We Tested & Reviewed the Best Carry-on Luggage on the Market. Here’s What We Found.

Your carry-on suitcase will go on almost every trip with you, and for most travelers and most trips, the Monos Carry-On Pro is easily our favorite. Our team has tested a lot of suitcases, and this one just does so many things right that the others didn’t quite match. That’s why it earned an impressive overall score of 9.7—the highest score of any suitcase we tested.

It’s everything you need, and nothing you don’t.

Every suitcase I’ve tested has its flaws. Some are built cheaply. Some are very high quality, but too expensive to justify. Some don’t have enough features or organization. Some are too complicated and over-designed.

Monos hits the right balance between cost and quality, functionality and simplicity.

Just like luxury brands like RIMOWA, Monos uses German Makrolon polycarbonate. But the Monos Carry-On Pro is a third the price of RIMOWA’s Essential Cabin.

In fact, Monos is the least expensive luggage to score above 9.0 for Build Quality in our testing, which says a lot. I love that Monos makes top-notch materials and build quality available to those of us who don’t have $1,500 to blow on a suitcase.

I also really like the sleek, minimalist styling. It’s modern, stylish, and professional. I honestly think this suitcase looks good in any situation, whether that’s on a business trip or a summer vacation.

I specifically selected the Carry-On Pro as the best overall because it has an external zippered pocket that can hold a laptop or tablet and anything else you want quick access to.

The external pocket is convenient, but it does eat into the main storage space. If you don’t feel the need for the outside pocket, you want the maximum packing space possible, or you want a less expensive bag, the classic Monos Carry-On without the pocket is just as good.

Soft-sided luggage is a great choice if you value practicality. It looks professional, has more pockets than hardside bags, and will never crack.

Travelpro makes some of the best soft-sided suitcases on the planet. Of the 20 highest-scoring softside suitcases from our testing, half are from Travelpro.

The Platinum Elite Carry-On Spinner is Travelpro’s top-of-the-line carry-on, and it’s the highest-scoring soft-sided carry-on we tested, with a 9.5 overall score. It’s ideal if you’re a business traveler who needs a professional-looking piece of luggage or a frequent traveler who wants a bag that will last for years.

Yes, there are a lot of great soft-sided suitcases out there, but this one combines all the best things into one package. It uses premium materials, looks refined and stylish, is extremely strong and durable, and has every feature you could want.

Many soft-sided suitcases can seem a bit cheap, but the Platinum Elite Carry-On feels like a luxury item. It’s made with high-quality fabric, has genuine leather detailing and chrome hardware, and has extremely durable wheels and handles. It’s in a different class than most soft luggage.

If you can’t justify the price tag, you may want to check out Travelpro’s Maxlite 5 line, which is almost as durable and less than half the price.

The Travelpro Platinum Elite Carry-On Spinner isn’t as modern or trendy as some of the other luggage on this list. Instead, it’s refined, practical, and durable. If you like the flexibility of a soft-sided bag, this is one of the best money can buy.

Lets face it, in today’s world keeping your devices charged while traveling is a top priority, but finding outlets in the airport is a bit like searching for the proverbial needle in the haystack.

To solve that problem, many luggage brands are now creating “smart” suitcases that come with built-in USB chargers and battery banks. Unfortunately, too many of these brands focus on those fancy features and forget one important fact: it still has to be a good suitcase!

The July Carry-On is the only smart luggage we recommend, exactly because it is an awesome carry-on even without the bells and whistles. If you like our top pick from Monos, but wish it had a battery bank, July is the perfect solution.

July’s founders started the company after reading over 4,000 customer reviews of existing luggage to see where the problems were. Then they designed a suitcase (and a business model) to solve those problems.

I like that the July Carry-On has reinforced corners with sturdy aluminum bumpers. I’ve seen many suitcases come out of baggage claim with dented corners, so it’s awesome that July found a way to prevent that from happening.

Unfortunately, the anodized coating on those aluminum bumpers can get scratched easily. It doesn’t affect the suitcase’s function in any way, but just know that it won’t look brand new after several trips.

Besides that minor issue, the July Carry-On is just a really well-made suitcase. It scored 9.3 for Build Quality, which makes it one of the most durable carry-ons our team tested.

With how well-built this suitcase is, the built-in battery bank is more of a bonus feature rather than the main selling point.

And that’s exactly how it should be.

Let’s say you want to splurge a bit on your luggage. Increasing your budget opens a world of options, but not all of them are worth the extra cash.

The Carl Friedrik Carry-On X truly looks and feels like a next-level luxury piece of luggage. I love the classy, understated design and the premium build quality.

Every little detail feels a premium, and the genuine Italian leather trim gives this suitcase a touch of sophistication. Most polycarbonate suitcases look pretty similar, with shiny, plasticky shells. The Carl Friedrik Carry-On X, on the other hand, shows off a bit of old-world craftsmanship that is hard to find these days.

Instead of zippers, the Carry-On X has a full aluminum frame with hinges and two locking latches. This design makes the suitcase very protective and secure, but also makes it look and feel more high-end. There’s much less flex compared to most polycarbonate luggage, and the riveted frame looks amazing.

The latches are made out of solid cast aluminum, and I love the satisfying click when they snap shut. It’s a totally different experience from using cheap plastic zippers.

I was slightly annoyed that it only comes with one compression pad. You can buy a second compression pad for the other side, but I really think it should be included.

It only scores 3.6 in our Price-to-Performance category, but the old saying “you get what you pay for” really holds true here. The Carry-On X is an investment in quality and craftsmanship.

Will this suitcase function better than a cheaper option? Not necessarily, but it will do the job with a lot more class and style.

If you’re on a budget, it can be tempting to buy one of those bargain-basement bags you find on Amazon or at Target. Before you do, consider this: you might end up spending more money in the long run when that bag breaks and you have to replace it.

If you want to make your money stretch as far as possible, I almost always recommend spending just a little bit more for a higher-quality suitcase.

The Travelpro Maxlite 5 is a perfect example. It’s way cheaper than any other suitcase we recommend, but it’s just as well-built as many of our higher-priced options. We tested 20 suitcases that scored 10/10 for Price-to-Performance—this is the only one with an Overall score above 9.0.

No, it doesn’t have all the fancy features, but it can easily last for decades of travel.

This particular model has a 2-wheel rollaboard design, which is much more durable than 360-degree spinner wheels. Plus, it comes with Travelpro’s solid lifetime warranty. They have a full catalog of replacement parts, and if something more major breaks, they’ll repair it for you.

The overall layout is pretty bare-bones. Sure it’s got a few pockets, but there’s nothing fancy, and the style is nothing to get excited about. This isn’t a suitcase you buy to show off to your friends. It’s a suitcase you buy to do a job: carry your stuff while you travel.

And it does that job really well, especially for the price.

Trust me, if you’re trying to save money, it’s much better to buy a well-priced product that’s built to last rather than the cheapest thing available.

For traveling with a suit, dress, or other formal clothing, stuffing it all into a traditional suitcase is not a great idea. You need a purpose-built garment bag.

If you only have a few trips where you need to bring formal clothing, you can get by with something cheap and simple like this AmazonBasics Garment Bag.

However, if flying for business or formal events is a regular part of your life, you’ll be a lot happier with the Briggs & Riley Baseline Garment Bag. It’s designed to keep your clothing flat, flat, smooth, and securely held in place during travel, and it’s way more practical than the cheap AmazonBasics variety.

Most garment bags are big folding things that are awkward to carry, and I’ve typically hated using them. This one rolls on spinner wheels just like any carry-on suitcase. That makes it waaaay easier to maneuver through the airport.

Plus, it can do more than just carry a suit or dress. The Baseline Garment Bag is actually divided into two sections. You have the garment storage on one side, and on the other side, you get a big open flat-packing area just like any normal suitcase.

Garment bags often don’t score well in our luggage rating system because they are so specialized, but this one is an exception. Because of its versatile design and outstanding build quality, it scored an impressive 9.2 overall.

Of course, if you just need a simple bag to carry your suit or dress, this will probably be a bit overkill. However, if you can pack light, this could easily work as your only suitcase for shorter trips.

Yep, here’s another Briggs & Riley Baseline model. They just build really solid luggage that is easy for me to recommend.

Most international airlines have slightly different size limits than US domestic airlines, so if you’re flying internationally, you need to make sure your carry-on will fit the restrictions.

The Baseline Global Carry-On was designed to be the perfect size for around-the-world travel. At 21 x 15 x 9 inches, it will work as a carry-on for almost any flight in the world.

On the outside, this looks like a pretty basic soft-sided carry-on suitcase. It’s made with durable fabric and has a few external pockets that are great for keeping important items handy. Nothing fancy.

It’s the build quality and attention to detail that make this carry-on stand out.

The Baseline Global Carry-On Scored an outstanding 9.8 for Build Quality. That’s the highest Build Quality score that any suitcase has ever earned in our testing, and the runners-up (the Carl Friedrik Carry-On X and the Db Ramverk Pro) are notably lower at 9.5. Seriously, this bag is tough, and I love how sturdy the full metal frame makes it feel.

Durability matters even more when you’re far from home. The last thing you want is to be slogging around a foreign country with a broken suitcase (trust me, it’s not fun).

Briggs & Riley also has the best lifetime guarantee in the luggage business, so if you ever do manage to break this bag, they’ll fix it for you. No questions asked and no proof of purchase needed.

This bag does cost significantly more than most of the other options on this list, so it isn’t a good choice if you don’t travel frequently.

The Briggs & Riley Baseline Global is really an investment in quality and durability. If you travel internationally a lot, you can get a lot of peace of mind from having a suitcase that will last the rest of your life.

If the Baseline Global doesn’t make you happy, we have a full list of luggage for international travel that’s worth checking out.

If you travel with expensive equipment—whether that’s a camera and lenses, sensitive electronics, outdoor gear, or a set of wine glasses—you need a suitcase that will get it to your destination safely.

In Db’s marketing material for the Db Ramverk Pro, there’s a term that comes up a lot: “weight:protection ratio.” Essentially, this case is designed to offer amazing strength protection without being overly heavy or bulky.

It is possibly the strongest carry-on suitcase I’ve ever tested. Seriously, it’s that solid. It is made from durable and lightweight polycarbonate, but the Db engineers have made this case stronger and more rigid than other polycarbonate cases. Plus, it has an aluminum frame with locking latches that make it even stronger.

Whatever fragile items you’re carrying will be safe inside this fortress of a suitcase.

If you’re traveling with photography equipment, the Front Access Ramverk Carry-On pairs with Db’s Ramverk Camera Insert (only size XL works with the suitcase), which has padded dividers to keep your camera gear organized and safe. In my experience this is the ultimate protective carry solution for traveling photographers.

It is a bit heavy for a carry-on, at 9.9 lbs. Still, for the level of protection this thing provides, I’m happy with that weight.

The Db Ramverk Carry-On is one of my favorite suitcases on this list. It’s built like a tank (a minimalist, Scandinavian-designed tank, that is), and will keep your stuff safe and look good while doing it.

There are many reasons to shop for a lightweight carry-on. For one, moving and lifting a bulky, heavy carry-on can be a struggle, especially if you don’t have the physique of Dwayne Johnson.

Plus, some international airlines (like Emirates) have strict 15-lb carry-on weight limits. A typical carry-on suitcase weighs 7-9 lbs, so that’s half your packing weight gone right there.

There’s also something satisfying about traveling light and exploring the world with less baggage.

The July Carry-On Light excels at one thing: it is the lightest carry-on suitcase on the market. At just 3.9 lbs, it’s half the weight of most carry-ons. If you’re used to big, clunky suitcases that feel like a load of bricks before you’ve even packed them, the difference will be immediately noticeable.

It also scores higher than any other suitcase that weighs under 5 lbs.

The Carry-On Light is targeted squarely at minimalist travelers. One way they made it so light is by cutting down the size. July’s standard Carry-On is 42L while the Carry-On Light is only 32L. If you tend to overpack, this isn’t the bag for you.

I love the sleek, minimalist design of this luggage. It goes right along with the whole minimal-packing vibe. Everything is stripped back to the bare essentials.

To be clear, the Carry-On Light isn’t as strong or durable as the standard Carry-On. It doesn’t have the reinforced corners, the polycarbonate shell is more flexy, the handle isn’t as sturdy, and the wheels are lighter-duty. July did have to cut out some material to make it this light, but it’s still very durable and well-built overall.

The point of this suitcase isn’t to be the strongest, it’s to be the lightest. If that’s what you want, this is the one to get.

Duffel bags are awesome because they can hold a ton of stuff, are easy to pack, and are simple and reliable—perfect for adventurous trips. The only problem is that you have to carry them by hand or over your shoulder.

That’s where a rolling duffel bag comes in. You get the benefits of a duffel bag combined with the easy rolling of a wheeled suitcase.

The Eage Creek Cargo Hauler XT is a tough, adventure-ready bag. It is very different from the other bags on this list, and that means it’s better for a very different kind of trip.

Here’s the way I see it: if you’re bringing hiking shoes or trail runners on your trip, this bag is probably a good fit. If you’re wearing dress shoes, you’ll want something else.

It’s sized for international travel, meaning you won’t have any problem bringing it as a carry-on pretty much anywhere in the world.

In addition to wheels and handles, this bag also has backpack straps. This means you aren’t limited to wheeling it around. No, the backpack straps aren’t the most comfortable in the world, but they definitely do the job if you have to carry it up a few flights of stairs or down a rocky dirt path.

Since it’s a duffel bag, you just don’t get the same level of organization as you do with a more traditional suitcase. There are a few small pockets, but the inside is pretty much one big empty volume. This is great for tossing in a bunch of gear, but if you like to keep everything compartmentalized, you’ll definitely want to use packing cubes.

Most duffel bags don’t perform very well in our rating system, but this solid bag scored 8.8 overall. The Eagle Creek Cargo Hauler XT is an awesome choice if you want a simple, rugged, reliable rolling duffel bag.