Tired of wasting money on baggage fees? 
I tested the 3 best travel backpacks of 2026 – here’s the only one I’d actually buy.

  • Jess, AU & NZ Travels.

    Apr 12, 2026

Finding a good travel backpack is harder than it should be. You want something that fits the overhead bin, holds a full week of clothes, and doesn't cost you $60 in fees at the gate.

 

My name is Jess. I've been flying carry-on only across Australia and New Zealand for years. I got tired of guessing, so I tested three bags on real trips.

 

During my research I discovered something I hadn't heard of before: backpacks with a small pump built inside the bag. You press a button, it pushes the air out of your clothes — like vacuum-sealing food, but inside your backpack. Suddenly everything fits. I had no idea this existed.

 

I tested three bags:

  • A classic travel backpack
  • Two vacuum compression backpacks — Airback and AeroGo — both using this technology, but in very different ways

One stood out clearly above the rest. Here's what I found.

I'm not sponsored by any of these brands — I paid for every bag and every flight myself.

 

After months of testing across AU and NZ, one bag genuinely delivered carry-on only, every trip, no fee stress.

 

Here are the 3 backpacks I tested in 2026 — and the one I'd buy again without hesitation.

#1 AeroGo Explorer – Jess's Choice

 

"I honestly didn't think it would work. And then it did."

 

I'll be straight — I was not expecting to love this bag.

 

What caught my attention was a feature I'd never seen before: a built-in pump inside the backpack itself. You press a button, hold it for two seconds, and it literally pushes the air out of your clothes. Your packed bag shrinks right in front of you. Not a gimmick — I watched it happen with AeroGo. A bag I'd packed for five days suddenly looked like a three-day bag. That matters at the gate.

 

I took it on three trips: Sydney to Melbourne, Queenstown, and five days through Japan. Every time, it slid into the overhead bin and stayed right above me — my bag, in my sight, no carousel wait, no checked luggage stress.

 

The laptop compartment is completely separate from the compression section — my MacBook never shifted. The anti-theft lock on the back pocket is small but genuinely useful on crowded trains.

 

Is it the lightest bag out there? No. But if you're flying three days or longer and you're done paying baggage fees, done repacking at 11pm, done holding your breath at the gate — AeroGo Explorer is the one bag I'd tell every AU/NZ traveller to try first.

#2 Airback Original (Carry‑On) – Looks Smart, But the Pump Lost Me

 

I really wanted to love the Airback. On paper it’s great: a sleek matte‑black backpack with a clever compression system, weight‑measurement handle and plenty of organisation. It easily held clothes for a 5–7 day trip and the build quality feels solid.

 

The catch is how that compression actually works. You need the separate electric pump that comes in the box. It does compress the air out, but in real life that means remembering to pack it, charge it and not leave it behind in a hotel drawer. The whole time I travelled with it I kept thinking, “If this pump breaks or disappears, I’ve basically paid vacuum‑backpack money for a normal bag".

 

Fully expanded, the bag goes up to around 48L and 49 × 32 × 20 cm, which is fine but a bit chunky on stricter airlines if you really stuff it. And compared to AeroGo, the price point is higher, even though you’re000000 taking on more risk with that extra device you have to babysit.

 

If you’re organised, love gadgets and don’t mind managing one more thing, Airback Original is a cool piece of kit. For me, it felt like more moving parts and more money for less peace of mind than I get with the all‑in‑one AeroGo.

#3 Osprey Fairview 55 – Great Backpack, But Not a Fee Fighter

 

I’ve used Osprey packs for years, so I went into this test expecting to like the Fairview 55. And for classic backpacking, it really is good. You get a 40L main pack plus a 15L detachable daypack, a proper harness with hip belt, and that familiar Osprey build quality that feels bomb‑proof.

 

The problem is that none of that really helps with what I care about most now: carry‑on only, no baggage fees. There’s no vacuum compression, just standard straps, so it can’t compete with AeroGo shrinking everything down or even Airback’s compression chamber. You end up managing two separate pieces (main pack + daypack), plus a lot of dangling straps, every time you board.

 

Price-wise it’s not small either. In Australia it usually sits close to $399 AUD, which means you’re paying more than AeroGo and similar to, or more than, Airback – but without any compression tech at all. For a bag that still pushes you toward checking luggage on longer trips, that’s a hard sell if your main goal is beating airline fees.

 

If I were doing a six‑month hostel trip through Southeast Asia, I’d genuinely consider the Fairview 55 over Airback – it’s simpler and tougher, and you don’t have to think about pumps or gadgets. But for shorter AU/NZ flights where I want one bag, true carry‑on and minimal stress at the gate, it comes in last place behind both AeroGo and Airback.

So, which one would I actually buy?

Honestly? It's not close. The Osprey is a great pack but it's built for a different kind of trip. The Airback impressed me on paper but that external pump just added a layer of stress I didn't want. And AeroGo just... worked. Every time. No thinking, no babysitting extra gadgets, no gate anxiety.

 

If you're flying AU/NZ routes and you're done paying baggage fees, I'd just go straight to AeroGo Explorer and skip the rest.

 

Worth knowing — they're currently running a sale with two free gifts included. I'm not sure how long it's on for, and stock has been moving. If you're curious, this link has the current pricing and availability.