Thule Aion 28L vs. Aer City Pack
Two carry-on travel backpacks, compared spec for spec.
Feature by feature
| Thule Aion 28L | Feature | Aer City Pack |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | ||
| N | Compression | N |
| 32L | Expanded Capacity | None |
| 1 | Opening | 1 |
| top | Passport | top |
| Y | Passthrough | Y |
| Carry | ||
| Y | Backpack | Y |
| optional | Hip Belt | N |
| Y | Sternum Strap | removable |
| Inside | ||
| 16in | Laptop | 16in |
| 4 | Main Compartments | 4 |
| Y | Organizer | Y |
| Outside | ||
| × | Hard Shell | × |
| N | Rain-fly | N |
| 1, side | Water Bottle Holder | 1, side |
| Y | Water Resistant | Y |
| Material | |
| Waxed P600 polyester canvas | 1680D Cordura® ballistic nylon exterior |
Key differences between the Thule Aion 28L and Aer City Pack
- Hip belt: Optional on the Thule Aion 28L; No on the Aer City Pack.
- Sternum strap: Yes on the Thule Aion 28L; Removable on the Aer City Pack.
Both have: passport pocket, luggage passthrough, backpack straps, laptop sleeve, built-in organizer, water bottle pockets, water resistant.
Which airlines take each bag as a carry-on
We checked both bags against the carry-on size limits of 189 airlines. 138 accept both. 1 accept only the Thule Aion 28L, and 40 accept only the Aer City Pack.
Only the Thule Aion 28L fits
Great Lakes Airlines.
Only the Aer City Pack fits
Air Baltic, Air China, Air Malta, Air Niugini, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, American Eagle, Asiana Airlines, ATA Airlines, Belavia, Blue Air, Bulgaria Air, China Eastern, easyJet, Emirates Airlines, Enter Air, flybe, Icelandair, InselAir, Juneyao Airlines, Liat Airlines, Luxair, Meridiana Fly, Nordwind Airlines, Pakistan International, Ravn Alaska, Royal Brunei Airlines, Ryanair, S7, Shandong Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Sun Express, TAP Air Portugal, TAROM, Tianjin Airlines (A320 & E190), TUI, Ukraine International, VIM Airlines (Closed), Volotea, Xiamen.
Thule Aion 28L vs. Aer City Pack: which should you pack?
The Thule Aion 28L carries 14L more than the Aer City Pack (28L vs. 14L), while the Aer City Pack is the lighter pack at 1.1kg (vs. 1.2kg). For carry-on flexibility, the Aer City Pack fits 94% of the airlines we track — the higher of the two. If you prioritise packing volume, choose the Thule Aion 28L; if you want to travel lighter, the Aer City Pack is the better call.