When you think of high-end luxury luggage, Tumi probably comes to mind. The brand was one of the first to offer luxe luggage that came with a pretty luxe price point to match. That said, they’ve more than earned their stripes when it comes to durability and looks. Tumi puts all of its designs through 30 durability tests, including tossing them in a tumbler 125 times and putting major miles on the wheels.
Best For: Suitcases With an Airtight Warranty
Another luxury brand, Briggs and Riley bases their unique features on feedback they’ve received over the years from customers—so it’s all super functional. For starters, they have an external handle so that you have a smooth packing surface inside your bag. In keeping with this customers-first theme, they are also known for their incredible warranty and coverage plans. They’ll fix or replace your luggage regardless of when you bought it or what happened.
Best For: Unique, Good-Looking Luggage
Founded in 1946, Delsey Paris is known for combining high-end leather with their super protective luggage pieces. While you can still find beautiful designs with leather lining, the brand also offers incredibly lightweight hardshell luggage pieces made from polypropylene. All of their luggage options have superior design features, and they often do collaborations with other brands that result in extra-fun, bright color options.
Best For: A Stray from the DTC Norm
Monos makes beautiful, sleek luggage—but the best part is that it’s reasonably priced thanks to their direct-to-consumer model. The brand puts a lot of effort into sourcing quality parts, and they list all of the quality tests that they go through with each design. They also offer lifetime warranties, which speaks to their faith in their products.
Best for: Luxuriously Taking to the Skies
Rimowa began in 1898, and they started creating early versions of the aluminum trunks they’re known for today in 1920. Since then, the brand has become synonymous with both style and quality, and while their prices certainly reflect that quality, remember that any luggage piece from Rimowa will last for years to come. Each piece of luggage from the brand also includes a lifetime warranty so that you never have to worry about any mishaps.
Best For: Nearly Indestructible Baggage
Founded in 1989, Calpak is known for its streamlined and clean design as well as its luggage, smaller bags, toiletry bags, and carrying cases. All of their pieces feature carbon steel bearing wheels that won’t break no matter how much pressure you put on them.
What to Look For in the Best Luggages
In general, size and the material of the outside of the luggage are two of the biggest choices you’ll have to make. While hardshells have been more popular in the past few years, brands like Away have started offering pieces with telescopic handles and nylon exteriors that still manage to look great in line at the airport bar or in the office on business trips. If you’re trying to decide between hard and soft shell pieces of luggage, keep in mind that hardshells provide a bit more protection for your personal items. That being said, soft-sided luggage tends to offer a bit more give if you’re the type of packer who constantly finds themselves shoving just one more thing in your bag. Hardshell pieces of luggage can also be more lightweight to tote, since most brands are making them with aluminum or polycarbonate—materials that are both strong and almost weightless.
Warranties are another important consideration when looking for luggage or travel bags that will last for years to come. One advantage to going with a more luxe brand like Rimowa is that they tend to offer extensive—even lifetime—warranties that will cover any problem that may come up over the years. There are also plenty of brands that are now publishing their quality-testing processes so that it’s easy to gauge their products’ durability.
