Travel is a wonderful adventure everyone should go on. Getting to experience other places, cultures, and foods is one of the greatest joys of my life. BUT, the act of traveling to and from airports definitely has its drawbacks. One of the biggest and best changes I’ve made to my travel plans is relying more and more on carry on luggage and less on checked bags.
The whole process becomes easier if you’re traveling with a carry on: less time checking your bag, less time after the flight waiting for your bag to arrive, and less stress wondering if your bag is actually going to make it to your destination.
This realization inspired me to try and find the best carry on luggage for travel, so I’ve been testing out all kinds of different bags, rollers, duffels, and more.
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If you’re short on time and would rather jump ahead to find the best carry on luggage for you, click on the links below to see more details on my favorites:
- Best Overall: Travelpro Maxlite Air Hardside Expandable Carry-on Luggage
- Best Runner-Up: Travelpro Maxlite 5 Softside Expandable Carry-on Luggage
- Best for International Travel: Travelpro Tourlite Softside 19″ International Carry-On
- Best for Traveling with a Laptop: LEVEL8 Carry On Luggage with Compartment
- Best for Style: DELSEY PARIS Helium Aero Hardside Expandable Carry-On Luggage
- Best for Durability: Samsonite Centric 2 Hardside Expandable Carry-On 20-Inch
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Why Use Carry On Bags for Travel?
Y’all – I know taking only a carry on bag with you can be intimidating, but it’s not all that bad! Your carry on luggage stays with you all the way from home to your destination. Instead of trusting all of your things to the airline, you can keep your belongings with you, safe and secure, to the final destination.
If you’ve ever lost a bag (like I have), you probably have PTSD every time the ticket agent wraps the sticker tag around your bag and throws it on the conveyor belt behind them. You watch it disappear behind the wall, hoping that it will magically make its way onto the plane and then pop out on the baggage claim carousel in a timely manner at your destination.
God forbid you have a connection, your flight is delayed, or the airline has a mix-up. Checked baggage is a travel stressor, and carry on luggage is the solution.
Here’s the deal: You need a good, reliable carry on bag in order to avoid all that mess.
That’s why I’m putting together a list of the best carry on luggage so you can choose for yourself. My recommendations (and the other folks listed here) make a case for all kinds of carry on bags – hard shells, soft shells, rolling, duffels, and more.
A List of the Most Recommended Carry On Bags for Travel of 2024
Carry on luggage is a huge market, and there are a lot of brands out there competing for your attention. When I’m looking to make a purchase, I’ll often take a peek at what some of the more notable travel publications or experts are saying, so I’m going to show you exactly what they’re recommending below.
But first, here’s my list of the best carry on luggage for 2024.
The Abundant Traveler’s List of the Best Carry On Luggage for 2024
My recommendations are coming from a place of experience. When I travel, I’m looking for my carry on luggage to do three things really, really well:
- Functionality – How much can I pack, and how much organization does the bag allow? Is it easy to pack away on the plane? Is it easy to walk through the airport?
- Durability – How much wear and tear can this thing take? Will it keep my belongings safe along the way? Will I have to have to replace it in a couple of years?
- Style – Does the carry on bag look good? Do I feel confident when I’m walking around the airport or checking into the hotel?
- Best Overall: Travelpro Maxlite Air Hardside Expandable Carry-on Luggage
- Best Runner-Up: Travelpro Maxlite 5 Softside Expandable Carry-on Luggage
- Best for International Travel: Travelpro Tourlite Softside 19″ International Carry-On
- Best for Traveling with Laptop: LEVEL8 Carry On Luggage with Compartment
- Best for Style: DELSEY PARIS Helium Aero Hardside Expandable Carry-On Luggage
- Best for Durability: Samsonite Centric 2 Hardside Expandable Carry-On 20-Inch
Travel + Leisure’s Best Carry On Luggage
Travel + Leisure does a good job of categorizing their carry on luggage recommendations by “capacity, maneuverability, durability, and design.”
- Best Overall: Samsonite Freeform Carry-on Spinner
- Best Overall, Runner-up: Tumi Alpha International Dual Access Carry-on
- Best Expandability: Away The Carry-On Flex
- Best Budget: Amazon Basics Expandable Hardside 21-inch Spinner
- Most Spacious: Briggs & Riley 22 Inch Spinner
- Most Stylish: Delsey Chatelet Air 2.0 21-inch Spinner
- Best Softside: Samsonite Elevation Plus Carry-on Spinner
- Most Durable: Travelpro x Travel + Leisure Carry-On Spinner
- Best Trunk: July Carry On Trunk
- Best With Laptop Compartment: Samsonite Just Right Carry-on Spinner
Conde Nast Traveler’s List of the “Absolute” Best Carry On Luggage
Conde Nast has attempted to put together the ultimate list of carry on luggage. They claim that their list was informed by more than a dozen staff members testing out different carry on luggage options over several months. They kept their list short and sweet, which I appreciate.
- Best Overall Carry-On: Paravel The Aviator Carry-On
- Best Lightweight Carry-On: July Carry-On Light
- Best Budget Carry-On: Béis The Carry-On Roller
- Best Soft-side Carry-On: TravelPro Crew Carry-On
- Best Expandable Carry-On: Monos Expandable Carry-On
NYT Wirecutter’s List of the Best Carry On Luggage
As always, the NYTimes and Wirecutter do a great job of exploring the options and making sound recommendations for the ideal products for specific situations.
- Best Overall: Travelpro Platinum Elite 21″ Carry-On Spinner
- Best Runner Up: Away The Carry-On
- Best Budget Pick: Travelpro Maxlite 5 21″ Carry-On Spinner
- Best Extra Room Carry On: Briggs & Riley Baseline Essential 22″ Carry-On Expandable Spinner
- Best Luxury Carry On: Carl Friedrik The Carry-On
- Best Rugged Carry On: Yeti Crossroads 22″/35L Wheeled Luggage
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The Best Travel Carry On Bags for Women
Now that we’ve seen what the experts recommend, let’s look at the best carry on bags for women by category and why.
Best Carry On Bag by Category
There are so many great carry on bags with so many competitive features, but I’m rating TravelPro’s Maxlite Hardside Carry On as my best overall based on how well it meets my requirements of durability, functionality, and style.
This luggage is sleek and has a ridged polycarbonate exterior, which gives it just a little bit of texture compared to other hard-sided carry on spinners. It comes in seven neutral and pastel colors, so you’ll easily find something that fits your style.
Overall, this bag is light, glides like a dream down the terminal, and is deceptively roomy, allowing me to pack pretty much everything I need for a week-long vacation. I think this is the best hardside carry on luggage out there!
What I also love about this bag is how much effort TravelPro has put into making sure my belongings are safe. The shell is strong and flexible, so it can both protect what’s inside and remain intact during travel. TravelPro has also made sure that the bag dimensions fit with all major airline overheads. They’ve even included a built-in TSA lock!
TravelPro also has one of the best carry on luggage warranties. They offer both a limited lifetime warranty (covering manufacturer defects) and a lifetime “Trusted Companion Promise” warranty covering damage caused by airlines and other common carriers.
This bag shares a lot of the same features as the Maxlite Air Hardside carry on bag. It has the same versatility in terms of the mobility and packing ability. The same great warranty. And the same amount of care went in to making sure the bag was airline compatible.
The real difference here is the shell – this is my recommended soft-sided carry on bag. Why? Because its so lightweight! According to TravelPro, the luggage is made with “polyester fabric with DuraGuard® coating resists water and stains to keep luggage looking great.” This one has got to be the best softside carry on luggage for these reasons!
You can tell when you pick it up—it feels strong and durable, even though it’s a soft-shell bag.
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I can recommend TravelPro for a lot of reasons, but one of the best features is their 100-day trial period. Customers have 100 days to test out the luggage, and if they’re not satisfied, they can return it for a full refund. TravelPro even pays for the shipping!
Other aspects of this piece of carry on luggage that I like:
- Made of durable nylon fabric
- 8-wheel spinner with PrecisionGlide System
- 2” expansion zipper
- 1 full-length lid pocket, 3 accessory pockets, 1 removable water-resistant pocket
- Drop in fold-out suit compartment
- Comes in 9 different colors
This TravelPro also comes with the great warranty and trial period I mentioned earlier!
Away is a travel luggage company that specializes in style, durability, functionality, and detail. You can tell that real travelers were consulted during the design process because the products are so easy to use and stylish.
Their hard shell carry on is a “classic” suitcase in the plainest terms: solid color, 4-wheel spinner, lightweight and durable polycarbonate shell, sized to fit into an overhead compartment.
If you want a reliable hard shell case that’s not going to break the bank but will be a reliable carry on for years and years to come, check out this Away luggage.
Why TravelPro is the Best Luggage Brand
You might have noticed that three of the four bags I recommend are from the same brand: TravelPro.
That’s because they really offer travelers bags with all the necessary features and a VERY customer-centric warranty and trial period. Bottom line: If you’re looking for a bag that you’ll pretty much never have to replace, look at TravelPro. They’ll let you try it for 100 days, cover the bag forever, and pay for all the shipping costs if you need repairs or replacement.
How can you beat that?
Finding the Best Carry On Luggage for You
Now that you’ve seen recommendations from all the experts, myself included, do you have a favorite? Ultimately, finding the best carry on luggage for you is going to depend on the types of adventures you like to have and the items you like to take with you and keep close throughout your travels.
All of these are great options, and my top picks are sure to meet anything you need while traveling.
What are your thoughts on the best carry on luggage? Let me know in the comments below!
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Looking for more travel tips and items to bring with you on your next trip? Check out my favorite travel products and some of my other posts on packing and preparing for a trip!
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