The 14 Best Carry-on Luggage Pieces, Tested and Reviewed

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For frequent fliers or light-packing vacationers, these are the best carry-on bags. semi automatic double sheets jointed paper bag machine

Theresa Holland is a writer and editor specializing in travel, lifestyle, beauty, apparel, and more. She has contributed to numerous digital publications, including Byrdie, People, The Spruce, TripSavvy, The Financial Diet, Thought Catalog, and Elite Daily.

Every frequent flier needs a good carry-on. And even if you travel only occasionally, you'll be glad to have one on hand. But besides allowing you to bypass checked baggage, what makes a high-quality carry-on? If you ask us, it's about capacity, maneuverability, durability, and design. With this in mind, we tested 454 carry-on bags, including suitcases, duffels, weekenders, backpacks, and underseat bags to see which models check all the boxes. We packed them up, spun them around, hoisted them overhead, rolled them over various surfaces, and whacked them with a baseball bat to see how they'd hold up in a real-life setting. We also built an airplane set in our New York City lab to hoist them into overhead bins before our editors bring each bag on real trips to see how they fare long-term. The results of these tests were considered — along with price, weight, dimensions, materials, and smart features — to narrow down the best carry-ons currently on the market.

Luggage Testing at a Glance

This all-star carry-on has a spacious capacity, a durable thermoplastic shell, and smooth-rolling wheels.

There's no designated zippered section for dirty clothes.

We tried lots of excellent suitcases, but the Samsonite Freeform Hardside Spinner was a clear winner as a lighweight, durable, expandable carry-on. We've now tested this bag twice in our lab, recently retesting it to make sure we still loved it as much as we did two years ago when we first tried it out. Exceeding expectations during both lab tests and when we took it out for real-world testing, too, we found that it's easy to maneuver on two or four wheels and rolls smoothly on various surfaces, including carpet, hard flooring, and over curbs. We also like that the aluminum telescoping handle extends and locks with the push of a button.

This all-star suitcase has various pockets within the main compartment, and it expands a couple of inches when you need extra space. We were able to pack enough clothes for a four-day trip, including two pairs of shoes, multiple jackets, and two toiletry bags — no expansion needed. And while it does have a separator to keep your shoes away from your clean clothes, we wish this carry-on had a zippered section or removable bag for dirty laundry, though your favorite travel pouch would do the trick.

We loved the sleek, minimalist-modern design of the Freeform, which comes in more than 12 hues ranging from white to mint to merlot. After hitting it with a baseball bat during both tests, the polycarbonate (high-strength thermoplastic) shell remained scuff-free and showed virtually no signs of damage. Even after six months of regularly traveling with this bag during our travels, it shows no signs of wear and tear, and we were able to easily buff out any minor scuffs it had accumulated. Considering the reasonable price, durable construction, and spacious capacity, we think it's a great choice for frequent fliers and anyone in need of a high-quality carry-on.

This bag has two access points and a removable garment bag for a suit or dress.

When the front-access section is fully packed, it will eat into the space in the main compartment.

The Tumi International Dual Access carry-on was a close runner-up to the Samsonite Freeform. It moves like a dream on various types of flooring, thanks to the four smooth-gliding dual spinner wheels and comfortable telescoping handle. Even after using the bag for three months, the wheels never got caught on any surfaces, making it easy to run through the airport or navigate a new city. Made of the brand's signature ballistic nylon, it also passed our baseball bat test with flying colors.

We were able to pack everything into the bag’s various compartments and loved the flexibility of a removable suiter for trips with dressier attire. The clamshell design also features several interior pockets and compression straps on one half to easily hold our four-day-trip packing list. The front-access portion can easily fit a sweater or light layer when the main suitcase isn’t stuffed full, or you can use it for tech items or a small makeup bag instead. There are also two pockets on the exterior for smaller items like a travel umbrella, as well as a built-in USB port you can connect to a power bank (sold separately). Though the price is higher than many other carry-ons, this is an investment in an undoubtedly high-quality carrier that will last for years to come.

This carry-on is pretty spacious to begin with, but you can unzip the expander for 2.25 inches of extra space.

It might not meet all carry-on sizing requirements when you fully expand it.

This durable carry-on manages to be compact and portable while still offering a ton of space inside thanks to two large interior compartments and a helpful compression system. You can zip your items in on one side and buckle them in on the other, using the mesh pockets to store smaller items for organization. As all overpackers know, sometimes you just need a few extra inches of space — and The Carry-on Flex features a zipper expander that adds an additional 2.25 inches if you happen to buy one souvenir too many on a trip and need to fit it all in on the way home. However, be wary of your airline’s overhead bin allowances because using the expander may make your carry-on one inch too large, and you may be forced to check it (the expanded dimensions of the bag are 22.7 x 14.7 x 9.6 inches).

Other highlights we loved during testing included the smooth wheels that can roll in any direction; the different height options of the handle; and the notch on the underside of the bag that makes it so much easier to lift out of a car trunk, into an overhead bin, or off of a luggage carousel. The bag also felt very sturdy and tough with no dents and barely a scratch after we threw it off counters and hit it repeatedly with a baseball bat during testing.

This wallet-friendly carry-on has a scratch-resistant shell and a surprisingly spacious capacity.

It only comes in four colors and doesn't have any smart features or a combination lock.

For something more affordable, look no further than Amazon. We found that this budget-friendly hardside suitcase maneuvers really smoothly, even on carpet and over bumps, and the handles turn like a champ. Not only that, but the scratch-resistant shell held up surprisingly well through our bat and drop tests on more than one occasion — like the Samsonite Freeform Carry-on, we loved this bag so much that we tested it a second time recently to make sure it was still up to our standards. We did notice some minor scuffing after our second round of hitting the bag with a baseball bat, but we were able to buff them out with a finger easily.

During testing, we were able to fit four days worth of clothing, shoes, and toiletries without having to expand the bag, though we're comforted by the fact that there's room to spare. After six months of regularly using the bag, we found it to be the perfect size for weekend trips.

Travel + Leisure senior editor Jasmine Grant noted that this carry-on is "an excellent choice for a budget suitcase. It's light, durable, and expands to fit way more than you might assume by just looking at it." The Amazon Basics Hardside Spinner exceeded our expectations in more ways than one. And while it only comes in four colors, we're big fans of the simple, sleek design.

This attractive bag has lots of smart design features, including a front pocket that gives you access to the main compartment without having to open the entire bag.

It's fairly heavy and bulky for such a small bag and can be difficult to move around when packed full.

We've been fans of Dagne Dover for a long time, we were excited to see the brand launch its first luggage collection this past summer. We tested every new piece and particularly liked the Smaller Seattle Carry-on. Though it's one of the smaller carry-on sizes, the smart design features help maximize space, and it's perfect for when you want something compact. We were able to pack it for several days despite the lack of an expansion feature and found that the abundance of pockets helped with this significantly. On its exterior, you'll find a small zip pocket on the back for a passport and two generously sized pockets on the front. The larger pocket pulls wide open and has tons of slots inside for stashing a laptop (up to 13 inches), tablets, documents, or other go-to essentials.

One standout feature is that one of the front pocket has a zipper that gives you direct access to the main compartment of the bag, kind of like how you can access the trunk of a hatchback car from the backseat, so you can reach in and grab a sweater or a makeup bag without the hassle of fully laying the suitcase down and unzipping the entire thing, which we think would be especially handy in busy places like airports. The main compartments of the suitcase split evenly like a clamshell, with compression straps on both sides to keep everything secure. We thought it was pretty heavy for a carry-on and won't be easy for everyone to hoist into the overhead bin when packed full. That being said, some of the weight likely comes from the thick outer material and reinforced bumpers that make the bag quite durable and sturdy. Overall, we think it's a great option for shorter trips or for someone looking for a stylish carry-on as an addition to a checked suitcase.

This bag is extremely lightweight yet incredibly durable, passing our tests without a scratch.

It's pretty expensive for someone who doesn't necessarily need NASA-level durability.

When we heard the Samsonite Proxis Global Carry-on had been sent into space and dropped from 130,000 feet without sustaining any damage, we knew we had to test it ourselves. In the lab, we were impressed right off the bat to find that this bag weighs less than 5 pounds, making it impressively lightweight. That being said, the weight does not affect the durability of this bag at all. While we couldn't drop it from outer space ourselves, we did hit it with a metal baseball bat and jumped up and down on it several times without causing any scuffs, scratches, or other damage. "I completely would trust this bag to hold up against baggage handlers," says T+L's associate editorial director Morgan Ashley Parker.

There's a lot to love about this bag in addition to its light weight and durability. The two zippered halves have multiple pockets for organization, as well as cross straps on one side to hold everything down. We were able to fit a surprising amount of items neatly inside without packing cubes, even though it's pretty compact. The bag also expands half an inch if you need more space and still fits easily into the overhead bin once expanded. This carry-on rolls smoothly over various surfaces and the handle feels quite sturdy despite its light weight. It doesn't come cheap, but we think the durable construction, lightweight design, and smooth wheels will be worth it for many.

This bag has the largest capacity on this list and comes with a packable tote bag for extra space.

It feels a little clunky to roll around corners once packed full.

The July Carry-on Max has the largest capacity of any bag on this list, even before the expansion feature is used, boasting a whopping 50-liter capacity (62 liters once expanded). Weighing just over 8 pounds, it's not overly heavy, although we noticed that it became a little clunky to maneuver (especially around tight corners) and lift once it was packed compared to smaller July suitcases that we've tested, but not so much so that we wouldn't recommend this bag because it's still a great option if you want the most packing space you can get. In fact, it even comes with a packable tote inside that folds up small — a bonus if you find that you have even more stuff to pack on your return trip.

Inside the carry-on you'll find fairly basic features, including a zippered cover on one side and a compression panel with a pocket on the other. Aside from a small, long pouch on that side, there are no other pockets or organizational features. We would have liked to see a few more with such a high-capacity bag, but packing cubes will help keep everything in place. The handle was sturdy, and you can adjust it to 20 different heights and we saw no signs of damage after hitting it with a baseball bat. One thing to note is that you may be forced to check this bag depending on what airline you're flying with.

This bag is surprisingly stylish and durable for a softside.

It's on the larger side for a carry-on and may not fit in the overhead bins after being expanded.

We recently voted this carry-on as our top pick in our best softside luggage test, beating out dozens of other bags. With stylish puffy padding on the front, it fits in with even the sleekest hardside bags and has a modern aesthetic that's true to Away. Inside, you'll find a spacious main compartment with a compression pad to keep everything in place, along with attached mesh pockets for organization. It also has a front pocket, and the suitcase is expandable.

And this carry-on isn't just about looks and design — we found it to be remarkably durable, too. We saw no signs of damage after we threw it around, hit it with a baseball bat, and even stomped on it. "This felt like a heavier fabric than other softsides, which made me think it will be durable even if you have to check it," says associate editorial director Morgan Ashley Parker.

Even when fully packed, this bag was easy to maneuver over various surfaces and around tight corners. Our only concern is that its fully expanded size might cause a picky gate agent to check it, so we recommend keeping that in mind. Still, we think it's a great softside bag from a reputable brand.