Best carry-on luggage in 2026: 5 picks from $60 to $275

Five carry-on bags at a glance

The five picks run from a basic hardside spinner to a premium polycarbonate bag with a long repair plan. Travelpro and Away prices were seen on the brand sites on Oct 18, 2026. Amazon, Target and Samsonite blocked automated checks, so those prices are the latest figures found in deal trackers, with their dates.

The 2020 version of this post listed three bags: a TravelCross Milano, a Samsonite Omni PC and an AmazonBasics hardside spinner. The Amazon Basics bag and a Samsonite hardside stay in a newer form. The TravelCross was dropped because its maker does not publish current sizes or prices.

Carry-on size rules: what 22 x 14 x 9 means

The TSA screens what is inside a bag but does not set its size. Airlines do. Delta's baggage page gives the common US limit: a carry-on may not exceed 22 x 14 x 9 inches, or 45 linear inches combined, and the FAA requires every carry-on to fit under a seat or in an overhead bin. Travelpro's size chart, checked on Oct 18, 2026, lists the same 22 x 14 x 9 limit for American and United, and 24 x 16 x 10 for Southwest.

Points that catch travelers out:

• Wheels and handles count. Airlines measure the whole bag. Travelpro publishes both numbers for the Maxlite 5 Compact: a 19.5 x 13.75 x 9 in case and a 22 x 14 x 9 in overall size.
• Expansion zips add depth. Travelpro warns that a fully expanded bag may not fit a strict sizer. Board with it zipped in.
• Small planes. Delta says that on Delta Connection flights with 50 seats or fewer, only personal items go in the cabin, and larger bags are tagged at the gate and returned on arrival.
• Basic economy. United's basic economy fare allows only a personal item on most routes, according to travel guides that summarize United's rules; transatlantic and transpacific flights are among the exceptions. Check the fare rules before booking.
• Low-cost airlines. Spirit and Frontier charge for a carry-on on their entry fares, and the fee is usually higher at the gate than at booking. Their published sizes differ from the big three, so check each airline's own page.

A few bags on this list are a fraction of an inch over the 22 x 14 x 9 numbers. Gate agents rarely measure a bag that fits the sizer box easily, but a full bag on a strict airline is a risk.

Under $100: Amazon Basics and Target's Open Story

Amazon Basics 21" hardside spinner

Amazon's house brand sells a 21-inch hardside carry-on with four spinner wheels and an expansion zip. Amazon blocked automated checks, so the latest price found was a Slickdeals post from November 2025 showing $57.99, down from $68, for the navy version with a TSA lock. A July 2025 snapshot showed $53.99 for the orange version. Seller listings give different sizes for different versions, from about 20.9 to 21.7 in tall, so read the dimensions on the exact Amazon listing before buying.

Open Story hardside carry-on spinner

Open Story is Target's own luggage brand. A Slickdeals post on Sep 17, 2026 showed the beige hardside carry-on spinner at $45, half its $90 regular price, with free shipping; the black version was the same price with low stock. Open Story launched in 2020 with its carry-on at $149.99, according to CNN Underscored. Because it is a Target-owned brand, Target's return policy allows one year with a receipt.

Who it is for: a few trips a year, a first bag, or a bag for a child or teen.

Samsonite Freeform 21": a known brand around $140

The Samsonite Freeform is a polypropylene hardside spinner with double spinner wheels, a TSA lock and an expansion zip. Samsonite's site blocked automated checks. A Slickdeals price page from April 2026 showed the 21-inch carry-on at $139.99 on Amazon and $172.12 at Best Buy. Two-piece Freeform sets with a checked bag sold for about $135 to $175 in deals posted in January and February 2026.

Size is the catch. Retailer listings give the 21-inch Freeform an overall size of about 21.25 x 15.25 x 10 in, which is wider and deeper than the 22 x 14 x 9 in limit, and about 6.5 lb. Samsonite markets it as a carry-on, and many travelers fly with it, but on a strict sizer it can be a problem. The 2020 pick, the Samsonite Omni PC, has a newer Omni 2 version, which was not checked for this update.

Who it is for: travelers who want a well-known brand at a mid price and mostly fly airlines that do not measure.

Travelpro Maxlite 5 Compact: the light bag that fits

The Travelpro Maxlite 5 Compact Carry-On Spinner was $160 on travelpro.com on Oct 18, 2026. Travelpro's specs:

• Overall size 22 x 14 x 9 in with wheels and handles, case size 19.5 x 13.75 x 9 in.
• Weight 5.1 lb and 38 liters of space, with up to 2 in of expansion.
• Polyester fabric with a water- and stain-resistant coating, a two-height handle and four spinner wheels.

Travelpro says the bag fits the carry-on sizers and overhead bins on mainline aircraft of the major US airlines. It comes with a 100-day trial with free returns, plus Travelpro's Maxlite 5 warranty against defects in materials and workmanship. Shipping is free on domestic orders over $150.

For a hard shell, Travelpro's Maxlite Air V2 Carry-On Hardside Spinner was also $160, and the Optima Expandable Carry-On Spinner was $175.99, down from $275.

Who it is for: frequent flyers who want the lightest bag that meets the size limit.

Away The Carry-On at $275

Away's The Carry-On was $275 on awaytravel.com on Oct 18, 2026. Away lists the exterior at 22 x 14.4 x 9.1 in with wheels and handles, the interior at 20.1 x 13.9 x 7.5 in, a weight of 7.5 lb and 41 liters of space. That is a fraction of an inch wider and deeper than 22 x 14 x 9, and Away says it meets carry-on rules for most major airlines.

Away offers free returns and exchanges on unused bags within 100 days. Bags bought from April 14, 2026 come with Away LifetimeCare coverage: Away says repairs are free for the first five years, with up to one replacement in that period if covered damage cannot be repaired, and repair support continues after that. A paid LifetimeCare Pro plan extends free repairs to 10 years.

Away also sells The Bigger Carry-On, about an inch larger in each direction. It is too big for the 22 x 14 x 9 limit and suits airlines with larger allowances, such as Southwest.

Who it is for: travelers who want a hard shell and a long repair plan, and accept the extra weight.

How to pay less on a carry-on

Luggage prices move with sale events, and the gaps can be large: the Open Story spinner at half price and the Travelpro Optima at $100 off list are both from 2026. Ways to pay less at Amazon, from the PickedBox Amazon store page checked Oct 13, 2026:

• Look for a clip-on coupon on the product page before adding the bag to the cart. Amazon rarely offers sitewide promo codes.
• Time the purchase. Prime Big Deal Days ran October 6-7, 2026, and Amazon's Black Friday week in 2025 ran from November 20 to Cyber Monday, December 1.
• Check Amazon Resale for used and open-box bags at lower prices. Inspect the wheels and handle on arrival.
• Prime costs $14.99 a month. Prime for Young Adults is $7.49 a month for ages 18-24 and students, and Prime Access is $6.99 a month for eligible assistance recipients.
• Most items can be returned within 30 days of delivery in original or unused condition, so pack the new bag once at home to check the fit.

PickedBox keeps current offers on the Amazon coupon page. For Travelpro, the Travelpro coupon page notes 10% off a first order for email sign-up and past sales around Presidents' Day and Black Friday. For Open Story, the Target coupon page covers Target Circle Deal Days, which ran October 6-7, 2026, and Target's 14-day price match. Students can also see Amazon Prime Student in 2026.

The row below is the same row as on the Amazon page. Amazon opens in a new tab.

Deal Subscribe & Save: save on repeat deliveries, more with 5 or more items Eligible products only. Savings increase when 5 or more subscriptions arrive on the same day. Delivery is free; cancel any time. Deal · Worked Oct 9, 2026 · listed since Oct 2026 Get deal Opens Amazon in a new tab. No code needed.

How we checked this

On Oct 18, 2026, PickedBox read the product pages on travelpro.com and awaytravel.com and recorded prices, sizes, weights, trial and warranty terms. Carry-on limits come from Delta's baggage page and Travelpro's airline chart; United's site did not load, so its basic economy rule comes from travel guides. Amazon, Target, Samsonite and Best Buy blocked automated access, so their prices come from dated Slickdeals posts and retailer listings shown in search results. Amazon, Travelpro and Target programs come from the PickedBox store pages, checked Oct 13, 2026. No luggage was bought or used for this guide.

• Delta: carry-on baggage
• Travelpro: Maxlite 5 Compact Carry-On Spinner
• Away: The Carry-On
• Slickdeals: Amazon Basics 21-inch carry-on, Nov 2025
• Slickdeals: Open Story hardside carry-on, Sep 2026
• Slickdeals: Samsonite Freeform 21-inch
• Luggage Designers: Samsonite Freeform 21" specs
• CNN Underscored: Target Open Story luggage
• Milesopedia: United baggage rules
• Target: returns

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