21 Best Suitcases 2026, Tested & Reviewed
If you’ve ever booked a winter sun escape and immediately started thinking about the best suitcases to get you there intact, you’ll know this is less about aesthetics and more about self-preservation. Sunny holidays have a habit of demanding contradictory packing: swimwear and sandals, yes, but also layers for the flight, comfy shoes, and whatever you tell yourself you’ll need for evenings out. Your suitcase has to cope with all of it, without becoming the most stressful part of the trip.I’ve come to see luggage as a supporting character rather than a statement piece. It needs to roll properly, survive check-in, and make unpacking in a hotel room feel vaguely civilised. Whether I’m travelling with cabin luggage for a quick break or relying on checked luggage for a longer stay, the basics matter – because weight limits are unforgiving, overhead bins are competitive, and nobody wants the shame of repacking on the airport floor because their case tipped the scales.This guide pulls together suitcases that actually earn their keep. Expect hard shell suitcases that protect fragile belongings, soft-shell options that give a little more flexibility, and lighter suitcases that don’t eat into your weight allowance before you’ve even started. Expandable designs are a blessing if you’ve got a holiday shopping habit, while four-wheel spinners make light work of terminals, pavements and hotel corridors. Brands like Antler and Samsonite remain solid choices for reliability, while Monos and Away are worth a look if you like your luggage to feel streamlined and well considered.The best suitcases don’t dictate how you pack; they work around it. They keep your holiday outfits organised, stop stilettos from wrecking everything else, and help your tailored pieces arrive in wearable condition. If you’ve already planned your travel wardrobe, bookmarked the best swimwear, and sorted your airport layers, your luggage should feel like the final piece that brings it all together.Ahead, we’ve rounded up suitcases for different travel styles, budgets and priorities – all tested with real journeys in mind – from the best luxury luggage brands on the market, as loved by Glamour editors, influencers and travel experts alike.The best luggage brands 2026:Based on overall quality, cost, aesthetics, durability and customer feedback, these are the luggage brands to know this year:How I testedEvery suitcase in this edit has been assessed with real trips in mind, from short winter sun breaks to longer, multi-stop journeys. I looked at how each case handled packing for mixed climates (swimwear, shoes and layers all competing for space), how smoothly it moved through airports, stations and pavements, and how it coped once checked in. Wheels were tested on less-than-forgiving surfaces, handles were extended and collapsed more times than strictly necessary, and interiors were judged on how well they kept everything in place mid-trip. If a suitcase felt awkward to manoeuvre, frustrating to pack, or unnecessarily heavy, it didn’t make the cut. I scored them on style, weight, size, functionality, durability, customer service, and additional features. Some even endured testing for over a year. Read our full Antler luggage review here, as an example.Why you should trust meI’ve spent years testing travel gear as part of my work, and I’ve learned to be sceptical of anything that promises to make travel “effortless”. What I care about is whether luggage does its job properly: protecting what’s inside, rolling smoothly, and standing up to repeated use. I also pay close attention to the details that only show up once you’re actually travelling, like how easy a case is to lift onto a luggage rack, whether zips feel robust, and if the interior layout makes sense after day three of a trip. Combined with hands-on testing, industry knowledge and a healthy intolerance for travel faff, this edit reflects suitcases I’d genuinely choose to travel with myself.Keep scrolling for our full edit of the best suitcases (from our favourite luggage brands) to take to checkout.
