No matter how often or why you’re traveling, you’ll need a suitcase that suits your needs. It has to be spacious enough to hold all your stuff, light enough to carry around, and durable enough to last year after year.
The Good Housekeeping Institute’s Textile Lab tests luggage of all kinds, from carry-ons, to checked bags, and more. We evaluate in them in the Lab by measuring things like abrasion and scratch resistance, water resistance, weight and size, ease of use, and durability in our drop tests. We also perform packing tests to compare compartments and see how much each can hold. Then we bring in consumer testers to use the luggage in an obstacle course and give feedback on aspects like handle comfort, wheel performance, and maneuverability.

One thing we’re always asked: Is soft or hardside luggage better? The answer: It’s a personal preference. For hard shell luggage, we recommend going with polycarbonatebecause it’s both durable and lightweight. Aluminum is heavier and ABS plastic is less durable. For softer fabric luggage that’s more flexible to stuff into tight spaces (e.g. car trunks or overhead bins), nylon’s your best bet because it’s strong and water resistant.

After combing through the past 10 years of test data and researching new styles, we’ve selected the best luggage brands based on top-performing cases from our tests, our expert favorites that we use when we travel, and newer styles with unique features. Read on to learn more about our top picks, but in summary the best luggage brands to shop in 2019 are:

Best Overall Luggage: Away
Best Value Luggage: AmazonBasics
Best Luggage for Long Trips: L.L.Bean
Best for Luggage Frequent Flyers: Hartmann
Best Variety Luggage: Delsey
Best Luggage for Infrequent Flyers: American Tourister
Best Luggage for Business Travel: Samsonite
Best Luggage for Adventure Travel: Eagle Creek
Best Luggage for Flight Crews: TravelPro
Best Luxury Luggage: Bric’s
Best Classic Hardside Luggage: Rimowa
Best Printed Luggage: Heys
Best Customs Service: