Totes are one of the most essential travel items you can own — the best tote bags are endlessly versatile and tend to have room for everything you could need while in transit. For some travellers, a sturdy leather tote is a no-brainer essential for taking on a long flight : It's bigger than most bags, so you can more easily fit a laptop, water bottle, and all other plane accessories inside. For others, an easy-to-fold cotton option might be the item you break out mid-trip for a visit to the beach or marketplace.
Parents will also attest a travel tote bag is a must when flying with a baby – the multitude of pockets ensures a toy or snack can be grabbed quickly to avoid any mid-flight meltdowns. Whatever your style, a tote bag you love is a must-have piece of carry-on luggage , and we're here to help you find the right one. Below, we've pulled together the best tote bags to travel with — from value buys to investment bags you'll get compliments on for years to come.
All of the below totes have been put to use by our UK and US editors, who’ve taken them on flights, busy commuter trains and out and about for general day-to-day purposes over a period of months, so you can be sure that our reviews are honest and thorough. We have editors who are parents , pet owners and plenty of frequent fliers, so you can be confident that these bags have been properly put through their paces in a variety of settings. When testing the best tote bags, we look for those that have enough spa.