Whether you travel once a year or are racking up miles with your favorite airline’s frequent flyers points program, having the right luggage is an essential part of the flying experience. With so many choices on the market, finding the best possible luggage can feel like an overwhelming experience. So we’ve done the research for you. Here are five great travel bags that are sure to make your next trip more pleasurable.
Hard-shell Luggage
Hard-shell luggage bags have several advantages; they’re durable, they protect your belongings from the inevitable bumps and spills, and they’re easier to secure with a luggage lock. Here are a couple of our favorites.
Away Bigger Carry-On
Away suitcases are extremely popular with travelers. They come in a variety of sizes, but the Bigger Carry-On is the most popular. It will fit in the overhead compartment on nearly all domestic flights and has a capacity of just under 50 liters (which Away helpfully estimates equals to 6-9 outfits). It has a sleek, classic look, and you’ll feel like a pro when traveling with it.
Additional features include an internal laundry bag, four 360-degree spinner wheels, and an optional USB charger. Away luggage bags also come with a lifetime warranty and a 100-day return policy.
Roam The Carry-On
The most impressive thing about Roam luggage bags is that they’re completely customizable. You choose the colors, from the case to the zipper, and you can even add a monogram patch free of charge. It’s slightly more lightweight than the Away bag, and also fits in most overhead compartments.
Users report being impressed with the compression dividers on both sides that help maximize packing capacity. Roam offers a 100-day free trial and lifetime warranty on its luggage.
Soft-side Luggage
Soft-side luggage is at times negatively compared to its hard-shell competition, but it does have advantages. For one, it’s easier to stuff underneath the seat in front of you when the overhead bins are full. It’s also easier to repair. If your hard-shell luggage cracks, there’s often no fixing it, whereas a small tear in a canvas bag can easily be mended.
Travelpro Maxlite 5
The Maxlite 5 is made from nylon, which means it’s easier to fit one last outfit in at the last minute than it would be with one of its hard-shell competitors. Travelpro bags are very well-reviewed by customers, and they come with a repair guarantee that covers the first year of use.
This Travelpro bag weighs less than its hard-shell competitors while holding just as much. It comes with an adjustable handle that locks in multiple positions, as well as interior and exterior accessory pockets for better organization.
Osprey Porter Travel Pack
The classic image of an airline passenger certainly includes a rolling suitcase behind them, but don’t be so quick to dismiss the idea of a travel backpack. Maybe your destination includes some hiking or camping opportunities. Or perhaps you just feel more comfortable carrying the weight of everything you’ve packed on your back.
This Osprey bag has a laptop sleeve, lockable zippers on both the main and laptop compartments, and multiple zippered pockets for easy storage of travel documents and snacks. It also comes with a waist belt and chest strap to better distribute weight across your back, shoulders and hips. It will easily fit in almost any overhead compartment and, depending on how much you pack, it might just fit under the seat.
Budget Luggage
Amazon Basics Hardside Spinner
We’d be remiss if our list didn’t include one of the most affordable luggage bags on the market. This Amazon suitcase is the only one on our list that you can buy for under $100. It’s a very functional bag that is surprisingly high-quality.
Amazon’s bag comes with an interior divider and three zippered pockets, so you can easily organize everything you’ve packed. It also comes with 360-degree spinner wheels and a three-year limited warranty. So while frequent flyers may want to invest more, for a weekend trip this bag can absolutely hold its own with the pricier bags mentioned above.
