Finding the best luggage for your trip isn’t exciting, but it pays to to get right – lest you end up sweeping the floor with your suitcase or wrestling with the zip on your carry-on.
Whether you’re heading on a city break, a sun-drenched beach holiday or an action-packed venture, your luggage needs to be roomy enough for everything you need (and then some, should you return with more than what you left with), and be comfortable to carry or easy to manoeuvre.
When shopping around, one of the most crucial boxes to tick is that the luggage you choose is within your airline's luggage restrictions. You don’t want to be forking out for a bag that exceeds the luggage weight and size limit but, fortunately, to make things easier, a lot of luggage brands let you shop by airline. We’ve also rounded up our favourite cabin bags for flying with Jet2, Easyjet, Ryanair, Wizz Air and more.
“My trusty North Face bag has been with me all over the world, from Tuscany and Tokyo to Patagonia and Pembrokeshire,” says The Independent’s Global Travel Editor, Annabel Grossman. “It’s the only brand that I use for checked luggage and larger bags – they’re sturdy, durable, and easy to transport.” For an overnight or weekender, “Fjallraven is my go-to, and I also love the brand’s backpacks for overnight hikes and longer treks.”
Elsewhere, budget-friendly options include Tripp, Aerolite and M&S; top-end brands span Samsonite, Carl Friedrik, and Antler, while Trunki is perfect for kids.
Read more: Best carry-on luggage for 2026, tested by a travel expert
The best luggage brands for 2026 are:
- Tripp – cheap and cheerful basics, Tripp.co.uk
- Antler – a veteran of premium, well-considered design, Antler.co.uk
- Samsonite – luggage solutions for the whole family, Samsonite.co.uk
- Kipling – fun and functional, Kipling.com
- Thule – utilitarian designs that mean business, Thule.com
Amazon
It’s hardly a surprise that Amazon is home to an overwhelming range of luggage brands, from Ted Baker to Bellroy. Beyond big brands, though, look to the Amazon Basics range. The price of its suitcases sits comfortably below the £100 mark, and while the retail giant’s range is pretty limited, it could be a good port of call for shopping essentials on a budget, from packing cubes and luggage sets to this wheeled cabin bag, which should fit beneath most airline chairs and in overhead compartments.
Amazon Basics hardside expandable suitcase
Buy now £67.81, Amazon.co.uk
Amazon Essentials 4-piece packing cubes
Buy now £13.49, Amazon.co.uk
Amazon Basics hardside expandable carry-on
Buy now £52.49, Amazon.co.uk
Antler
Premium luggage label Antler specialises in swanky, sophisticated and – let’s be honest – expensive luggage solutions. From matching sets to expandable cabin bags, everything has a lifetime warranty.
The colourways are lovely if you don’t love bright colours, and, having taken its suitcases for a spin ourselves, we can tell you that you’re in for a smooth ride. Right now, we’ve got our eye on the Icon suitcase for our summer travels.
Antler trunk suitcase
Buy now £425, Antler.co.uk
Antler medium suitcase
Buy now £220, Antler.co.uk
Antler lightest cabin suitcase
Buy now £180, Antler.co.uk
Antler discovery 45l backpack
Buy now £160, Antler.co.uk
It Luggage
You’ll be able to find affordable luggage sets, bags and hard and soft shell cases at It Luggage, but it’s the variety of kids’ luggage that caught our attention. How cute is this scratch-resistant Daxie the sausage dog design? As for the adults, the over-packers will make good use of the brand’s expandable options, and those in the market for a glam, flashy find won’t be disappointed. From its leopard print and high-shine to metallic finishes, you’re in for a treat.
It Luggage dinoroar kids underseat
Buy now £25, Itluggage.com
It luggage compartment
Buy now £55, Itluggage.com
It Luggage duo-tone small holdall
Buy now £20, Itluggage.com
It Luggage forcefield
Buy now £248, Itluggage.com
Samsonite
Samsonite is one of the oldest and most recognised names in the game, but beware the price range, which spans from £125 to £1,000. From lightweight to personalised and recycled features, there’s something for everyone. You can expect everything from business-appropriate designs to ride-on suitcases for little globetrotters.
Samsonite image spinner expandable
Buy now £279, Samsonite.co.uk
Samsonite respark 3-way travel bag
Buy now £79.2, Samsonite.co.uk
Samsonite ecodiver duffle with wheels
Buy now £224.99, Samsonite.co.uk
Samsonite C-lite spinner
Buy now £425, Samsonite.co.uk
Tripp
Affordable brand Tripp should be on your radar, with many of its suitcases costing less than £100. There are lots of colourful designs, from metallic champagne to banana yellow suitcases.
Whether it’s a holdall, duffle bag, hardshell suitcase or carry-on, everything comes with a five-year guarantee, so if it’s faulty, it’ll be replaced. Attention, over-packers; take note of expandable options, such as this bestselling hardshell, four-wheel suitcase, which is just £42.
Tripp affinity grey marl large expandable suitcase
Buy now £59.5, Tripp.co.uk
Tripp holiday 8 moss cabin suitcase
Buy now £42, Tripp.co.uk
Tripp affinity grey marl flight bag
Buy now £18, Tripp.co.uk
Tripp retro pewter large suitcase
Buy now £59.5, Tripp.co.uk
Aer
Aer offers a minimalist, utilitarian style, and our reviewer Alessia Armenise especially liked its wheeled carry-on bag, which is nearly silent whilst on the move and boasts the brand’s signature modern look. Mid-range in price, the brand’s range also includes duffel bags, packing cubes, and more.
Aer packing cube
Buy now £35, Aersf.co.uk
Aer packing cube small
Buy now £29, Aersf.co.uk
Aer go duffel 2
Buy now £89, Aersf.co.uk
Aer carry-on
Buy now £299, Aersf.co.uk
Cabin Max
Cabin Max is a great port of call if you're looking for affordable luggage, with the brand’s anode suitcase being the best budget carry-on in our review of the best cabin bags. It also does a range of underseat bags, backpacks, wheeled bags and shoulder bags for something more compact. You can shop by size or by airline, so you’ll have peace of mind you won’t have to pay any extra fees.
Cabin Max iseo rolltop backpack
Buy now £27.95, Cabinmax.com
Cabin Max lyon 44L hybrid
Buy now £45, Cabinmax.com
Cabin Max equator X 24l underseat cabin bag
Buy now £40, Cabinmax.com
Cabin Max anode suitcase
Buy now £55, Dorothyperkins.com
Thule
Sweden-born brand Thule was founded in 1942 and means business. Sleek, minimalistic and utilitarian, the range is tested to the extreme to ensure it’s tough as nails. You’ll find checked luggage options, as well as duffle bags, travel organisers and backpacks.
Thule packing cube
Buy now £23, Thule.com
Thule compression cube set
Buy now £39.99, Thule.com
Thule subterra 2
Buy now £349.99, Thule.com
Thule subterra 2
Buy now £169.99, Thule.com
M&S Collection
You can count on M&S to stay within budget. Think suitcases, vanity cases and weekend bags to boot (but the line isn’t huge). Expect TSA locks, packing straps and a decent pastel and earthy colour range. The Oslo is a tried and tested favourite for packing light. All M&S cases have a five or 10-year guarantee.
M&S banff adventure two wheel soft cabin suitcase
Buy now £59, Marksandspencer.com
M&S Vienna four wheel hard shell cabin suitcase
Buy now £30, Marksandspencer.com
M&S Amalfi four wheel hard shell large suitcase
Buy now £79, Marksandspencer.com
M&S set of three Seville 4 wheel soft suitcases
Buy now £200, Marksandspencer.com
Eastpak
Eastpak may be famous for its ubiquitous backpacks, but it also stocks luggage with a 30-year warranty, so rest assured that you’re getting your money’s worth. It has everything from rainbow-accented backpacks to denim-feel cabin bags, and water-resistant, vegan check-in luggage. Prices start around £100 for suitcases, but if you’re splurging, this business travel suitcase comes with built-in sleeves for your tech.
Eastpak transit'r S
Buy now £155, Eastpak.com
Eastpak tranverz L
Buy now £110, Eastpak.com
Eastpak travel pack
Buy now £95, astpak.com
Eastpak resist'r case s dime
Buy now £365, Eastpak.com
Briggs & Riley
If you’re in the market for something a little more premium, Briggs & Riley is a smart brand to consider. Appealing to frequent travellers who take their packing seriously, the designs feature compression-expansion technology, so you can fit in extra clothes. The brand offers rolling duffle bags and extra large trunks, and while it’s pricey, we think the garment spinner – with its compact, crease-free way to transport clothing – could be worth the splurge. For especially glam jet-setters, go for the monogram personalisation.
Briggs & Riley underseat cabin spinner
Buy now £399, Briggs-riley.co.uk
Briggs & Riley medium 2-wheel duffle
Buy now £579, Briggs-riley.co.uk
Briggs & Riley large expandable spinner
Buy now £669, Briggs-riley.co.uk
Briggs & Riley essential 56cm carry-on expandable spinner
Buy now £599, Briggs-riley.co.uk
Kipling
Beyond its monkey mascot, Kipling focuses on fun (think patterned or pastel pink) and functional luggage solutions. From its wheeled duffle bags to two and four-wheel suitcases, the brand’s price points start at around £100 and for its larger cases reach upwards of £270.
Kipling Giorno large wheeled backpack with laptop compartment
Buy now £185, Kipling.com
Kipling Seoul cabin
Buy now £112, Kipling.com
Kipling spontaneous large 4-wheeled suitcase
Buy now £273, Kipling.com
Kipling Darcey Up S
Buy now £166, ipling.com
Victorinox
This Swiss brand designs great hard-sided suitcases. Take, for instance, the Spectra 3.0 expandable large case. We were particularly impressed with its innovative features, not least the tweezers hidden in the Victorian logo. Pricey, yes, but a great investment. Our tester thought it was worth every penny. Discover travel gear for every kind of trip, including carry-on, backpacks and briefcases.
Victorinox mythic weekender
Buy now £425, Victorinox.com
Victorinox airox large hardside case
Buy now £365, Victorinox.com
Victorinox werks traveler 7.0 extra large case
Buy now £650, Victorinox.com
Victorinox spectra 3.0 frequent flyer carry-on
Buy now £450, Victorinox.com
Carl Friedrik
Look to this luxury brand for enviably chic design. The quality of its luggage was clear when we reviewed the Carl Friedrik the check in suitcase. Choose from timeless overnight and workbags, and more contemporary silhouettes and materials – think leather weekenders, utilitarian trunks and weather-proof nylon backpacks.
Carl Friedrik smart holder
Buy now £55, Carlfriedrik.com
Carl Friedrik heritage palissy weekend
Buy now £795, Carlfriedrik.com
Carl Friedrik hybrid the large check-in
Buy now £695, Carlfriedrik.com
Carl Friedrik the carry-on
Buy now £645, Carlfriedrik.com
American Tourister
Founded in 1933, American Tourister has its roots in the mid-20th-century boom in international travel tourism. Its innovative moulded bags were used by cabin crew for airlines in the Fifties, owing to their resistance to being thrown about. Nowadays, it’s known for its brightly coloured cases and super-lightweight designs, all at affordable prices. The soundbox is its iconic case (£145, Americantourister.co.uk) – the expandable luggage is available in four sizes, 15 colourways and can be personalised.
American Tourister fastforward 78cm
Buy now £155, Americantourister.co.uk
American Tourister take2cabin
Buy now £49, Americantourister.co.uk
American Tourister wanderlite S
Buy now £105, Americantourister.co.uk
American Tourister diablast 55cm
Buy now £89, Americantourister.co.uk
Trunki
A luggage solution for younger travellers, you may have seen ride-on suitcases from this kids’ travel brand scooting around. Trunki’s fun and functional range features backpacks and ride-ons a la Una the Unicorn, Peppa Pig, Percy the police car and other characters. After reviewing Dudley the dinosaur, our tester dubbed the suitcase the best for toddlers.
Trunki boostapak 2-in-1 booster seat and kids backpack
Buy now £59.99, Trunki.co.uk
Trunki toddlepak backpack
Buy now £12.99, Trunki.co.uk
Trunki Dougie the dog trunki
Buy now £39.99, Trunki.co.uk
Aerolite
Make sure this affordable brand is on your list if you're after a lightweight design. Its hard shell suitcase lived up to its name when we put it to the test in our review of the best check-in suitcase. Its cabin bags start from around £30, while its adults’ suitcases begin at around £60, but can plummet to half this during sale periods.
Aerolite holdall
Buy now £9.91, Aeroliteluggage.co.uk
Aerolite zipperless aluminium frame trunk
Buy now £199.99, eroliteluggage.co.uk
Aerolite expandable soft shell suitcase
Buy now £39.99, Aeroliteluggage.co.uk
Aerolite large 28in 100l lightweight ABS hard shell suitcase
Buy now £44.99, Aeroliteluggage.co.uk
Katie Loxton
You can tell that Katie Loxton designs jewellery as well as luggage. Best demonstrated by the Katie Loxton Oxford cabin case, its travel essentials look a hint less utilitarian than others in this list, with pastel tones and golden detailing. There’s even an option for embroidered personalisation. Complete your travel set-up in style with any of the jewellery and makeup storage selection, passport holders and more.
Katie Loxton Milan cabin travel backpack
Buy now £74.99, Katieloxton.com
Katie Loxton Soho suedette weekend bag
Buy now £94.99, Katieloxton.com
Katie Loxton Milan cabin bag
Buy now £69.99, Katieloxton.com
Katie Loxton Oxford cabin suitcase
Buy now £159.99, Katieloxton.com
Away
A favourite among well-heeled travellers, Away was founded in 2015 to create stylish yet affordable luggage. From carry-on cases to check-in designs, the brand’s signature hard-shell polycarbonate designs are lightweight and durable. Known for its fashionable colourways (think blush pink or sage green) and its sleek weekender bags, Away also sells compression packing cubes and transparent cosmetic cases.
Away the bigger carry-on aluminum edition
Buy now £515, Awaytravel.com
Away the train case
Buy now £150, Awaytravel.com
Away softside garment roller
Buy now £395, Awaytravel.com
Away the bigger carry-on
Buy now £235, Awaytravel.com
Rimowa
Luxury luggage brand Rimowa boasts a roster of A-lister fans, including Lewis Hamilton, Rihanna and Dua Lipa. Its recognisable aluminium designs don’t come cheap (think £1,130 for a cabin bag), but the quality is undeniable. Made from robust and impact-resistant materials, the grooved shell cases feature ergonomic handles and hand-made leather inserts, TSA-approved locks and a multi-wheel system.
Rimowa compact
Buy now £850, Rimowa.com
Rimowa trunk plus
Buy now £1080, Rimowa.com
Rimowa cabin
Buy now £1070, Rimowa.com
Rimowa check-in M
Buy now £785, Rimowa.com
Why trust us
Our team of seasoned travellers have years of experience carting cabin bags onto planes and trains around Europe, checking in suitcases for long-haul beach holidays and taking backpacks on adventurous treks and hikes. We know exactly what makes sturdy, durable and stylish luggage after testing dozens of brands over the years. From carry-on bags from the likes of Away, Antler and American Tourist to check-in suitcases from Tripp, Samsonite and Carl Friedrik, all the brands in this luggage guide come IndyBest-approved.
For tried and tested luggage recommendations, read our review of the best cabin bags
