6 Editor-loved, Roomy Weekender Bags for Fall Travel

My friends and family are scattered all over, so many of my weekends involve hours-long Amtrak trips up and down the East Coast. While I used to lug a carry-on roller onto the train, it felt like an unnecessarily bulky pick for two days’ worth of gear. Then, I discovered the weekender bag: an aptly named over-the-shoulder duffel bag that fits all your necessities, and then some.

A weekender bag isn’t just for quick Friday-night-through-Sunday evening trips, though. It can be useful for those with longer commutes: You can stuff in your laptop, lunchbox, and other work gear, plus a comfy change of clothes for the trip home. It’s also spacious enough to fit everything you need to take your kids to the park (think: snacks, diapers, and a change of clothes) or your workout gear for a trip to the gym before work.

While I swear by The Weekender from Béis, I also scoured other sites to find more affordable options that still measure up. From a $16 pick to a TikTok-viral duffel, these six weekender bags from Béis, Calpak, and Amazon can hold all the essentials for your next adventure — without the extra baggage fee.

Béis The Weekender Bag

I’m a notorious overpacker, and even I can’t seem to fit enough into the Béis Weekender. (My dad dubbed it my “Mary Poppins bag” since it seems to hold endless amounts of stuff.) In fact, Travel + Leisure editors and testers were impressed by how roomy yet lightweight The Weekender is, naming it the very best piece of Béis luggage of 2023. 

The spacious bag can be carried two ways — via the handles or the padded, adjustable shoulder strap — and is easy to pack: As one reviewer noted, “When you unzip the top, the bag stays propped open which makes packing so much easier!” Plus, the structured build keeps the bag upright as you take belongings in and out.

Inside, you’ll find a key loop, three pockets for small items, and a padded sleeve to keep your laptop or tablet safe. There are exterior pockets on both sides, and one unzips to become a trolley sleeve to make toting your luggage through the airport much easier. This interior design was “game-changing” for one owner who traveled with their two kids under 3, who loved that “There is a place for every item and I’m not digging around in the bottom to find what I need.”

My favorite feature, though, is the easy-access pocket on the bottom. The entire bottom of the bag unzips to reveal a separate storage compartment for shoes, damp bathing suits, or anything else you don’t want touching (or leaking onto) your stuff. It also lets you pack more gear rather than check an extra bag: One reviewer packed for a 9-day trip overseas in just this bag, noting that “Three pairs of pants, six to seven shirts, toiletries, a pair of shoes, and all other necessities fit perfectly.” 

Available in a wide variety of colors, from neutral black and grey to fall-ready maple and olive, the bag is made from poly canvas and a 100 percent poly lining. Plus, all of the leather trim is vegan.

But between you and me, you don’t have to shell out to get the same weekender style I love. The Minkars Weekender Bag recently hit the shelves at Amazon, and it’s already going viral on TikTok. It’s similar to the Weekender by Béis but comes at a more accessible price point — plus, it’s already garnered over 275 five-star ratings since its launch in Spring 2023.

Minkars Weekender Bag

There’s a zippered pocket on the bottom to hold shoes or other bulky items, plus several internal pockets and pouches in the main compartment for organizing smaller belongings. A padded sleeve keeps your laptop or tablet safe, while an easily accessible power bank pocket keeps your phone handy as it charges. (Power bank sold separately.) The bag also has a trolley sleeve and padded shoulder strap.

Travel vlogger Ashlan Pruitt, known as @neutrallyashlan on TikTok, raves that the 17-inch bag “fits all my travel essentials” and slides neatly “under the airplane seat.” For those looking for a carry-on, rather than a personal item, this bag is also on sale in its larger 20-inch size.

Available in beige, light pink, and black, this bag is reasonably priced at under $50. Plus, savvy shoppers can snag the beige 17-inch bag on sale right now for $38 or the 17-inch black bag for $40.

Still searching for the perfect weekender bag? I rounded up a few more highly rated styles that remind me of my favorite Béis Weekender Bag but for a fraction of the cost.

More Top-rated Weekender Bags 

Bagail Travel Duffel Bag

Kat Myhr Weekender Travel Bag

Calpak Stevyn Duffel

Etronik Duffel Bag

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