The 10 Best Luggage Brands, Tested and Reviewed

After years of luggage testing, Samsonite has risen to the top as our favorite overall luggage brand for its wide variety of styles and designs for every price point. Samsonite luggage is generally lightweight and compact on the outside, with spacious interiors to maximize packing and a variety of styles to choose from. Whether you’re looking for a carry-on, a checked bag, or smaller weekenders and backpacks, Samsonite has something for everyone.

The Samsonite Freeform Hardside Expandable Carry-on holds the spot as the best overall carry-on we’ve ever tested (and we’ve lab-tested it on three different occasions), while the Samsonite Winfield 2 Hardside takes the cake as our favorite checked suitcase. For those looking for a more compact bag, we can recommend the Samsonite Spinner Underseater, which has a USB charging port and can fit underneath an airplane seat. The Samsonite Elevation Plus Backpack is a versatile pack that you can wear for commuting, flying, or for school. Finally, we were thoroughly impressed by a more recent launch — the Samsonite Proxis Global Carry-On Spinner — for how durable and lightweight it is (weighing only 4.7 pounds!).

Almost all of the suitcases sustained hardly any damage after we hit them with metal baseball bats and shoved them off tables, and they’ve proven to be reliable after we traveled with them and checked them on many different trips. Samsonite luggage also maneuvers without a fuss, even on carpeted floors and gravel. Prices are more than reasonable, with some more splurge-worthy pieces available as well.

The Details: 90-day return policy | Limited 3-year, 5-year, and 10-year warranties

One of the most versatile brands in the business, Travelpro is a close second for best overall. We’ve tried a range of Travelpro suitcases, including a variety of softside pieces that you’ll most commonly see flight attendants and pilots using.

Whether testing carry-ons, underseaters, or checked bags, Travelpro luggage earned high praise for wheels that roll smoothly and materials that prove to be durable over time. We particularly love the Travelpro Platinum Elite Carry-On Expandable Hardside Spinner with its sleek wheels and a textured handle that helps maintain a comfortable grip, and we think the Travelpro x Travel + Leisure Large Check-In Trunk Spinner makes a stylish investment piece if you’re looking for something large, heavy-duty, and built to last. If you’re in the market for a luggage set, we loved the VersaPack+ Carry-On and Large Check-In Spinner Set, featuring two expandable softside suitcases. They come with shoe bags, laundry bags, and packing cubes, which helps keep everything organized. The Maxlite 5 Floating On Air Luggage Set is a great three-piece set that’s even more affordable. Even Travelpro’s rolling garment bag impressed us with its high capacity for the size. One thing to note is that the weight of each bag fluctuates quite a bit, so be sure to check the specifications if a heavy bag is a deal breaker for you.

In terms of durability, the bags have all performed excellently, with minor scuffs that could be buffed out or cleaned off. We’ve shoved the bags off of tables and hit them relentlessly with baseball bats, and the quality generally hasn’t faltered. Travelpro also offers a 100-day return policy for products purchased through travelpro.com (but only 30 days for the Travelpro Essentials collection).

The Details: 100-day return policy; 30-day return policy for Travelpro Essentials products | Limited 1-year, 5-year, 10-year, and lifetime warranties

I check a bag on nearly every flight I take, and the only one that continuously comes out unscathed is my suitcase from Briggs & Riley. I have the Sympatico Large Expandable Spinner — made with recycled polycarbonate and recycled polyester — which I’ve taken on more than 30 flights, and there are only minor scuffs that I found easy to wipe off. Other bags we tried and loved include the Briggs & Riley 22-inch Spinner, which has a unique button expansion system that you can press to raise and lower panels to give you more packing space. The Extra Large Trunk Spinner is another solid option if you need even more packing space.

The bags we’ve tested have also excelled in maneuverability and packability thanks to the high-density wheels and the brand’s own one-touch CX expansion system to seamlessly add extra space when needed. Although the price point is on the higher end, we love that the brand offers one of the best warranties: a lifetime guarantee. We wouldn’t be surprised if the suitcases last a decade or longer. Not only that, but there are a few options for remedying potential damage, including self-repair kits, authorized repair centers, or shipping back to Briggs & Riley for a tune-up.

The Details: 30-day return policy | Lifetime guarantee

If you haven’t boarded the Away bandwagon yet, here’s why you should: the exteriors boast a sleek, minimalist look, and the interiors are packed with compression panels with pockets to help maximize packing space. The hardside checked baggage and hardside carry-on luggage pieces are durable and easy to wipe clean. There are so many sizes to choose from, including The Trunk — tested by yours truly — which is the easiest to maneuver out of all the trunks we’ve tried. We love the dual main compartments, compression systems, expanders, and dirty laundry satchels of the roller bags. The Bigger Carry-on Flex is expandable and one of the most spacious carry-ons out there. Some of our editors have noted scuffs and scratches on the hardside material of the suitcases, but we still think the brand is a reliable (and stylish) option for all types of travelers.

One of the newer launches, The Softside Bigger Carry-On, makes a stylish softside luggage option. If you want a mix of hardside and softside features, you’ll enjoy the Front Pocket Bigger Carry-On, which is made with a polycarbonate shell and a padded nylon front pocket to store your laptop and other small essentials.

Away luggage is typically easy for our editors to maneuver through our obstacle courses, thanks to the sturdy handles and 360-degree spinning wheels. And we can’t forget about two garment bags we love: The Everywhere and The Garment Bag, which were both comfortable with the padded shoulder straps. We’re also huge fans of the brand’s backpacks and weekenders, including The Everywhere Bag, perfect for overnight trips, quick weekend adventures, and to use as a personal item on longer trips.

The Details: 100-day return policy | Limited lifetime warranty

Founded in 1946, the French luggage brand Delsey Paris makes heritage bags that can be passed down through generations. In terms of standout features, the capacity and packability of each bag impressed us during our testing. We loved the whopping 132-liter capacity of the Delsey Dune Large Expandable Spinner, which was surprisingly easy to lift and roll despite how large it was. The Delsey Paris Cruise 3.0 Soft Large Expandable Spinner is also a great checked bag if you prefer a softside model — and it has a matching carry-on.

Besides making packing a breeze, other features we love include lightweight yet sturdy materials (one of our favorite carry-ons is just over 6 pounds!), wheels that roll easily, and sturdy handles for maneuvering the bags. We checked the Chatelet Air 2.0 Carry-on and matching Chatelet Air 2.0 Medium Checked bag on four different long-haul international flights and each time they made it to the luggage carousel with only minor scuffs that were easy to wipe away. More recently, we tested the Delsey Shadow 5.0 Carry-on, which is a hardside suitcase with a handy front pocket that gives you easy access to your laptop, phone, and other travel essentials. Across all bags, we appreciate Delsey’s accessible price points and stylish looks.

The Details: 30-day return policy | Limited 2-year, 5-year, and 10-year warranties

Shay Mitchell’s luggage brand quickly won our hearts with each bag’s thoughtful design, customizable inserts, and removable compartments. The bags are certainly large and can fit everything you need for a long vacation or quick weekend getaway — just be mindful that not all of the duffel-style bags will work as personal items. The Weekender is one of our favorites: like Mary Poppins’ bag of wonders, this tote seems to expand as you pack it, fitting every item on our list, but it can be too bulky to fit underneath airplane seats.

When it comes to rolling bags, the 29-inch Large Check-in Roller is our favorite expandable checked bag. Similar to Béis’ weekenders, carry-on bags, and backpacks, this checked suitcase is huge and can fit everything you need and more. All of the Béis suitcases we tested also sported durable wheels that smoothly navigated different types of surfaces without getting stuck, as well as easy-to-use handles that make running through the airport a breeze. Plus, the built-in luggage weight indicators are a particularly handy feature.

The Details: 45-day return policy | Limited lifetime warranty on luggage only

Trust us when we say that investing in Tumi luggage will pay off over time. For 50 years, the brand has created luxe bags with premium features like ballistic nylon and the brand’s own Omega Zipper System that ensures smooth-running, long-lasting hardware. After trying over two dozen Tumi bags, our favorite is the Alpha International Expandable 4-wheeled Carry-on that looks compact but includes plenty of organizational compartments and even comes with its own removable garment bag. We also love the 19 Degree Aluminum International Carry-on, which comes in some stunning metallic colorways.

During testing, we jumped on the bags and rode on top of them, and not one feature broke or dented. And when it came time to whack the bags with a baseball bat, the bags (especially the softside ones) came through without any issues. Something to keep in mind is that Tumi luggage — especially the aluminum options — are pretty heavy even when empty. However, our testing highlights that even with the extra weight of the bags, they still roll easily and we’ve had no issues taking them on all types of adventures.

The Details: 30-day return policy | 2-year warranty on wallets and accessories; 5-year warranty on other bags and luggage

Paravel has a certain je ne sais quoi to it that will transport you to the south of France with its timeless and elegant look. Perhaps it’s the regal colors paired with leather accents that add a style-forward design compared to the typical plain navy and black colors you’ll see on the carousel.

Either way, I’ve never felt fancier than when I use my Paravel Aviator Trunk that earned a spot as our favorite travel trunk thanks to its sleek design, roomy interior, suite of packing cubes, and slick wheels that were great on every surface. We also love the cute Paravel Mini Fold-up Backpack if you’re looking for something foldable and portable — also our top pick for best overall mini backpack. Not only does the bag fold up small so you can pack it in larger bags, but it also has a high capacity that can even fit a tablet, making it the perfect eye-catching style to wear on any vacation. For something a little more spacious, we were also impressed by the stylish Paravel Alta Via Backpack with its 16-inch laptop pocket and numerous slip and zippered pockets throughout.

While I personally love my Paravel luggage in the scout tan shade, I will say that it does make scuff marks much more noticeable, so consider that when choosing a color. Another element we love is the brand’s sustainability efforts, where every bag, suitcase, and accessory has some element of recycled material in it. It’s just another reason we love this function-meets-fashion brand.

The Details: 30-day return policy (except for final sale products) | 10-year limited warranty

You’ll feel like a kid in a candy store with all of the colorful suitcase options from July — and if you tend to gravitate toward neutrals, July has those, too. After we tested over a dozen bags in our lab on our airplane set, some of our favorites included the July Carry On (includes a portable charger), the July Checked Plus (the largest suitcase in July’s range), the July Checked Plus Light (a great lightweight option), and the July Trunk Set (a stylish, zipperless two-piece set). 

We found the bags to be very durable against our baseball bat tests, although we noticed that the bags with aluminum corner bumpers and the glossy colors tended to scuff more easily than the fully matte suitcases. One of our favorite features was that some bags, including the Carry On Pro SnapSleeve, feature a multistop telescopic handle that you can adjust to 20 different heights, when many suitcase handles only stop at three heights.

Different bag styles are available in different colorways, and you can choose from delightful shades of blues, greens, pink, red, shadow lavender, sand, and more, most of which will easily stand out on any baggage carousel. We did notice that some of the carry-ons tend to be much more spacious than others, so be sure to check the dimensions and capacities to find a size that will fit everything you need. Also, note that while there’s a limited lifetime warranty on luggage, there’s a five-year warranty on soft bags and accessories and a two-year warranty on small leather goods.

The Details: 100-day return policy | Limited 2-year, 5-year, and lifetime warranties

Best for Staying Organized

Calpak

Every time we test a Calpak bag, we notice how many pockets it has, which is key for organization. We love Calpak duffels, backpacks, and suitcases, with a particular appreciation for the Calpak Luka Soft-sided Mini Carry-on Luggage, our best overall underseat bag. We love that it glides smoothly, has a puffy exterior, and can even fit a laptop. We also love the Luka Duffel with its separate shoe compartment and the Terra 26L Laptop Duffel Backpack, which has a 17-inch laptop sleeve and so many different sized pockets that give you a place to put everything you’re carrying. The Evry Starter Bundle is an amazing all-inclusive luggage set that comes with a carry-on, a checked bag, packing cubes, and a luggage tag.

Even when packed full, we found Calpak suitcases to roll beautifully on both two wheels and four. Many of the suitcases and bags are noticeably lightweight, which might be why we sometimes feel the hardside material is on the flimsy side. The Stevyn Duffel Bag was very comfortable to tote with its shoulder strap and features a separate shoe compartment to keep your items clean if you’re in the market for something smaller. Though the five-year warranty is shorter than most other brands, we think Calpak’s prices are more than fair.

The Details: 30-day return policy | Limited 1-year, 2-year, and 5-year warranties