When to Travel With a Backpack Vs. Carry-on Luggage
2 min readThe 12 best luggage brands of 2024, tested by experts
Travelpro mostly makes soft-side luggage and rightfully earned its spot as our top pick for the best carry-on. I personally love the clear attention to detail that comes with a Travelpro bag, from the whisper-quiet spinner wheels to the tear-resistant material and sturdy buckles.
In addition to rolling luggage, Travelpro has options for under-seat bags (rolling and not), toiletry bags, backpacks, foldable duffels, garment bags (which often come included with a carry-on), luggage tags, laptop bags, and more.
Read our full Travelpro Platinum Elite Carry-On review for more.
Worth a look:
When it comes to value, Samsonite makes excellent luggage at some of the best prices, which is why we named it our top hard-sided pick for the best carry-on. Samsonite offers numerous options for roller bags, including both hard-side and soft-side carry-ons and checked luggage, wheeled under-seat bags, and even roller duffels.
Samsonite also sells several two- and three-piece sets if you want to pair small, medium, and large roller bags together. In addition to traditional roller luggage, Samsonite also offers classic backpacks, wheeled backpacks, duffels, briefcases, wallets, dop kits, and more. There are even some cool wheeled garment bags that can fit under your seat and will fit far more than your typical folding or hanging garment bag. I’ve owned a Samsonite bag for over three years now and it’s held up incredibly well.
You can read our full Samsonite Centric Carry-On review for more info.
Worth a look:
Away has multiple options for roller luggage, including hard-sided, expandable, and aluminum. Bags are available in both neutral hues and bright, eye-catching colors.
Away’s stand-out feature used to be the removable battery pack for charging your electronics on the go, which was previously available as an add-on to its carry-on bags. While the brand retired that feature, we still think its bags have thoughtful extras like in-bag compression, built-in TSA-approved locks, and a removable washable lining.
In addition to roller bags, the brand also a range of other bags and travel accessories, including backpacks, duffels, pet carriers, totes, packing cubes, and more. I’ve personally owned Away luggage for years and can attest to its durability and practicality.
Read our full Away luggage review and Away Carry-On review for more.
Worth a look:
Monos makes one of the best suitcases on the market with a hard front pocket that gives you an easy place to safely store laptops and extras. Monos suitcases are durable, come in an array of colors, and are well-priced. Plus, all of the luggage comes with a 100-day trial period and a limited lifetime warranty. The brand also makes some of our favorite durable packing cubes.
Read our full Monos luggage review.
Worth a look:
New York City-based luggage brand Paravel has only been around since 2016 but is already making waves with its unique sustainability practices. Its bags are made using 100% post-consumer recycled polycarbonate sourced from discarded items like water cooler tanks and CD jewel cases. Paravel claims to have recycled and transformed over 7.5 million plastic water bottles into their stylish luggage. Another completely unique sustainability feature: Paravel offsets the carbon emissions it takes to create and ship your purchase, along with the emissions generated by your first trip with the bag.
The bags’ unique vintage-style design sets them apart from other brands. However, due to Paravel’s sustainability practices, the bags are more expensive than other popular direct-to-consumer suitcases from companies like Away and Monos. That said, Paravel occasionally runs sales with up to 50% off.
Read our full Paravel luggage review.
Worth a look:
Shop all luggage at Briggs & Riley
We named Briggs & Riley our top pick for the best high-end soft-side carry-on. I particularly like the super-smart interior features that truly elevate these suitcases, from a special CX compression-expansion system that increases packing capacity by 25%, to making sure the adjustable handle is entirely on the outside of the bag so no packing room is lost to the poles. These suitcases are certainly investment pieces, but they’re built to last and also come with a lifetime warranty.
While I find the soft-sided bags to be some of Briggs & Riley’s best options, there are also some nice hard-sided carry-ons and checked bags for those who prefer to go that route. In addition to roller bags, Briggs & Riley also makes backpacks, duffels, weekends, laptop bags, and travel accessories of all types, including packing cubes, bag ID tags, laundry bags, and more.
Worth a look:
Bric’s is probably best known for its high-end Bellagio collection of luggage, both recognizable and revered for its durable, but ultra-light polycarbonate exterior with leather trim that gives it a nostalgic trunk feel. It’s the little details that set this Italian brand apart, including Hinomoto wheels, matching interior linings, and premium zippers. That’s why you’ve likely seen a luxury travel guru wheeling this bag through the airport, or, if you’re an eagle-eyed “Schitt’s Creek” fan, may have caught Alexis Rose using this collection to pack up her belongings.
However, for those not ready to spend $600 on a carry-on, Bric’s also has several more affordable suitcases in both hard-sided and soft-sided options. The Capri collection features striking exterior detailing in a wide range of colors at a mid-tier price point, while B/Y Zeus will appeal to soft-sided fans.
Read our full Bric’s Capri luggage review.
Worth a look:
If you like the look of Bric’s cream suitcases with leather trim, you may also want to consider Delsey’s Chatelet line of hard-sided luggage. While these suitcases start around the same price as Bric’s, they can be found on sale more frequently, often for half the price. Delsey’s Titanium suitcases are also a fan-favorite option since they are ultra-lightweight but incredibly durable.
Delsey has numerous options for roller bags for domestic and international travel in both hard-sided and soft-sided variations (though more hard-sided), as well as several luggage sets. It even has an eco-friendly line of laptop bags and duffels using recycled materials.
Worth a look:
Shop all luggage at American Tourister
Many of American Tourister’s carry-ons start under $100, and while they may not last you a lifetime, they certainly won’t break down anytime soon either. The hard-sided bags are made from a sturdy ABS material, and the spinner wheels aren’t quite as high-end as premium options but still easily roll on most surfaces. While these suitcases don’t come with tons of extras (be aware that some don’t come with built-in TSA locks), the interiors are still thoughtfully designed for easy packing.
American Tourister has numerous roller bag options in varying sizes, including both hard-sided and soft-sided suitcases. There is also a line of Disney and Star Wars luggage that kids especially might love.
Worth a look:
Like Rimowa, Tumi luggage pieces are an investment. But they’re a worthy one since these suitcases will likely last you years, if not decades. With numerous options of all sizes for both hard-sided and soft-sided suitcases, Tumi has bags to suit just about all tastes.
Its well-thought-out suitcases include premium spinner wheels, heavy-duty zippers, scratch- and tear-resistant exteriors, and well-designed interiors that help travelers maximize every last inch of space. In addition to roller luggage, Tumi is also well known for its premium totes and briefcases, and also makes travel wallets, backpacks, duffels, care kits, travel umbrellas, and more.
Worth a look:
When it comes to high-end luggage, Rimowa is a consistent standout that uses premium materials to create long-lasting and recognizable pieces. Its ribbed aluminum luggage, which comes in every color from simple silver to a cherry red, is particularly popular — though it will cost you upwards of $1,000. However, thanks to heavy-duty construction that still manages to be lightweight, the rollers might be worth it if budget isn’t an issue for you.
For a slightly more cost-effective (though still pricey) option, I particularly love the Essential Lite collection, which I named the best high-end hard-side carry-on thanks to the fact that it’s incredibly durable but weighs less than five pounds. Unfortunately, if you’re a fan of soft-sided suitcases, Rimowa is not the brand for you, and there aren’t as many accessories available as some other brands.
Read our full Rimowa Essential Lite carry-on review.
Worth a look:
Shop all luggage at Victorinox
Victorinox luggage falls in the mid- to high-tier of pricing but its durability makes it a good value choice. The brand also frequently has luggage on sale during big shopping holidays when you can score suitcases for less. As you might expect from a Swiss Army company, the interiors of most suitcases are also thoughtfully designed to maximize packing space.
Victorinox offers both hard-sided and soft-sided roller bags of numerous sizes including classic carry-ons, checked bags, medium-sized suitcases, and smaller wheeled underseat bags that can fit laptops and accessories. Beyond roller bags, Victorinox also offers briefcases, duffels, backpacks, totes, toiletry kits, garment bags, and more.
Worth a look:
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Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@businessinsider.com.
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