Luggage Recommendations
Whether you’re heading on a work trip, a long-overdue girls’ getaway, or a family vacation with kids in tow, the right luggage can make all the difference. As busy moms, we need suitcases that are durable, easy to maneuver, and thoughtfully designed to keep us organized— because let’s be honest, we’re usually packing for more than just ourselves!
After polling our community on Instagram, I’ve rounded up the most recommended carry-on and checked luggage that will make your travel experience smoother and stress-free. Each piece of luggage on this list was recommended by our community at least 5 times.
✈️ Carry-On Luggage
💡 What makes it great? The Away Bigger Carry-On has an interior compression system and additional interior pockets to help you stay organized and maximize what you bring along. Away’s customer service is also top-notch, as reported by dozens of our community members who are loyal Away customers. The Bigger Carry-On is designed to fit in the overhead bin of most major US airlines, but if you prefer a smaller size, the original Carry-On is sized to fit in all overhead bins and was also highly recommended!
💡 What makes it great? The Carry-On Roller comes in an array of colors - with 9 matte options and 2 glossy options, there’s definitely one that fits your style. It has great interior organization, with one zip and one frosted pocket, a zip pouch for valuables, and two separate pouches for dirty laundry, shoes, or damp clothing. It also has a cushioned trolley handle, which, after schlepping an old, heavy carry-on through the airport recently, seems like a nice little luxury.
3. Quince Expandable Carry-On Hard Shell Suitcase - 21”
💡 What makes it great? The Quince Expandable Carry-On has a price that’s hard to beat, coming in as the most affordable option on the list. It has many of the same features as the other options on our list, like an interior organization and compression system, a telescopic trolley handle, a TSA-approved lock, and 360-degree wheels. It also comes with an included laundry bag so you can keep your clean clothes clean (who needs more laundry? Not me. Or you).
4. Travelpro Platinum Elite Softside Carry-On
💡 What makes it great? The TravelPro Platinum Elite is the only soft-sided suitcase on our list, and it must be great because not only was it a top community recommendation, but it was also a 2024 NYT Wirecutter pick. The feature I’m most excited about? The external, easy-to-access power ports. As someone who is perpetually on low battery, not having to rifle through my bag for a cord is huge. It also has a “drop-in, fold-out” suiter to keep clothes wrinkle-free for travel.
5. Briggs & Riley Essential 22” Carry-On Expandable Spinner
💡 What makes it great? The Carry-On Expandable Spinner was a top recommendation from many frequent business travelers in our community. Patented CX Compression-Expansion technology allows you to instantly expand your bag with one button press and easily push it down to compress back to its original size after zipping. It also has a lifetime guarantee, even for damage caused by the airline or security. I did some digging into their warranty because it definitely reads * too good to be true, * but overall, customers seem to feel like they’ve been treated very fairly with how their warranty claims were handled. (PS - if you do a lot of international travel, looking into their global carry-on may be worth checking out for better size compatibility!)
🧳 Checked Luggage
💡 What makes it great? The Away Medium Flex has the beloved features of the carry-on, but bigger, with exterior measurements of 26”x18.5”x11. Better yet? It can expand for an additional 1.75” of interior space. The underside grab handle makes it easy to grab off the baggage claim carousel. (Need more room? There’s also the Large Flex, but the reviews aren’t as great).
💡 What makes it great? Let me tell you the feature that excites me most about The Large Check-In: the built-in weight indicator. Have I been the girl rearranging her bags at check-in to shave 3 lbs from my checked bag to avoid the extra fees? Yes, yes I have. The interior organization and additional pouches will keep everything nice and organized. (If the Large is more than you need, they also have The Medium Check-In, both have 4.9 stars and 5,000+ reviews).
💡 What makes it great? Like its carry-on counterpart, you can’t beat the price of Quince’s checked luggage options. They 24” and 27” options, which both have their interior organization pockets, compression system, and removable laundry bag. Want to stay extra organized? Add on a set of their packing cubes.
4. Travelpro Platinum Elite Check-In Spinner
💡 What makes it great? The TravelPro Platinum Elite is soft-sided, but the fabric is stain and water-resistant (but comes with a lifetime warranty). This bag has a built-in suiter to help reduce wrinkles. It also expands 2” so you can maximize space. (Need more space? There’s also a Large).
5. Briggs & Riley Baseline Expandable Spinner
💡 What makes it great? The Expandable Spinner (which also comes in large) has one-touch expansion-compression technology, an “Outsider” handle that allows you to pack your clothes completely flat (no weird handle hump), and a built-in garment folder for dresses and suits. There are multiple grab handles on the bottom, top, and sides to make retrieving it from the carousel simple. It's the priciest of the bunch, but it comes with a lifetime warranty and rave reviews.
Do you have a favorite suitcase that’s been a game-changer for your travels? Leave your recommendations in the comments or share them over on Instagram @busymomfindstime!
Happy travels! ✈️💼
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