The 18 best luggage brands, explained by GQ's globetrotting travel editors

From nervous, infrequent flyers to veteran businesspeople hardened by dozens of hops on the red-eye, there’s one constant that remains the same with holidaymakers and travellers: the need to invest in a quality suitcase. The sight of passengers hoisting barely held-together tote bags over their shoulders for a long-haul journey gives us the sweats, so we’ve made it our duty to ensure that anyone taking a trip in the next few months is equipped with the best luggage brands that guarantee a smooth experience – at least when it comes to packing and lugging the thing around the airport.

And look, it’s not like you’re unaware of what's available right now. Trip-friendly bags from the likes of Antler, Carl Friedrik, Globe-Trotter and Samsonite are as ubiquitous in any airport as an ill-advised early-morning pint before boarding, but sometimes you just need a nudge in the right direction to find the truly elite options. Our editors have put in the groundwork so you don’t have to, arriving at the absolute best luggage brands that will deck out your travels with the best suitcases, carry-on, luggage tags, passport holders and accessories. Whether you're travelling to New York or New Delhi, read on to check out our top picks.

Skip to: Which suitcase is better, hard or soft? | How do I choose a suitcase? | What size should by carry-on luggage be? | How much should I spend on my luggage?

The choice between hard-side luggage or soft-sided suitcases will largely hinge on whether you’re checking it in on the plane or carrying it on with you. Hard-sided suitcases offer greater durability to cope with dings, scrapes and knocks that will inevitably happen in transit, keeping your neatly-packed clothes secure and protected throughout the journey. The problem is these checked bags are typically heavier which can cause a few headaches when you go to check it in or place it in the overhead bin, so keep that in mind.

Soft cases are easier to lug around and are lighter, but miss out on the protective functionality of hard-shell options. In this regard, they're a greater prospect for hold-all luggage or if you’re hopping on trains and buses, as you can squash them down if space is tight over long trips. The carry-on variety of luggage is easier and often cheaper, but worth only worth considering for shorter journeys. it's also worth considering these will certainly not be water-resistant, so keep that in your thoughts when planning a trip to rainier climes - or literally anywhere in the north-west of Europe.

Regardless of the solidity of your case, we’ll always recommend grabbing a wheeled suitcase, because no one wants to arrive at the gate for their summer holidays drenched in sweat and nursing a dead arm. Wheeled luggage has got significantly better in recent years, with telescopic handles and whisper-quiet, 360-degree spinner wheels for supreme manoeuvrability from check-in to your plane seat.

There are standout backpacks or shoulder bags that bring the sartorial chops you're likely hunting for while also offering additional storage space for your travels. These are typically best used on short trips or as carry-on luggage to save your muscles during a long journey, but most can be bought and used in tandem with your chosen suitcase to house an in-flight book, snacks, a work laptop and one of our favourite travel pillows to save yourself a crook neck upon arrival.

Selecting which checked luggage to go for can be as tricky as deciding where you're planning to holiday in the first place, so it's worth brushing up on the best options to help inform your choice. There's a fair amount of complication that makes this difficult, with different airlines imposing a variety of weight and size limitations, as well as the obvious sartorial and space aspects that make up a solid set of luggage.

Therefore, we'll give you the boring answer and say that it largely depends on what kind of travel you're doing in the immediate future. Larger trunks and suitcases will inevitably be your best bet for getting around the world on longer, more luxurious trips, with enough space to hold all the clothes and items you might need for a week or longer and are the most durable to better protect against general wear and tear.

Short city trips or weekend getaways will be the domain of smaller carry-on luggage, with wheels and handles to help you glide around train stations and airports stress-free. These might not have the capacious skills to keep you dressed for longer periods of time, but they often have enough to stretch to a week maximum should you need it.

Travel backpacks, soft-sided luggage and rucksacks are a solid option for very short weekend trips or overnight stays, as they aren't particularly roomy for all your gear over longer hauls but are easier to carry over shorter distances. They can also be a good accoutrement to carry-on luggage, as you can split your load between the two bags and get more in your trip thanks to side pouches or ballistic nylon separators that go a long way to organising your packing.

To make your packing stresses a little less intense, we also recommend picking up some packing cubes to use as a divider for your clothes. These little bags are a life saver for organising your suitcase into easily manageable chunks, using a compression system to squash all your items down for more space inside your suitcase. For example, pack all T-shirts in one bag, underwear in another, and maybe a smaller one for toiletries, and then once you're at the end of your trip, keep the used clothes separate from the clean clothes so you know what to chuck into the washing machine when you get back.

Frustratingly, not all airlines can agree on a set size and weight for your carry-on luggage, which can provoke headaches if you're prone to travelling with multiple companies or taking on a few flights in one trip with several layovers. However, there are some hard and fast truths to your carry-on limits. As a general rule of thumb, suitcases should not be taller than 24 inches, wider than 16 inches or deeper than 10 inches. This is your standard ballpark figure, and you won't find a single airline that allows beyond this limit.

It's worth noting this if your carry-on luggage is expandable – which many are – allowing you to extend your internal space to fit in those last-minute flip-flop additions. Using this feature may push your carry-on luggage over the edge, which will incur fees for additional space, you've been warned. As always, you should do your due diligence and check with the airline before you fly and then measure your own luggage to ensure it's within size and weight limits for the smoothest possible journey through check-in.

Holidays don't come cheap, so you're probably not wanting to spend a small fortune on luggage, too. However, there are some common truths about picking up your travel gear and how much you should spend; namely, “don't scrimp and save if you don't want future headaches with faulty gear”. Going cheap will inevitably mean materials won't be up to scratch, and you may risk getting it through your journey in one piece, which tends to lead you to buying replacement bags anyway – so why not think of it as an investment piece?

£80 is usually the entry point to decent luggage, and it's worth being mindful about that cost usually being per bag or suitcase. Great options from Amazon Basics or Samsonite can land you in this price point and afford you a decent build quality to get you through a few years of travel.

Stepping up between £200 and £500 is the next price point, where you'll find proven quality and luxurious materials. Brands like Antler, DB and Carl Friedrik are lurking around this cost, and such suitcases should easily see you through several years of jet-setting if you're kind to them.

Anything beyond £800 is a real statement piece in the airport lounge; think Gucci, Louis Vuitton and the like. If you genuinely care about your aesthetics, over caring about wether your handsome gear picks up a few knocks and scratches in transit, then these brands will do you proud.

• Best value luggage brands: Antler | Monos | Samsonite | Amazon Basics | Herschel
• Best carry-on luggage brands: Carl Friedrik | American Tourister | DB | Monos
• Best designer luggage brands: Louis Vuitton | Globe-Trotter | Gucci | Prada
• Best luggage brands for style: Harber | Rimowa | Tumi | Paravel | Away | Crash Baggage

Best value luggage brands

British-made Antler holds a loving place in our hearts simply because its collection is capacious, hardy and worthy of a spot on our Instagram grid as we jet away for the summer. The Clifton set is one of the best-selling luggage options for a good reason: they are luxurious, durable and spacious enough for two weeks of travelling, all for a mid-tier price. If you can, we’d highly recommend picking up the packing cubes. We swear by these useful mini bags to keep underwear, T-shirts and socks stored neatly and crease-free on long-haulers or they can be used as a handy laundry bag to be kept separate from your clean clothes.

For shorter trips, we’ll point you in the direction of the Bamburgh duffel, a rugged, multipurpose shoulder bag that sports a shower-proof design, padlock-compatible zips and plenty of internal pockets to store passports, wallets and other essentials for easy access.

Sometimes premium products don't need to come at premium price tags, which is just fine by us – more cocktails at the pool bar, please. Monos scratches that exact itch with high-end luggage for jet-setting luxury without breaking the bank. And don't they just look gorgeous.

For short-haul trips, we'd recommend the Carry-On Pro Plus, a suitcase wrought from a polycarbonate shell that's nigh-on indestructible, with TSA-approved locks to keep your clothes safe and secure in transit , as well as a front pocket large enough to fit a laptop. The same thoughtful design carries on through the range with the Metro Duffel, housing enough space for weekend getaways to the coast in style.

Easily one of the most well-established luggage brands in the world, Samsonite is well-known for producing high-quality luggage options for frequent travellers. Offering TSA-approved locks and expandable storage at an affordable price point, it has become synonymous with aspirational jet-setting since the early 20th century.

Samsonite has a huge catalogue of top-spec luggage for you to peruse, but one of our favourites is the Lite-Shock Spinner. The polycarbonate chassis is expandable but tough against scuffs and marks, making it a veteran of the airport carousel. The lightweight design makes it a great choice for frequent flyers who regularly make short one-week getaways or business trips.

You know Herschel Supply for its bags already, just perhaps not its luggage. You’ve no doubt seen its logo on duffle bags and backpacks a million times over, but it’s exceptional suitcases that this Canadian brand should also be known for. Exceedingly tough, scratch resistant (even on non-black shades) and light, its hardshell models are handsome holiday buddies that come in at a more affordable price than many competitors, but with just the same reliability.

Carefully sectioned split zipped interiors, in-built locks and silent 360 degree wheels, we reckon Herschel’s suitcases have everything you’re looking for — and they have a lifetime warranty to boot.

Best carry-on luggage brands

If there’s anything Dickie Greenleaf taught us, it’s that luxury luggage set made of plush Italian leather goes a long way to elevating the overall style points of your holidaymaking. Sitting at the high-end of fashionable travel bags, London-based Carl Friedrik delivers sophistication to your luggage that simply cannot be ignored. In case you’re curious about CF’s sartorial credentials, its suitcases and briefcases have been featured in TV shows like White Lotus and HBO’s Succession, and those guys definitely know how to basque in the elegance of luxury travel.

The most recent collab with London Hackett is perhaps our favourite partnership in the world of travel brands. Our pick is the check-in suitcase, a handsome navy number that features whisper-quite spinner wheels and oozes elegance for the luxurious traveller. Dual locks ensure your belongings are protected in transit, and the design guarantees heads will turn as you glide through security.

Did you know that American Tourister is owned by Samsonite? The sister brand is best-known as a purveyor of affordable, lightweight travel equipment that ticks a lot of boxes in the style department. Bright, eccentric colourways are the name of the game here, with options to please kids thanks to Marvel and Disney looks that will look mighty fine through check-in.

The best bit of this brand is, of course, the cost, offering top-tier options for less than £200 in most cases (get it?), and they can be bought on Amazon if you're a Prime subscriber and in need of a luggage upgrade in a hurry. Our pick? The Bon Air DLX, which is a capacious, ready-to-go suitcase with a hardside polycarbonate shell and mouse-quiet wheels.

There really isn’t much the Scandis can’t succeed in when they put their mind to it. DB is a hypey new brand hailing from the snowy climbs of Norway, innovating to make travelling heavy a lot more manageable. The noteworthy aspect here is that DB's collection is sustainably sourced and made to last, with durable designs that proffer a rugged chic coveted by backpackers and gap-year travellers.

We love that the Hugger bundle utilises a hook system where the larger pack piggybacks the smaller pack for an ergonomic lift that will make the long walk through the airport as slippery as a freshly-brushed piste in winter. Elsewhere, the Hugger Backpack on its own is a mighty travelling bag, with a huge cavern for your gear that’s well-protected thanks to the hybrid soft/hard-shell chassis and ribcage system that manages to look striking and deliver the sturdy goods where you need them. Packing space comes at a premium, so we'd also recommend grabbing the tech organiser bag to store cameras, phone chargers or other paraphernalia for a smooth trip.

Best designer luggage brands

Is there any more clear-cut statement of luxury than Louis Vuitton travel gear? We think not. Providing that first-class feel regardless of whether you're in economy or business, Louis Vuitton's selection of logomaniac luggage never fails to look every bit the main character as you ought to feel pre- and post-vacation.

Choosing a particular LV bag is like deciding between a Ferrari and a Lamborghini – without dissimilar price tags –, but we came down on the side of the ultra-luxe Horizon 55 suitcase. Dappled in your choice of either the iconic ‘Damier checkerboard design or the Vuitton Monogram, this particular number is the only true sartorial choice you need to make to turn heads at the departure gate. Perfect to take in the cabin, the 37-litre capacity is more than enough to house your must-have travel essentials, and it also comes with a removable leather name tag for the ultimate travel flex.

If it's good enough for the likes of Harry Potter, Indiana Jones and almost every fancy fictional detective ever written since the late 1800s, it's more than good enough for us. The classic trunk has never looked as good as it does from Globe-Trotter, an iconic British brand well-versed in crafting the perfect suitcase to accompany you across the planet in style.

Spend any time perusing Globe-Trotter's website and you'll instantly fall in love with the fun, pastel-coloured take on the world's most famous luggage, courtesy of the Golf le Fleur collaboration. Seen here with a playful multi-coloured array of leather straps and buckles doubled up with an abstract leopard-print lining and ivory casing, it screams Wes Anderson's summer getaway must-have item.

If ever there was a master of the anachronistic, it would be Alessandro Michelle's era for Gucci, a theme that is deeply felt within the brand's luggage offerings. Where heritage prints and old-school silhouettes combine with innovative materials and modern durability, Gucci luggage simply cannot go wrong.

For the frequent flyer, we'd suggest the extra-hardy Porter cabin trolley suitcase, where its dense aluminium construction is accented with delicate panels of the ever-infamous ‘Double G’ logo print. For a more retro, aesthetic-focused take, however, the Savoy Ophidia-inspired trolley bag and Interlocking G patterned travel bag make stylish travel partners indeed.

Minimalist design with maximum aesthetic appeal – that's Prada's effortless mode summarised. A subtle style flex, toting a Prada suitcase is a discreet nod between fashion aficionados, where the simple yet iconic enamelled triangle logo sends a low-key signal of luxury to your fellow travellers.

From the plain jet black pick to the logomaniac Symbole patterned number, the handful of suitcases we've selected from Prada's online shelves cater to the needs of departure lounge wallflowers to Insta-focused travellers alike. Whatever your airport aesthetic, we've got you covered.

Best luggage brands for style

There's something about leather luggage that presents superior luxury. Our top choice for a high-quality range of beautifully crafted bags is Harber London, perhaps the most sophisticated top-end bags around. It's giving James Dean on the back of a Triumph motorbike, heading along the French Riviera, right? A reasonably new player in the international luggage game, Harber was created in 2012 to provide commuters with deluxe leather laptop sleeves, and after more than a decade, it now makes some of our favourite weekend bags, commuter rucksacks and accessories.

Each item on Harber's website is lovingly hand-crafted in Spain using 100 per cent full-grain leather, highlighting the dedication to the drip that the brand maintains. And while many products in the roster, like the gorgeous roll top backpack, are completely leather (aside from the military-grade buckles), others incorporate durable, water-resistant fabrics to make it significantly more robust. The brand gives you a year warranty as standard and ships worldwide.

One of the most imperious luggage makers in the game, Rimowa has been cruising to sunnier climes since 1898, and really hit its stride a century ago by creating the world's first aluminium suitcase way back in 1930. Although it's also moved into polycarbonate wares of late, the Cologne-based brand has seen its status elevated via several hypey collaborations with the likes of Supreme, Off-White and Anti Social Social Club. In other words, it's followed exactly the new luxury same playbook as its LMVH stablemates in Fendi, Givenchy and, of course, Louis Vuitton.

There's no better place to start with Rimowa than its Original Check-In suitcase, if only because it's one of the most desirable pieces of luggage in existence. For those in need of something a little more understated, its Essential Cabin and Essential Sleeve Cabin Plus (with an external laptop sleeve, naturally) are both as sturdy as they are suave.

In what might be the most bizarre origin story for a company name, Tumi's moniker comes from a type of Peruvian ceremonial knife used in the sacrifices of ancient South American rituals. Every day's a school day, right? In modern times, it's become a world-class luxe luggage brand beloved by pan-European flight hoppers and high-end holidaymakers alike.

Tumi's 19 Degree Aluminum carry-on suitcase is the style-centric luggage pick that ensures turned heads at baggage claim. Famous hands that have grasped the handle include Renee Rapp and Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min. The immediate appeal is obvious: a vibrant, silver-hued, smart case that's set apart from its competition by its sturdy, streamlined silhouette and rippled outer shell.

Sustainability should always factor in when travelling. While you can't help but contribute to greenhouse gases if you fly, getting around the world with some luggage that mitigates at least a little bit of the burden on Mother Earth is a good start, which is why we love Paravel's carbon-neutral range. Every piece of luggage from the brand is sustainably made, whether utilising recycled plastic bottles or ensuring the delivery of your product impacts the world as little as possible. Impressive, no doubt, but the bags themselves are actually pretty handsome in their own right, offering plenty of versatility for your travels. We love the Main Line Duffel, which is a smart, sophisticated shoulder bag complete with a wealth of internal pockets and a suitable level of stylish class for any jet-setter.

How could we collate a rundown of the best brands to wield as you swan through the airport without including Away? A brand close to our hearts, the New York travel company has an exceptional list of suitcases, carry-on and backpacks to get you through your next journey in style. Why? Because each bag is expertly crafted and comes in a range of beautiful pastel colours that are subtle, sophisticated and still enough to grab the attention of your check-in agent.

Our favourite is The Trunk, which is a bit beasty at first glance, but is capacious enough for a two-week trip to wherever you damn well please. We love the salmon pink number of the hardside travel suitcase, which is lighter than it seems, making it a great pick-up for over-packers and those who despise having to weigh their luggage.

So-called because, well, its suitcases look like they've had a crash, a bang, and a wallop, Crash Baggage is founded on the belief that your luggage should be as durable as possible. Subverting shoppers' expectations of what brand-new luggage should look like, Crash's line-up comes pre-worn and dented in a tongue-in-cheek expression of just how resilient its cases are.

For your consideration, dear reader, we've picked out the Stripe 79cm, the Share 55cm and the Icon 79cm. Each decked out in dents and scratches, these cases are bold enough in both colourway and battle scars to be spotted whirling around baggage claim in no time. Plus, with all those aesthetic injuries, you're surely not to be messed with in the oft-competitive dash through arrivals.

The fashion-forward travel brand from Down Under, Nere's luggage will match any mood on your mind or adventure on your calendar.

Nere's most iconic suitcase, the Stori, makes the perfect travel companion for quick flights and long car rides alike, as their options are among the best lightweight suitcases in the market. Defined by the range's bold colour scheme, the Stori might be easy on the eyes, but it's its ABS polycarbonate shell and multi-faceted storage features mean that it's just as kind on your travel essentials. Due to the lightweight, the hardside spinner wheels are about as smooth as you could hope for, and are whisper-quiet to boot. Off you go!

NOW READ

The best suitcases for stylish storage on the go

The best holdalls and weekend bags for a stylish getaway

The best tote bags for men to stow your summer essentials in style