Away Everywhere Bag Review (2024): The Finest Carry-On Bag?

I’ve been eyeing the Away Everywhere Bag ever since I first laid eyes on it sometime last year.

I’m one of those people that always packs only carry-on luggage for quick trips. I find it faster and safer than checking bags for a quick trip.

The downside is, as an over-packer, I’ve run into issues where multiple bags have broken because of being overstuffed.

When I found out the Everywhere Bag qualifies as a personal carry-on item, it was a total game-changer.

I was curious if it would actually live up to the hype of being a bag that you could take anywhere.

Since purchasing it, I’ve brought it along with me on all my travels to see how functional it is, and if the quality of the bag is worth the price tag.

Here’s my Away Everywhere Bag review to give you an idea of if this stylish bag is the right investment for you.

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Overview of the Away Everywhere Bag

The Away brand, founded in 2015, has risen to fame in the luggage market thanks to a brilliant social media strategy and direct to consumer pricing.

They’ve made luggage fun, fashionable, and of course, Instagrammable. The best part is that they’ve also created bags that are functional and well-made.

The “Everywhere Bag” is one of their most popular carry-on items because of its functionality, style, size, and a wide variety of color options.

You can choose between heavy-duty waterproof nylon or soft, subtle leather material. I chose the nylon for the sake of my bank account (the leather was about $100 more).

The bag has a trolley sleeve so you can attach it to your rolling bag, and plenty of compartments, including ones for a laptop, passport, and even an umbrella (or in my case extra flats).

With a name like the “Everywhere Bag”, it’s clear they meant for the design to be functional enough to take literally everywhere.

Compared to my old carry-on personal items that never have enough space, and are hard to carry, my first thought when writing this Away Everywhere Bag review is that it’s a major upgrade from the bag I had been using.

Things to Consider Before Buying the Away Everywhere Bag

Sure, you can use a purse or backpack as your one personal item to carry-on the plane, but will it keep you as organized?

The Everywhere Bag is the perfect size to fit under your seat (even when stuffed full). Its compartments keep you organized, though it’s tough to see into the bag when it’s fully packed.

Besides being the perfect carry-on bag when flying, you can also use this bag as a briefcase, beach bag, and weekender bag (if you pack light enough).

Away Everywhere Bag

The Nylon Away Everywhere Bag is the ideal minimalist personal carry-on item. While it’s definitely an investment piece, it’s built to last and so you should get a lot of use out of it.

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If you click on a link and make a purchase I may earn an Away credit at no additional cost to you.

The crucial question you must ask yourself is if you’ll use it enough to justify spending just under $200 on it.

For me, after lots of back and forth, I finally took the plunge and splurged on this fancy carry-on bag.

With how much I travel, I knew that I’d be getting plenty of use out of it.

Plus, it’s also reassuring to know that Away lets you return purchases for up to 100 days after purchasing (as long as you didn’t get the item personalized).

If you don’t travel often, then you likely can get away with using a cheaper bag like the Lily + Drew Weekender. It’s still well-made, comes in at under $50, and has similar features to the Away bag.

But if you’re like me, and always traveling, then the Away Everywhere Bag is worth a look.

The Away Everywhere Bag Review & Unboxing

What’s in the Box?

The Everywhere Bag
Dust cover
Attachable padded shoulder strap

The Away Everywhere Bag comes in its branded dust cover in the most adorable box that I’ve seen.

Inside the bag, you’ll find a padded shoulder strap that attaches to the bag.

The box doesn’t look like much from the outside, but when you open it, there’s a cute little poem about travel featured on the inside of the lid.

Hardware and Design Features

The Away Everywhere Bag has multiple straps. You can hold it like a purse, throw it over your shoulder using the padded shoulder strap, or attach it to the handle of your roller bag.

It’s made from heavy-duty waterproof nylon and has leather handles and accents.

The Everywhere Bag qualifies as a personal carry-on item when flying thanks to its dimensions of 16.3 x 7.3 x 10.2 in.

The zippers seem to be heavy-duty plastic and so far have held up nicely.

Though I should note when looking through reviews online prior to purchasing, I saw one or two people complain about broken zippers.

The bag also has a panel that acts as a trolley sleeve, allowing it to fasten onto the top of your rolling luggage.

The bag features multiple pockets inside the bag, including a laptop compartment, and an umbrella panel at the bottom, and a side zipper that’s the perfect size for your phone and passport.

Performance

I like that Away made the Everywhere Bag in a way that allows it to keep its shape when empty.

The storage compartments make it easy to pack and makes keeping things organized feel easier.

My major complaint is that once packed, the bag is hard to see into if you’re reaching for something that isn’t on top.

It’s also great being able to go from carrying it on my shoulder to securing it on top of my rolling bag.

Flying with it was a breeze. The bag easily fit under my seat, even though it was a smaller plane.

The bag takes up most of the under-seat area, so just don’t expect to gain legroom by using this bag as your personal item.

Away Everywhere Bag Alternatives

Lily + Drew Weekender

Lily+Drew Weekender

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For under $50 the Lily+Drew Weekender bag is a solid budget option. This waterproof polyester shoulder bag includes a laptop pocket and a trolley band.

Longchamp Le Pliage Travel Bag

This tote bag is my absolute go-to anytime I travel. It's perfect as a personal item when flying, and works great as a tote bag while exploring!

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Coming at just under $150, the Longchamp Le Pliage is a stylish nylon travel bag with leather handles. It folds up easily for storage and can fit lots of items with ease.

This is the bag I would travel with frequently before purchasing the Away Everywhere Bag.

There are two things I don’t love about this bag. Its lack of compartments and that it doesn’t have a shoulder sling. As an over-packer, I really got my workout lugging this around the airport.

Herschel Novel Duffle Bag

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The Herschel Novel Duffle Bag is a bag I frequently see travelers using at the airport.

At just under $100, it’s a solid bag for a minimal investment.

I really like that it comes in a variety of colors so you can pick the one that feels the most like you.

I don’t love that it’s made of cloth, which means it picks up dirt easier than nylon bags.

The bag boasts an umbrella compartment and has a shoulder strap and handles.

The New Away Everywhere Bag

Away New Everywhere Bag

The best part of Away's update to The Everywhere Bag is the zippers that go down to the lower portion of the bag, which when opened gives easy access and visibility to all the contents.

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If you click on a link and make a purchase I may earn an Away credit at no additional cost to you. *Image courtesy of Away

Away recently released a second Everywhere Bag that’s taken into consideration some of the original complaints users had with the original design.

This updated bag features zippers that go further down, and a different combination of interior pockets.

The big difference is that the longer zippers make the bag a bit more annoying to pack if you’re squeezing in a lot of stuff. You also lose the exterior zip pocket on the trolley sleeve, which I really love having.

The good news is Away now give buyers the option to purchase the Original Everywhere Bag or the updated one depending on personal preference.

My Overall Thoughts on the Away Everywhere Bag

What I Like

The Away Everywhere Bag has plenty of storage compartments.
It’s made of waterproof nylon and easy to clean.
I love that I can carry it in multiple ways.
It’s got a stylish, functional modern design.

What I Don’t Like

The bag is on the pricier side when compared to other carry-on bags.
It’s hard to see inside the bag to locate pockets when it’s fully packed.
The umbrella pocket at the bottom of the bag takes ages to fully dry after getting wet.

What do Other Reviewers Think?

Part of the reason I was so excited to try this bag is that I’d seen so many glowing reviews of it online over the past year.

If you check out Away’s website almost every single review is positive.

In fact, the only negative reviews I found were on chatrooms, with a few people complaining about broken zippers, or just general complaints about their experiences with customer service.

I haven’t had to deal with their customer service yet, so I can’t speak to those complaints. I will say the zipper on my bag is sturdy.

The Verdict

I’ve been so excited to write my Away Everywhere Bag Review, because I know there are so many people who, like me, have put off investing in a quality carry-on bag because of the cost.

In fact, the biggest reason I put off investing in the Away Everywhere Bag was the price point of almost $200. I felt guilty spending so much on a bag when it could go towards traveling.

In the past, I’ve always bought cheaper bags that without fail have broken within a year of purchase.

By the time I spent money replacing my cheap bags repeatedly, I rationalized that I’d likely spent just as much as I would have on a quality bag.

Turns out, the Away Everywhere Bag was a wonderful investment.

It’s a bag I know I’ll have for years and will get plenty of use out of.

Besides taking it on trips, I’ve also used it as a laptop and camera bag for day trips, and even as a beach bag.

I was anxious about buying the nylon instead of the leather, but with savings of almost $100, it felt like the responsible decision.

The nylon has held up beautifully and is easy to spot clean in a pinch.

This is a bag that’s lived up to every expectation that I had for it.

My mom even went out and bought herself the same bag after borrowing mine for a work trip.

This stylish bag is perfect for the frequent traveler who is happy to sacrifice a bit of extra cash on a fashionable and functional bag.

After having such a wonderful experience with the Away Everywhere Bag, I’m already saving up to invest in more Away luggage.

Let me know in the comments below if you’ve tried Away luggage before, and if you have, what your favorite piece of luggage is!

Away Everywhere Bag

The Nylon Away Everywhere Bag is the ideal minimalist personal carry-on item. While it’s definitely an investment piece, it’s built to last and so you should get a lot of use out of it.

Check Best Price

If you click on a link and make a purchase I may earn an Away credit at no additional cost to you.

FAQs

Is the Away luggage worth it?

Yes, their luggage is well made, stylish, and functional. If you’re in the market for new luggage, Away is a brand that easily stands up against its competition.

Away Everywhere Bag vs Weekender: What’s the Difference?

The major difference between these Away bags is that they classify the Everywhere Bag as a personal item when flying because it’s smaller and easily fits under the seat. The Weekender bag is a tad bit larger and fits the profile of a large carry-on bag.

Are Away bags banned?

Away luggage isn’t banned by airlines. Only bags with non-removable lithium batteries are banned. Away has made sure that batteries in their luggage can be easily removed prior to flying.

Is a backpack better than a suitcase?

Backpacks can be better to travel with, especially if you’re going to encounter a lot of steps on your journey.

Suitcases are easier when it’s going to be a lot of walking on flat surfaces.

The best bag to travel with is something like Away’s Everywhere Bag. It can be carried over the shoulder, by the handles, or placed on top of a suitcase.

Away Everywhere Bag

The Nylon Away Everywhere Bag is the ideal minimalist personal carry-on item. While it’s definitely an investment piece, it’s built to last and so you should get a lot of use out of it.

Check Best Price

If you click on a link and make a purchase I may earn an Away credit at no additional cost to you.

Away Everywhere Bag Review (2024): The Finest Carry-On Bag?