I'd go through the normal bag check line anyway. I have a very small bag but it has five compartments, four of which latch in some manner. Yes, it's small but I unlatch all the compartments before I get in line, hold open all of them and get through in a jiffy. So, if a small bag is just a size thing it's not really that easy. I just know to unlatch and hold open while someone with a similar bag could be in the small bag line and take a while to unlatch. And then there's my husband who takes a day bag, not a backpack. So, it's a bag he can wear on his back with should straps. One thing to unlatch. It's canvas so his check is faster than mine. But, if "size is the issue", he'd have to go through the regular line and I'd be able to go through the small bag line.