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Is expensive carry-on luggage worth it?

We look at whether cheap suitcases will do the job, what spending more really gets you, plus the best buys under $200.

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Last updated: 23 July 2025

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:

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?

How our experts test suitcases

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.

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Results from our carry-on suitcase test

You might be surprised to learn that despite drastically different price points, all the products we tested performed well, scoring between 72% and 87%. 

With the relatively small difference between scores in this test, it's safe to say that any of these products is a good buy. How much you spend on one of these suitcases ultimately comes down to what you're looking for and how big your budget is. 

It's safe to say that any of the products in our test is a good buy

And the cheaper products weren't necessarily at the bottom of the heap: the $39 Kmart Anko hard case scored 81%, outperforming products costing many times more, and scoring the same as a $335 Samsonite case.

Below you'll find the three most affordable suitcases from our test, one of which is recommended by our experts. The other two score 75% or more so are worth considering if you're an infrequent traveller or you're on a limited budget.

nere-stori-55cm-exp-hard-case_1

Nere Stori 55cm Exp Hard Case, $200.

Nere Stori 55cm Exp Hard Case

  • CHOICE Expert Rating: 85% (Recommended)
  • Lift and drop test: 100%
  • Puncture test: 96%
  • Weight: 3.2kg
  • RRP: $200

Although this carry-on number is about a kilo heavier than other carry-ons we tested, it's recommended by our experts due to its performance in all our tests. 

It's a good step up from the Kmart and Caribee products if you have a bit more to spend but want to stay around or below the $200 mark. (We paid $140 for this one on sale.) 

Available in nine colours, with a TSA lock, four wheels and expandable size, it also comes with a 10-year warranty.

Read the full Nere Stori 55cm Exp Hard Case review.

kmart-anko-carry-on-hard-case-4-wheels-43114962_1

Kmart Anko Carry-on Hard Case, $39.

Kmart Anko Carry-on Hard Case 4 Wheels 

  • CHOICE Expert Rating: 81%
  • Lift and drop test: 100%
  • Puncture test: 94%
  • Weight: 2.2kg
  • Price: $39

It might not look as pretty as some of the more expensive suitcases and it's only available in one colour (charcoal), but this Kmart carry-on is a quiet achiever.

A suitcase this cheap performing so well in comparison with expensive suitcases is no small feat. In fact, it was rated just one percentage point behind the Samsonite Proxis Spinner which, at $699 (RRP), costs almost 18 times more.

With four wheels and a zipper head that can be locked with a padlock (not included), it's also very good at keeping contents dry in the rain, so has the basics covered.

Read the Kmart Anko Carry-on Hard Case 4 Wheels review.

caribee stratos hybrid airline carry overnight bag 42 l

Caribee Stratos Hybrid, $179.

Caribee Stratos Hybrid Airline Carry On/Overnight Bag

  • CHOICE Expert Rating: 75%
  • Lift and drop test: 100%
  • Puncture test: 72%
  • Weight: 2.5kg
  • Price: $179

It doesn't quite have the looks of hard-body suitcases, and it's slightly heavier than the Kmart suitcase above, but if you're looking for a versatile suitcase this is an affordable option.

It converts into a backpack, making it useful if you're travelling somewhere with rough terrain or if you need to navigate crowds more easily, and it has two external pockets so you can access frequently-used items more easily than you can with a hard case.

It doesn't have a TSA lock but you can use your own padlock to secure the zipper head, and despite having similar dimensions to the Kmart and Nere cases above, it has a larger capacity at 42L.

It didn't score as well as the hard cases on our puncture test or the rain test, but that's to be expected with a soft case – and if you're using it as carry-on luggage it hopefully won't need to withstand too much rough handling or inclement weather.

Read the full Caribee Stratos Hybrid Airline Carry On/Overnight Bag review.

Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.