Looking for the best carry-on luggage for your next trip? Look no further. We’ve rounded up the brands producing some of the best carry-on luggage today, that will make your trip from door to door that much easier.
Of course, luggage brands will cater to every type of traveller. Whether you’re someone who likes to fly premium and wants a carry-on bag to match your sleek exterior, or you just need a simple cabin bag that will happily take a beating when stowed away, these luggage brands have it all.
The best carry-on luggage will make your travelling experience a whole lot more efficient. Get it wrong and you’ll be searching through your entire bag to get your boarding pass looking like a fool at the gate. Getting your luggage right will make travel far more enjoyable and impress not only your colleagues or partner, but you’ll be the envy of other travellers, too.
If you want to take your travel up a notch and make it even more efficient, then you should also look at investing in a set of packing cubes to better organise your carry-on bag.
It can be overwhelming to decide what kind of carry-on luggage you want or need, especially with all the different types of carry-on bags that are available.
Away
1/16
Away luggage has been developed to be the perfect companion for when you go away.
The brand started out creating what it believes to be the perfect suitcase and has since expanded into other areas of travel bags, designed based on feedback from friends and other travellers.
Their range of carry-on luggage really is one of the best around, as it’s filled with no-nonsense suitcases that will all fit into the overhead cabins of most major airlines. Available in a few different styles and colours, Away’s carry-on luggage all feature 360° spinner wheels and will make travelling a breeze.
Away’s ‘The Carry-On’ case was the first to take on Rimowa at their hard shell luggage game. Not surprisingly, the brand was a massive success. Weighing just 3kg (7.1lbs) it’s a winner for tight-arse airline luggage restrictions.
July
2/16
Price: From $245
Origin: Melbourne, Australia
Australian luggage brand, July took its time to research the market and customer needs before even picking up a pen and paper to sketch ideas. That extensive research has allowed the team to design suitcases and carry-on bags that have innovative features with genuine use, such as more reinforcement in the areas that matter most, compared to other manufacturers.
While July has an extensive range of carry-on luggage, we’ve picked out the Carry On Pro as being one of its best. This carry-on bag takes the already popular Carry On suitcase and adds a detachable sleeve on the front that can store your laptop and other documents. Put the suitcase in the overhead cabin, take the sleeve off and you’ll have no need for a separate backpack.
Horizn Studios
3/16
Price: From $395
Origin: Berlin, Germany
Horizn Studios is a Berlin-based luggage brand that manufactures ‘smart’ suitcases and bags for modern travellers. The company has previously collaborated with BMW and NASA for limited edition suitcases, and the company’s current lineup can be personalised via its ID service.
All of Horizn Studios’ carry-on luggage bags are available in multiple colours, feature an aerospace-grade polycarbonate hard-shell, premium water resistant lining, TSA-approved locks, and 360° Japanese spinner wheels. They also all feature a built-in removable charging station so you can charge your electronics on the go.
Samsonite
4/16
Price: From $100
Origin: Denver, Colorado
Samsonite is one of the heavyweights in the luggage world. With over 100 years of expertise, the company – founded in Denver, Colorado – has become one of the best around, with luggage options for every traveller, from weekend staycationers to corporate bigwigs.
While all of Samsonite’s carry-on luggage is impressive, if we had to choose a favourite, it’d have to be The Novaire Carry-On Spinner. It represents classic Samsonite design, offering a sleek and suave colour selection, clean lines, and a shell that is ready to receive the various bumps and knocks accrued during transit. The best carry-on bag for the travelling gentlemen.
Bric's
5/16
Price: From $635
Origin: Como, Italy
Bric’s Milano has been one of the best producers of luxurious luggage for travellers since 1952. Founded in Como, Italy, the brand started life handcrafting its bags using genuine Tuscan leather. It’s now instantly recognisable design quickly caught on, allowing Bric’s to become an internationally-renowned brand.
The Spinner Trunk is available in a range of sizes and colours, but the 21-inch Carry On is an ideal carry-on bag for a weekend getaway. Now in its second-generation, this latest model benefits from larger Hinomoto wheels to help you glide through the terminal, a revised handle design for better comfort, and the interior lining now matches the exterior. That exterior, by the way, still gets the leather treatment, allowing you to let other travellers know you’re better than them.
Rimowa
6/16
Price: From $625
Origin: Cologne, Germany
Rimowa is a true heavyweight in the luggage sector, producing high-quality bags since its induction in 1898 in Cologne, Germany. The company’s chosen aesthetic of aluminium-grooved outer shells is a mainstay in airport terminals around the world and is responsible for introducing a number of ‘firsts’ into the luggage segment, replicated or mimicked by other brands since.
Each Rimowa carry-on bag is individually inspected, comes with a 5-year warranty, and features a TSA-approved lock. Available in a wide range of colours and sizes (although all will fit in airplane overhead cabins), if you’re after a carry-on bag with high-tech functionality, Rimowa is the only way to go.
Zero Halliburton
7/16
Price: From $455
Origin: Southern California
Zero Halliburton is a force to be reckoned with in the world of luggage. Founded by Erle P. Halliburton in the late 1930s, the company was conceived to produce travel cases and briefcases made predominantly from aluminium, making them some of the most durable and rugged around. The briefcase that the President of the United States can use to order a nuclear strike is a modified Zero Halliburton, so you’d be in esteemed company if you invest in your own.
Zero Halliburton has a fantastic range of carry-on luggage, available in multiple styles and colours. All feature the company’s patented Concave Edging which helps deflect any bumps and knocks, TSA-approved locks, and 360° spinner wheels.
Tumi
8/16
Price: From $650
Origin: Edison, New Jersey
American luggage company, Tumi, is popular with business travellers around the globe. Renowned for its black-on-black designs, use of hard-wearing ballistic nylon, and the fact that all luggage bags come with an individual serial number that can be entered into a database to help owners find them if they’re lost.
Tumi has a huge range of carry-on luggage to shop from, all of which will perfectly fit in the overhead cabin of most aeroplanes or even under the seat. All of Tumi’s carry-on bags meet all TSA guidelines, and come in a variety of styles and colours.
FPM Milano
9/16
Price: From $1,650
Origin: Lombardia, Italy
This Italian brand has been making some of the best high-quality leather goods since 1946. While it has now expanded into using other materials, its products are still handmade, ensuring you receive something that is a little bit extra special, and one worth paying top dollar for.
FPM Milano’s carry-on luggage features TSA-approved locks and the quietest wheels in the luggage game. If you’re after some seriously sleek looking carry-on luggage that might just get you bumped up to first-class, this is the brand for you.
RAINS
10/16
Price: From $95
Origin: Aarhus, Denmark
RAINS is a Danish contemporary lifestyle brand that’s dedicated to creating completely waterproof products that don’t compromise on style. Founded in 2012, the brand is most famous for their raincoats but they have an excellent range of travel bags too.
Who said carry-on luggage had to have wheels? We certainly didn’t. If you have a single-day or quick weekend city break, this RAINS’ Weekend Bag will more than suffice. It’s made from the company’s iconic matte, completely waterproof fabric – up to 8,000mm pressure – and is finished with water-resistant zippers. You only get one large main compartment, so no external pockets, but the lack of them helps to refine the design and provides you with a carry-on bag that’ll easily accompany you from the boardroom to the aeroplane.
Harber London
11/16
Price: From $1,145
Origin: London, United Kingdom
Harber London was founded in 2012 with a desire to produce high-quality, hand-crafted leather goods. In the years that have passed we’d say the company has certainly achieved that (an amazing story when you consider the founders had no idea how to produce leather goods at all). Known for their impeccable wallets and laptop sleeves, Harber London also produces some fine carry-on bags.
One of the best examples is this Leather Weekender bag. With more pockets than you may know what to do with, this carry-on bag has more than enough space to store everything you’d need for a few days away. Super-soft leather with a German microsuede lining will carry your clothes in supreme luxury, this carry-on is available in both classic black and sophisticated chestnut.
WANT Les Essentiels
12/16
Price: From $495
Origin: Montreal, Canada
A Canadian brand founded in 2007, WANT Les Essentiels is a sister brand to WANT Apothecary. The Les Essentiels arm is more fashion-orientated, with a heavy focus on accessories, including wallets and other leather goods. The brand does, however, have an extensive range of bags.
Their Hartsfield 2.0 Weekender Tote is made from organic cotton and provides just enough space to carry everything you need for a few days away. The large internal compartment has an integrated slip pocket to keep essentials to one side. A simple bag for sure, but one that exudes a premium look and feel and will easily stowaway in the cabin onboard a plane.
Bellroy
13/16
Price: From $169
Origin: Melbourne, Australia
Australian brand Bellroy has become renowned for their stylish, modern take on everything from wallets and bags to passport holders and laptop cases. Not to mention its use of sustainable materials in many of its products, too.
Their Transit backpack has been designed specifically for carry-on travel and is essentially a suitcase for your back. Intuitive features such as a fully-opening front section complete with compression straps will keep your clothes organised, while easy to access external pockets will hold your must-have items such as a water bottle and your passport.
ROAM
14/16
Price: From $550
Origin: New York City
Great design and standout colours would be the best words to describe the luggage that American brand, ROAM, creates.
ROAM’s carry-on suitcases all feature a dual compression board system that increases capacity while holding everything in place, allowing you to maximize the efficiency of both packing compartments, as well as a TSA-approved lock. The best bit about ROAM’s carry-on luggage is that you can create your own custom design by choosing the colours for every part of the suitcase.
Carl Friedrik
15/16
Price: From $445
Origin: Tuscany, Italy
Brothers Niklas and Mattis Oppermann started Carl Friedrik in 2012. The idea was to create quality leather products for the modern man using some of the world’s best artisan producers.
Carl Friedrik’s carry-on luggage is backed by a lifetime warranty, and all feature a lightweight polycarbonate shell, an aluminium frame, TSA-approved locks, and silent 360° Japanese spinner wheels.
LEVEL8
16/16
Price: From $160
Origin: New York City
LEVEL8 has a huge range of luggage including carry on suitcases, all of which are suitable for most aeroplane overhead compartments. All feature a TSA-approved lock, ergonomic handle grips, and ultra-quiet 360° wheels. Available in a few different styles and colours, any piece from LEVEL8’s carry-on luggage range is sleek, durable, and will last you for many trips to come.
