How to Choose the Right Suitcase: The 2026 Buying Guide
Do you have a trip planned but no luggage to pack? Fear not, we have the perfect guide to help you know what to look for when buying a suitcase for your next holiday, from the ideal size to safety features not to miss. Plus, maximise your weight allowance with our handy packing tips!
Safety Features to Protect Your Belongings
The most stressful thing that can happen on holiday is getting some of your personal items stolen. To prevent this, there are a few easy thing you can do, especially when it comes to choosing the right suitcase.
First, hard-shell suitcases are considered safer because of their resistance to impact, they are also harder to break into. If you're opting for cabin luggage, a soft-shell suitcase is still a safe choice as you'll be keeping it with you at all times. They also allow you to pack a little more because of the flexible material - go ahead, pack your hairdryer too.
Another important feature to look out for is the TSA lock. These are required for travel in the United States, Canada, Japan, Israel, South Korea and European countries like Italy and Romania. It means that security teams can look into your luggage without damaging your lock.
Cabin or Checked Luggage: Which Should You Choose?
Your holiday style can impact what to take with you. Make sure you have the best suitcase for different trips with the pointers below.
- Budget: Carry-ons are often included with your flight ticket, so opting for a cabin bag means you'll probably save a little bit of money on your travels. However, opting for checked luggage sometimes means spending less at your destination, because you'll have packed everything you need.
- Time of the year: If you tend to travel more during wintertime, better to opt for a larger suitcase where you can store sweaters, cardigans and all the other layers you'll need to keep warm. For summer trips, clothing tends to take less space, so you could even get away with underseat luggage.
- Length of the trip: Are you more of a serial getaway person or prefer travelling for extended periods of time and splurge on all your holiday days at once? For the former, better to opt for a cabin suitcase or even hand luggage. For the latter, bigger is always better.
Handles: What to Look for
The most common thing to break in a suitcase is the handle. Make sure yours is made of quality materials that won't let you down after a few trips. Our customer reviews noted that the "handle pulls up with ease and pushes down well" on our Vacay suitcase.
Having a good height on the handle will also make walking around easier, especially if you're on the taller side. Some of our suitcases come with a handle being adjusted in three different levels.
The Right Suitcase Weight for Your Trip
With rising prices at airports, it's not uncommon to have to pay extra for heavy luggage. Here's how to avoid these pesky charges:
- Material: An empty large suitcase often weighs around 5 kg (humble brag: ours only weighs 4.6kg). Fabric suitcases are a bit lighter but they aren't as sturdy as their hard-shell cousins.
- Packing light: To decide how to select a suitcase, think about weight as well as size. Buying a medium size allows you to save 1kg at the check-in counter which can be valuable, especially if you tend to pack heavier items.
- Check before flying: Need to see how much weight you're taking with you? A portable scale can be really useful to make sure you don't get billed for extra weight. Some higher-end airlines charge up to £50 for any kilo above the limit.
Wheel Options: Spinner vs Fixed
An element that can really change your experience when using a suitcase is the quality of the wheels. If they can rotate 360°, you'll be able to move seamlessly and run easily if you're late to your gate!
Removable wheels can also be really practical to save a few cm on cabin suitcases, especially if you're flying with budget airlines like EasyJet and Ryanair. Our Vacay design allows you to gain 5cm at the push of a button.
Packing Tips to Maximise Your Weight Allowance
- Compartments and pockets can be quite useful to keep things neat and tidy in your suitcase. They can also be a great way to pack in more items, especially in expandable front pockets.
- Roll it up! Rolling your clothes is a great way to save space and you can also consider bringing solid toiletries like shampoo bars and soaps to gain extra room.
- Suitcase sets or travelling with several luggage can be a great solution to save on your ticket, as adding a suitcase ahead of time is a lot cheaper than being charged for a too-heavy suitcase.
Conclusion
With this suitcase buying guide, you can now make an informed purchase for your next trip, whether you're a jetsetter or like to go for one long holiday once a year. If you're now craving to go away for the weekend, check out our suitcases starting at only 15 inches. It's enough to store the essentials for your next holiday!
