Best Laptop Bags for Travel in 2023

Looking for a travel bag that has a built in laptop compartment?

In this post, we discuss the best laptop travel bags for 2023, ordered by type and style, as well as how best to choose a laptop bag that will survive the airport rush.

Top Picks

Want a quick breakdown? Here are our top picks:

1. Best Professional Laptop Bag: City Laptop Bag (click to view) - a stylish laptop carry-on bag made from the highest quality full grain leather, with a dedicated laptop compartment and detachable shoulder strap.
2. Best Professional Tote Bag: Elegance Tote Bag (click to view) - a stylish zipped tote bag that's ideal for work or travel. The full grain leather looks impeccable, and the detachable shoulder strap makes it versatile for multiple uses.
3. Best Stylish Laptop Backpack: Prime Men's Leather Backpack (click to view) - a stylish laptop carry-on backpack made from full grain leather. Handmade in Italy.
4. Best Modern Laptop Bag: Essential Briefcase (click to view) - a spacious, modern laptop briefcase that's ideal for work or travel. Made from full grain leather, and comes with two large compartments, as well as a detachable shoulder strap.

Best Laptop Travel Bags for 2023

Air Travel Can Damage Laptops

Many think that carry-on bags and personal items are handled gently when travelling by air.

Though it’s true that checked bags usually have it much worse, we should not underestimate the plight of the carried bag.

When it comes to your laptop, consider that you take it out for TSA screening, then stuff it back in, maybe remove it to get a little work (or streaming) in before and after security, you run the gauntlet of the airplane aisle, stow the bag under the seat or in the overhead, and then take it out again for use on the flight.

When you land, it might go through some more jostling when you grab your checked bags, ride the taxi or shuttle… and this is if there is no accidental bumping, tipping or dropping.

Your laptop might go through a lot. A dedicated laptop bag, constructed to keep your prized possession safe yet accessible during your trip, is a very wise investment.

Consider the key factors when you shop for the right bag: the correct storage size (for laptop and accessories), protective padding, organization compartments, comfort when carrying or rolling it, and the best style for you and the setting in which you use the bag. You might even consider higher end features like waterproofing, a hard shell, or security measures.

The right bag should have some smaller pockets for smaller items, so they don’t get lost in the larger bag. It should include a space for the laptop that is easy to slide the device in and out, but not so larger that it can shift and slide too far – that can cause scratches to the laptop itself, and may make carrying it awkward and uncomfortable.

If everything has its own space, of an appropriate size, you won’t have them knocking around together, causing damage and worn-out appearances.

The whole purpose of the bag is the transport of your laptop, so don’t forget to make sure that transportation experience is as comfortable as possible. An adjustable shoulder strap is a must, as is a good amount of padding on the strap to protect your shoulder.

Don’t discount style, either. Not only does the bag reflect you and your standards and style, but it also sets the tone of what your employees, clients, customers, or employers expect from you. Make sure the bag is a match for the image you want to display.

Related:

• Laptop Travel Bags
• Minimalist Travel Bags & Laptop Backpacks
• Best Travel Laptop Backpacks
• Best Carry On Luggage with Laptop Compartment
• Laptop Backpacks
• Best Travel Bags
• Men's Leather Travel Bags
• Women's Leather Travel Bags
• Best Travel Bags For Women
• Best Mens Travel Bag

How to Choose a Laptop Travel Bag

Size

The backpack should be small enough to fit in an overhead bin, while still easily holding your laptop and any accessories or other items you want to carry in it. A little extra space is a good thing, but you don’t want a floppy, empty bag or one in which items jostle together and take damage. Laying out the items you want to carry in the bag, and taking a quick pic of them for reference in the stores, is a great way to make sure you don’t forget to consider any important items.

Along these same lines, you should try to have a compartment for each notable item, and to stow the items in the same place each time. This will let you get what you need with impressive speed and ease, which can be especially important in front of an important client, or when trying to get that little item out of the overhead bin as the flight attendants ask for everyone to strap in.

Remember a place for your charger, cables, external hard drive, backup cell, or other computer-related items, but don’t forget personal items you may want places for, like your phone, wallet, sunglasses, keys, passport, and so on. You’ll need empty pockets for security screening, so why not have everything safely stowed and easily accessible in the same bag? Luxury and ease! We all need a little of that during travel.

Standard laptop bag dimensions state the width and height of a closed laptop. They normally include 15”, 16” and 17” compartments, but most do not include a measurement for the thickness of the laptop. If yours is sleek and low-profile, you needn’t worry, but if it is a chunkier model, or is in an additional protective case, it is worth having it on hand when you try out bags.

Compartments

Each type of item should have a designated spot, so look for a bag with a variety of pockets that will suit what you need to carry. Make sure the laptop padding protects it from being knocked or pressed against items within your bag too, as something like a charger can do damage to a laptop if both are not suitably stowed.

Remember spots for personal items, like your wallet, passport, phone, etc. A small pocket or clip for your keys is… well, key… because when you get back home you’ll be tired and may be in the dark or rain or wind – finding your key fast will save you some intense annoyance, and end your trip as well as you started it.

Weight

Depending on your laptop model and size, and largely affected by the size and number of accessories needed, your laptop bag might wind up being quite heavy when fully packed for a trip. The bag itself, then, should be as lightweight as possible, while still holding up to the job without tears or other damage.

It should also be comfortable, so don’t be too shy to put some weight in it, try it on, and walk around the store a bit – or to try it at home and return it if it doesn’t meet your standard.

Material

The main point of a purpose-designed laptop backpack is to protect your device during transport. This includes bumps and knocks, sure, but it also needs to stand up to that torrential rain you run through from the taxi to the front doors, and any other weather that stands in your path.

Waterproofing is an available option. Ripstop materials and other durable fabrics are also available. Worth considering too is the ease of cleaning your new bag. It needs to look great not just when it leaves the store, but on its 50^th journey too!

Handles

For comfort on long trips or when the bag is heavily loaded, make sure the backpack is the right size for you, too. The part that touches your back should be the right size, and the straps should adjust to the right length for maximum comfort and control of the bag.

FAQs

Is a laptop safe in a suitcase?

In short: no.

You might get away with it a time or two, but suitcases are often thrown from one belt or pile to another, they fall from carts and belts, and are sometimes vulnerable to theft if it appears something of suitable value might be inside.

Damage, loss, theft, worry… it’s not worth it.

Can I take 2 laptops onto a plane?

If the laptop compartment can fit two devices, then yes, this is usually allowable. It may slow you down a little at security, but that would be the only hinderance.

How big should a laptop backpack be?

Know the measurements of your laptop and make sure the bag you are considering is the same or larger. For thicker laptops, you may want to go a size larger to allow the compartment to wrap around the device at the ends. The best bet is always to try the bag with the laptop itself.

Standard laptop compartment sizes are rated to fit (relatively thin) 15”, 16” and 17” laptops.

Related:

• Best Leather Laptop Bags for Men
• Best Laptop Bags for Women
• Men's Leather Laptop Bags
• Women's Leather Laptop Bags
• Best Laptop Backpacks
• Custom Leather Laptop Bags
• Best Laptop Briefcase
• Best Laptop Bags
• Designer Laptop Bags for Women
• Fashionable Laptop Bags
• Women's Work Bags with Laptop Compartments
• Cute Laptop Bags
• Crossbody Laptop Bags
• Small Laptop Bags

Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed our article on the best laptop travel bags.

If you have any questions, leave them in the comments, or email Von Baer at info@vonbaer.com.

You can also browse our other travel pages here.