We put these hard-shell carry-on bags to the test — here’s our favorites | CNN Underscored (2024)

After traveling 750,000+ miles in the last ten years, I’ve tried a lot of luggage — and ultimately, I’ve landed on using hard-shell carry-on bags almost exclusively (as opposed to soft-shell luggage). I like how these bags look and how they force me to pack within set constraints, since they don’t flex to accommodate more items.

If you’re looking for a hard-shell carry-on, you’ll likely be overwhelmed by choice. There are bags from legacy brands like Samsonite and relatively new upstarts like Away Travel and Antler at various price points. And on top of this, some have special features like laptop sleeves and built-in TSA locks. So, which bag do you buy?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, so I took it upon myself to test various hard-shell carry-on bags on dozens of recent trips. After testing five of the most popular options, I found three bags that stood out as the best.

Best Tested

Away The Bigger Carry-On

Away's Bigger Carry-On is our pick for the everyday traveler. Its iconic design looks great and its interior layout makes it easy to pack a week's worth of clothes. It's also available in a smaller variant — named The Carry-On — if you want to travel light.

Read our review

$295 $265 at Away

Samsonite Freeform Carry-On Spinner

This no-frills carry-on bag has plenty of interior organization and smooth-rolling wheels that should last dozens of trips around the world. It looks good too, with sleek lines and understated branding.

Read our review

$200 $140 at Amazon

$200 $140 at Samsonite

Editor Favorite

See Also

I’m a Messy Traveler, so These Are the 11 Genius Organizational Tools I'm Buying Before My Next Trip — From $8Best Suitcases for Suits in 2023 Compared | CleverJourneyEditor Approved Carry-Ons for International Trips17 Best Pieces of Rolling Luggage, According to Frequent Fliers

Sterling Pacific 40L Cabin Travel Case

This ultra-premium carry-on luggage isn't cheap, but you get what you pay for. The shell is crafted from high-end, stylish aluminum that proved extremely durable in my testing. Plus, the full-grain leather handles, elegant interior and retro styling make this bag feel as premium as its price.

$2,150 at Sterling Pacific

$2,150 at Amazon

Best hard-shell carry-on luggage: Away The Bigger Carry-On

It’s hard to talk about hard-shell carry-on luggage without mentioning Away. The brand was the first of dozens of fashion-forward, mid-range luggage brands when it launched in 2015. I’ve used luggage from the brand since 2018 and I still think its Bigger Carry-On is the best choice for most travelers.

Let’s start with the exterior. All of Away’s hard-shell luggage has the brand’s iconic design with rows of parallel lines — it’s unmistakable, and I think it looks pretty great. Plus, its flexible polycarbonate shell proved durable for both carry-on and when used as a checked bag. The only downside is scuffing on the lighter colors, which can be remedied with the included magic eraser.

Andrew Kunesh/CNN Underscored

Away’s The Bigger Carry-On has 47.9 liters of packable space, which I can use to pack a week’s worth of clothing. It’s split into two compartments — one is wide open and zippers shut, while the other has a compression pad and two compression straps to maximize storage. This is great for packing down shirts and pants.

Other notable features include built-in TSA-friendly zipper locks, an underside grab handle and an included laundry bag. All of these features make the bag just a little more intuitive.

The Bigger Carry-On was designed to fit in the overhead bin on US airlines, but you might have trouble using it in Europe and other regions where airlines impose smaller carry-on bag size limits. Consider buying the standard Away Carry-On if you travel abroad regularly. This bag is roughly 15% smaller than the Bigger Carry-On.

Best budget hard-shell carry-on bag: Samsonite Freeform Carry-On Spinner

Samsonite has many carry-on bags available, but I think the Freeform Spinner is the best bet for most budget-minded travelers. It costs around $150 when it’s on sale — which is almost always — and while there are cheaper carry-ons out there, I haven’t found one I’d personally recommend that’s less expensive than this. Many sub-$100 bags break quickly, so spending more upfront will likely save you money over time.

The Freeform Spinner has everything most travelers need for a week-long trip, including interior organization, durable materials and a sleek look that’s available in a slew of colors.

The exterior is made from a polycarbonate material similar to the Away carry-on previously discussed, but it didn’t feel quite as flexible. Regardless, I expect it to perform well under normal use, as I didn’t experience any cracking when I checked the bag on a recent flight. It does, however, show scratches after extended use.

Inside, the bag has two compartments, one that zips shut and another with an X-style strap that snaps together. These work fine, but the lack of a compression strap means you can’t maximize your packable space by compressing your clothing. The internal zippers also felt cheaper than on other bags I’ve tested.

Andrew Kunesh/CNN Underscored

Tend to overpack? The Freeform Spinner is expandable and can give you 1 inch of extra packing space for those times when you buy just one too many souvenirs. Just unzip the rear zipper to expand. There are also built-in TSA zipper locks and a built-in luggage tag on the back of the bag.

Even with some of the potential downsides in mind, I still think this is an excellent hard-shell carry-on bag for the price. It usually costs less than $150 on Amazon and Samsonite, though prices fluctuate based on current sales.

Best luxury hard-shell carry-on bag: Sterling Pacific 40L Cabin Case

I want to start this section by saying this bag is notfor most travelers given its $2,000+ price. At the same time, I also need to highlight that it’s the best carry-on luggage I’ve ever used. Enter, the Sterling Pacific 40L Cabin Case.

The bag has an ultra-cool vintage design that feels incredibly solid. The body is made from 5000-series aluminum — also used in some nonstructural aircraft parts — and is held together with SAE 304 steel rivets that withstood being checked on recent flights. Plus, its reinforced edges mean you don’t have to worry about fragile items getting damaged.

Instead of zipping shut, it has two spring-loaded latches with built-in TSA locks that keep the bag closed. Entering the passcode and opening the bag feels very James Bond-esque, and you don’t have to worry about zippers getting stuck.

But the luxury doesn’t stop there. Exterior handles are covered in full-grain leather and there’s an included leather care kit for the handles and a lifetime warranty. Yes, it’s a luxury purchase — but it’s one you’ll have for life.

Andrew Kunesh/CNN Underscored

Inside, there are two large compartments. One zips shut while the other has two compression straps with metal buckles to maximize space. The zippered space has roughly a quarter of the bag’s packing space while the other side is much deeper, which makes it far easier to pack clothes.

Its 40-liter capacity means it can fit a week’s worth of clothes when you pack smart. Plus, the interior is lined with a suede-like material that looks great, although I can’t find any functional upside to this.

Like most aluminum luggage, it will dent and scuff if you check it to ride in the cargo hold. Some say this adds character; others dislike it. Regardless, you’re not likely to have issues with this bag breaking on the road.

All this being said, I can’t recommend this bag to everyone with its $2,150 price tag. But with a lifetime warranty to back up its high-quality construction, I think this is the carry-on to buy if you’re into metal luggage and want a suitcase for life.

How we tested

I’ve flown hundreds of thousands of miles over the past 10 years and almost always travel with hard-shell carry-on luggage. I like how these bags look and find that their rigidity prevents me from overpacking — something I’ve struggled with in years past.

I tested this set of bags by taking each on at least one trip with me. I used the bag as a carry-on for one leg of the trip — to test its maneuverability — and checked the bag on the other leg to test its durability. I also used each organizational compartment to get a full feeling of how easy each bag is to pack.

Finally, I did a deep-dive into the specs of each bag, including exterior measurements, capacity, price and how good of a value each bag is when compared to the competition. This is all aimed at helping travelers pick the right bag for their next trip.

How these hard-shell bags compare

What to look for in hard-shell luggage

Your needs will vary based on where and how you travel, but there are a few things everyone should look out for when buying carry-on luggage. The first is size. Ensure the luggage you buy meets the carry-on size requirements for the airlines you fly the most. Most US airlines consider bags at or under 22 by 14 by 9 inches as a carry-on, but you might find different requirements abroad.

Second, consider the materials. If you want something ultra-durable and in a vintage style, aluminum bags are a good bet, even though it’s heavier than polycarbonate. At the same time, you might consider a polycarbonate bag if you want the lightest (and least expensive) bag possible.

Further, I’m prone to breaking zippers on jackets, backpacks, suitcases, you name it. Because of this, I prefer bags that close with clasps instead of zippers. These bags tend to be more expensive, but could save you money when compared to buying a new carry-on every few years.

Keep an eye out for a lifetime warranty, too. You’ll find this on bags from Away, Sterling Pacific and others. On more expensive luggage, this could save you hundreds of dollars if something goes wrong with the bag down the road.

Other hard-shell carry-on bags we tested

Antler Large Carry-On Luggage

This is the largest carry-on bag from the UK-based luggage maker Antler. I like its styling, with four parallel lines. It has usable interior pockets and the wheels roll smoothly through the airport. Just note that the exterior will get scuffed when if you check the bag, even in darker colors.

$285 at Antler

Carl Friedrik The Carry-On X

This hard-shell carry-on is built with the business traveler in mind. I like its sleek design that's reinforced with an aluminum frame, making it durable and stylish for extended business trips. I also like how it uses metal clasps to close instead of zippers. Plus, it has an exterior sleeve for laptops, tablets and documents.

$595 at Carl Friedrik

Bottom line

Hard-shell carry-on luggage is all the rage these days, with dozens of brands offering polycarbonate and aluminum suitcases. During my testing, I found that the Away Bigger Carry-On is best for the majority of travelers with its large capacity, compression system and sleek design.

Meanwhile, the Samsonite Freeform Spinner is a good budget pick. It doesn’t have the compression straps found in the Away bag, but its other abilities are similar. I think it’s an excellent choice for a bag that’s almost always on sale for less than $150.

Finally, the Sterling Pacific 40L Cabin Case is a sight to behold. Its tough aluminum shell and leather accents harken back to the “golden days” of travel and should last even the most frequent flyers for years. But with such a high price tag, it’s for a very specific audience.

Looking for a travel credit card? Find out which cardsCNN Underscored Moneychose as thebest travel credit cardscurrently available.