The 9 Best Carry-On Luggage of 2024, Tested by PEOPLE

Best Overall

Samsonite Freeform Carry-on Spinner

$200 $134 at Amazon $160 at Macy's $208 at Staples

When you're rushing through the airport to make a flight, you need a bag that's dependable, easy to maneuver, and tough enough to handle every knock and bump, and the Samsonite Freeform Hardside Expandable Carry-On is exactly that. Equipped with four full-rotational, 360-degree spinning wheels, this luggage aced our tests. We were blown away with this bag's easy glide, whether using four wheels or two.

Made from a lightweight yet sturdy hard shell, this bag comes in a variety of unique colors that will help your suitcase stand out from the rest. It's compliant with most carry-on size restrictions and has a built-in TSA-compatible combination lock to ensure that you arrive at your destination with all of your belongings intact.

Good news for over-packers: This expandable bag is notably spacious, with a simple but roomy interior that includes two sections, a cross ribbon divider, and a small zip-up pocket that could easily fit delicates. We would prefer the bag to include an extra pocket to stash your shoes, but despite that small qualm, we would still recommend this bag to family and friends.

Dimensions: 21.25 x 15.25 x 10.0 inches | Weight: 6.5 pounds | Charging-Enabled: No

Best Overall, Runner Up

Travelpro Platinum Elite Carry-on Spinner

$370 $315 at Amazon $370 $296 at Travelpro.com $296 at Macy's

This carry-on luggage from Travelpro lives up to the brand's name: It can make even the novice traveler feel like an expert. The sleek and stylish hard-shell exterior is made from flexible 100 percent polycarbonate to resist dents and cracks. An external USB charging port means no more scrambling through the airport with a dead device (though a power bank is not included), and a TSA-approved combination lock helps protect your belongings.

This suitcase is thoughtfully designed with a practical layout, which features two zippable clamshell sections and multiple pockets for accessories, plus a handy water-resistant pocket to store your damp items or toiletries if you don't pack a toiletry bag. A zippered expansion increases its depth by two inches. A comfortable contour grip handle easily pulls the bag on either two or four PrecisionGlide spinning wheels, making traveling through the airport a breeze.

Dimensions: 23 x 14.5 x 9.5 inches | Weight: 8.1 pounds | Charging-Enabled: Yes, but battery not included

Best Small

Delsey Paris Cruise 3.0 Carry-on Spinner

$180 $105 at Amazon View on Delsey.com $360 at Bloomingdales

The Cruise 3.0 Carry-On exceeded expectations across all of our tests. It glided smoothly over every surface on two wheels and four. It tackled any curve or spin like a pro and felt lightweight in our hands through each maneuver. Plus, the outer shell was strong enough to look nearly spotless after a brutal meeting with our baseball bat. 

One side of the clamshell-style suitcase can be zipped up with a mesh divider to keep your items safely in place. The other side is crisscrossed by elastic straps, and the entire lining is removable and washable. We noticed that the classic telescoping handle felt slightly wobbly when extended to its full height. The exterior of the bag also has a loop strap on the top and one on the side to make it easy to lift into the overhead bin (where it easily fits). 

We were a little disappointed that while the case has a slot for a portable charger and a USB port on the outside, it doesn’t come with a battery. But, other than a few small quibbles, the Cruise 3.0 is worth its reasonable price.  

Dimensions: 15 x 10 x 22.75 inches | Weight: 7.4 pounds | Charging-Enabled: Yes, but battery not included

Best Investment

Tumi Alpha International Dual Access Carry-on

View on Amazon $975 at Nordstrom $975 at Zappos

For frequent fliers who value an organized suitcase, the International Dual Access 4-Wheeled Carry-On from Tumi is the best splurge pick we’ve tried. Every detail of this soft-sided case has been carefully planned to create a smooth, user-friendly travel experience. The case has pockets aplenty — a front U-zip pocket,  a gusseted straight pocket, and even a hanging mesh zipper pocket with a removable garment sleeve to hang up your finery. 

We love that this suitcase has two convenient entry options and a dual-access section that’s the perfect place to keep a jacket for easy access mid-flight. It also has smooth, 360-degree rotating wheels that made it a breeze to roll around. It glided over dirt and rocks without a hitch, and the outer soft shell looked as good as new after testing. Plus, it has a USB port, three handles, and a TSA-approved combination lock. At over 10 pounds, it is a bit heavier than others we tested.

Through all of our tests, the Tumi International bag proved to be top of its class. The smartly designed bag does come with an eyebrow-raising price tag. But for frequent travelers who want a long-lasting, organized piece of luggage, we think the International Dual Access bag is worth its high price if you can swing it, especially since it comes with a five-year warranty. 

Dimensions: 22 x 14 x 9 inches | Weight: 10.7 pounds | Charging-Enabled: Yes

Best Soft-Sided

Travelpro Platinum Elite Carry-on

$430 $344 at Amazon $860 at Bloomingdales $344 at Macy's

This bag compares well to similar, much more expensive bags. It performed amazingly in our durability tests, sustaining no noticeable scuffing or damage with the ladder or baseball bat. It also performed well on different surfaces, and the 360-degree spinner wheels pivoted nicely. The handle can be adjusted to five different heights, and the exterior handles are well-placed for lifting the bag.

There are a few downsides — for one, the interior doesn't come equipped with much in the way of organization, so you may want to add packing cubes. When packing, we also found it difficult to distinguish between the zipper that expands the interior and the zipper that closes the bag. Lastly, the bag we tested came with one of the two external zippers broken.

All that said, this bag looks and mostly performs just as well as its pricier counterparts. Based on its sleek look and the fact that there were no major issues during testing, it's easy to recommend this bag.

Dimensions: 21.75 x 13.75 x 9.75 inches | Weight: 6.9 pounds | Charging-Enabled: No

Best Hard-Shell

Away The Bigger Carry-on Flex

$345 at Awaytravel.com

We loved how easily this bag rolled indoors, and it also fared well on cobblestones during testing. The hard-sided exterior pays off in durability. There was no damage after our ladder test and no denting when we took a baseball bat to it.

As far as "smart" bags go, this one is a great choice. It comes with three charging ports, one of which is a "fast" charger that we found worked very well. If you're traveling with lots of devices, this is a really nice feature. The luggage itself comes with a shoe bag, interior pouch compression pad, and enclosed compartment. The interior space does suffer a little because the telescopic handle retracts inside (though there is still plenty of room). At 8 pounds, it was pretty easy to lift and store overhead.

The bag comes with a sponge to clean the exterior, but in practice, the sponge didn't help much with scuffing. The exterior zipper can also get a little sticky occasionally. Other than these minor complaints, it's a solid bag.

Dimensions: 22.75 x 15.25 x 9.5 inches | Weight: 8 pounds | Charging-Enabled: Yes, two USB ports and an additional port

Best Features

Tumi Continental Dual Access Carry-on

$1,050 at Amazon $1,050 at Nordstrom $1,050 at Zappos

If you're looking to shell out cash for a high-quality, thoughtfully designed suitcase, look no further than the Tumi Continental Dual Access 4-Wheeled Carry-On. This soft-sided bag is an organized traveler's dream, complete with a large mesh zip pocket, three smaller zip pockets, and a removable garment sleeve with a fiberglass rod to hang your clothes. It also has a TSA-approved combination lock and comes with a complimentary Tumi Tracer code to track your suitcase if it's lost or stolen.

What sets this carry-on luggage apart from the rest is the dual-access sections, which allow you to enter the bag through a front lid or traditional split-case section, both of which are closed with security zippers. This feature is especially handy when you need to access something in your bag at the airport. Though we love the nifty features, including a built-in USB port, retractable top, side grab handles, and a complimentary monogram option, this bag also comes with some sticker shock. But for all of its handy, luxurious features, the price may just be worth it.

Dimensions: 22 x 16 x 9 inches | Weight: 11.1 pounds | Charging-Enabled: Yes, but battery not included

Best Lightweight

Calpak Luka Carry-on

View on Calpaktravel.com

If you’re looking for a basic, sturdy bag without all of the extra bells and whistles, we recommend this stylish choice from Calpak. It has one main compartment without a barrage of pockets and slots, so you can organize it however you like. The small, zip-flap carry-on is a great size for a long weekend trip. It’s also super lightweight, at just under 7 pounds.

One organizational feature that this bag does offer is a padded laptop pocket that can fit a computer up to 17 inches in size. In fact, the whole front of the bag is padded with a puffer jacket-like casing that not only looks trendy and unique but also helps protect the suitcase from impact. While it isn’t the most expensive we’ve tried, it costs a little more than we’d expect it to, considering the bare-bones design. But if you’re willing to pay for style, then this simple suitcase is a solid choice. 

Dimensions: 21 x 13.75 x 9 inches | Weight: 6.6 pounds | Charging-Enabled: No

Best Longevity

L.L.Bean Medium Carryall Pullman

$219 at L.L.Bean

The L.L. Bean Carryall Spinner proves that softside luggage can be durable with its rubber edges and sturdy wheels. The carry-on suitcase is made with an abrasion-resistant twill that endured our vigorous drop-testing. Though it’s a soft suitcase, it’s made with a rigid base frame that makes it feel sturdier than other soft-shell carry-ons we’ve tested. 

The bag has more external pockets than any other bag we’ve tested, including two outer side pockets that were the perfect size for us to slip in a pair of shoes so we could separate them from the rest of our travel clothes. The outside of the bag also has two front pockets that can hold a laptop, chargers, tablets, books, or anything else you want easily accessible during your travels. 

This bag didn’t roll as easily on carpeted floors as we would've liked, but it did maneuver smoothly on hard surfaces. Overall, this bag’s sturdy construction and multiple organization options make it well worth its price. 

Dimensions: 22 x 14 x 9 inches | Weight: 7.9 pounds | Charging-Enabled: No