Best suitcases and smart luggage for travel in 2023
Bags you can check in, carry on or place under a plane seat
When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission
1. Clifton Expandable Cabin
Antler’s compact case fits in overhead compartments and is the acceptable size as carry-on luggage for most airlines (56 x 35 x 23cm). It has a hard polycarbonate shell, TSA lock, 360° wheels and handy compartments.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
2. The Bigger Carry-On
Cabin-approved by most airlines (58 x 37 x 24cm), this 47.9l bag has a durable (but scuffable) polycarbonate shell and is packed with features including a water-resistant laundry bag and a compression system.
3. Bellagio
Bric’s Bellagio range is made from durable scuff-resistant polycarbonate with leather trims, water-resistant zips and smooth swivel wheels.
4. Holiday 6
Tripp is one of the best budget luggage brands. Its Holiday 6 bag comes in three sizes – cabin, medium and large – and a range of colours. Lightweight but tough, it has a hard polypropylene shell and four wheels for 360° movement. There are no inner pockets, just the spacious main compartment.
5. Herschel Novel Duffle
An ideal weekend bag, this 42.5l duffle is available in a variety of colours and has a shoe compartment, reinforced handles and a removable shoulder strap.
6. Anode 30l Underseat Case
Easyjet and Ryanair charge for cabin bags, but those that fit under the seat in front, such as this hard wheelie case, are still free. It weighs only 2.2kg, but is just about big enough for a short break, and has packing straps and a zipped divider.
7. Airwheel SE3 Mini Smart Riding Suitcase
You can ride at up to 8km/hr on this motor-powered suitcase. It fits as hand luggage and has a removable power bank. Airwheel also makes the SR5, a robotic suitcase that can follow you.
8. The Carry-on Pro
With an expandable zipless design, this hard-shell case has an integrated battery to charge your devices and a silent set of 360° spinner wheels.
9. XD Design Bobby Anti-Theft Backpack
The XD Design Bobby Anti-Theft Backpack fits under a plane seat, and has a USB port with a power bank inside. It is cut-resistant and has hidden zips and pockets.
10. Kono Cabin Case
Weighing just 2.5kg, the Kono has an impressive 38-litre capacity, and a built-in USB charging port, telescopic handle, TSA locks and four 360° wheels.
11. Horizn H5
This vegan cabin bag has two USB charging ports and an integrated removable power bank. It comes in 13 colours, and has a compression pad to maximise capacity.
12. The Away Carry-On
This lightweight case has a durable polycarbonate shell, an interior compression system and a water-resistant laundry bag. It fits in most overhead lockers, has 360° wheels and a built-in USB.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Kartoffelsalat (potato salad) recipe
The Week Recommends German dish is fresh, creamy and an ideal summer meal
-
6 peaceful homes near small towns
Feature Featuring doors with local topographical maps in Oregon and a 1850s homestead-turned-house in Vermont
-
Too Much: London-set romantic comedy from Lena Dunham
The Week Recommends Megan Stalter stars as a 'neurotic' New Yorker who falls in love with a Brit
-
Apocalypse in the Tropics: a 'troubling' portrait of modern Brazil
The Week Recommends Petra Costa's sobering documentary examines the rise of right-wing evangelical Christianity in Brazilian politics
-
Murderland: a 'hauntingly compulsive' book
The Week Recommends Caroline Fraser sets out a 'compelling theory' that toxins were to blame for the 1970s serial killer epidemic
-
The 2025 James Beard Award winners
Feature Featuring a casually elegant restaurant, recipes nearly lost to war, and more
-
Film reviews: Superman and Sorry, Baby
Feature A hero returns, in surprising earnest, and a woman navigates life after a tragedy
-
Music reviews: Lorde, Barbra Streisand, and Karol G
Feature "Virgin," "The Secret of Life: Partners, Volume Two," and "Tropicoqueta"