Flight Attendants Love These Compression Packing Cubes

You know you’re an expert packer if everything in your suitcase can be perfectly rolled and organized inside a set of compression packing cubes. Ask any professional—pilot, flight attendant, travel agent, you name it—and they will probably name them as the No. 1 travel accessory you can use to fit more in your luggage and stay organized during the length of your trip. Which compression packing cubes do the pros use, you might ask? It’s hard to know without peeking into their carry-ons, but a few five-star Amazon reviews have revealed that this Aerotrunk set is a hit among flight crew. 

In addition to expert recommendations, these compression packing cubes have earned high praise from other seasoned travelers who said they were able to fit twice as much stuff into their suitcase. They’ve been compared to a $115 packing cubes set from Travel + Leisure editor-loved travel brand Monos—but are nearly half the price. I dug into why thousands of them sell every month, below.

Aerotrunk Compression Packing Cubes 6-pack

Amazon

The Aerotrunk compression packing cubes are made of moisture-resistant nylon twill and breathable mesh panels. They maintain their cubical shape until you employ the compression zipper, which flattens everything inside of it into a thinner, more packable shape by squeezing the excess air out. The cubes come in six sizes, ranging from small (about 10 inches tall) to XL (17 inches tall), and they come in three different packs of two, four, or six packing cubes. The $60 set includes all six sizes, the $40 set includes four, and the $24 set includes two sizes—medium/large and large. 

“These are by far my favorite packing cubes,” wrote one flight attendant who travels with just a carry-on. They called them “very high quality” and said they have great compression, adding, “not to mention, [they’re] super cute.” Another flight attendant who said they’ve tried many other types of packing cubes wrote that these have a particularly great shape and are the perfect size to fit in their luggage.

Aerotrunk Compression Packing Cubes 2-pack

Amazon

Shoppers have even called them “identical” to Monos’ Compressible Packing Cubes, which come in similar colors and sizes, but cost between $95 and $115. The only noticeable difference is that Monos makes its packing cubes with recycled polyester as opposed to nylon twill, but reviewers say the quality of the latter is still “fantastic,” highlighting the “nice thick fabric and strong zippers.”

Most of all, reviewers are amazed at how much stuff they can fit. One shopper packed two pairs of slacks, two full-length jumpers, a pair of jeans, two wide belts, four pairs of socks, four shirts, two pairs of shorts, a pair of leggings, pajama pants, and multiple undergarments in just three cubes. “I was not able to zip all the compression-level zippers up with this amount of contents,” they said, “but I was able to zip every bag up with ease. I was actually shocked at how well the zippers worked, and the material didn’t even budge under the strain!”

Aerotrunk Compression Packing Cubes 4-pack

Amazon

Two side-by-side reviewer images show the largest-sized cube in action: The first shows it overflowing with eight bulky outfits, and the second shows it compressed into a shallow block that sits nicely inside a carry-on, with plenty of room to spare. One shopper said their pack of six packing cubes “almost doubles” their suitcase space. So, you might finally become a carry-on-only traveler, your load to a carry-on only—no more costly checked bag fees or time-wasting at baggage claim.

Inspired to see how a good set of compression packing cubes could improve the way you travel? We found more that seem worthy of your dollar, below.

More Compression Packing Cubes to Shop:

Bagsmart Compression Packing Cubes 6-pack

Amazon

LeanTravel Compression Packing Cubes 3-pack

Amazon

Thule Compression Packing Cubes 2-pack

Amazon

OlarHike Compression Packing Cubes 8-pack

Amazon

Epicka Compression Packing Cubes 6-pack

Amazon

At the time of publishing, the price started at $24.

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