ltt backpack LTT BACKPACK FOR EU/US TRAVEL

[No0N]

Hey LTT community,

 

I’ve been eyeing the LTT Backpack for a while now and really like what I’ve seen. I travel frequently on low-cost airlines in the US (Spirit, Frontier, Allegiant, etc.) and also do a fair bit of flying in the EU (Ryanair, Wizz Air, EasyJet) where they can be pretty strict about personal item vs. carry-on allowances.

I’ve read a few posts here on the forums where people say they’ve used the LTT Backpack as a personal item without any extra fees, but I still have some doubts. Budget airlines can be super picky about sizes—especially in Europe. If I want to avoid paying for a “proper” carry-on, the backpack has to fit under the seat or into the sizer box without question.

 

Here’s What I’m Concerned About:

Size Limits:

US carriers often allow around 18" x 14" x 8" for a personal item.

Some EU carriers have limits closer to 40 x 20 x 25 cm (15.7" x 7.9" x 9.8"). Does anyone have real-world experience fitting the LTT Backpack under the seat or in those small sizer boxes on both US and EU budget airlines?

 

Packing Needs:
I typically do short trips of 2-4 days. I want to fit my clothes plus all my tech (laptop, chargers, cables, maybe a small camera).
Does the backpack stay compact enough when fully packed to still qualify as a personal item?

 

First-Hand Experiences:

Have you actually taken it through boarding on these ultra-strict airlines?

Any close calls or moments where you had to argue with gate agents?

I’d really appreciate hearing about anyone’s first-hand experiences. If you’ve managed to use the LTT Backpack as your personal item on multiple airlines (US and/or EU), let me know how it went and if you have any packing tips. I’m still on the fence, so any extra confidence boost would help before I pull the trigger!

 

Thanks in advance for the feedback!

[IkeaGnome]

I fly Alaska Airlines every 2 weeks for work. Delta/Iceland air when I fly overseas. Just got back. I've used my backpack consistently since right after they came out. While I've never had issues with airlines, on a plane with smaller under seat storage like a 757-200 that I just flew on for Iceland Air, I did want to put it up top. It was a tight enough fit under the seat that I had no real foot room left. Just my $0.02. The plane you ride on is about as important as the airliner. 

If it's a big worry, why not just go for the commuter backpack?

[Adam Pilolla]

Your backpack will fit under the seat in front of you, but it might be a tight squeeze and while you can get away with it (and many have, including myself) it is technically above the limit that airlines advertise for personal items. When packed, it's roughly the same size as a typical carry-on bag (which you might store in the luggage compartment).

For something that's more likely to be allowed as a personal item, I'd instead recommend the Commuter Backpack.

[Smashslammer31]

In my experience, you definitely can fit it under the seat on some planes. I flew American Airlines recently and was just barely able to fit under the seat with a fully loaded backpack (16" laptop, external display, Quest 3 headset with case, + accessories), EXCEPT for the front pocket which was only partly loaded. If you fully load the front pocket it definitely won't fit without a big struggle.
 

It has much thicker fabric and padding than my previous backpack. A benefit when walking around, but definitely a downside when trying to squeeze under the seat.

[No0N]

20 minutes ago, IkeaGnome said:

I fly Alaska Airlines every 2 weeks for work. Delta/Iceland air when I fly overseas. Just got back. I've used my backpack consistently since right after they came out. While I've never had issues with airlines, on a plane with smaller under seat storage like a 757-200 that I just flew on for Iceland Air, I did want to put it up top. It was a tight enough fit under the seat that I had no real foot room left. Just my $0.02. The plane you ride on is about as important as the airliner. 

If it's a big worry, why not just go for the commuter backpack?

I’m definitely considering the Commuter Backpack as you suggested, but I’m a bit worried about whether it has enough capacity for a 2–4 day trip (clothes + a moderate amount of tech). How does the Commuter compare to the full-sized LTT pack in terms of organization and space? If you (or anyone else) have tried both, I’d love to know if the Commuter can still carry a couple of outfits, toiletries, and the usual tech gear without bulging too much.

[NoLeafClover]

23 hours ago, No0N said:

Does anyone have real-world experience fitting the LTT Backpack under the seat or in those small sizer boxes on both US and EU budget airlines?

As far as Europe is concerned, so far I have taken mine on as personal item on Ryanair (40x20x25 cm) and Loganair (40x35x18 cm) flights. The former includes a few mid-haul ~4h flights. With both carriers it managed to just about fit under the seat in front. I've not once been challenged about its size.

 

Honestly, I don't think they really care. I've seen people carrying rucksacks of all sorts of weird shapes and sizes, sometimes seemingly bigger due to them having a more elongated shape. I've not seen a single person with a "reasonably sized" rucksack being challenged. Maybe I've been lucky.

 

Can't speak for all of Europe, but all I've ever seen over the years that could be used to challenge people on their luggage size is these hideous metal cradles of "maximum dimensions" that are ultimately designed for carry-on baggage. If they were to challenge an LTT backpack into one of these it would easily fit. I've never seen anything to challenge a bag supposed to fit under the seat. If they were to take out a measuring tape, it would be an absolute comedy show. And once you've boarded it's a little too late at this point as nobody really keeps track as to whose baggage goes where.

 

When I take mine as a personal item I always have a slight anxiety, but the probability of being slapped an extra fee is very small. Famous last words... But equally, this is why the whole airline industry is an absolute fertiliser show (to be polite) wrt standardised baggage size and weight allowance (including checked baggage). Spoiler alert - the EU has finally woken up and regulation to standardise these is coming soon, at least as far as the EU travel zone is concerned.

[ixi_your_face]

On 1/20/2025 at 10:52 PM, No0N said:

Size Limits:

US carriers often allow around 18" x 14" x 8" for a personal item.

Some EU carriers have limits closer to 40 x 20 x 25 cm (15.7" x 7.9" x 9.8"). Does anyone have real-world experience fitting the LTT Backpack under the seat or in those small sizer boxes on both US and EU budget airlines?

On 1/20/2025 at 10:52 PM, No0N said:

First-Hand Experiences:

Have you actually taken it through boarding on these ultra-strict airlines?

Any close calls or moments where you had to argue with gate agents?

I’d really appreciate hearing about anyone’s first-hand experiences. If you’ve managed to use the LTT Backpack as your personal item on multiple airlines (US and/or EU), let me know how it went and if you have any packing tips. I’m still on the fence, so any extra confidence boost would help before I pull the trigger!

 

I've also been on several flights around Europe with my backpack on Ryanair, Eurowings, etc. Nobody has once asked me about it and I've never had an issue getting it under the seat, though it does cause issues sometimes around legroom. My SO, who also has an LTT backpack regularly is on flights (~10-16 flights in the last year) with Ryanair, Eurowings, Easyjet, Iberian, etc and has also never had an issue.

 

I got the LTT Backpack expressly for this purpose too, and was also nervous about the fit. It fits great.

 

I generally travel relatively light

• Laptop for work/chilling - will generally leave if i'm not going for a long time
• Steam Deck for play during travel - small enough that i can hang it off the bag/carry it if required
• Associated cables, chargers, dongles, etc
• Clothes
  • fresh pair of underwear for each day + 1 just in case
  • shirts and trousers can be less and just aim to reuse each no more than once

 

On 1/20/2025 at 10:52 PM, No0N said:

Packing Needs:
I typically do short trips of 2-4 days. I want to fit my clothes plus all my tech (laptop, chargers, cables, maybe a small camera).
Does the backpack stay compact enough when fully packed to still qualify as a personal item?

 

Mid last year, My SO and I did a trip to Germany and decided to use only our LTT backpacks for our 5 day trip. Laptops, Steam Decks, Chargers, HDMI cables, controllers, and enough clothes for each of us for 5 days all comfortably fit in with no bulging or stress. (One LTT Backpack each - 2 peoples stuff in 1 backpack would be unrealistic unless you're not taking all that much) Both of us used it as our personal item.

 

[No0N]

On 1/22/2025 at 5:55 AM, ixi_your_face said:

 

I've also been on several flights around Europe with my backpack on Ryanair, Eurowings, etc. Nobody has once asked me about it and I've never had an issue getting it under the seat, though it does cause issues sometimes around legroom. My SO, who also has an LTT backpack regularly is on flights (~10-16 flights in the last year) with Ryanair, Eurowings, Easyjet, Iberian, etc and has also never had an issue.

 

I got the LTT Backpack expressly for this purpose too, and was also nervous about the fit. It fits great.

 

I generally travel relatively light

• Laptop for work/chilling - will generally leave if i'm not going for a long time
• Steam Deck for play during travel - small enough that i can hang it off the bag/carry it if required
• Associated cables, chargers, dongles, etc
• Clothes
  • fresh pair of underwear for each day + 1 just in case
  • shirts and trousers can be less and just aim to reuse each no more than once

 

 

Mid last year, My SO and I did a trip to Germany and decided to use only our LTT backpacks for our 5 day trip. Laptops, Steam Decks, Chargers, HDMI cables, controllers, and enough clothes for each of us for 5 days all comfortably fit in with no bulging or stress. (One LTT Backpack each - 2 peoples stuff in 1 backpack would be unrealistic unless you're not taking all that much) Both of us used it as our personal item.

 

I ended up getting the commuter bag as I am also attending university and having a smaller bag is a nice thing to have that I can easily haul around.