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What to consider when buying a carry-on

Look for luggage that is waterproof, durable and lightweight, recommends Cailin O’Neil, a travel blogger who says she has visited over 50 countries. Both the travel experts we talked to advised searching for a lightweight carry-on — in Espinosa’s experience, a carry-on that’s 3 to 4 pounds when empty is ideal. You can always check a suitcase’s weight when shopping online — usually you’ll find it underneath its dimensions. The less a carry-on weighs, O’Neil noted, the more you can take with you on a trip without being weighed down.

Materials aside, check out the zippers and wheels on a carry-on. A zipper should have larger teeth made from metal — avoid nylon or plastic — to lessen the chance of your suitcase busting open in transit, according to Espinosa. When it comes to wheels, you might be better off with a suitcase equipping four spinner wheels that can move in all directions to maneuver around the airport, O’Neil said.

The best carry-on luggage of 2021

Given the guidance from travel experts, we compiled a few of the best hardside and softside carry-on luggage to consider for your next trip. While some of the suitcases out there don’t meet the maximum dimensions allowed by most airlines, we made sure to only include ones that do.

The best hardside carry-on suitcases of 2021

Away The Carry-On

Away has two versions of its carry-on suitcase: Standard and Battery, which includes a removable lithium-ion battery that’s TSA-approved. Since the experts above recommended a lighter suitcase, let’s focus on the Standard, which weighs 7.1 pounds and whose dimensions fit within most airlines’ allowances: 21.7 inches by 13.7 inches by 9 inches. The suitcase features a polycarbonate hard shell and 360-degree spinner wheels Equipping a TSA-approved combination lock, the carry-on includes a hidden laundry bag to help separate dirty clothes. A popular pick, this carry-on earned a 4.9-star rating across more than 1,700 reviews. Away also carries a larger carry-on and softside carry-on suitcase that’s water-resistant.

Samsonite Voltage DLX Carry-On Spinner

While O’Neil isn’t partial to a brand, she usually buys from big brands like Samsonite, well-known in the world of suitcases. The retailer offers up a relevant category called “fits 22” x 14”x 9”” for airline-approved carry-ons. This suitcase, at 6.06 pounds, weighs less than Away’s. The polypropylene exterior is designed to be lightweight, featuring a USB port that’s integrated into a TSA-approved lock (battery not included). Notably, this carry-on has quiet-rolling spinner wheels and is expandable up to an inch if you need more space. On the inside, it includes a large mesh pocket, packing compartments and elastic cross straps.

CALPAK Trnk Carry-On Luggage

This suitcase might be a little more stylish than the hardside luggage you’re used to seeing — it’s inspired by vintage trunks. The 7.1-pound carry-on is made with polycarbonate and ABS (another kind of plastic). It’s slightly smaller than what many airlines allow: 20 inches by 14 inches by 9 inches (the Trnk is expandable up to 2 inches). Each corner of the suitcase is adorned with aluminum protectors and the carry-on features an adjustable height trolley, 360-degree spinner wheels and a TSA-accepted lock. An interior divider with pockets lives on one side of the suitcase with a removable interior accessory pocket in the other, along with compression straps to keep your belongings in place.

ROAM The Jaunt Custom Carry-On

You can completely customize this carry-on from ROAM — choosing the colors for the trim, front and back shells, as well as a monogram for free. The 6.6-pound carry-on meets the maximum size restrictions mentioned above. It features a polycarbonate shell, ergonomic and adjustable handle, TSA-approved lock, water-repellent zipper and rolling wheels. There’s an interior compression system that the brand says makes packing more efficient. The carry-on has an average 4.5-star rating over more than 100 reviews.

The best softside carry-on suitcases of 2021

Amazon Basics Softside Carry-On Spinner Luggage Suitcase

The Amazon Basics line offers lots of choices for affordable luggage — the caveat is that many are slightly larger than the guidelines laid out from airlines. With this carry-on, you can choose between four sizes — the second size is 14.7 inches by 9 inches by 21 inches, just under the maximum 45 linear inches, and which weighs 5.51 pounds. The inside is fully lined and includes three zippered pockets. It features a front pocket and a telescoping handle that you can secure to your preferred height. The carry-on also includes spinner wheels that can turn 360 degrees. It’s earned an average 4.5-star rating over more than 4,300 reviews.

Travelpro Walkabout 5 20-Inch Compact Softside Carry-on Spinner

This 5.2-pound carry-on has the exact dimensions that meet the restrictions to fit in the overhead bin. The suitcase is made from a water- and stain-resistant polyester fabric. The interior lining is meant to protect from moisture and its wheels can spin 360 degrees. Unlike other suitcases above, this carry-on includes handles on the side, bottom and top — the top handle can lock into two positions and features rubberized touch points meant to ease grabbing it on the go. You can expand this suitcase up to two inches if you need more room and you’ll find a full-size lid pocket inside, as well as a side accessory pocket and adjustable straps to keep your belongings in place.

Samsonite Eco-Nu 22 x 14 x 9 Expandable Spinner

A part of Samsonite’s collection of sustainable luggage made from recycled plastic bottles, this carry-on weighs 6.33 pounds. The suitcase has storage on top for liquids, so you can find them easily when going through a TSA checkpoint. It features an ergonomic handle on top and a pull handle on the side of the suitcase — plus, you can lift it via a bottom handle, too. Instead of a standard zipper, the suitcase has zipper pulls, which are meant to slide in and out easier. And once you’re ready to go to the airport, there are straps inside the suitcase that meet with a buckle in the center to help press belongings in place.

Victorinox Werks 6.0 2-Wheel Softside Frequent Flyer Carry-On

Victorinox, maker of Swiss army knives, also has its own line of luggage. This softside carry-on weighs 7.6 pounds and its dimensions fall just under airline limits, 9.1 inches by 13.8 inches by 21.7 inches. The carry-on is made from nylon and features two wheels, two features that can make a carry-on feel more lightweight, Espinosa told us. On the inside, you’ll find pockets on the lid and sides if you find yourself needing extra storage space.

Carry-on sizes: American, Delta, Southwest and more

Neither the TSA nor the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have a set of specific size or dimensions for carry-ons you have to follow when flying. Instead, the TSA defers to airlines to see what will fit either above your seat or underneath the seat ahead of you.

An overstuffed, cluttered carry-on could mean a bag check since the officer conducting an X-ray screening wouldn’t be able to clearly check the contents inside, a TSA spokesperson told us. Wondering whether your carry-on can actually be stowed away above your seat? Any carry-on that can fit through the security checkpoint X-ray tunnel should fit the overhead bin on a plane.

According to the FAA, most airlines have a maximum carry-on size of 45 linear inches (that’s the total if you add up the sum of dimensions: height, width and depth). Looking at the carry-on size standards across five of the biggest airlines, almost all of them allow for a carry-on as large as 22 inches by 14 inches by 9 inches (which equals the 45 linear inches the FAA mentioned). Below are the carry-on regulations for a few of the biggest airlines in the U.S.

• American Airlines allows passengers one carry-on, limited at 22 inches (length) by 14 inches (width) by 9 inches (height), including handles and wheels. If that carry-on is too big for the overhead bin, it might have to be checked in. Recently, the airline changed its carry-on policy for the Basic Economy class: Passengers can bring along one free carry-on.
• You can fly with one free carry-on through Delta Air Lines. A carry-on can’t be bigger than 22 inches by 14 inches by 9 inches including handles and wheels and should fit in an overhead bin as well. If your carry-on is too large or a full flight doesn’t have enough overhead space, a flight attendant might make you check your bags at the gate.
• All fares (except for Blue Basic fares) on JetBlue Airways are allowed a carry-on with the same size restrictions as above: 22 inches by 14 inches by 9 inches. If you book a Blue Basic fare, the airline’s lowest priced tier, you can’t bring a carry-on with you on the flight unless you pay an additional fee.
• Like the other airlines, Southwest Airlines lets each passenger bring one carry-on. Unlike the others, Southwest has different dimension restrictions: 10 inches (height) by 16 inches (width) by 24 inches (length. If you’re traveling with a pet, the carrier can be counted as either a personal item or a carry-on.
• For most United Airlines flights, you can bring on carry-on that’s limited to a maximum of 9 inches by 14 inches by 22 inches. If you’re flying with a Basic Economy ticket, you’re only allowed one personal item and no free carry-on (a full-sized carry-on, you’ll have to pay both a checked bag and handling fee).

What to consider when packing a carry-on — and other basic travel tips

Properly packing up a carry-on could mean the difference between a smooth or bumpy experience, including having to check your suitcase in (airlines have different fees associated with this, adding cost to inconvenience) and a long wait time in a TSA screening line.

For carry-ons, the TSA allows you to bring a quart-sized bag of liquids, aerosols, gels and creams through a checkpoint. But you’ll want to make sure these items are travel-sized: less than 3.4 ounces per item. To make things easier on you, you should separate this bag from everything else in your carry-on. If you’re in doubt of what you’re packing, the TSA has a long list of prohibited items — bowling pins, box cutters, bows and arrows aren’t allowed to travel in carry-ons, among other things. According to O’Neil, before heading to the airport, you should make sure to:

• Keep your essentials nearby, including medications, laptop, phone and wallet. If you have two carry-ons, you’ll want to save these essentials for the smaller suitcase, in case you’re forced to check in the bigger one.
• Bring bulkier items with you instead of packing them up. Think a sweater, jacket or pair of boots. Those might take too much space in a suitcase.
• Consider volunteering to check in your carry-on. Sometimes, gate agents will ask if anyone wants to volunteer to check in their carry-on in order to save space in overhead bins. This will usually be free — but it increases the risk of a lost bag, too.

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