The luggage you take on holiday can make a real difference to the level of enjoyment and ease (or stress) you'll experience, particularly when travelling to and from your destination.
Stiff handles, hard-to-manoeuvre cases or too-small checked baggage can mean the difference between carefree travel and a frustrating trip, so it's important to choose wisely and pick a case that's up to the job.
If your suitcase is on its last legs, you're probably dreading having to spend money on a replacement rather than on margaritas by the beach.
And with prices ranging from as low as $39 up to many hundreds of dollars, how do you know if you can get away with buying one at the cheaper end of the spectrum?
You could buy the $39 Kmart carry-on plus return Sydney-Melbourne flights, and still spend less than the most expensive suitcases in our test
Matthew Tung, CHOICE luggage tester
"You could buy the $39 Kmart carry-on plus return flights from Sydney to Melbourne, and still spend less than the most expensive suitcases in our test," says CHOICE luggage tester Matthew Tung.
Our experts reviewed more than 30 carry-on and check-in suitcases from brands such as Antler, Samsonite, American Tourister and Kmart, assessing them on everything from how easy they are to roll and move, how easily they're damaged, and how they fare in the rain.
Which means they're perfectly positioned to answer the essential traveller question: does paying more really get you a better suitcase?
If you want to find out which are the best carry-on suitcases on a budget, join CHOICE to get instant access to all of our expert, independent reviews.
If you're already a member and you just want to see the best products, you can jump straight to the results now.
Want a big-name brand? Check the sales
Before we get into the differences between cheap and expensive suitcases, our testers have a tip that's important to know upfront.
While some suitcases may have a recommended retail price that's higher than your actual flight, the RRP is not a good indicator of how much you should expect to spend on luggage.
Expensive suitcases are almost always on sale, so there's rarely any reason to pay full price
"Expensive suitcases are almost always on sale, so there's rarely any reason to pay full price," says CHOICE expert Kim Gilmour.
"While hard-shell suitcases from the big brands still aren't cheap even with a hefty discount, if you shop around you should be able to find a price that's well below the RRP."
Keep an eye out for good deals coming up in the Black Friday sales, or Boxing Day end of financial year sales.
What are the differences between cheap and expensive suitcases?
Weight
When you're trying to squeeze in under the weight limit for your budget Jetstar flight, every gram counts. This is especially important if you're travelling just with carry-on – you don't want most of your allowance taken up before you've even started packing.
You also want your bags to be as light and manageable as possible if you'll be lugging them on and off trains and buses, or dragging them across multiple airports and transfers.
You'd imagine that expensive suitcases might have the edge over cheaper ones in terms of weight due to the more expensive materials used, or special designs that can reduce weight.
Indeed, the two lightest carry-on suitcases we tested were from Samsonite:
- The Samsonite C-Lite 55cm hard case weighs 1.93kg and has an RRP of $749
- The Samsonite 73 hours H Spinner 55cm soft case weighs 1.91kg and has an RRP of $399
But the $39 Kmart carry on case weighs only 2.2kg and is a similar size as these two Samsonite suitcases, so the extra money doesn't necessarily buy you a significantly lighter case.
Style and features
There's no denying you'll likely get a more sophisticated design and more options for colours, styles and sizes with more expensive luggage. And a brightly-coloured or distinctive case is easier to spot in a sea of luggage at the baggage terminal.
More expensive suitcases usually come with features such as luxe linings, extra pockets, good-quality zippers, locking mechanisms and handy compartments that you might not find in cheaper products.
Two pricey Samsonite cases even come with in-built USB-A ports for on-the-go charging
Pricier suitcases also often come with a TSA lock that allows you to lock your luggage while permitting security authorities to inspect it without damage. The carry-on suitcases we tested that cost under $100 from Kmart and Big W did not include this feature.
Two pricey Samsonite cases we tested even came with in-built USB-A ports you could connect your devices to for on-the-go charging, and some have linings made from recycled materials.
But it depends what's more important to you: a swish suitcase, or more money to spend on your holiday?
CHOICE experts use specialised equipment to run durability tests on carry-on and check-in luggage. Suitcases get dropped, rained on, dragged around and generally knocked about under test conditions so we can find the best quality brands.
Durability
Suitcases can take quite a beating when they're being tossed around by luggage handlers between flights or dragged on and off trains, so it's a good idea to choose a case that's durable.
To test how each suitcase stacks up in this regard, our experts use a range of specialised equipment and tests to drop them, drag them and generally knock them about to see how they perform.
In our 'lift and drop' test we load suitcases with clothes, then drop them wheels-first from a height of 90cm onto a concrete floor 300 times.
The vast majority of suitcases we tested, including the $39 Kmart carry-on case, scored a perfect 100% in this test, which means they came out unscathed. But a few received a borderline score due to sustaining major cracks or even broken wheels.
We load suitcases with clothes, then drop them wheels-first from a height of 90cm onto a concrete floor 300 times
The advantage of investing in a more expensive suitcase is that it'll usually come with a warranty of up to 10 years, which means you can get a repair or replacement if the suitcase is faulty. Note though that this doesn't cover normal wear and tear or damage inflicted by an airline, for example, so check the terms and conditions.
And premium luggage may last you longer than cheaper brands, as the manufacturers are likely to invest more in technology and design and use higher quality materials.
The cheapest and best carry-on suitcases under $200
We independently test and review dozens of new products each year in our onsite labs, and our experts know exactly what to look for to help you find the best product.
Our detailed luggage testing data is available exclusively for CHOICE members.
If you're not yet a member, join CHOICE to get instant access to all of our expert, independent reviews, from fridges and freezers, toasters and TVs, kettles and cots, and more.
Or log in to unlock this article and find out which suitcases impressed our experts the most.
Unlock this article and more
- Information you can trust
- See the best brands
- Avoid the worst performers
Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.
