The Best Travelpro Luggage of 2023, Tested and Reviewed
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These are the best pieces from one of the best and most trusted luggage brands.
Travel + Leisure / Conor Ralph
Travelpro is one of travelers' and airline employees' most trusted luggage brands, thanks to their professional-looking, durable pieces. Whether going by train, plane, or car, there is a massive selection of suitcase styles and sizes for any type of trip.
To find the best luggage on the market, we tested over 170 pieces, including backpacks, weekenders, and duffels, along with carry-on and checked bags. Included in our tests were 11 Travelpro suitcases and totes we rated on a scale of one to five based on traits like capacity, design, maneuverability, and durability. Every Travelpro bag we tested scored at least a four on our scale, with an average score of 4.4 across all of the Travelpro pieces we tried.
Best Carry-on: Travelpro Platinum Elite Carry-on Expandable Hardside Spinner
Why We Love It
It maneuvers around obstacles very smoothly.
What to Consider
There could be more pockets for better organization.
We love how the Travelpro Platinum Elite Carry-on Expandable Hardside Spinner is incredibly easy to wheel around on multiple surfaces, and that the sleek hardshell exterior is tough and resistant. During testing, the texture and grip of the handle made it comfortable to navigate an obstacle course to simulate an airport experience. First, we rolled it on four wheels and then two, and it was easy to roll and spin the suitcase on all four self-aligning wheels. While it took a little more effort to glide the bag over the carpet, we weren’t surprised by that result with 50 pounds’ worth of sandbags in the compartments.
Capacity-wise, this suitcase could fit all of the items on our packing list, but we needed the zipper expansion, which made the bag a little bulkier and a tighter squeeze in our overhead bin. Although we wish there were a few more pockets for organization, the interior has four zippered pockets for storing smaller items plus a USB-C and USB-A port on the top of the exterior for charging electronics while traveling. Finally, after tossing the suitcase off a shelf and hitting it several times with a baseball bat, the polycarbonate hardshell had no visible damage, leading us to believe that this bag will withstand use over time, making it an excellent investment for a carry-on suitcase.
Price at time of publish: $370
The Details: 8.5 pounds | 23 x 14.5 x 9.5 | Expandable | Smart | Four wheels
Related: The 11 Best Checked Luggage Pieces of 2023, Tested and Reviewed
Best Checked: Travelpro Platinum Elite Large Check-In Expandable Hardside Spinner
Why We Love It
It wheels over various surfaces smoothly.
What to Consider
A few more interior pockets would have been nice.
Travelers looking to purchase check-in luggage should consider the Travelpro Platinum Elite Large Check-in Expandable Hardside Spinner, one of our top lab performers for best hardside luggage. While we’ve tested plenty of checked baggage, this suitcase stood out with its ability to roll over bumpy surfaces like the carpet and gravel in our obstacle course, and it glided across flat floors without any issues. The four self-aligning wheels are designed to spin 360 degrees, and the sturdy aluminum handle has a contoured grip allowing travelers to maneuver airports and checked luggage lines easily. With two clamshell zippered compartments and four additional zippered pockets, we found it simple to pack an abundance of clothing and accessories inside. No matter which side you lay on the ground while unpacking, travelers won’t have to worry about items spilling out of the zippered interior dividers.
Based on our durability tests, we think packed items would remain perfectly safe inside the suitcase thanks to the sturdy polycarbonate shell that only experiences slight scuffing after being tossed onto the ground and whacked with a baseball bat a few times.
Price at time of publish: $470
The Details: 12.1 pounds | 30 x 18 x 13.5 | Expandable | Smart | Four wheels
Related: The 9 Best Luggage Brands of 2023, Tested and Reviewed
Best Softside: Travelpro Luggage Platinum Elite 21-inch Expandable Carry-on Spinner Suiter
Why We Love It
The fabric feels durable and doesn't scratch or scuff easily.
What to Consider
It was a tight fit to get the bag into the overhead bin with the expanded zippers.
Made of a premium nylon fabric with leather handles, the Travelpro Platinum Elite 21-inch Expandable Carry-on Spinner held up perfectly during our durability tests, where the suitcase was dropped several times from a shelf and hit with a baseball bat. Softsided luggage generally has more give than a hardshell suitcase, making it easy to pack the main compartment full of clothing and use the expandable zippers to ensure everything fits. When expanding the zippers here to add two inches, our testers noted it might make for a tighter squeeze to get the bag into an overhead bin.
We love the special features of this suitcase like the interior with a large zippered pocket on the opening flap and a tie-down compression flap with two zippered pockets to make more room in the main compartment, if needed. Additionally, it comes with a detachable fold-out suiter and a quart-sized wet bag. The exterior has three multi-sized zippered pockets and a USB port in the back for charging on the go. With plenty of stand-out features and a durable build, we think this softsided suitcase has excellent value.
Price at time of publish: $370
The Details: 8.3 pounds | 23.5 x 14.5 x 9 | Expandable | Smart | Four wheels
Best Underseat: Travelpro Maxlite 5 Carry-on Rolling Underseat Bag
Why We Love It
It rolls smoothly and fits a surprising number of items.
What to Consider
It's not the most stylish bag we tested.
The Travelpro Maxlite 5 Rolling Underseat Carry-on is a must-have for travelers embarking on a weekend getaway where you may only want to bring a personal item. Built similarly to a traditional clamshell suitcase, it’s easy to pack this bag with just a few days’ worth of clothes. The roller bag has many compartments, so you can keep all of your things organized, including a removable hanging option for toiletries, an interior laptop sleeve, and three exterior pockets.
Although the bag only has two wheels, they're sturdy and sleek, so roll nicely with very little resistance. The handle is also adjustable as it expands, so you can tailor it to your height. Plus, it's pretty light and the handle grips makes it comfortable to hold if you needed to carry it. While this isn’t the most stylish underseater out there, its functionality is hard to beat for staying organized during a short trip.
Price at time of publish: $150
The Details: 5.5 pounds | 17.5 x 14.5 x 8.5 | Two wheels
Best for Staying Organized: Travelpro Platinum Elite 29-Inch Expandable Spinner
Why We Love It
It has plenty of designated spots for keeping items sorted and easy to find.
What to Consider
This is a large piece of checked luggage.
The easiest way to maximize suitcase space is to pack efficiently, and the Travelpro Platinum Elite 29-inch Expandable Spinner is your best bet for longer trips. The softsided suitcase has one large main compartment with a tie-down compression flap and two zippered mesh pockets to secure all of the items we packed inside. Our tester noted that they could have easily fit twice the amount of clothes in the suitcase thanks to the enormous interior space and the built-in suiter for preventing wrinkled clothes while traveling. In addition, a built-in toiletry bag keeps accessories tucked away in a designated spot. Although there are many pockets on the bag's interior and exterior, our tester thought it was just the right amount for staying organized without being excessive.
The bag is larger than the average checked suitcase, which, according to our tester, made it slightly “cumbersome to maneuver,” but its redeeming quality is the self-aligning wheels that roll smoothly over carpet, gravel, and flat surfaces. The suitcase held up perfectly after we hit it with a bat and dropped it multiple times. With that thoughtful, sturdy design (and a TSA-approved lock), we think this checked bag is well worth the cost.
Price at time of publish: $470
The Details: 12 pounds | 32.5 x 21 x 13.25 | Expandable | Smart | Four wheels
Related: The 8 Best Underseat Luggage Pieces of 2023, Tested and Reviewed
Best Weekender: Travelpro x Travel + Leisure UnderSeat Tote
Why We Love It
This bag is lightweight and easy to carry.
What to Consider
We couldn’t fit a laptop in the bag after we packed it with clothing.
We loved the lightweight feel of the Travelpro x Travel + Leisure UnderSeat Tote with a weekend’s worth of clothing inside, and that it fit perfectly under our makeshift airplane seat. The leather handles are comfortable to grip, and we like that it comes with a longer, detachable strap to carry it on your shoulder instead. With a top zipper and one main compartment, it’s easy to pack clothing, shoes, and a toiletry bag inside, and the two small interior pockets are ideal for sunglasses or phone chargers. There is a designated laptop sleeve on the back of the tote; after we packed the bag full, there wasn’t enough room to slide the computer in, but it would fit if you were to fill less. Plus, if the tote bag feels too heavy to carry, it has a trolley sleeve on the side to securely fasten it to a rolling suitcase. Its functionality and sleek design make this a worthwhile investment.
Price at time of publish: $245
The Details: 2.3 pounds | 9.25 x 16.5 x 9
Travel + Leisure / Conor Ralph
Best Style: Travelpro Maxlite Air Carry-on Expandable Hardside Spinner
Why We Love It
The exterior polycarbonate shell is durable and sleek.
What to Consider
It isn’t the smoothest to roll over bumpy surfaces.
The Travelpro Maxlite Air Carry-on Expandable Hardside Spinner boasts a metallic polycarbonate hardshell that not only looks modern but also proved to be durable during testing, too. We were impressed that the sturdy build showed no damage, even after our tester clobbered it with a baseball bat several times. The suitcase's interior is simple with two zippered clamshell compartments and one small pocket. It did its job in fitting the designated items our testers packed, though we wish the suitcase could fit a little bit more. The exterior has no pockets, but we like the TSA-approved lock in case travelers use it as checked baggage. While the suitcase isn’t the best for over-packers, if style is a priority, this Travelpro carry-on is an excellent value for its appearance and functionality. Plus, it's one of the best lightweight luggage options available.
Price at time of publish: $170
The Details: 8.5 pounds | 23 x 14.5 x 9.5 | Expandable | Smart | Four wheels
Travel + Leisure / Jhett Thompson
Related: The Best Carry-on Luggage of 2023, Tested and Reviewed
Other Travelpro Luggage We Liked
We tested 11 pieces of Travelpro luggage, and while we had some clear winners, several performed well during testing but missed the mark due to minor weaknesses.
Travel + Leisure / Conor Ralph
Travelpro Maxlite 5 Softside Expandable Carry-on Spinner: The bag itself is very durable and easy to maneuver, but it didn’t have any standout features compared to other Travelpro carry-ons that had noticeably helpful features.
Travelpro Maxlite 5 Softside Expandable Luggage: We were impressed with how spacious the suitcase is, but it had minor inconveniences, including a handle that is finicky to adjust, and few pockets for organization.
Our Testing Process
Throughout four tests, our expert product testers followed detailed instructions to evaluate carry-on, checked, underseat, and weekender luggage to rate each bag on a scale of one to five based on capacity, durability, design, maneuverability, and value.
While the exact items varied depending on the type of luggage, we tested capacity by packing the suitcases with pants, shoes, toiletry bags, and laptops to see which bags could easily fit the designated items. Luggage with the top scores for capacity had no issues fitting the items on the packing list and even had room left over. Next, the bags with the best designs were intuitive to pack items into and had standout features like storage solutions or USB ports. Once the bags were fully packed, if applicable, we placed them under seats or above into overhead compartments. For bags with wheels, we rolled the packed bags through obstacle courses to test for maneuverability around objects and see how the bags rolled over bumpy surfaces like gravel and carpet. Suitcases with 5-star ratings for maneuverability could glide easily on all types of surfaces.
Travel + Leisure / Conor Ralph
Then, we tested durability by throwing the packed bags on the ground to see how they would hold up if they were handled roughly at an airport. Next, with carry-on and checked suitcases, our testers took a baseball bat to the luggage to test for high-impact durability. After being tossed or whacked, the most durable bags showed little to no damage on the inside or outside. Lastly, none of our testers were aware of the prices of the luggage before testing, so after it was complete, they judged if the suitcase's performance matched the cost to rate the overall value.
Travel + Leisure / Conor Ralph
Tips for Buying Travelpro Luggage
Decide if you want hardside or softside
Hardshell suitcases are best for those traveling with fragile items, as the plastic case generally offers more protection and the exterior can be easily wiped down. Softsided luggage still has ample cushioning (and more give on space for overpackers), but the fabric can be harder to clean. However, soft-sided suitcases can hide scuffs or scratches better than a hardshell, and they are generally lighter in weight.
Decide if you want a luggage set
Luggage sets are convenient and cost-effective if you have the budget to spend more to get all your luggage at once. Frequent fliers, or those who travel with multiple suitcases, might find a set to be worth the upfront cost to get numerous bags of varying sizes.
Know your organization preferences
Whether you’re an overpacker or travel lightly, plenty of luggage options have built-in storage for staying organized while traveling. However, if you prefer using removable storage solutions like packing or compression cubes, opt for a suitcase that doesn’t have built-in storage, or make sure it’s removable to make room for alternative storage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is hard or soft luggage better?
There are pros and cons to hardside and softsided luggage and, at the end of the day, the choice is absolutely yours. However, a hardshell suitcase is typically better than a softside bag for protecting your items since the exterior of the bag is so durable. Meanwhile, softsided bags tend to be more flexible and more lightweight, which is great for overpackers. Keep in mind that when it comes to softside versus hardside luggage, there's no right answer and shoppers should always prioritize the quality of the bag.
How do I decide which Travelpro bag to buy?
It depends on what kind of travel you’re planning to do and how you like to pack. Overpackers will likely benefit from a checked bag or one of the more spacious carry-ons, while light packers would be better off with a tote or weekender bag. If you like to be extra organized while traveling, or if you’re on a business trip, opt for a bag with storage solutions and a suiter for keeping clothes wrinkle-free.
Does Travelpro offer warranties?
Travelers can buy Travelpro luggage directly from Travelpro, which will include the brand’s 100-day trial, where any piece of luggage can be returned with free shipping.
Why Trust Travel + Leisure
Anna Popp is a Commerce Writer at Travel + Leisure, where she writes and reviews travel products where she has been travel writing since 2018, and product testing since 2021. Anna worked with travel editors to determine the results for the best Travelpro luggage based on a series of multiple tests completed by expert product testers in our lab.
Related: The Best Hardside Luggage of 2023, Tested and Reviewed
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