Carry-on suitcases

What carry-on suitcases are

Carry-on is the North American name for hand luggage or cabin baggage: the bags you keep in the passenger cabin rather than check into the cargo hold.

• Sized for the bin: American and Delta cap a carry-on at 22 × 14 × 9 inches, measured with its wheels and handles.
• One bag plus one item: Both airlines allow one carry-on and one smaller personal item; American limits that item to 18 × 14 × 8 inches.
• The rule behind it: Delta notes that the FAA requires every carry-on item to fit under a seat or in an enclosed bin.
• Why travelers carry on: A bag in the cabin skips baggage claim and the risk of a checked bag being lost or damaged.
• Who makes them: Travelpro, Samsonite, Briggs & Riley, Away, Monos and Rimowa are leading makers; Away’s first product, in 2016, was a carry-on.

How they work

A carry-on rolls on two or four wheels and is steered by a telescoping handle that slides down into the back of the case.

• Two wheels: A Rollaboard is pulled behind you at an angle on two recessed wheels; Travelpro says its larger wheels roll straighter and faster.
• Four spinner wheels: A spinner rolls upright beside you and turns 360°, which helps in crowds, turnstiles and security lines.
• Self-aligning wheels: Travelpro’s Platinum Elite has eight MagnaTrac wheels that line up magnetically; OutdoorGearLab found they tracked noticeably better.
• A clamshell inside: Hardside cases open into two halves, usually a zippered panel on one side and compression straps on the other.
• A top lid: Softside cases, often made of ballistic nylon, usually open from a top lid, OutdoorGearLab notes.
• Expansion zippers: An extra zip adds depth: up to 2 inches on the Travelpro Platinum Elite, 2.25 inches on Away’s Softside.

Types

• Polycarbonate hardside: A rigid plastic shell, used by Away and Monos; Rimowa made the first polycarbonate suitcases in 2000.
• Polypropylene hardside: Cheaper and softer; OutdoorGearLab rates it less tough than polycarbonate for years of heavy use.
• Aluminum: Rimowa’s grooved aluminum case dates to 1950; Gear Patrol found the shell dents rather than cracks.
• Softside nylon: Fabric cases with a flexible outer shell that gives a little when packed full; Briggs & Riley’s Baseline is one.
• Front-pocket hardside: A hard case with an outer compartment; the one on the Monos Carry-On Pro holds a 16-inch laptop.
• International carry-ons: Shorter, wider models for carriers with smaller limits, such as Travelpro’s Platinum Elite International.

What to look for

• Size with wheels: Airlines measure the whole bag; Travelpro’s Platinum Elite is 23.5 inches tall overall but 21 inches for the case alone.
• Empty weight: Away lists its Carry-On at 7.5 lbs; Briggs & Riley’s expandable Essential 22″ weighs 10 lbs.
• Capacity in liters: Away’s Carry-On holds 41 L; its Bigger Carry-On, about an inch larger each way, holds 49 L.
• Wheels that track: OutdoorGearLab rolled bags over stairs and cobblestones; cases with large double wheels held the straightest line.
• A warranty for travel: Briggs & Riley repairs damage for life, airline damage included; Away repairs free for five years, then supports repairs for life.
• Expansion with care: Travelpro warns that a fully expanded bag may not fit an airline sizer; board with it zipped in.
• Organization: Compression pads, laundry bags, garment folders and laptop pockets differ from case to case.

On the plane and on the trip

• The U.S. size limit: American and Delta allow 22 × 14 × 9 inches including wheels and handles; Delta also caps the total at 45 linear inches.
• Regional jets: American valets larger carry-ons at the gate on American Eagle flights; Delta tags them on Delta Connection jets of 50 seats or fewer.
• Gate-checked bags: If your carry-on is checked at the gate, the FAA says spare lithium batteries and power banks must come out and stay with you.
• Liquids at security: TSA limits liquids, gels and creams in carry-ons to containers of 3.4 oz (100 ml) or less, in one quart-size bag.
• Smaller abroad: Air Canada allows 21.5 × 15.5 × 9 in; Emirates allows 55 × 38 × 22 cm (21.6 × 14.9 × 8.6 in).
• Weight limits abroad: Qantas limits international economy carry-on to 7 kg (15 lb); the IATA size guideline of 56 × 45 × 25 cm is voluntary.
• Locks at security: Locks built to the Travel Sentry standard, marked with a red diamond, can be opened and relocked by the TSA.

Limits and care

• No room to overstuff: OutdoorGearLab notes that a non-expanding hardside, like the Monos Carry-On Pro, will not zip shut if overpacked.
• Scuffs and dents: Gear Patrol found both polycarbonate and aluminum cases show wear; aluminum dents instead of cracking.
• Exposed wheels: Travelpro says recessed two-wheel designs are less prone to damage than four-wheel spinners.
• A double footprint: A hardside opens into two halves and takes twice its floor space in a small hotel room.
• Leave it in an emergency: Investigators found passengers grabbing bags slowed the 2019 evacuation of Aeroflot Flight 1492.
• Cleaning: Monos advises a soft damp cloth with warm water and mild soap, then letting the case air-dry completely.

A short history

Wheeled trunks and suitcases were patented in 1887 and 1945, but the travel industry long treated rolling luggage as a niche. In 1928 the artist Anita Willets-Burnham fitted a suitcase with baby-carriage wheels for a world tour.

• 1950: Rimowa begins selling the first aluminum suitcase, its grooves inspired by the Junkers Ju 52 airplane.
• October 1970: Macy’s starts selling Bernard Sadow’s wheeled suitcase; his rolling-luggage patent is granted in 1972.
• 1987: Northwest Airlines pilot Robert Plath invents the Rollaboard: two wheels and a telescoping handle.
• 1991: Plath leaves the airline to found Travelpro; other makers copy the Rollaboard from about 1993.
• 2000: Rimowa makes the first polycarbonate suitcases.
• November 2003: The first Travel Sentry locks, which security agencies can open, go on sale; built-in locks follow in 2004.
• 2004: Samsonite sells the first four-wheel spinner suitcase.
• February 2016: Away, founded in 2015, ships its first product: a carry-on.