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The best checked luggage in 2024
Amazon / Rimowa / Amazon
Just like a new piece of carry-on luggage can upgrade your travel experience, a reliable checked bag can make packing and transporting your belongings a breeze. We scoured the top suitcase retailers to find the best check-in luggage you can buy in 2024, including some stunning aluminum pieces and majorly marked-down suitcases ahead of your summer travel plans.
Below are top-rated luggage options based on user reviews, features and CBS Essentials testing. The luggage pieces come in a variety of siding styles, including traditional fabric, hard polycarbonate and aluminum. All of the featured bags boast telescopic handles, pockets and TSA-compliant locks.
Best of all, we discovered checked luggage options at a wide range of price points, from under $100 to over $1,000. These choices come from both trendy and well-established luggage brands, such as Samsonite, Rimowa and Away — all of which are favorites among CBS Essential readers.
The best checked luggage in 2024
Checked bags can provide extra space for larger items, such as clothing, shoes, toiletries and other travel essentials. They also help reduce congestion in the overhead bin, making it easier for everyone to stow their smaller carry-on items. We’ve rounded up the best check-in suitcases of 2024.
Choose the checked luggage according to your design preferences and travel needs below. All of this luggage has a four-star rating or higher and includes tons of positive reviews.
Best aluminum checked luggage:Rimowa Classic check-in
Rimowa
While Rimowa’s Classic aluminum collection may cost more than your flight’s roundtrip, consider the line’s timeless, grooved suitcases an investment for the long haul. Features include TSA-approved locks, a height-adjustable flex divider (to organize your smaller items) and a telescopic handle. The larger bag, noted as the “L” bag on the Rimowa site, measures a little more than 30 inches, while the slightly smaller medium, or “M” bag measures 27.6 inches.
The check-ins feature a durable anodized aluminum alloy hardshell, riveted high-gloss aluminum corners, and hand-made leather handles. Plus, this Rimowa piece comes with a complementary leather luggage tag.
Why we like the Rimowa Classic Check-In:
- Its aluminum construction protects your belongings much better than soft-sided or polycarbonate luggage.
- This suitcase comes with a lifetime warranty.
- Its sleek metallic material gives this checked bag a trendy, high-end look.
Best-selling checked luggage on Amazon:Samsonite Winfield 2 check-in
Amazon
With 20,000+ Amazon reviews and a 4.5-star average, this affordable hard-shell carry-on offers great value. Weighing under 7 pounds, it’s adored by customers for its spacious pockets and roomy interior.
This suitcase comes with multi-directional spinner wheels for effortless mobility. It’s also expandable to help you pack everything you need for your next trip. Other great features include a TSA-compatible lock and a retractable telescope handle.
“I recently used this suitcase on a three-week international vacation and was amazed at what I could fit in this thing,” a verified buyer on Amazon says. “With the help of some packing cubes, I was able to pack all of my clothes and toiletries for my trip with ease. Additionally, the zippers are high quality and easy to zip up.”
The Samsonite Winfield 2 check-in comes in 14 colors. Prices vary by color.
Why we like the Samsonite Winfield 2 check-in:
- It’s available at a great price point for a top-rated suitcase.
- It comes with a 10-year warranty.
- It’s built with four-directional spinner wheels for better maneuverability than other suitcases.
Best medium checked luggage: Away The Medium
Away
Away’s hard-sided, polycarbonate bags offer great protection for all your belongings. The suitcases boast 360-degree spinner wheels, and a removable, washable liner. They’re available in two models: The Medium (26 inches) and The Large (29 inches). The price below is for the medium version.
“Away luggage provides so much versatility and dependability that I don’t own any other luggage brands anymore,” one reviewer shares. “I’ve used the Medium on two-week vacations and it carried enough clothes and toiletries for the duration. Just amazing quality of luggage as well as customer support, when my previous Medium had a zipper issue, they replaced it right away.”
Need more room for all your souvenirs? Away offers an expandable “Flex” version of the check-in bag, which boasts two more inches of space.
Why we like Away The Medium check-in:
- The suitcase is made with a lightweight polycarbonate shell, so even larger sizes aren’t super heavy.
- The compression panel helps you fit more clothing into this suitcase when packing.
- It comes with a lifetime warranty.
Best large checked luggage: Monos Check-In Large
Monos
The Monos Check-In is covered with an aerospace-grade, water-resistant polycarbonate hard shell made from partially recycled materials. It features a TSA-approved combination lock, 360-degree spinner wheels and an anti-microbial lining. Have a Monos carry-on? Monos’ smaller suitcases can nest inside it when you’re not traveling.
“The bag has the largest size in its category. Despite that, it feels light and looks classy. I am also impressed with its durability and the way it rolls,” a reviewer on Monos’ website shares.
While we like the large bag for international travel or long domestic trips, there’s also a medium version available on the site for shorter trips.
Why we like the Monos Check-in Large suitcase:
- It offers a spacious interior for your items.
- This luggage is made with a high-quality polycarbonate shell.
- It comes in thirteen color options. Price varies by color.
Best expandable checked luggage: Quince expandable hardshell check-in suitcase
Quince
Quince, the price-transparent brand famous for $50 cashmere, also offers premium luggage at budget-friendly price points. Like the brand’s leather jackets and luxurious but affordable sweaters, the minimalist travel bags are beloved by customers and social media users.
This ultra-light check-in bag features a polycarbonate shell, interior compartments with a built-in compression panel, a removable laundry bag, 360-degree wheels, a TSA-approved lock, a telescopic handle and YKK zippers. Reviewers compare it to Monos luggage but for a fraction of the price.
Why we like the Quince expandable hardshell check-in suitcase:
- It expands to an additional inch.
- The checked bag features an Interior compression system to maximize space.
- It features an aluminum telescopic handle with a soft rubber handle for a comfortable grip.
Best checked luggage with a USB port: Delsey Paris Chatelet check-in
Delsey
With faux leather accents and rounded edges, the Delsey Paris Chatelet makes the perfect international travel companion. The lightweight polycarbonate suitcase offers durability and several great features, including multidirectional double spinner wheels, a USB port for charging electronics, a recessed, TSA-approved lock and an ergonomic handle. The suitcase also comes equipped with laundry and shoe bags, as well as mesh-zippered pockets.
“This is the prettiest luggage I’ve ever owned. It’s spacious and comes with two laundry bags in it. It’s heavy-duty, lightweight and rolls smoothly,” an Amazon reviewer says.
Why we like the Delsey Paris Chatelet check-in:
- It has earned a 4.5-star rating on Amazon.
- It offers a sleek design and four stylish color options.
- The suitcase’s dual-density, double-spinner wheels provide a smooth ride.
- It has a USB port for charging electronics, a feature many travelers can’t live without.
Best eco-friendly checked luggage: Paravel Aviator Grand
Paravel
It’s all in the details with the carbon-neutral Paravel Aviator Grand. The 28-inch polycarbonate shell suitcase with vegan-leather-wrapped side handles and trim is made with recycled materials inside and out. It’s perfect for packing 8 to 10 days’ worth of clothing — plus, four pairs of shoes!
“This suitcase is not only sleek but it is functional and can hold so many things,” a reviewer on Paravel’s website says.
To complete your Instagram-ready luxe travel aesthetic, order a monogrammed cabana tote, or a cabana bundle (featuring a monogrammed luggage tag, card case and passport case).
Why we like the Paravel Aviator Grand:
- Paravel luggage is carbon neutral, meaning that the company offsets the expected emissions from the manufacturing and delivery process as well as your first trip with the suitcases.
- The suitcase is made of recycled materials.
- The checked bag features 360-degree spinning wheels for smooth rolling.
What are the size limitations for checked luggage?
A standard check-in bag, as most major airlines categorize it, is a bag that comes in under 62 linear inches (in combined length, width and height) and weighs 50 pounds or less. A bag larger than this can usually still be checked — so long as you’re willing to pay an additional fee for it.
Most luggage companies offer check-in luggage in at least two sizes: a medium version that falls into the under-62-inch category; and, a larger option for those who need extra packing space (and don’t mind paying for it). Note: Luggage size limits and fees vary by airline and ticket class, so be sure to do your homework in advance.
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters says workers at seven Amazon facilities will begin a strike Thursday morning in an effort by the union to pressure the e-commerce giant for a labor agreement during a key shopping period.
The Teamsters say the workers, who authorized walkouts in the past few days, are joining the picket line after Amazon ignored a Dec. 15 deadline the union set for contract negotiations. Amazon says it doesn’t expect any impact on its operations during what the union calls the largest strike against the company in U.S. history.
The Teamsters say they represent nearly 10,000 workers at 10 Amazon facilities, a small portion of the 1.5 million people Amazon employs in its warehouses and corporate offices.
Amazon is ranked No. 2 on the Fortune 500 list of the nation’s largest companies.
At a warehouse in the New York City borough of Staten Island, thousands of workers who voted for the Amazon Labor Union in 2022 and have since affiliated with the Teamsters. At the other facilities, employees – including many delivery drivers – have unionized with them by demonstrating majority support but without holding government-administered elections.
The strikes happening Thursday are taking place at an Amazon warehouse in San Francisco and six delivery stations in southern California, New York City, Atlanta and the Chicago suburb of Skokie, Illinois, according to the union’s announcement. Amazon workers at the other facilities are “prepared to join” them, the union said.
“Amazon is pushing its workers closer to the picket line by failing to show them the respect they have earned,” Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien said in a statement.
“If your package is delayed during the holidays, you can blame Amazon’s insatiable greed. We gave Amazon a clear deadline to come to the table and do right by our members. They ignored it,” he said.
The Seattle-based online retailer has been seeking to re-do the election that led to the union victory at the warehouse on Staten Island, which the Teamsters now represent. In the process, the company has filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the National Labor Relations Board.
Meanwhile, Amazon says the delivery drivers, which the Teamsters have organized for more than a year, aren’t its employees. Under its business model, the drivers work for third-party businesses, called Delivery Service Partners, who drop off millions of packages to customers everyday.
“For more than a year now, the Teamsters have continued to intentionally mislead the public – claiming that they represent ‘thousands of Amazon employees and drivers’. They don’t, and this is another attempt to push a false narrative,” Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said in a statement. “The truth is that the Teamsters have actively threatened, intimidated, and attempted to coerce Amazon employees and third-party drivers to join them, which is illegal and is the subject of multiple pending unfair labor practice charges against the union.“
The Teamsters have argued Amazon essentially controls everything the drivers do and should be classified as an employer.
Some U.S. labor regulators have sided with the union in filings made before the NLRB. In September, Amazon boosted pay for the drivers amid the growing pressure.
NEW YORK — The Teamsters union is launching a strike against Amazon at numerous locations across the country, including in Maspeth, Queens.
The Teamsters are calling it the largest strike against Amazon in United States history, and it’s set to begin at 6 a.m. Thursday. In addition to New York City, workers will be joining picket lines in Atlanta, Southern California, San Francisco and Illinois.
In a video announcement released Wednesday night, workers voiced their frustrations.
“Us being strike ready means we’re fed up, and Amazon is clearly ignoring us and we want to be heard,” one worker says in the video.
“It’s really exciting. We’re taking steps for ourselves to win better conditions, better benefits, better wages,” another worker in the video says.
The union says it represents about 10,000 Amazon employees and that Amazon ignored a deadline to come to the table and negotiate. The $2 trillion company doesn’t pay employees enough to make ends meet, the union asserts.
At the height of the holiday season, many are wondering what this means for packages currently in transit.
Teamsters President Sean O’Brien said, “If your package is delayed during the holidays, you can blame Amazon’s insatiable greed.”
Amazon says Teamsters are misleading the public
An Amazon spokesperson says the Teamsters are misleading the public and do not represent any Amazon employees, despite any claims.
“The truth is that the Teamsters have actively threatened, intimidated, and attempted to coerce Amazon employees and third-party drivers to join them, which is illegal and is the subject of multiple pending unfair labor practice charges against the union,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
An Amazon representative says the company doesn’t expect operations to be impacted.
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