What to Look for in a Cheap Suitcase
- Durability: One of the biggest justifications for hiking the price of luxury checked luggage comes from the durable materials used to put it together. Suitcases under the $100 mark tend not to boast the robust polycarbonate shells of more expensive models, so look for hard shell cases made from polypropylene or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic. Tear-resistant nylon or cordura fabrics offer the most support.
- Size: The smaller the suitcase, the cheaper. In our edit, we’ve looked beyond carry-on dimensions to find you the largest luggage for your buck. If you’d like to improve on other features while saving on pennies, consider packing lighter.
- Brand: Many big luggage brands offer cheaper lines, which tend to benefit from improved quality control, better customer service and warranties that’ll keep you covered for a few years of trips. While you might struggle to see suitcases from brands like Samsonite and Antler under the $100 mark, it’s worth keeping an eye out for cabin bag, cabin case, and carry-on luggage sales—we’ve seen regular price cuts on luggage sets from both brands.
- Features: While wheels and telescopic handles are a standard feature of most suitcases in this day and age, cheaper models tend not to give them the special attention they deserve, thus leaving them more susceptible to damage. We advise reading reviews to see how other customers have fared.
- Weight: More expensive suitcases use materials that keep their suitcases light so that you can pack more. Look for a suitcase that’s under the 10-pound mark so that you’re not left paying extra at the check-in for exceeding airline weight restrictions.
Cheap Suitcases FAQ
What luggage brand is best?
You’ll be familiar with many of the best luggage brands, but figuring out which is best for you and your budget can be tough. The most famous like Globe Trotter, Rimowa, Tumi and Carl Friedrik are generally expensive, so if you’re hoping to pinch pennies, you should be considering more affordable options like Away, Antler, Amazon Basics and American Tourister to keep costs down. In most cases, many of these cheaper options will be more than capable of getting you from A to B in style and comfort, with plenty of space to keep your luggage together. Many brands only charge more for especially fancy materials, colorways or simply because the design is too gorgeous not to spend money on.
What is a good affordable suitcase brand?
Generally, every brand we’ve picked to include above is a good option if budgets are tight but you still want good quality to accompany you on your trip. However, the best brands for around the $100 mark are American Tourister or Samsonite. Both offer a huge range of products from carry-on to check-in and most are priced firmly in the affordable category. The vast majority of these brands will also offer guarantees on luggage purchases, so you can happily travel knowing you’re protected from the various dings and scrapes that will inevitably befall your cases in transit.
If you’re willing to spend a bit more, then Away is a good option for genuine quality materials, value for money and packing space, though you’re looking at pushing the price up beyond $200. Of course, you can always jump over to our best suitcases guide to learn more about our favorite options.
Do hard or soft suitcases hold more?
If you’ve got two similar-sized suitcases, one hard and one soft, the overall capacity of both is going to be roughly the same. Generally, soft-side suitcases can hold a little more as they are a bit more expansive compared to their more rigid brethren, but generally, you won’t be able to pack loads more. They may feature expandable zippers to give you more room or even external pockets to cram even more packing in.
However, hard suitcases provide better protection for fragile items. When choosing between the two, consider your packing habits and the nature of your travel. Many brands offering the best cheap suitcases provide both hard and soft options to suit different preferences.
How We Tested
Before you jet off on your latest trip, you’ll want to ensure you’ve got the right luggage to see you through to your destination without headaches. If you’ve found yourself reading this article, it’s likely because you’re on the hunt for something new to take with you that doesn’t cost half the price of the trip itself, and we’d imagine you’re hoping for recommendations on products people have actually used.
GQ Recommends‘ travel editor, Owen Gough, has you covered, putting as many suitcases as he can through their paces on a range of journeys, from short-range trips to long-haul flights. Throughout his testing, he assessed the suitcase’s overall design and how much capacity is available, how durable the materials are and what colors are available, as well as the general ease of packing and additional compartments to split your gear. Of course, most importantly for this article, the cost and value of the bag were of paramount importance, so we’ve only picked luggage that is priced lower than $500 and with most under $300.