Is the Away Carry-On Worth It?
The key to stress-free travel is a durable, well-organized piece of luggage that holds everything you need while being comfortable to roll and carry. Away is one of the best-known travel brands, especially for its trendy hardside carry-on suitcases. In August 2023, the brand did a full overhaul of its suitcases to offer improvements to the original design (like a convenient grab handle underneath the wheels!) and added a variety of updated colors. As the popularity of the brand’s luggage continues to rise, it begs the question: Is Away really worth the hype?
As an analyst in the Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab, I have personally tested dozens of travel products, from carry-on luggage and smart suitcases to hardside luggage and travel backpacks. After putting the popular Away hardside carry-on through our rigorous Lab evaluations — which include using specialized equipment to analyze scratch and water resistance, as well as an obstacle course to measure wheel performance and maneuverability — I was blown away by this bag for being impressively lightweight, scratch resistant, easy to maneuver and fitting everything in our packing tests. In fact, it landed the top spot for carry-on luggage in our round-up of the best luggage brands of 2024.
The bottom line: Away luggage is absolutely worth investing in.
What is Away luggage?
Away is a travel gear brand that offers a variety of travel accessories, including checked suitcases, backpacks, packing cubes and weekender bags. The brand originally went viral for its carry-on featuring a removable battery that can charge your phone on the go, but Away has since stopped offering battery packs with its suitcases as most people already own portable chargers.
Away’s Carry-On and Bigger Carry-On are the brand’s two most popular items — they are made from the same materials and have the same features but in two different sizes. In the brand’s most recent update to its luggage line, the standard Carry-On now has a slightly larger packing capacity and is a bit heavier than the previous model. I put the new standard Carry-On to the test in the Textiles Lab and I used the Bigger Carry-On during a recent vacation to find out if Away luggage stands up to its hype.
Away The Carry-On
| Exterior measurements | 21.7″ x 14.4″ x 9″ |
|---|---|
| Interior measurements | 20.1″ x 13.9″ x 7.5″ |
| Weight | 7.5 lbs |
| Capacity | 39.8L |
Away The Bigger Carry-On
| Exterior measurements | 22.7″ x 15.4″ x 9.6″ |
|---|---|
| Interior measurements | 20.9″ x 15″ x 7.9″ |
| Weight | 7.9 lbs |
| Capacity | 47.9L |
My thoughts on the Away Carry-On
Durability
When it comes to luggage material, polycarbonate reigns supreme over other hardside materials like plastic. Away carry-ons are made with polycarbonate, which is extremely durable and more lightweight than metals like aluminum.
Polycarbonate bags typically ace our drop tests, which involve GH pros filling a suitcase with a set weight and releasing the luggage from a 3-foot height. We repeat this test at various angles and note any damages and imperfections. As suspected, after I dropped it from different angles using our drop tester, the Away carry-on showed no dents, damages or changes in appearance.
During testing, we also use a wire to scratch the surface of the suitcase and then rate any scuffs or marks left behind. Compared to other suitcases, Away’s carry-on aced our scratch-resistance testing, showing very minimal scuffs and remaining in great condition. Because marks and scuffs are inevitable on hardside luggage, the suitcases also come with a magic eraser sponge, so you can easily buff the outside of your suitcase when scuffs appear to keep your luggage looking fresh trip after trip.
I gave Away’s handles lower comfort scores, compared to the other carry-ons I tested. They felt a bit wobbly and less sturdy than other carry-on handles, and they don’t offer any padding at the grip. The newest iteration of the brand’s carry-on luggage features an additional underside grab handle near the wheels to help make it easier to stow and retrieve from an overhead bin.
The 360º wheels rolled easily over a variety of different surfaces when I was at the airport, including linoleum, tile and carpet. Testers agreed, finding this suitcase easy to maneuver through our obstacle course and over different floorings.
Interior
A carry-on absolutely has to hold everything you need for your vacation. Away carry-ons have massive interiors, clocking in at 39.8L for the Carry-On and 47.9L for the Bigger Carry-On. When you open the suitcase, there’s equal packing space on both sides. One side is a large zippered compartment, and the other is open with compression straps to keep everything in place. There are also zippered pockets for smaller items, so nothing gets lost at the bottom of your suitcase. For ultimate organization, pair the suitcase with the brand’s mesh packing cubes, which excelled in our recent packing cubes test and fit perfectly in the carry-on.
I was impressed with just how much I could fit in the Bigger Carry-On — enough for a whole week’s vacation without needing a checked bag. It was easy to keep all my belongings organized, and I especially loved the included laundry bag that kept my dirty clothes separate. This bag came with a stylish leather luggage tag in a similar color to the suitcase that keeps my contact info accessible if my luggage gets lost. (Remember not to put your home address on your luggage tag and instead just your email address or phone number.) Away luggage also features TSA-compliant locks to keep your belongings protected.
Should you buy Away carry-on luggage?
Starting at $275 for the Carry-On, Away luggage isn’t cheap. But for the cost, you get a sleek suitcase made with durable high-quality materials and a well-organized interior for easy packing. At a similar price to our other top-tested luggage brands, like TravelPro and Samsonite, Away carry-ons aren’t the most expensive suitcases I’ve tested either. (Both Tumi and Rimowa carry-ons start at $650, for example.) The brand also boasts an impressive 100-day return period on unused products, so you have lots of time to decide if it’s the right fit for you. Note that personalized products and final sale items are not eligible for returns or exchanges.
If you love its chic appearance and durable polycarbonate shell, Away luggage can be worth the investment. But if you’re ultimately in the market for something more affordable, I suggest checking out our top-tested picks from Target and Amazon Basics.
Other types of Away suitcases
Besides the famous carry-ons, the brand offers a few other styles of suitcases. There are checked sizes of the polycarbonate luggage as well as aluminum and softside styles. The checked bags are made with the same durable polycarbonate material as the carry-ons and match in appearance if you’re looking to create a stylish set.
I haven’t yet tested Away’s aluminum carry-ons, but I am wary of the higher price tag (starting at $675) and additional weight (10.1 pounds compared to 7.5 pounds for the polycarbonate version). Beyond that, it does feature an overall similar design with 360° wheels and a telescopic handle.
I just began testing the softside carry-on suitcases, the newest launch from the brand. These suitcases have one large interior (unlike hardside suitcases, which have packing space on both sides) with compression straps to secure your belongings. It also has more convenient pockets than the brand’s hardside offerings with both a large and small exterior pocket. Testers gave it lower appearance scores compared to other Away luggage.
Away also offers Flex styles of its polycarbonate suitcases. These suitcases expand for an additional 2.25 inches of space to fit all the extra goodies you bought on vacation. However, when the suitcase is fully expanded, it no longer works as carry-on luggage and must be checked. Note that this style has a higher price tag than the brand’s traditional polycarbonate carry-ons.
Away The Carry-On: Aluminum Edition
Now 75% Off
Away The Carry-On Flex
Now 61% Off
Away The Medium
Now 20% Off
Away The Large
Now 20% Off
More Away travel products we like
In addition to the brand’s suitcases, GH analysts have tested other travel products from Away. We were especially impressed by Away’s Everywhere Bag (available in standard, medium and large sizes), which held an impressive amount in our Lab tests and was a favorite among testers for its sleek look and roomy, well-organized interior. The brand recently launched a trendy quilted version too.
Best Weekender
Away The Large Everywhere Bag
Best Packing Cubes
Away The Insider Packing Cubes (Set of 4)
Best Tote Bag
Away The Everywhere Tote
Best Everyday Backpack
Away The Everywhere Zip Backpack
Emma Seymour (she/her) is a senior product analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute’s Textiles, Paper and Apparel Lab, where she has led testing for luggage, pillows, towels, tampons and more since 2018. She graduated from Cornell University with a bachelor of science in fiber science and apparel design and a minor in gerontology, completing research in the Body Scanner Lab on optimizing activewear for athletic performance.
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