, and adjustable straps made it really comfortable to carry and for the first time in a long time, I had zero back pain afterwards. All packed out, my bag was around 20 lbs and the longest I had it on my back was for a 35 minute walk up hills and across uneven cobblestones. I could feel the weight of it at the end but it wasn’t unbearable and I felt like my neck and back were protected the entire time. Easily the best carry of all the backpacks I’ve tried before. Huge win!
Easy access to electronics
The easy to access back panel made it simple to get work done at the airport, on the plane, on trains, etc. I also loved that it was separate from all of my clothes so I didn’t have to sift through other stuff to get to my electronics. It is so nice to have everything in one place instead of having to have a separate laptop bag. The bag is very cushioned, and the laptop sleeve is suspended so that your laptop doesn’t hit the ground when you set the pack down, so I don’t think you need a laptop sleeve, but it never hurts to have one!
No messy straps
It is easy to maintain the sleek look of the Minaal 3.0. There are plenty of ways to make the pack look slimmer and keep it from looking messy. The compression straps on the sides meant that the pack never looked bulky. You can also clip various straps, like the sternum strap, on the sides so that they stay out of your way and you can hide the main straps under the zippered flap on the back panel. This is more an aesthetic thing than anything else for me but it was really nice to keep the pack nice and neat. I think it’s also helpful when putting it into an overhead compartment or conveyor belt for security screenings so that nothing gets caught on anything.
Plenty of compartments for organization
I touched on this briefly but it warrants its own section. The many different pockets / compartments meant that I could easily find and access my items at any time (including the small items that tend to get lost in other bags). This was important to me as I never felt that I was “digging” around to find anything. There are two pockets in the front that are ideal for anything you need to quickly get access to (although everything is fairly easy to access). These pockets are great for stuff you need to take out in the security line or things you want to have on the flight that you can grab before you put your bag away. There is also a pocket in the back that is perfect for your passport as it is close to your body and hard for anyone else to reach.
Moments when the bag really came in handy
I could go on and on about the bag but instead, I’ll give you some real life examples of when the bag came in handy on the trip.
- Walking to and from the train station. It was a 25 minute walk to our hotel in one of the cities and there were no Ubers and no cabs. It was an easy walk because of the backpacks but it would have been a nightmare with a carry-on suitcase or a checked bag as the entire city is made up of cobblestones. We saw someone dragging a suitcase on our walk and it looked miserable.
- Getting a ride. We were going to take the train from the Douro Valley to Porto which involved a taxi to the train station, a couple of hours on the train itself, and then a 30 minute walk to our hotel. We met a couple who were also headed to Porto who offered us a ride because we only had backpacks. They had zero trunk space so we had to keep our bags with us in the backseat which we were able to do easily and comfortably.
- Tinyyy hotel room in Evora. There’s just no way anything larger than the backpacks could have fit in this hotel room. We bumped into everything with our elbows and were constantly in each other’s way. More luggage would have been impossible.
Overall thoughts
So to answer the question “can you use a backpack as a carry on?”, not only is the answer yes but I highly encourage you to make the shift. It will be such a game changer in the way you travel. By reducing the amount that you pack and the bags that you carry, I guarantee you that you will feel lighter and enjoy your trip more. It’s so nice to not have to wake up in the mornings on my trip and waste time thinking “what am I going to wear today?”.
If you didn’t guess it already, I 100% recommend the Carry-on 3.0. It is easily one of the best backpacks I’ve ever owned.
I never felt any need for an additional bag throughout the trip. It’s perfect for short trips, long trips, and even business trips. You can use it as a day pack when you’re in the destination itself or even as a hiking backpack. It’s that versatile.
It’s a small backpack without feeling too small so you can fit everything you need, but still pop into the overhead bin as a carryon. I honestly can’t wait to take my next trip just so I can take my Minaal 3.0 with me. You may think it’s nerdy to be this excited about a backpack but I can’t help it!
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