I’ve found the best underseat bag for budget flights — I was surprised at how much I could fit in
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BETWEEN 2019 and 2023, European flight prices rose by over a third, and further increases are predicted for this year.
And to make things even worse, budget airlines employ squads of staff to stand at departure gates, charging holidaymakers obscene fees for falling foul of luggage allowances.
Unsurprisingly, we at Sun Shopping have seen a surge of interest in underseat bags, which offer a practical way to take a few outfits away without paying through the nose.
Antler has been a long-time favourite of ours when it comes to luggage, so I decided to test out the brand's underseat bag.
Soft Stripe Underseat in Antler Green, £130 from Antler
Pros:
- Nicely designed and comes in three colours
- Lightweight at just 2.2kg
- 34L maximum capacity makes it one of the roomier options on the market
- Telescopic handle makes it easier to carry than many underseat bags
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Cons:
- Expensive
Rating. 9.5/10
How I tested the Antler underseat bag
Soft Stripe Underseat in Antler Green, £130 from Antler
I tested the Antler bag in the most straightforward way possible: by taking it on holiday.
I've taken it on a three-night trip to France on a budget airline (EasyJet, specifically), and I've also taken it on a few weekends away in the UK.
Antler underseat bag: Quickfire Q&A
How much is it? At £130, it's certainly one of the pricier options on the market.
How big is it? It's 45cm tall, 35cm wide and 20cm deep, and Antler has managed to turn that into 30L of packing capacity (although its 'maximum capacity' is 34L).
Who's it best for? People who do a lot of short-haul travel and want to maximise the meagre luggage allowances offered by budget airlines.
What we loved: It's lightweight, spacious, and nicely designed.
What we didn't: Honestly? Not much. It's more expensive than many competitors, but Antler isn't a budget brand, so this won't come as a surprise.
Antler underseat bag: The Nitty Gritty
First impressions
As far as an underseat cabin bag goes, it's quite good-looking.
It's designed in the same way as a suitcase, which makes it more practical than many underseat bags, which are often more akin to a duffel bag or backpack.
It perhaps isn't as striking as one of the , but because of its more stretchy soft outer, which reportedly adds four litres to its maximum capacity, it's also more efficient.
It's available in three colours: Black, Indigo Blue and Antler Green — I went for the latter, which sets it apart from the endless parade of black and navy bags on a luggage belt (in case you do get asked to put it in the hold).
It would be nice to have a few more colour options, but this is a fairly new style, so Anter might introduce more options in the future.
When you're packing light, keeping things organised is key, and Antler has made things easy with a wealth of compartments and crannies.
Soft Stripe Underseat in Antler Green, £130 from Antler
Does it deliver?
The main box a bag like this needs to tick is whether or not you can take it on a plane without getting caught out.
And in that sense, it certainly delivers — by the skin of its teeth.
The bag has the exact dimensions that Easyjet allows customers to take on-board without paying extra: 45cm x 35cm x 20cm.
Thankfully, Antler has considered the wheels in these measurements, meaning that it just squeezes into the metal cages that gate staff often ask you to slide your bag into.
Safe to say, I let out a big sigh of relief when it fit in.
The second most important thing in a bag like this is how much you can actually fit in it, and it certainly ticks that box.
With a 30-litre capacity — 34 litres if you really stretch it — it's bigger than any other underseat bag I've come across.
The one I had been using before, , has a 24L capacity, and you can certainly tell the difference.
Without exaggerating too much, there is something a bit Mary Poppins about this bag.
Without exaggurating too much, there is something a bit Mary Poppins about this bag.
When I took it on a three-night, four-day holiday to France, I fit a pair of trainers, two pairs of trousers, a shirt, a couple of t-shirts and a jumper — and all the other obligatory sundries — in there without breaking a sweat.
At 2.2kg with a pair of wheels and a telescopic handle, it's also reasonably lightweight and manoeuvrable, although it would have been nice to have four wheels (I assume the reason there aren't is a space-saving tactic).
There's also an in-built TSA lock, which might come in handy if you do have to put the bag in the hold at any point.
Soft Stripe Underseat in Antler Green, £130 from Antler
Which airlines will accept the Antler underseat bag?
There's no standardised allowance across budget airlines for underseat luggage, so it's important to check whether or not your preferred airline will accept your bag.
It's worth noting that Jet2 generously allows every customer to bring a 56 x 45 x 25 cm bag as well as a smaller underseat bag measuring 40 x 30 x 15cm.
| Airline | Free luggage allowance | Does the Antler qualify? |
| easyJet | 45 x 36 x 20 cm | Yes |
| Ryanair | 40 x 20 x 25 cm | No |
| Wizzair | 40 x 30 x 20 cm | No |
| Jet2 | 56 x 45 x 25 cm | Yes |
How much is the Antler underseat bag?
At £130, it certainly isn't cheap, especially considering you can get underseat bags on Amazon for less than £20.
However, as previously stated, Antler doesn't claim to be a budget brand, and I'd say this is worth splurging on — it's stylish, practical and feels durable.
And considering EasyJet charges £50 for each bag it catches that is over the luggage allowance, it's nice to have peace of mind knowing that you won't be paying any unexpected fees at the airport.
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Where to buy the Antler underseat bag
The best place to buy the Soft Stripe Underseat is probably the Antler website, where you'll get free delivery, free returns and discounts for , and .
It's also available from .
Antler underseat bag review: The Verdict
I'm sold.
As far as I'm concerned, Antler's underseat bag ticks all of the boxes — it's stylish, neatly organised and lightweight, with a capacity that somehow seems to outweigh its size.
Of course, at £130, there are cheaper options available, but an established name like Antler is always going to carry a premium price tag.
That will certainly be a dealbreaker for some, but for others — including me — this bag's practicality and design make it worth the spend.
And if I've got a choice between spending £130 on a stylish bag or handing over money to airline officials at the departure gate, I know what I'm choosing.
- Soft Stripe Underseat in Antler Green, £130 from Antler -