The best suitcases for your winter holiday
Recommended by our travel editors and tried and tested on the move, here are the best suitcases (and lightweight carry-on luggage) for 2023
Which is the best suitcase to buy? With holidays abroad and business travel firmly back on the agenda, now is the time to upgrade your luggage. We’ve tested the best carry-on luggage, best hand luggage and best lightweight suitcases for your summer holidays, as well as durable luggage to go in the hold and slimline suitcases for business travel.
What should you look for in a suitcase?
Tom Marchant, co-founder of luxury travel company Black Tomato, says the key is that a suitcase is “durable and comfortable to use. To withstand all elements, I look for a suitcase that’s completely waterproof. Reliable 360-degree spinner wheels and hardwearing locks are also essential.”
Which brand of luggage is the most durable?
Marchant’s favoured brand, Rimowa, is a German engineered stealth-wealth favourite – prices start from £400. If you do invest, you’ll get a case that’s built to last. “My Rimowa has seen quite a few things around the world, including a tumble off the roof rack of a tiny car while winding down roads in Greece – and it’s miraculously intact, so being made of robust aluminium is also a major selling point for me,” he says.
Claire Irvin, the Telegraph's head of travel, favours the stylish Italian luggage brand BRIC’s. “I coveted a BRIC’s Bellagio suitcase for years, and eventually found the reason to splash out on one – my honeymoon to Tahiti,” she says.
“Its classic look evokes romantic memories of the golden age of travel, and the hard sides are perfect for squeezing in six weeks’ worth of outfits I packed. Fifteen years later, the case is now elegantly battered, and it still accompanies me on solo trips or the occasional delicious voyage a deux with my husband.”
Not all experts opt for hard-shell cases – Telegraph travel features editor Jade Bremner says: “It’s EastPak all the way for me – I've had mine for 10 years and it's almost the same as when I bought it.
“It's come with me to six continents, from city breaks to the jungle, forest and beach. It's strong, reliable and squishy – if you need to get it into a compact space or stuff in last minute additions. It's got sturdy wheels (push it upright or pull it along) and comes with a 30 year guarantee, too.”
How I tested the best suitcases
As well as quizzing the experts on their favourite cases, I loaded each case up and took it for a spin, quite literally, to test the wheels. I also took into consideration the weight, durability, how easily it scuffs, any extra features and how comfortable the handle is to use. I travelled with each on the train to test how easily manoeuvrable it is, and whether it can be stashed in overhead storage.
Which is the best suitcase in 2023?
- Best overall – Tripp Holiday Suitcase
- Best cabin case – AWAY Bigger Carry On
- Best soft-shell suitcase – Eastpak Tranverz Medium
- Best for business trips – Antler Clifton Cabin with Pocket
- Best suitcase for style – BRIC’s Bellagio suitcase
- Best shell suitcase – Samsonite Lite-Cube Spinner
The best suitcases
1. Tripp Holiday Suitcase
Best overall
Key features
- Weight: 3.2 kg
- Capacity: 66 litres
- Material: Polypropylene
- Available in other sizes? Yes – cabin and large sizes
Lightweight, almost indestructible and affordable, too – it’s not hard to see why you can’t move for Tripp suitcases in the passport queue at Gatwick. They are, without a doubt, the best budget luggage brand in the business – a large suitcase big enough for at least a fortnight’s clothes is under £100, the cabin version is just £59.50. The hard polypropylene shell is very practical and will survive no matter how carelessly it’s chucked in an overhead locker or the boot of the car. The medium case, pictured, is just 3.2kg, so it's very lightweight considering the generous capacity.
It has no fancy features and no inner pockets, but it does the basics well, with a spacious inner compartment and four wheels for seamless 360 degree movement. All in all, real work-horse that comes in cheerful colours kids will love.
Key features
- Weight: 3.8 kg
- Capacity: 47.9 litres
- Material: Polycarbonate hard shell
- Available in other sizes? Yes – a smaller carry-on, plus medium and large sizes
AWAY’s suitcases have something of a cult following on social media (largely thanks to all the colours and the optional monogram – yours for an extra £50). The AWAY Carry On has even been spotted flying with Prince Harry. Pleasingly, the brand more than lives up to the hype, and this cabin-friendly suitcase is worth the investment.
I like the durable, matte polycarbonate shell, which protects belongings when the case is stashed in an overhead locker or train luggage rack. As a chronic overpacker, I appreciate the fact that it’s generously proportioned (57.7cm x 37.3cm x 24.3cm) but still lightweight and cabin-approved on most major airlines. It's not immune to scuffing – in fact, I manage to scuff it on its first weekend away with me – but it comes with a clever magic eraser to get rid of marks.
It has smooth 360-degree spinning wheels and is packed with extra features, including compressive pockets and a dirty laundry bag. If you pay an extra £20, you can also have a digital nomad-friendly built in USB charger. This case will be coming away with me for years to come.
Key features
- Weight: 3.1kg
- Capacity: 78 litres
- Material: Polyester
- Available in other sizes? Yes, available in extra-small, small and large sizes, too
I’ve owned this versatile fabric suitcase for years, and it’s surprisingly heavy duty given it’s soft-shell rather than hard aluminium or plastic. Telegraph Travel features editor Jade Bremner also loves Eastpak – and hers is good as new after a decade of travel.
The expandable design of the Tranverz is especially useful for stashing ski gear or going on longer trips, and it has two distinct zipped halves and a front zipped pocket that make it easy to pack and access when you’re on the move. It has a TSA-approved lock, adjustable straps and padded handles that make it a bit easier to put on luggage racks or conveyor belts.
As it’s a soft-shell design, it’s also a space-saver when it comes to storage. The only downside is that it has two wheels, not four, so can’t spin 360 degrees like the models above. However, for the impressive capacity, that’s a trade-off I’m willing to make.
Key features
- Weight: 3.3kg
- Capacity: 45 litres
- Material: Polycarbonate hard shell
- Available in other sizes? Available in medium and large without a laptop pocket
I have used British-born Antler’s cases for years – they manage to balance durability and aesthetic appeal better than most other luggage brands, and I’m not often seen on holiday without my baby blue Antler Camber (sadly discontinued, alas). The Clifton Cabin is a new addition to the range that’s packed with handy features.
It has a generously sized (and lockable) laptop sleeve on the front that can be Velcroed to lie flat, like a little tray table. Inside there are five pockets for storing your tablet, laptop, pens, passport and work documents. The case itself also has a TSA lock, four 360 degree wheels and an innovative twisting handle, so when you drag the case along the handle rotates for a more comfortable grip. Every detail of this case has been carefully considered, and it shows. It also comes with a 10 year warranty.
Key features
- Weight: 4.6kg
- Capacity: 36 litres
- Material: Polycarbonate hard shell with a leather trim
- Available in other sizes? Yes, several sizes up to an 80cm trunk
The Telegraph’s head of travel, Claire Irvin, recommended the BRIC’s Bellagio as the most stylish suitcase on the market. This Italian brand has been crafting luxurious luggage for over 60 years, and is the one to look to for a retro-inspired suitcase that will turn heads in the airport (even if cream isn’t the most practical option).
It’s made from durable, scuff-resistant polycarbonate and has water resistant zips and a stylish Tuscan leather trim. It cleverly ticks both off practical features (waterproofing, smooth swivel wheels, a retractable handle) and vintage charm – although it comes at a cost.
Key features
- Weight: 4.3kg
- Capacity: 35 litres
- Material: Aluminium
- Available in other sizes? Yes, available in 10 sizes from a compact cabin bag to an extra-large trunk
Jet-setters and celebrities love Rimowa suitcases, which are said to last for generations (and cost almost as much as any other family heirloom). Tom Marchant, co-founder of Black Tomato, swears by his Rimowa, which is unexpectedly lightweight given the heavy-duty metal finish. “The Rimowa Essential Cabin is as user-friendly as it is stylish. Rimowa makes them so they are completely waterproof, without fabric zippers that water can penetrate, which ensures that my belongings stay safely dry inside,” he says.
“Another feature I’m a fan of is that these suitcases close more like trunks with compression dividers, two built-in TSA-approved locks and a completely sealed opening.” It comes with a five year guarantee.
- Weight: 2.8kg
- Capacity: 96 litres
- Material: woven polypropylene
- Available in other sizes? Yes - five sizes from small (36.5l) to XL (122l)
Lifestyle reviews editor Simon Lewis has been using a pair of Samsonite Spinners for well over ten years. "It was an expensive purchase," he says, "but they've proved far more resilient than any other luggage we've owned."
The light weight is acheived using Samsonite's shockproof material, CURV, made of woven synthetic fibres that flex along the shell-form ridges and bounce back, making the case very resilient to scuffs and dents despite the relative thinness of the material. Its divider pads, cross ribbons, inside pocket and three-dial combi lock are all fairly standard, but Simon rates Samsonite highly for their overall sturdiness.
"The wheels are very solid but manoevrable, so it glides around the airport with minimum effort and the sliding handle is properly chunky. It's a very dependable piece of kit that, over the years, has proved a cost-effective purchase. I can see our Spinners going strong another ten years from now."