Exactly What Luggage I Use as a Frequent Traveler (And Why!)

As a petite woman who travels often, the right travel gear is the difference between starting my vacation with a back ache or having seamless, comfortable travel days.

That said, it took me over 150 flights and living abroad on three continents to finally figure out the right luggage setup for me:

A sturdy carry-on suitcase with an easy access protected sleeve for my laptop (to keep it off my back!)
A spacious backpack that slides onto my suitcases’ trolley handle (in case I want even more weight off my back)
Durable compression packing cubes that save me tons of space
A jewelry organizer case that keeps my beloved necklaces from tangling
… and more!

In this article I’m sharing my luggage setup and travel essentials as a full-time travel blogger who has become quite nitpicky over the years. I hope my insights can help you figure out a travel setup that works for you!

Walking through the airport with my Level8 suitcase

Putting my laptop into my suitcase at the airport

Note: This post was kindly sponsored by Level8, but every word is my own. In exchange for writing this honest Level8 review, the company sent me the Road Runner suitcase. However, I bought my first two Level8 bags myself.

☀️🌺🌿 Article Outline (Jump Ahead)

My Carry-On: Smooth Roller Wheels & Laptop Sleeve

No matter the trip, I’m a suitcase girly. I prefer to get as much weight off my back as possible, even if it means bumping down a cobblestone street!

And the suitcase that has stolen my heart is the Level8 Road Runner 20”, becuase it has an easy-access protected laptop sleeve where you can store and slide out your laptop without opening the whole suitcase. Since I’m a small person and my back often ends up hurting on travel days, I LOVE being able to store my laptop in the suitcase instead of my backpack.

There’s also room in the outside pocket to store other items that you might ordinarily store in a backpack—like headphones, a book, maybe even your passport.

There are a few other reasons I love this suitcase:

The 360° wheels that roll sooooo smoothly
Zippered compartments inside for organization
External zippers that don’t feel like they’re going to split when I overpack…
It fits overhead bin on both US and European airlines (essential one for me!)

Because of the laptop sleeve, there is slightly less space inside the main part of the suitcase, but if you are someone who travels with a laptop, I think it’s worth it!

If you’ve read my Level8 Review, you know that my husband and I are big fans of Level8 suitcases! We also own the Luminous Textured suitcase, which is similar to Road Runner, but without the laptop sleeve. That’s the bag my husband travels with since he doesn’t mind carrying his laptop in his backpack.

✨ LEVEL 8 DISCOUNT: The team at Level8 was generous enough to share a discount code! Use my code YFTN10 at checkout to get 10% off your entire order!

Traveling at the airport with a backpack, water bottle, and luggage

My luggage setup while waiting for a flight

My Go-To Travel Backpacks

Depending on the trip, I either bring my 28L Cor Surf travel backpack, which is the most spacious bag I’ve found that fits under the seat on airplanes—AND it slides onto the trolley handles of my suitcase! This backpack has been all over with me—it’s the bag my husband and I each used while we were traveling full time as digital nomads, and it has held up well. It goes for about $100, and is the most affordable backpack I found like this.

If I don’t need as much space, I’ll just use my Nano 18 Gregory hiking backpack. It’s not the first backpack I’d recommend as a travel backpack, but it’s what I like to hike with, and since I hike on most of my trips, using it as my carry-on backpack keeps me from bringing two different backpacks. It costs $89 from REI and comes with a 3L water bladder, which is very helpful for long hikes!

I also often travel with a small hip bag or purse for easy access to my passport, phone, and other essentials in the airport. I’ll be honest, I haven’t found the perfect bag for this but currently use the Cotopaxi fanny pack.

Storing my laptop in my suitcase at the airport

Other Carry-On Essentials

My packing list for each trip varies… I travel to Hawaii a lot, and always have snorkel gear plus hiking gear—and what I pack for a trip to Europe or Asia is usually quite different.

But no matter the trip, these are the travel essentials that are *almost* always in my carry-on bag, whether it’s a quick 1-hour flight or a journey across the ocean:

Jewelry organizer case

Gone are the days of de-tangling necklaces after every travel day… this $14 jewelry organizer case is perhaps my favorite travel accessory that I discovered while traveling full-time! It takes up very little space in my bag but keeps my necklaces from getting tangled, with room for a variety of earrings, rings, bracelets, and other accessories.

Kindle E-Reader

I can’t go anywhere without a variety of books, and traveling with a Kindle saves me space (and weight). It also pays for itself pretty quickly if you use it to rent books from your local library like I do—but it’s also just so nice to have access to any book I could imagine via the Kindle store, no matter where I am in the world!

Trtl Neck Pillow

I am a neck pillow skeptic and someone who always ends up with a stiff neck after *attempting* to sleep on airplanes. But Trtl is not like a typical neck pillow… it’s more like a neck wrap. So I tried it out on my long-haul flight to Europe and I was actually able to sleep… with no neck pain! I don’t bring it on every single trip, but it’s definitely my go-to for long, overnight flights!

Thule Packing Cubes

After much research, I bought these Thule packing cubes and they were worth every penny! They compress down so well and save me so much space. Compared to the cheap packing cubes I used to use, the nylon material feels much more durable and the zippers are strong enough that you can really pack a LOT in.

Final Thoughts: My Travel Essentials & Luggage

As a frequent traveler, every part of my travel setup is intentional—after cycling through a variety of suitcases, backpacks, and other travel gear. I hope my review of the travel gear I’ve landed on helps you pack smarter and travel more comfortably!