Thus bag is perfect if you are a disciplined packer. While it served its purpose for me as a carry on overseas, there were limitations to this bag. First, once the interior is full, it renders the zipper side pocket virtually useless because they rely on the same space for use. Second, the front pocket cannot expand at all. So once you add your flatter items such as a book or iPad, the zipper is tight. Meaning, difficult to close due to expansion. To make matters worse, there is only one zipper pull giving you little options for closing this pocket. Third, if you are not efficiently velcroing the handles together, they separate and will drag on the ground. Other than these few issues, it is a very attractive bag, well built, fits under the seat (United Airlines), is lightweight before filled and rolls nicely. I think Ill stick with a traditional rectangle carry on for longer trips and use this bag for shorter trips.