The best Away luggage in 2023

If you’re looking for a stylish piece of luggage, it’s hard to go wrong with Away. The popular luggage brand makes some of the best luggage in 2023. Away makes customer-loved carry-on and checked luggage with sturdy polycarbonate and aluminum exteriors. Away pieces are loaded with must-have convenient features and come in a bunch of gorgeous colors, all at a reasonable price. 

The experts at CBS Essentials have rounded up the best Away luggage in 2023. People like Away luggage because it’s incredibly durable, comes in multiple sizes, color offerings and has cool features such as a removable, rechargeable battery for on-the-go phone charging. If you’re traveling soon and want to upgrade your luggage, check out our favorite pieces from Away, including the brand’s new Gloss collection. 

Away has become one of the most recognizable brands on the luggage carousel. Once available only online, Away now operates several brick-and-mortar stores in major cities across the country as well as London and Toronto. 

If you are considering ordering an Away suitcase or travel bag for your next trip, here is everything you need to know. 

Away carry-on bags offer great features for a great value. The more compact of the two, the 22-inch version, holds three-to-five days worth of clothes while the 23-inch “Bigger” model boasts four-to-seven days worth of space. Need more room? Check out the “Flex” styles, offering a zipper flex feature that makes an additional 2.25 inches of space. 

Exterior features on Away luggage include 360-degree spinner wheels, a TSA-approved combination lock and telescopic handle. Inside the suitcase you will find a removable liner, an interior compression system, a removable laundry bag and a few zipper compartments. 

What we like about Away carry-ons: The included, removable charger ensures you’ll be able to recharge your phone on the go, even when you can’t find an outlet. The compression panel helps you get more clothing into this suitcase when packing. Away luggage comes with a lifetime warranty. Away offers several carry-on sizes to choose from.

Away’s hard-sided, polycarbonate bags offer great protection for all your belongings. The suitcases boast 360-degree spinner wheels, and a removable, washable liner. They’re available in two models: The Medium (26 inches) and The Large (29 inches). The price below is for the medium version.

“Away luggage provides so much versatility and dependability that I don’t own any other luggage brands anymore,” one reviewer shares. “I’ve used the Medium on two-week vacations and it carried enough clothes and toiletries for the duration. Just amazing quality of luggage as well as customer support, when my previous Medium had a zipper issue, they replaced it right away.”

Need more room for all your summer souvenirs? Away offers an expandable “Flex” version of the check-in bag. 

What we like about Away check-ins: The suitcases are made with a lightweight polycarbonate shell, so even larger sizes aren’t super heavy. The compression panel helps you fit more clothing into this suitcase when packing. There is a checked bag size available for all your travel needs. Plus, Away luggage comes with a lifetime warranty.

Away offers several checked sizes to choose from.

Away’s upgraded aluminum edition offers a more wallet-friendly alternative to Rimowa with the same features as the durable polycarbonate bags that put the brand on the map. Away also offers a warranty that covers damage to the shell, wheels, handles, zippers and other functional elements of the suitcases. This provides added peace of mind when splurging on pricier suitcases.

The aluminum version of Away luggage comes in four sizes: two carry-ons and two check-in. It’s available in three metal tones: silver, onyx black and rose gold. The smaller carry-on weighs 10.1 pounds, the medium-sized one weighs 10.6 pounds, the smaller check-in is 13.3 pounds and the larger version is 16 pounds.

What we like about Away The Aluminum luggage: Away’s 360-degree spinner wheels make these bags easy to roll through the airport. The suitcases feature a dual-lock for added security. The carry-on fits in most airlines’ overhead bins.

Other Away bags

Looking for more than luggage? Away makes customer-loved backpacks, bags, pet carriers and duffles. 

Away The Everywhere Zip Backpack

Looking for a backpack to coordinate with your Away luggage? The Everywhere Zip offers a minimalist look constructed out of water-resistant nylon material with leather trim. The 4.6-star-rated backpack zips open like a clamshell, offering easy access to all your items. As for functionality, an interior padded laptop pocket holds a 15-inch computer secured by a magnetic locking zipper. Other pockets hold water bottles, travel documents and essentials. 

“I never thought I’d prefer a backpack over a tote, but adding this as my small carryon for travel has been a great decision,” a reviewer on Away’s website shares. “It can easily accommodate my work computer, my person laptop or pad device, and a lot of other gear I keep with me. The construction is solid, and the straps fit great on one or both shoulders with no slipping.”

What we like about Away The Everywhere Zip backpack: It comes in five chic, classic color options. For an extra $35, you can personalize the item with custom embroidery. It offers padded shoulder straps for optimum comfort.

Away The Everywhere Bag

The line between a carry-on bag and personal item often feels blurred. However, this multi-use bag was designed specifically to fall into the latter category. 

With a padded laptop pocket, detachable key clip, pockets sized for water bottles, other gadgets and accessories and a detachable padded strap, it makes the perfect travel companion. Slip it onto the handle of your Away suitcase while wheeling it around the airport. 

“I love my everywhere bag. I recently travelled with it on a domestic flight and it was so convenient to place the bag under the seat, The best part of the bag is the zippers that go down to the lower portion of the bag, which when opened gives easy access and visibility to all the contents,” an Away reviewer says.

What we like about Away The Everywhere Bag: It offers ample storage for travel, work, or the gym. The bag comes with a trolley sleeve that can fit around your luggage handle for easy transport. It comes in five stylish colorways.

Away The Pet Carrier 

Away’s Pet Carrier offers the same sleek look as the brand’s luggage, a super cozy interior for your pet to travel in, safety features for their security and interior and exterior pockets for organization. 

This pet carrier is lined in a water-resistant material with removable plush, sherpa bedding. Strap the carrier into a car seat belt via latches or attach it to the top of your Away luggage via a trolley sleeve. 

“I use this for my Pomsky for air travel and car travel. My puppy loves it so much that as soon as she sees me bringing it off of her crate and set it down on the ground, she jumps right in it and settles down,” a pet parent on Away’s website says.

What we like about Away The Pet Carrier: It’s available in three colors and can fit pets up to 18 pounds. It is water resistant and easy to clean.

Away For All Routes (F.A.R) convertible backpack 

Away recently segued from travel to adventure with their outdoor collection, For All Routes, or F.A.R. The outdoor travel essentials seamlessly balance technical performance with modern design and function. Each piece is durable, lightweight, easy to pack and store, and made from recycled components. 

The convertible backpack weighs just over three pounds and doubles as a carry-on with space for three-to-five days worth of gear. Wear as a backpack, carry as a duffle or even across your chest with included straps. Interior compression straps help you pack the maximum amount of gear, while interior and exterior pockets, including a compartment for a 15-inch laptop, help you stay organized.  The backpack retails for $220.

What we like about the Away F.A.R. convertible backpack: The backpack is made from recycled materials and is weather- and abrasion-resistant for durability during travel and outdoor adventures.

Away luggage design and features

Away suitcases generally come well-equipped. Currently, the brand offers two materials: Polycarbonate and aluminum. Away also make a few travel bags and backpacks out of water-resistant nylon. 

The polycarbonate suitcases come in multiple core color options and limited edition seasonal colors. The aluminum model is offered in silver, rose gold and black. 

Away luggage Price

Away luggage offers high quality at a reasonable price point, competitively priced compared to other DTC luggage brands. 

Currently the smaller Monos carry-on retails for around $245, while the similarly sized Away carry-on sells for $275. However, the Away does offer one thing that Monos, and most other competing brands, don’t: Away Carry-on suitcases are equipped with a removable battery for charging gadgets. 

Away luggage shipping and returns

Away offers free UPS Ground on all orders (suitcases and accessories) and returns within the contiguous United States. The company also offers rush shipping for an additional fee. According to our shopper, the luggage ships out fast. “Shipped on the 13th, arrived on the 14th fast,” she noted.

While ultra fast shipping might be a great perk for most people, it complicates canceling your order or changing your shipping address. “Once you hit the buy button, there really is no going back,” said our shopper, who struggled to get in touch with customer service to intercept the suitcase. “There is zero wiggle room. No chat option, no easy way to change an address if you accidentally got it wrong. And because items ship so fast, there’s a good chance that if you get the address wrong you won’t be able to change it in time.” So do that double-check before you hit the buy button!

“Our team moves quickly to get your order shipped out ASAP, which means that we aren’t able to cancel or make any changes to an order once it’s been placed,” explains Away in the Q & A section of the website. “If you’re traveling soon, we recommend that you place a new order for the color or size you would prefer, and we can assist with a return of the original order.”

Away offers a 100-day trial period for all luggage. If you aren’t happy with your purchase, returns are accepted for items within the warranty period with the exception of personalized items. All you need to do is fill out a return request to start the process. You will be refunded the full amount of your order, minus any shipping charges. In order to exchange an item, send your original order back as a return and place a new order online.

Away luggage warranty 

Away suitcases are guaranteed by a limited lifetime warranty covering any functional damage to the shell, wheels, handles, zippers, or anything else that impairs your use of the luggage. The battery is covered by a two-year warranty, while other bags and accessories come with a limited one-year warranty, offering repair or replacement. 

“We recommend reaching out to us 2-3 weeks prior to travel as all replacement orders are subject to our standard processing and shipping times. Our stores are not able to process replacement orders,” the brand states. 

If Away isn’t able to provide an exact replacement, a product of equal value will be offered. 

More top-rated luggage options

Are the above Away suitcases not quite right for you? No worries — your friends at CBS Essentials have compiled a number of luggage roundups designed to help you shop for your next bag or suitcase. Check out our luggage coverage here: