Travel Handbags: The 7 Best Travel Purses (2019)

Cross body bags for travel

The table above lists the best travelling handbags for ladies – but it's just an outline. I've expanded on a few individual models below because yes, you need the best travel purse ever. 

How do you find it and which are the best travel handbags for you?

Small travel handbags - the best travel handbags for Europe

The above four are 'normal-sized' travel shoulder bags and will carry pretty much anything you need, even though some bags are smaller than others.

BUT – you may need something smaller. If you're flying within Europe or on a discount airline, you may find you're only allowed a single carry-on, handbag included.

The best handbag for flying is a small travel handbag: you can slip it into your carry-on if you're not allowed a second bag on the flight.

The best small travel purse is the one you're allowed to take with you on the plane!

And here's one that isn't quite a travel purse...

Travel bags for women: the features that really matter

Not all bags for travel are made equal and there are a number of features that make good travel purses as opposed to just blah ones:

• Pockets. Most women have suffered with a “too big” purse that seemed to devour all the contents. Good purses for travel include pockets – zippered, mesh, credit card slots – that allow you to organize and actually find everything that fits.
• Space for electronics. We need space for our gadgets, including cameras, cell phones, tablets and laptops/notebooks. The perfect travel purse has plenty of room for all these. I need to be able to carry my 13" Macbook Air most places.
• Style. A bag with some semblance of “everyday” style will help you look more local and not scream "tourist" too loudly. Designer travel bags may be a bit pricey but you'll find plenty of cheap travel bags with lots of style – different colors, shapes, materials, sizes.
• Durability. Frequent travel requires a bag that will withstand all sorts of wear and tear. It doesn’t have to be leather, but it does need to be made with strong material and sturdy fasteners. Beware of shoddily made purses that can fall apart after a single trip. The best handbags for travelling abroad should last and last and last – first, because they're well made but second, because the style is perennial and never becomes old.
• Safety features. Being a solo female traveler comes with some risks, so having an antitheft bag with safety features like anti-slash mesh or locking zippers can bring some peace of mind. The one thing travel purses for women must deliver is safety for your belongings. There's little point in carrying it around otherwise...
• Carrying options. The best travel bags are those which you can carry multiple ways, including over-the-shoulder, across-the-body and even backpack-style (I like cross body purses best).
• Comfort: Since you'll probably be toting it around with you most of the day, a good purse  for travelling needs to be comfortable – think wide strap that doesn't slip off, bag that doesn't slap across your middle...
• Water-resistance: This isn't essential but good travel purses should be weather-friendly, both for esthetics and because you want to keep your contents dry.

How essential are good travel handbags for travelling abroad? 

Maybe not that essential. It depends.

If you're a person who doesn't carry much around, you may not need one. You can always stash your phone, room card and credit card in a money belt or travel pouch, right? Or if you hate the idea of a traveling handbag, consider a travel daypack instead.

If on the other hand you are a handbag person, here are a few simple questions you should ask yourself before you buy:

• How do you carry your handbag? Across your chest and back, on your shoulder, or slung over your arm (not the best idea for keeping your hands free in an unfamiliar environment, by the way)...
  
  
• How long are you going for? A small purse for traveling (or no purse at all!) might do for a short visit but if you're off for a few weeks you'll need something bigger.
  
  
• What kind of travel is involved? If you're staying in a central hotel or apartment, you can always leave things in your room and go back for something if you need to (nothing too valuable though).
  
  
• How often will you be using it? Do you need it all day or is it for evening wear or work?
  
  
• What will you carry? If you need your iPad and your iPhone and makeup and clumps of keys, you'll need a different bag than if you're slipping your phone, a pen and a moleskine notebook into something that zips up: the best purse for travel abroad needs to fit what you intend to carry.
  
  
• How often do you need access to your stuff? I use my iPhone every minute or two so I'm lost without an outside pocket to slip it into.

Answering these questions will help you choose.

And if you travel often, don't skimp on expense. You're better off investing in the best purse for travel now rather than buying something that will unravel in the middle of nowhere – and that you'll have to replace.

7 tips to keep your travel handbag and its contents safe

Other than deciding on the best handbag for travelling, the most important issue you'll have to deal with is probably security.

1. Don't wear flashy brand name labels on your bag: they make it that much more attractive to steal.

2. Don't be arrogant as in "it won't happen to me because I'm too smart/careful/savvy" — it can happen to you. I'm a seasoned traveler and I've had my belongings lifted. It's almost inevitable after a lifetime of travel. What I do know is without being careful, it would have happened far more often.

3. Make sure your bag is hard to get into. Even the best travel purses for women can be stolen. That's why I like the slash-proof straps with all sorts of wire mesh. I can still lose it and it can disappear — but it won't be slashed while I'm wearing it and my belongings lifted from under my nose.

4. Pay attention. The best time for someone to steal your bag is when you're busy taking that ultimate photograph or admiring the view. You're not paying attention and you won't even notice: there goes your perfect handbag for travelling. I sadly speak from experience.

5. Wear your bag in a way that dissuades theft. Most often thieves look for an easy mark. A handbag across your chest (as opposed to hanging loosely over a shoulder) will look more challenging and less appetizing.  Keep your bag on the inside rather than on the street side. Yes, there have been instances of women being dragged along by a thief on a scooter BUT seeing a well-protected bag should be pretty dissuasive. If this worries you, use a pashmina or a scarf over your shoulder. It won't hide your bag completely but it makes it more complicated for thieves - and they like to keep things simple.

6. Never leave your bag unattended. Obvious, right? And if you don't want to hang onto to it tightly while trying to eat, tie it to the table. Or get one of those metal cable locks to tie your bag to your table or chair: someone else might want that perfect travel handbag you just bought. I simply keep mine on - the strap is long enough to do that comfortably.

7. Don't carry all your valuables in your purse. Split your things up by using a money belt or pouch and spread your cash around various clothes pockets.

Whatever I do, I will NOT be hanging my bag on the back of a chair!

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