17 Best Carry-On Luggage Bags of 2026 For Smoother Travels

The quest to find the best carry-on luggage shouldn’t be as onerous as your search for the perfect vacation destination—Instagrammable, but not, like, too Instagrammable—but it absolutely is. And though vacation destinations might feel beholden to your limited budget and even more limited OOO days, suitcase options abound at every price point. Let’s face it, we’re living in an age where trusting any airline with checked baggage is not only a risk, but an inconvenience. Who has time to wait at a luggage carousel when you have a (hopefully!) vacation to get to?

That said, finding the perfect piece of carry-on luggage can be a tall order. Not only are there plenty of established luggage brands to choose from, direct-to-consumer brands like Away and fashion-fueled juggernauts like Rimowa have entered—and, frankly, started dominating—the chat. Sure, they’ve diversified the market, but they’ve also made it a whole lot more difficult for those of us that just want a workhorse of a bag that’s as durable as it is versatile.

With the goal of finding that perfect piece of luggage in mind, we’ve rounded up some of the most tried-and-true options that range from hardshell stunners to leather duffels. All of the specs are included so that you never have to worry about your luggage squeezing into the overhead bin—and we’ve even thrown in some photos from pieces that have stood the test of travel.

The Best Carry-on Luggage, According to GQ

The Softside Pick

Calpak Luka Soft-Sided Carry-On Luggage

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The Hardside Pick

Away The Bigger Carry-On

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The Travel Flex

Rimowa Classic Cabin Suitcase

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The Best Softside Luggage: TravelPro MaxLite 5 Expandable Spinner

Calpak

Luka Soft-Sided Carry-On Luggage

All in on the softside luggage? In our testing, the Luka from Calpak is our preferred travel companion, combining durability and comfort—and an ability to haul your goods from destination to destination all in one piece. With two front pockets and a laptop sleeve that accommodates devices up to 17 inches, this is the type of suitcase you get for the overpacker who needs someone to sit on the bag while someone else zips it up. Even without the ability to expand, the Luka manages to store enough goods for a five-day trip—or more if you’re smart about crafting your fits.

The Best Hard-Shell Luggage: Away The Bigger Carry-On

Away really took the luggage industry by storm when it launched in 2015. And while the brand has launched a lot of colorways and collabs since its early days, the streamlined hardshell design has stayed basically the same. We’ve had the Bigger Carry-On size since 2017, and it’s traveled with us on more than 50 flights in that time. While the light blue color makes scratches and marks somewhat inevitable, the structure, wheels and inside lining are truly as good as new. We also think the outside doesn’t look nearly as bad as it could given the amount of times it’s been used, and we suspect that it could be shined up a bit if I ever decide to take on such a task.

Now for the specifics: the bags have smooth Hinomoto spinner wheels, top and side handles, clothes straps, a mesh zip pocket, a laundry bag, and sturdy YKK zippers. They also have a built-in USB charger, which was a little more exciting before airlines started requiring them to be removed from the luggage itself before takeoff. While our tester took out the mesh insert long ago to maximize the amount of items they could cram in the bag, that’s also an option to use as a clothing compressor if you need it.