Wheeled underseat bag recommendation

I do have a wheeled bag that you have seen at TJ Maxx. I have used in on four trips and like it. However since that is my carry on bag it is pretty full in case my luggage doesn't arrive. I always put it in the overhead bin because I prefer having the leg room for such long flights to Europe. I doubt that mine would fit as it is full. But in fairness, I have not tried to fit in under the seat.

I bought for my husband one from Target that is the Swiss brand. It is very sturdy and easily fits a few days of clothes. I used it on a small Delta plane and it fit easily under the seat - including a tiny plane from Atlanta to Asheville. Last week, I bought for myself the quilted bag on ebags - Delsey brand. Its cute looking but definitely doesn't look durable and the handle is wobbly. I think it would be fine for putting on top of another bag but it would bug me using it alone.

Some planes have very little underseat space due to the electronic boxes airlines have added underseat. I was just on a plane where only a small, flat purse would fit underseat. :(

Some planes have very little underseat space due to the electronic boxes airlines have added underseat. I was just on a plane where only a small, flat purse would fit underseat. :(

Agreed. If your bag isn't tiny, you just haven't been unlucky enough yet. It's just a matter of time until you get one of those seats.

I have Travelpro Walkabout 3 15.5" Rolling Carry On. I don't know that I would get it again. It does fit under the seat however it does not roll down the aisle of the airplane making it a bit of a pain.

I have this one: https://www.ebags.com/product/delsey/quilted-rolling-overnighter/256557?productid=10492290

Pros: Lots of pockets, looks cute, fits on top of my rolling bag, can pack quite a bit of “stuff”, only paid $69.
Cons: Extended handle is rather wobbly, heavier than I’d like when full, main zipper can be hard to zip.

I haven’t tried it under a seat, as we had bulkhead seats on our recent trip to Europe. It did make a nice footrest when I was able to bring down from overhead.

Bottom line: I’ll continue to use it, but wouldn’t buy it again.

I, too have this bag: https://www.ebags.com/product/delsey/quilted-rolling-overnighter/256557?productid=10492290
It did fit under the seat in front of me (barely) and I loved being able to hook it over my RS carryon bag and roll it through the airport. It also has lots of great compartments and a lot fits into it.
Cons-heavier than I'd like when full so kind of unwieldy when it wasn't on top of my roller. I will continue to use it though-great option for more packing space.

The only carry on I take is my 21 inch swivel wheel suitcase. I have an under seat wheeled bag, but it doesn't leave me any foot room--and it is heavy for no more room than it has.I
I guess that teaches me not to have size 15 feet.

I love my Tommy Hilgifer small wheeled bag. Got a good deal on it at Macy’s. It is the smallest wheeled carry on I have ever bought but somehow holds everything I want in a well planned bag.

"Some planes have very little underseat space due to the electronic boxes airlines have added underseat. "

Yes, I have been on those, usually a middle seat on United. I'm short, so the underseat bag serves as a good footrest for me. I frequently travel without my husband and don't want the hassle of placing/removing things from the overhead. I typically carry on the rolling backpack and a crossbody purse. I do place the rolling backpack overhead if I am traveling with a larger purse/tote. The rolling backpack has a change of clothes in a compression packing cube and sometimes a second pair of shoes, in addition to meds, jewelry, snacks, ipad, yarn and crochet hooks.

I appreciate the responses and the feedback!

I have this Samsonite piece. It does stretch the limits of "underseat", but on mainline Delta flights so far, it has fit. No experience with it on regional jets. It is well-built, has sturdy rollers, and a two-bar handle. I stuff mine with heavy photo gear and roll it around on cobbled surfaces with no problems. There is a version that is a few inches shorter that appears to otherwise be very similar. I also have a small, ebags branded under-seater that I guess they don't offer anymore--at least, I couldn't find it on their website.

I have that Samsonite bag as well, and it’s readily available on Amazon along with the smaller version. Nice, roomy bag, and it fits under the middle seat of a typical 737 or A320. A couple of caveats, though.

First, I’ve found that most wheeled underseat bags are fine for the middle and window seat, not so much for the aisle. But even then, be prepared to give up what little legroom that already exists. If you’re tall, this could get pretty uncomfortable on a long flight.

The electronics box under some seats limits space as well, so if you can, better to check where you’re sitting if possible in advance. I primarily fly Southwest and haven’t found this to be an issue so far, but it is on some other airlines.

There’s a guide on TheCarryonGuy.com that lists the size limits for underseat pet carrier storage that’s a pretty good indication of what you can use as an underseat bag.

My strategy for a long time has been to use a wheeled carryon for the overhead and a small to medium sized backpack for the “personal item”, preferably with a trolley strap that fits over the handle of the roller bag. With a backpack or tote, you can “squish” it to fit more comfortably under the seat and preserve a little more legroom. Personally, I don’t like to get stuff out of the overhead during flight, so stow what I’ll need in the backpack.

I do recommend that Samsonite bag, though. It’s big enough to pack a few days worth of clothes and depending on your seat availability, is a good choice for underseat use. However, to be safe, if you want to make sure you’ll be able to use it under the seat, I’d opt for the slightly smaller model.

The problem with this strategy is that the size and placement of the "electronics boxes" under some airlines seats are wildly inconsistent, they seem to be getting bigger and more prevalent on the newer planes, and there's no way of predicting what your experience will be. Every airline implements these differently, and they vary from one aircraft type to another. Some of them are fairly compact and unobtrusive, others are surprisingly large and take up half of the underseat space. You will never know if you will have the full unbderseat space available to you or a big, hard-sided metal box with sharp corners using up some portion of that space until you get to your seat. So it's an OK strategy to hope for the best and utilize the space if it's available, but sooner or later you're going to find that there's only enough room down there for your feet (with them squished to one side), so be prepared to stow that bag up in the overhead bin when needed.

Another vote for the Samsonite bag. I have the smaller size. I got it a few years ago at a Samsonite outlet store for about $50. It has proven very durable.
I don’t put it under the seat because I need to stretch my legs when I fly.
There are a few things I especially appreciate about this bag:
1. Inside pocket for my IPad
2. Zipped plastic- lined side pockets. Especially good for wet umbrellas and water bottle with condensation.
3. Sturdy enough to protect fragile souvenirs traveling home in the cabin with me.
4. I usually check my 21” roller bag coming home, and my little Samsonite can be wheeled instead of carried. The location of the wheels and the trolley sleeve on the back allow for stable stacking on top of my roller bag while we are traveling.
I did remove the one inside panel with zippered compartments for things like jewelry. It kept getting in the way and I never used those pockets.

I recently purchased an inexpensive underseat bag at TJMax for $40.00. I think it is Ricardos, but I'd have to remove the tape on the label to see...one of those lesser brands, but the only cheap looking thing about it is the label. It is 16"X13.25"X8". It seems no weaker than any other basic bag I've owned. I LOVE this bag. I'm inventing another trip so I can take it again... I've wheeled it thru all elements but snow, so far, and it still looks pristine and handles well. It is marvelously light packed full, even with computer (although lighter without). However, it has been my only wheeled bag. Period. It will hold my purse as well if the gate attendants claim I have two bags. If I brought another bag, it would be checked anyway, so if it didn't fit under my aisle seat on a long haul flight, I'd put it in the bin (I'm not in and out of my bag on flight anyway). I don't think I'd take it as a second wheeled bag because I would then be carrying two wheeled bags up into a bus, train, etc. I've always liked WildCat's system for international trips and might try that, but I'd check the backpack. However, I love this bag as my one and only domestic travel bag and there is no issue getting it under the seat of the smaller planes, which is why I purchased it...so I hopefully don't have to gate check it.

Thanks for all the great responses. I used to have the large Samsonite underseat bag. Because it was so heavy when empty, I gave it to my nephew who lost everything in a flood. One of my friends who travels a lot more than I do uses the Travelon. That's a strong endorsement in my book.