Best Holiday Deals on Luggage

The Swiss Gear Sion 6283, still available for its Black Friday price, is a softshell carry-on suitcase that performs exceptionally well in impact resistance testing. It also achieves fairly high scores across usability, construction quality, and safety tests. Compared to other carry-on luggage we tested, the Swiss Gear is reasonably priced as well. It’s expandable, featuring a luggage tag and a telescopic handle.

The soft-sided TravelPro Platinum Elite Carry-on is a costly investment, but it performs well in all our tests—scoring near top-level in every category except for impact resistance, where it receives our highest score. And now’s a great time to invest, considering it’s on sale for more than $100 less than its usual price. Additionally, the TravelPro features a dedicated side pocket with a USB cable, allowing you to store and connect your own power bank to the built-in charging port located on the back of the bag.

The Maxlite 5 21" Carry-On Spinner is a great choice. This expandable hard-shell carry-on aced our impact resistance tests, so it should stand up to any tossing, bumping, or other airport mishaps. It also performed admirably in our other tests: Its spinner wheels make it easy to pull and carry. It comes with a limited lifetime warranty.

At 5.7 pounds, the American Tourister Wavebreaker 20" Spinner is one of the lightest hard-shell carry-on in our ratings, but it’s a sturdy traveler. We found it to have top-quality construction, and it performed admirably in our evaluations of impact resistance, ergonomics, design, and safety. But with just two interior pockets, no built-in lock, and no expanding middle, it’s only so-so for usability. Its telescoping handle has only two positions, which contributes to a middling score for carrying and pulling. The manufacturer’s listed dimensions of 23x18x11 inches—with its telescopic handle stowed—are a bit bigger than the carry-on dimension requirements of most domestic airlines.

The Tumi hard-sided carry-on may be a good option for those looking for luggage that will be easy to spot on the baggage carousel. Its textured design is a bit different from other carry-ons, and the gray color available at Macy’s and Abt Electronics isn’t too flashy but will still stand out in a sea of mostly black bags. It gets top marks for impact resistance and construction quality, and it did almost as well in CR’s tests for usability, ergonomics, and safety. It had middling results for carrying and pulling.

This affordable Herschel duffel bag comes in fun, youthful colors and patterns (tie-dye! florals!). It’s water-resistant, light and easy to carry, and simple—no confusing bells and whistles here. A separate compartment for shoes keeps your clothes clean, but other than that, this is a straightforward, affordable bag to get you from point A to point B. There are a few colorways currently on sale, too.

You can save a few bucks on this packing cube set from Amazon. The cubes come in small, medium, large, and slim. Overall, the quality is reflected in its name: It’s good but basic. And though it might not have extra features such as pockets or buckles, the Amazon Basics 4-Piece Packing Travel Organizer Cubes Set is perfect for people who don’t want to deal with too many cubes and just want something simple and functional.

The Cabeau Evolution S3 offers snug, cushy support with memory foam and an adjustable clasp that keeps your head from flopping mid-flight. Its built-in seat straps and earplug pocket add convenience, though the bulky design and warmth may not suit everyone. Still, for long-haul travelers who want structure and comfort, it’s a solid pick.

The Mzoo is well-designed and effective at blocking light for most face shapes and head sizes. CR’s team of evaluators had a wide range of preferences and needs, and yet most agreed that the Mzoo mask was a great option.

This personal alarm from Kosin is small, weighing about one ounce—similar to a Tamagotchi, remember Tamagotchi?—and triggering it requires pulling a pin on the side, as opposed to separating it from its base. It also doubles as a small flashlight. (Unlike other options, the light on the Kosin doesn’t go on when the alarm is triggered; instead, it goes on when you press a button.) You can only buy the Kosin in packs of six.