Take These Tester-Approved Luggage Pieces on Your Next Getaway (2023)

• Our Picks

• How We Tested the Luggage

• What to Look For

• Standout Features

• FAQ

• Why Trust The Spruce

• The Spruce Approved

While an extra-large suitcase may not be ideal for every traveler, we love the TravelPro Platinum Elite 29-inch Check-In Expandable Spinner as a durable softside suitcase. It's our best overall softside pick for a myriad of reasons, but the main ones being the sheer size and impressive storage options incorporated into the design. Unzip this suitcase, and you'll find a built-in, fold-out suit compartment for any delicate clothes that you'd like to prevent from wrinkling. A clear toiletries bag is also integrated into the side of the suitcase and can be unzipped during TSA checkpoints.

We noted that we could easily use this suitcase for a long-term travel period like two weeks or more. We even think it'd be a great option for college students returning home during their month-long winter breaks. Just like hardside designs, this suitcase has a compression closure that ensures everything stays in place. It can also be expanded an additional 2 inches, if you tend to really overpack.

Unlike some of the hardside suitcases we tested, this design showed zero marks after we pushed it off a counter and hit it with a baseball bat multiple times. It's also relatively easy to move, despite its size, but we do think maneuvering would be difficult when this suitcase is filled to capacity. We also recognize that this design isn't as aesthetically pleasing as other options on the market, but we think it's well worth the splurge given its size and performance across different surfaces and against drops.

How It Performed Long-Term

This suitcase survived a trip to Belize and Costa Rica during our six-month long-term testing period. We love how it easily fits a large amount of clothes—it could even be shared between two people. While it's certainly an investment piece, we think it's well worth the price tag if you value size and quality over aesthetics.

Price at time of publish: $470

_{Dimensions: 32.5 x 21 x 13.25 inches | Weight: 11.5 pounds | Capacity: 143.5 liters | Expandable: Yes | Lock Included: Yes | Wheels: Yes | Warranty: Lifetime limited warranty with 100-day trial}

The Samsonite 28-inch Winfield 2 Hardside Luggage is our top pick for a hardside bag that's lightweight when empty and still manageable when packed full with a week's worth of clothing. Thanks to the tough exterior, this suitcase maintains its shape, even when stuffed to capacity, making it a secure design that won't pop open as easily as softsided designs. We raved about this suitcase's easy-to-pack design and thoughtful exterior throughout our testing process.

Plus, a lightweight suitcase makes life easier when you’re hauling it through a busy airport, hoisting it into an overhead bin, or wheeling it down the sidewalk of a new city. McCardell points out that a lightweight bag is easier to maneuver and gives more room within weight restrictions for your items.Hardshell suitcases frequently take the top spot for the best lightweight luggage because the shells use ultralight materials like polycarbonate, ABS, or aluminum. This Samsonite has a polycarbonate shell that easily resisted scratches and dents during our durability tests. The exterior brushed metal design also helps to hide any scratches that may occur with use.

We also found the interior organization to be stellar, with the only gripe being that the hardware for the handle takes up some valuable interior space—a common issue with any suitcase design. The compression features ensure your clothes stay secure and the 1.5-inch expansion allows you to pack in extra items that you may have purchased on your trip.

Price at time of publish: $310

_{Dimensions: 31 x 20 x 12.5 inches | Weight: 11.5 pounds | Capacity: Not listed | Expandable: Yes | Lock Included: Yes | Wheels: Yes | Warranty: 10-year limited warranty}

Away has made a name for itself as a sleek and durable luggage company. The brand has also changed the luggage game by integrating power packs into its line of polycarbonate hardshell luggage and saving you the hassle of fumbling for your USB charger the next time you’re stuck waiting for a layover flight.We're big fans of The Bigger Carry-On from Away, which has 20 percent more capacity than the brand's standard carry-on design. While it's certainly still an investment piece of luggage, the amount of space and thoughtful design make it a great value in our book.

The Bigger Carry-On does not have an expandable body, so if that's a must-have feature, we recommend checking out The Bigger Carry-On Flex from Away, which we also loved for its maneuverability, capacity, and design. The Bigger Carry-On's 10,000-milliampere (mAh) power pack has two USB ports, including a fast-charge port for when you need more power stat. We found that the power pack works well and nicely integrates into the suitcase’s design; however, the USB charger is an additional $20 on top of this design's almost $300 price. You can eject the USB charger from the suitcase with a quick push, which might be required when traveling with some airlines, to specific destinations, or if you end up checking your bag.

Aside from the power bank feature, this suitcase minimizes interior bulk to maximize the amount of clothing and travel necessities you can fit. We did notice that the handle takes up a little bit of interior space, but it didn't impact our packing plans greatly. A waterproof laundry bag makes it easy to keep wet bathing suits or dirty clothes separate while returning from your destination, and compression dividers keep all of your items neatly packed inside.

Price at time of publish: $315

_{Dimensions: 22.7 x 14.7 x 9.6 inches | Weight: 8.4 pounds | Capacity: 47.9 liters | Expandable: No | Lock Included: Yes | Wheels: Yes | Warranty: Lifetime limited warranty}

With over 2,800 five-star ratings on Amazon and earning an almost perfect score from our testing team, the Travelpro Platinum Elite Expandable Spinner is a trusted option for frequent fliers. While it may not be large enough for a week-longadventure, it's the ideal suitcase size for keeping your items organized on quick business and weekend trips.

This softside spinner suitcase weighs less than 8 pounds, and it includes a garment bag for dress shirts or similar items you want to stay wrinkle-free, plus a wet bag for damp swimsuits and the like. In addition, the compression straps incorporate two small mesh pouches, which are perfect for odds and ends, including packing toiletries. We found it relatively easy to pack and organize, and we appreciated that the small wheel casings don’t take up much room on the inside. The whole suitcase also expands an additional 2 inches for last-minute additions.But keep in mind that it may not fit in overhead bins once expanded. It also comes with a USB port for convenient charging on the go, but you’ll need to purchase a TSA-approved separate power bank.

This suitcase has four sets of magnetically aligned wheels, which made it easy to maneuver, but we found using it on two wheels to be slightly difficult. The high-quality nylon exterior also has a protective coating to resist stains and dirt. Because of its softside design, this option is incredibly durable, surviving a drop from a ladder and absorbing blows from a bat during our durability tests. It was a little dirty and scuffed from being pulled up a ledge, but not enough to warrant major concern. But if our durability tests don't ease your concerns, this suitcase does come with a limited lifetime warranty against airline-induced damage. Travelpro will cover the repair cost, as long as you register your suitcase within the applicable time period.While over $300 for a smaller suitcase may not be in everyone's budget, we were very pleased with this suitcase's performance and think it's worth the splurge and ratings that it has received.

How It Performed Long-Term

After six months of consistent use, we're thrilled with the quality of this carry-on suitcase. Between trips to Hawaii, New York, Arizona, San Diego, and more, its exterior has not worn down at all, and it's the ideal size to supplement a larger bag or fit a weekend's worth of clothes. While we've found the wheels can be tricky to direct on slick surfaces and we wish the divider pockets were removable, this carry-on is a reliable option for the frequent traveler.

Price at time of publish: $470

_{Dimensions: 23.5 x 14.5 x 9 | Weight: 7.8 pounds | Capacity: 46 liters | Expandable: Yes | Lock Included: Not listed | Wheels: Yes | Warranty: Lifetime limited warranty}

After we completed our testing rounds, we fully expected this suitcase to cost more than its listed price. At just over $250, we think this checked luggage is a great option for travelers who don't feel the need to splurge on an expensive suitcase. This 29-inch hardside roller easily fits more than a week's worth of clothing and toiletries, plus it can expand an additional 2 inches when needed.

While it lacks extra organizational features on the inside like other hardside cases we tested, we appreciated the depth of this suitcase and the amount of space it had. A compression strap and mesh zippered design ensure that your clothes stay in their respective halves while securing this suitcase. The TSA-approved combination lock is also a great feature for peace of mind during long travel days.

We loved how easy this checked luggage was to maneuver over carpet and hard flooring. It wasn't the easiest to maneuver over rocks, but that's to be expected with any suitcase design. It also only suffered a few minor scratches during our durability tests and had no dents unlike other similar designs we tested. Overall, you can't go wrong investing in this more affordable hardside roller suitcase.

How It Performed Long-Term

We're thoroughly pleased with how this luggage has held up after six months of travel. While it is a bit scratched, we're not too disappointed by this as that's common with any hardside design. It's also a convenient place to store out-of-season clothes, if you're limited on storage at home.

Price at time of publish: $254

_{Dimensions: 32 x 20.5 x 12.75 inches | Weight: 12.5 pounds | Capacity: Not listed | Expandable: Yes | Lock Included: Yes | Wheels: Yes | Warranty: Not listed}

Just a glance at the Monos Carry-On Plus will make you understand why our testing team tagged it as some of the best-looking luggage we tested. But there’s more to this hardside spinner suitcase than its sleek polycarbonate shell. Despite the lack of expandability, it has excellent interior organization features, like a built-in compression pad and straps that we found to be very effective in making the most of this suitcase’s 48-liter capacity.

It’s sized to fit in the overhead bin of most major airlines and we found it glides well on various surfaces with four 360-degree spinner wheels. Three additional storage bags—an antimicrobial laundry bag and two shoe bags—plus a luggage tag make this carry-on an all-encompassing design. The interior fabric is also anti-microbial so you don't have to worry about it becoming dirty or carrying germs after multiple trips. All in all, this is a splurge-worthy carry-on with thoughtful features and extras.

Price at time of publish: $306

_{Dimensions: 23 x 15 x 9.5 inches | Weight: 7.38 pounds | Capacity: 48 liters | Expandable: No | Lock Included: Yes | Wheels: Yes | Warranty: Lifetime limited warranty with 100-day trial}

The July Checked Suitcase was previously our favorite option for hardside luggage because it offers aerospace-grade German polycarbonate construction, plus smart, traveler-friendly features—like a telescoping handle with 20 height adjustments and smooth-operating wheels that are virtually silent. However, we think it would become marked easily as a checked bag based on our durability tests with a black baseball bat. We also took this wheeled suitcase across carpet, concrete, and cobblestone, checking how easily it glided and how noisy it was. We found it to be super smooth with a great gliding action on carpeting and sidewalks. It handled cobblestone surfaces well too, but we had to tip it on two wheels for the same smooth spinning action we had become accustomed to.

While this isn’t an expandable hardshell suitcase, its 80-liter capacity gave us plenty of space to fit seven pairs of pants, seven shirts, two sweaters, five dresses, four pairs of shoes, and two purses, plus books, a mug, wine, and liquids. To keep everything neat and tidy, July outfits this suitcase with a Y-strap compression system. The integrated laundry bag is also odor-proof and hidden away so that dirty laundry doesn’t end up tangling with your clean clothes.

When dropped from a ledge 5 feet above a cobblestone street, a few of the corners did dent—despite the fact that the suitcase has reinforced aluminum corners. Still, this bag protected the wine and mug we had placed inside and it kept on rolling, even after being thrown from an 8-foot ladder three times.

How It Performed Long-Term

Despite the marks from our initial durability tests, this checked bag survived trips to Vegas, Tennessee, South Carolina, Argentina, Antarctica, and more. However, it only lasted three months before it was damaged by an airline on a return flight. While the initial scuffs on the light finish did not bother us, we wish it was slightly more durable to avoid such a short lifespan. Plus, the limited lifetime warranty only covers manufacturer defaults.

Price at time of publish: $325

_{Dimensions: 26 x 18.75 x 11 inches | Weight: 8.3 pounds | Capacity: 80 liters | Expandable: No | Lock Included: Yes | Wheels: Yes | Warranty: Lifetime limited warranty}

Final Verdict

The exceptionally roomy Travelpro Platinum Elite 29-inch Expandable Spinner is the best travel suitcase for over-packers or extensive stays. It can expand an additional two inches to accommodate even more items and it's equipped with a TSA-approved combination lock. It also survived our durability and maneuverability tests with no hiccups. If you prefer hardside luggage, we recommend the Samsonite Winfield 2 28-inch Hardside Luggage. It's also expandable to fit any vacation purchases and has great inner compression features to ensure your clothes and toiletries stay in place during a long commute. While it may eventually become scratched, it survived our durability tests with no issues.

FAQ

• Where can you buy luggage?

  You can buy luggage at brick-and-mortar stores and many online retailers. Some suitcases from brands such as July or Away are sold exclusively on the manufacturer’s website. Other widely known names in the suitcase space, like Samsonite or Travelpro, are available through various retailers, including department stores, Amazon, Wayfair, and more.
  

• What can you take on a plane in your checked luggage?

  Checked luggage isn’t subject to the same limitations as your carry-on bag. As a result, you have more freedom to bring along whatever you deem essential for your trip—including liquids over 3.4 ounces, sharp objects, and other items that TSA agents would confiscate at the security checkpoint. It’s worth noting that you should not pack lithium-ion batteries in your checked bag. You must pack them in a carry-on bag. TSA provides an extensive and searchable list of allowable items in checked and carry-on luggage.

• How do you measure luggage?

  When measuring luggage, it’s important to include the total dimensions of the bag from the ground to the top of the handle rather than just taking into account the internal measurements of the bag. Keep in mind that while airports might enforce strict bag size requirements, luggage manufacturers don’t always consider wheels and top handles when listing dimensions. Read the fine print and double-check to avoid any unwelcome surprises at the airport. You can use a measuring tape or a measuring app on your smartphone to measure luggage at home.

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