Backpack That You Can Use as a Personal Item on Frontier and Spirit

Some of the links on our site are from our partners who compensate us. Read our disclosure policies to learn more.

Last Updated on December 13, 2022 by David

We have all seen those crazy deals where you can get a flight for $19 on budget airlines like Frontier and Spirit and have been disappointed to find out that a carry-on costs more than the flight and you’re only allowed to bring a personal item to be able to take advantage of that amazing deal. Like many folks, I wasn’t going to pay more for a carry-on than the actual ticket so I began the hunt for a backpack that was small enough to pass a personal item(or at least not raise any suspicions) while being spacious enough for a several-day trip. I started with an internet search but wasn’t able to find anything that fit my needs without actually being able to see it in front of me so I decided to hit up several stores locally and I found one. I present you the…

Outdoor Products Urban Adventure 33L Backpack

Amazon | Ebay | Walmart

Backpack Benefits:

Dimensions: 19.4 in X 11.5 in X 6.7 in
Lifetime Warranty
Ability to open as a backpack and clamshell
Be able to compress a lot of clothes if needed

I found this bag at Walmart almost two years ago and it has been through a lot. I know that the backpack is just an inch over the length limit, but I haven’t had a problem yet. I have taken this bag across the entire United States on every budget flight I flew as a personal item and not once was I asked to pay for a carry-on. Now, take that with a grain of salt as your mileage may vary, but this bag is extremely close to satisfying most of the personal item requirements. The best part of it is the side compression straps which can help compress the bag to decrease its overall size and make sure it fits right underneath the seat on the airline.

It does seem like this backpack may be hard to find, but Outdoor Products has released a very similar one that I have linked on amazon. Also, be sure to check eBay for any that may be posted, may get lucky.