Buying guide
The best carry-on luggage in 2026
Updated Aug 29, 2026 ยท prices dated per offer
Three numbers decide whether a carry-on works for you: the exterior size including wheels, because that is what the airline sizer measures, the empty weight, because every pound of suitcase comes out of your packing allowance, and the price. After that it is shell type, softside polyester is lighter but dents and stains, polycarbonate and polypropylene shells protect the contents and usually add a built-in TSA lock, and warranty terms, which range from five years of covered repairs to lifetime coverage on the moving parts.
We compared four cases: the lightest mainstream softside, a discount-friendly hardside, and the two $275 boutique polycarbonates from Away and Monos that dominate the premium bracket. Capacity and weight figures come from each manufacturer and are attributed as such. Every price in this guide was checked at the retailer on the date shown.
Carry-on luggage: all 4 products we track, with dated prices →
| Spec | Travelpro Maxlite 5 21 Inch Expandable Carry-On Spinner | Samsonite Freeform Carry-On Spinner | Away The Carry-On | Monos Carry-On |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best price | $160 at Travelpro | $129.99 at Samsonite | $275 at Away | $275 at Monos |
| Checked | ✓ AUG 30 | ✓ AUG 30 | ✓ AUG 30 | ✓ AUG 30 |
| Weight | 5.4 lbs | 6.5 lbs | 7.5 lbs | 7.01 lbs |
| Shell | Polyester softside with DuraGuard water and stain resistant coating | Polypropylene hardside | 100 percent polycarbonate | Aerospace-grade water-resistant polycarbonate, partially recycled per Monos |
| Capacity | 46 L per Travelpro | - | 41 L per Away | 39.9 L per Monos |
| Warranty | Travelpro Built For A Lifetime limited warranty on wheels, zippers, handles and extension | - | Away LifetimeCare, complimentary repairs for the first five years, round-trip shipping covered after that | Lifetime warranty included with every purchase |
| Expansion | Up to 2 in of zippered expansion | Zippered expansion adds about an extra inch, per Samsonite | - | - |
| Wheels | Four 360-degree spinner wheels | Double spinner wheels | - | - |
| Lock | - | Recessed TSA 3-dial combination lock | TSA-approved combination lock | - |
| Exterior Dimensions | - | - | 21.7 in x 14.4 in x 9 in | 22 in x 14 in x 9 in |
| Case Dimensions | 21 in x 14 in x 9 in (23 in x 14.5 in x 9 in overall with wheels and handle) | - | - | - |
| Overall Dimensions | - | 23 in x 15 in x 10 in | - | - |
| Interior | - | Cross ribbon, divider and multiple pockets | - | - |
| Interior Dimensions | - | - | - | 20 in x 13.5 in x 9 in |
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Best lightweight
1. Travelpro Maxlite 5 21 Inch Expandable Carry-On Spinner
At 5.4 lbs the Maxlite 5 is one of the lighter 21 inch spinners sold, more than 2 lbs under the Away and about 1.6 lbs under the Monos in this roundup. Travelpro rates it at 46 liters, the largest stated capacity here, and a zipper adds up to 2 inches of expansion for the trip home. The limited lifetime warranty covers the parts that actually break, wheels, zippers, handles and the telescoping mechanism.
It was $160 direct from Travelpro when we checked on 2026-08-28. The trade-offs are the softside ones: the polyester body dents and stains more easily than a shell, there is no built-in TSA lock, and with wheels the case measures 23 inches overall, so strict international airlines may gate-check it.
Skip it if: you carry anything fragile or want a built-in lock, since a hardside gives you both for similar or less money.
Best budget hardside
2. Samsonite Freeform Carry-On Spinner
The Freeform is the cheapest way in this group to get a shell and a lock: a polypropylene hardside at 6.5 lbs with a recessed TSA 3-dial combination lock as standard, plus an expansion zipper that Samsonite says adds about an extra inch. Samsonite discounts specific colorways on its own store, so the same case can be listed tens of dollars apart by color on the same day.
We found it at $149.99 on samsonite.com on 2026-08-28, with other colors ranging from $139.99 up to $219.99 that day, so check the sale shades first. Know the size before you buy: at 23 x 15 x 10 inches overall it is the largest case here, and strict airlines may flag it. The clamshell opening also needs the case's full footprint, which is awkward in small hotel rooms.
Skip it if: you fly airlines with tight carry-on limits, since its 23 x 15 x 10 inch overall size is the most likely in this group to get gate-checked.
Best for organized packing
3. Away The Carry-On
Away's case is built around its interior compression system, which holds clothes flat and frees up packing space in the 41 liters Away rates it at. The shell is 100 percent polycarbonate with a TSA-approved combination lock, and the 21.7 x 14.4 x 9 inch exterior is sized for most major airlines' bins. Away's LifetimeCare program covers complimentary repairs for the first five years and round-trip repair shipping after that.
It was $275 direct from Away when we checked on 2026-08-28, roughly twice the Samsonite Freeform. It is also the heaviest case here at 7.5 lbs, and there is no expansion zipper, so the 41 liters you buy is all you get.
Skip it if: you fly weight-restricted airlines or habitually overpack, since 7.5 lbs empty and zero expansion work against you.
Best premium
4. Monos Carry-On
The Monos Carry-On meets Away head-on at the same $275 and wins on two points: a trimmer 22 x 14 x 9 inch exterior that sits within most US airlines' published carry-on limits, and a lifetime warranty included with every purchase rather than five years of covered repairs. The shell is a water-resistant polycarbonate that Monos describes as aerospace-grade and partially recycled, and at 7.01 lbs it is about half a pound lighter than the Away.
It was $275 direct from Monos when we checked on 2026-08-28. What you give up versus Away is capacity, 39.9 liters per Monos against Away's 41, and like the Away it has no expansion, so the volume is fixed. Budget buyers get most of the same function from the Samsonite Freeform for around half the price.
Skip it if: you pack to the last liter, since 39.9 liters with no expansion is the smallest stated capacity in this roundup.
Common questions
Softside or hardside?
Softside cases like the Travelpro Maxlite 5 are lighter and often expand, but they dent and stain more easily and rarely include a lock. Hardsides protect the contents, usually add a built-in TSA lock, and shrug off stains, at the cost of roughly 1 to 2 lbs of extra empty weight and no give when you overpack.
Will these actually fit in the overhead bin?
Measure the overall exterior including wheels against your airline's published limit, because that is what the sizer checks. The Monos at 22 x 14 x 9 inches and the Away at 21.7 x 14.4 x 9 inches sit within most major airlines' limits. The Travelpro measures 23 inches overall with wheels, and the Samsonite Freeform at 23 x 15 x 10 inches is the most likely to be flagged by strict carriers.
Are the $275 cases worth it over the Samsonite?
You are paying for the compression interior and five-year repair program on the Away, or the trimmer footprint and lifetime warranty on the Monos, plus polycarbonate shells. The $149.99 Freeform already covers the basics of a hardside with a TSA lock. If you fly a few times a year, the Samsonite does the job; the boutique cases make more sense for frequent flyers who plan to keep one case for many years.