The Best Carry-On Luggage for Travelers

Picture this: You're heading out for a weekend trip to see your friends down in Miami. You've got your sunnies and sunscreen ready to go, you've got your boarding pass on your phone, you've group texted the gang to let them know how excited you are, you're all packed and ready to go, and suddenly... Your alarm clock goes off late. You have to rush to the airport to make your flight on time. You get to the airport and the line for the check-in counter to check your bag is wrapped around longer than Starbucks' line on a Monday morning. You're probably thinking to yourself "@#%*!!!! How am I ever going to get on this flight?!"

None of this would have ever happened if you just had the right carry-on luggage. And if you had set your alarm clock properly... But really, let's focus here: the luggage. If you had only had a quality carry-on for your trip, you could have easily zipped on through the security line and still made it with time to grab a coffee and croissant.

Make sure to read on to get an exclusive discount on the best carry-on luggage for travelers!

With many US-based airlines charging ridiculous fees to check-in bags for flights, many frequent travelers have been on the hunt for the best carry-on luggage. But with so many great options, how do you choose?

I personally loathe checking bags when I travel. Not only do I get irked at paying the airline more for something that should be included (it is free almost everywhere else in the world except the United States--minus Southwest Airlines because they are amazing), but I just can't stand having to go down to the carousel and wait forever to get my bag once I land. I just want to get out and gooooo! Because of this, I've become a master at learning how to pack really well and fit everything inside of a carry-on luggage and small personal item.

So what is the best carry-on luggage for travelers, you ask? I really think I've found it...

The Carry-On by Away

Starting at just $225, awaytravel.com

I have been in the market for a new carry-on for the last few months and had seen a couple ads for the Away brand around New York, so I was intrigued to find out more. After doing a little research, the details and specs of this luggage were enough to excite me to try it out. I mean, when you can get a carry-on luggage that also doubles as a portable USB charger and is extremely affordably priced, how can you not get excited about that??

First of all, I just want to note that this luggage absolutely over-exceeded my expectations. I never thought I would love a carry-on luggage so much. Let me detail exactly why...

1. Built-in USB Charger

How many times have you been on a trip and all of a sudden your phone, tablet, or whatever other electronic device dies? It's happened to me more times than I can count. And don't even try and scurry around the airport to find an outlet because half the time they don't work and the other half they are being used.

With this carry-on luggage, you have a portable USB charger right at your side! There are even 2 ports available that charge at normal speed and fast speed. The Micro-USB to charge your luggage comes included with your bag. This is such a game changer for travel--I love it!

The battery is also compliant with all FAA, TSA, and DOT regulations, so you shouldn't have a problem with it. The only time I had an issue was at 1 airport in Thailand, which Away tells you about in their little intro booklet you receive once you purchase the luggage. They let me through security, it was just kind of a pain in the butt to put my luggage through the screener twice. Just make sure to read the booklet so you know how to handle that. Everywhere else, you're totally good!

2. Built-in TSA-approved Lock

While I don't always lock up my suitcase, it is nice to know that I have the ability to without having to remember to actually bring my mini locks. The zippers on the luggage conveniently turn into a lock at the top of the luggage.

This feature actually came in handy when I was checking in and out of hotels and had to leave my luggage at the front desk or with the bell men! Just provided an extra sense of security (both figuratively and literally).

3. Plenty of Room With Compression Pads

While I have gotten much, much better at learning to pack only the necessities, there's still a couple travel hacks I have up my sleeves to maximize my efforts and still bring that extra dress or extra pair of shoes without compromising too much space.

The first trick is to use packing cubes to really get your clothes as organized and compressed as possible. I'm obsessed with my Eagle Creek Packing Cubes (which you can find on Amazon right here) because I can organize my clothes by type of garment or by size.

Once you have the packing cubes set to go, the next trick is to have a luggage that will allow you to compress everything even further. With this carry-on luggage, you can use the handy compression pads to make sure everything is nice and tight in there. You can also use other packing hacks like using your shoes as storage space to really maximize efforts here.

I was literally able to pack 2 week's worth of clothes and shoes (along with my toiletries, medicines, and other accessories) into this carry-on luggage because of the compression pads and space that is available. It's amazing!

4. 4-Wheel Drive

If you don't have a carry-on luggage that has 4 wheels, you're doing it wrong. Having 4 wheels on your luggage is soooo much easier to handle than a luggage with 2 wheels. Think about it: you're pushing something instead of pulling something. It's a lot less energy and you can put more weight on it without feeling like you're lugging a bag of bricks. The Premium Hinomoto wheels on this carry-on, which rotate 360 degrees, make for a smooth ride every time.

5. Built-in Laundry Bag

Right inside the luggage, you'll find a fold-out nylon laundry bag that allows you to easily separate your dirty clothes from your clean clothes. Once it's full, it just rests on top of the other items and you can use the compression pads to push it down. Super convenient, especially if you're doing any physical or outdoor activities on your trip!

6. Extremely lightweight and durable

The thing that initially drew me to this carry-on (besides that bad ass USB charger) was the high quality and sleek design of the luggage. The last thing you want is some heavy clunker to carry from airport to airport.

This luggage weighs just 7 lbs. (which is very light for a carry-on) and comes with an extremely durable exterior shell. The material is nearly scratch resistant, a natural shock absorber, and has a little give to it making it easy to expand and give you more space for packing. Basically, it's perfect for long term use and frequent travelers.

7. Convenient storage bag for home

When you get the luggage after placing your order, it comes in a nice fabric storage bag, which they recommend you keep for safe storage when your carry-on is not in use. I understand this isn't like "a deal breaker," but it's just a nice extra thing to have to preserve the lifespan of your carry-on.

BONUS: The Monogram Edition

This is suchhhh a cute addition to an already great carry-on luggage. The Away team has partnered with a super talented artist in New York who will hand-paint up to 3 letters on your suitcase so you can have your own customized bag. This is PERFECT for personalizing your bag or giving a special gift to someone you love! You can chose the color palette and font from the selections available and they will ship your brand new, hand-painted monogram luggage within 2-3 weeks. I absolutely love this and hope to get it on the next Away luggage I get! You can choose this style when you shop their website!

Use THIS LINK for $20 OFF your first Away purchase!

So...I'm not going to leave you reading this post without giving you a little something special. Use the link in the box above to get $20 off your first Away purchase! You'll see the discount taken at the time of checkout (scroll towards the bottom of the page to see the price with discount), so no worries on entering a code. Let me know how you like it once you try it out!

Like I said, I'm happy to report back that this carry-on luggage wayyy over exceeded my expectations (as you can tell by this review). I am so in love with this little thing that it would be hard for me to switch over to another carry-on. There's a 99% chance if you see me in an airport in the coming year, I'm going to have this bad boy right by my side.

What do you think about the Away luggage? Have you tried it? Or is there another carry-on that you really love to use when you travel? Let me know in the comments below!

Thank you so much to Away for providing me with a luggage to try out. This post may include affiliate links, which comes at absolutely no cost to you. All proceeds go directly back into maintaining this website and making it better for you. All opinions are my own.