The Best Suitcases For Travelling In Style This Year

Acing our drop test, this is a sturdy case that we’d be happy to show off. Even its wheels were durable; they may make noise if you’re dragging them over Lisbon’s cobbled streets, but they moved smoothly across most surfaces. Its zips proved reliable, too; a little dampness seeped through, but our clothes stayed dry.

The premium design also has plenty of thoughtful details, including a water-resistant toiletries bag and a laundry bag. However full your case is, your luggage will also be secure thanks to adjustable straps that keep everything in place.

It even has an accompanying dust bag so you can store it safely and keep it looking pristine. And there’s a choice of nine chic colours — pale rose, glossy lemon and night blue are top of our wish lists.

We love a co-ordinated set, and happily this Antler cabin bag is just as premium a buy as its larger counterpart reviewed below, making it ideal for longer breaks where just one case simply won’t do.

It moved smoothly, proved durable and had a waterproof shell – just watch the zip in heavy downpours, as it’s not waterproof. It also comes with a lifetime warranty, and you can choose from Antler’s array of timeless colours.

Thanks to Away's array of on-trend colourways, you can coordinate (or clash) your outfit with your luggage. It’s roomy inside and its attention to detail stands out; think pockets, a water-resistant laundry bag and a melamine sponge to keep its exterior in perfect condition. The leather identity tag is an elegant touch and the trolley handle feels pleasingly soft.

On test, the fiddly zips let some moisture in, but our belongings stayed dry. The wheels announce your arrival on cobbles and are sluggish on carpet, but they’re otherwise agile. Only their protective caps were damaged during our drop test, with no impact on performance, making this large suitcase a worthy investment. We’ll have ours in neon pink, please.

This case should keep adventure-seekers' belongings safe, whatever the holiday. The duffel design proved outstandingly sturdy in our durability tests, barely suffering a scratch. It's spacious inside, too, with a selection of compartments for organised packing, including one for shoes – always useful. Note the zips were a bit stiff and you’ll need to source your own padlock.

The handles were comfortable even when it was fully packed, and the two wheels moved well, but our tester had to muscle them round corners and they made a noise on cobbles. Its water-repellent fabric should withstand light rain, but don’t use it in monsoon season, as some moisture leaked through the top zip. It’s easier to store than a traditional suitcase, though, and it should last you many years.

Away’s standard cabin bag really impressed, but for flexibility on the go, this expandable design is ideal, leaving room for you to add more if you can’t resist a vintage market find or sentimental souvenir.

When expanded, you would need to check it into the hold on most airlines, but it ticked all our tester's boxes when it came to quality, putting in a star turn in our durability and waterproofing tests. It’s not the lightest case they tried, though, and sudden changes in direction did cause some wobbling.

That said, Away’s attention to detail, including the accompanying washbag, luggage tag and even cleaning sponge, makes it hard to overlook.

If you value durability and security, but also style, this is the suitcase for you. Created by a London-based Swedish duo, the brand combines traditional elegance with effortless functionality. 'The Check-in' is crafted out of a polycarbonate that's unbelievably lightweight (saving you precious kilograms for extra pairs of shoes), and finished with Italian leather details. It's a nod to historic travel trunks, but uses tech-forward materials, including 'silent Japanese spinner wheels.'

For those keen to capitalise on the case's fashion credentials, the leather trim can be customised with a personal monogram. And for the traveller with three-too-many pairs of shoes, there's even a size up option to consider too.

If that's successfully hooked you, the brand also offers a range of home office accessories, as well as travel wallets, passport holders and watch straps.

This spacious, expandable suitcase is designed for serial over-packers, with its generous compartments featuring plenty of pockets for organised types. The stiff zips let in some moisture at the top of the case, but this didn’t spread to our clothes.

The trolley handle felt comfortable to pull, even when the suitcase was full, but the side handle squashed our expert’s hand. Its wheels stood out – they were bigger than others on test and navigated every surface quietly and with ease. They looked as good as new after our drop tests, too.

In fact, this stylish suitcase proved sturdy all round; it predictably suffered some scuffs and dents after 50 drops, but still functioned impeccably. Its range of beautiful colours includes sage, taupe and blush.

After falling in love with Horizn’s H7 hold suitcase, we had to see if its cabin bag was just as good, and we weren’t disappointed. Not only is it chic and sturdy, but it also comes with a removable charging pack, so you don't need to worry about your phone or headphones running out of charge en route.

Inside, it has ample pockets and partitions to suit even the neatest of packers. Its wheels conquered everything from cobbles to carpet with ease, too. But a word of warning from our tester: it may be slightly too big for some airlines, so check it suits your preferred carriers before you buy.

If you’re the sort of packer who needs a pair of shoes for every eventuality, then you’ll appreciate this soft shell case's shoe compartment. It's also got plenty of room and pockets to accommodate a generous capsule wardrobe, and our tester liked its dedicated documents pocket.

It’s thoughtfully designed so you can lock the external pockets, and its zips kept all water out. Some padding on the side handles would have been appreciated, and the wheels could be sturdier – one had broken off by the end of our (admittedly hardcore) drop tests – but they navigated every surface quietly and with agility. The body of the case proved robust, showing minimal signs of damage, and it flattens well if storage is tight at home. It comes with a 30-year warranty.

Hard shell suitcases can be heavy, but grab those extra beauty products, as this spinner is ultra-lightweight. It’s spacious inside, with internal pockets that will keep everything neat and safe. It moves fluidly on all surfaces and smoothly swaps between two and four wheels.

The zip got damp during the waterproofing test, but our clothes remained dry. One corner dented from all our dropping, but given it only weighs 3.2kg, this wouldn’t put us off, especially as its wheels merely scuffed slightly. Available in navy or black, it will look timeless for holidays to come.

Conscious about the environmental impact of your travel? Consider this eco suitcase. It's made in Europe from recycled plastic, so while it may not lower the carbon footprint of your holiday, its own is smaller than most.

The case is roomy with secure dividers, but isn’t lined inside, losing it some luxe points. It moves quietly and effortlessly, whether on carpet or cobbles, but our tester would have welcomed more comfortable handles. It proved entirely watertight but suffered a few dents during drop testing; these easily pushed out but doing this too often can cause stress marks. Overall, it’s a reliable all-rounder. Choose from three understated colourways.

If waving your suitcase off at check-in makes you anxious, this suitcase should give you peace of mind. As well as a TSA-approved lock, it has puncture-resistant zips and a bag tracking feature. It proved impressively durable too, with little more than the odd scuff mark left after drop testing.

It's expandable, and with five pockets inside, including a garment section and a divider, there’s more than enough room for a two-week getaway. Once full, it required some effort to turn corners, but otherwise moved smoothly. It was waterproof as promised, with only the top zip absorbing some water, none of which seeped inside.

This soft shell Samsonite is the lightest suitcase on our list. It’s expandable, so if you’re not taking anything fragile and like to pack enough beach reads to stock a library, it's a must buy. Its internal divider and elasticated packing straps will also help you pack neatly.

It was a smooth mover, gliding across all terrains without clacking, and stayed in good shape after being thrown about by our expert. In fact, only its waterproofing let it down; on test, moisture soaked through the front pocket, dampening the insides slightly. Pack those books at the bottom if the forecast is looking dubious, and you’ll be good to go.

If lightweight luggage appeals but you need to protect your Dyson Airwrap, look to this Tripp case. It’s purse-friendly and boasts enough space to fit the longest of packing lists, although it lacks internal pockets.

On test, its comfortable trolley handle and quiet, durable wheels shone. Some corners dented after extensive dropping, but they pushed out easily and the main panels emerged unscathed. During our water-resistance test, a small puddle gathered at the top and some moisture made its way through the zip. But for sunny destinations, this shouldn’t pose a problem.

This lightweight American Tourister comes in a range of stand-out colours that will make it easy to spot if you decide to check your bag last-minute. Testers were impressed with its internal pockets and divider, declaring it roomy enough to pack for a weekend city break, provided you’re disciplined when planning your holiday wardrobe, that is.

As its lower price tag suggests, it’s not the most luxe of suitcases, but despite this, it was something of an all-rounder on test. Our experts found it moved smoothly across most surfaces and it fared well in our drop tests, too.

If you want credentials, this company was founded by pilot Bob Plath, who invented one of the first upright wheeled cases. Since then, the brand's gone from strength to strength, inventing lighter, handier, sturdier suitcases – perfect for all sorts of trips.

The Maxlite's sell is that it's flexible and super lightweight, while being really strong. That means you can put your weight on it without any drama and it can withstand a degree of being thrown around by handlers at the airport, without so much as a dent. Plus, it's expandable. It's a true winner.