Whether a London staycation is on the agenda, planning a city break in New York or taking the trip of a lifetime to the Maldives, make sure your airport style game is n point with our edit of the best suitcase brands worth investing in…

Nere

Two women in swimwear smile and pose with food and drinks in front of the rustic Lazy Coconut beach hut, surrounded by pastel luggage from the best suitcase brands, surfboards, and tropical décor.

The USP: Punchy colourways that bring the Aussie coastline to the UK – there is no way you’re going to miss your suitcase at baggage reclaim with Nere’s assortment of rainbow hues. They specialise in robust suitcases that give you peace of mind if you’re a seasoned traveller, and carry-ons that are practical but stylish, as well as an arsenal of clever accessories that make exploring the world a little easier.

Price point: Seriously reasonable, with cabin bags starting at £119 and larger cases £139.

NERETRAVEL.CO.UK

Antler

The USP: Antler is all about polished design and trustworthy function at affordable price points. But it is their sets that are really worth investing in – the devil is in the details in how they all work together. For example, the roomy weekend holdalls slip perfectly on top of both the weekend suitcase and the larger checked case. We can personally attest that it means you can travel solo with two pieces of luggage and a baby in a pram, no bother.

Choose from classic colourways – silver, black, navy – or go for something a bit more fashion-forward like this moody forest green or a chic soft cream.

The devil is in the details when you see how Antler’s travel sets work together.

Price point: Cabin suitcases start from £170, and larger check-in suitcases start at around £200.

www.antler.co.uk

July

A woman in a striped shirt, white top, and brown wide-leg trousers leans on a cream-coloured suitcase from one of the best suitcase brands. A striped tote bag sits on top; she stands on wooden flooring, with a lifebuoy and wood-panelled wall behind her.

The USP: Of-the-moment colours? Check. Personalisation? Check. A lifetime of warranty? Check. Yep, July are so confident in their product that each suitcase comes with not only a 100-day returns policy but a whole lifetime guarantee.

We also love the fact they can be personalised with your initials – the ideal gift for a globetrotting loved one. The brown shade is firmly at the top of our summer wish list, whilst a moment for the striped suitcase cover, please? How good?

Price point: Smaller suitcases start from £195.

july.com

Kapten & Son

The USP: German-founded Kapten & Son is the ultimate 360° brand when it comes to travel and luggage, offering everything you could need to make your journey a smooth ride. Think beyond the usual cabin and checked bags (which happen to be impossibly chic) to changing bags, baby bags, sunglasses, and even all-weather jackets.

Our favourite piece is the Heathrow Cabin Suitcase in a sleek walnut – it’s light, durable, easy to pull from city to city thanks to swivel castors, and comes with a 10-year warranty. It’s also worth checking out their brilliant toiletry bags, designed to fit perfectly inside the larger pieces, and they even do watches to ensure you’re right on time for your flight.

Price point: Kapten & Son are a great choice if you’re after something mid-market – an investment but not wildly priced. Suitcases start at around £190, and savings can be made by buying matching sets.

kapten-son.com

Rimowa

The USP: Sometimes you come across a brand that takes something fairly mundane and makes it seriously cool. That is exactly what Rimowa have done with luggage. Their signature grooved designs in tough, industrial-style metals look like they mean business, but they also have some bold, bright colourways to choose from. And it is no surprise, as the brand has been crafting luggage for over 125 years, from vintage wood to classic aluminium to high-tech polycarbonate.

The list of attributes Rimowa’s cases have today is endless, but includes everything from waterproof to hotel repairs (yes, really!), light but durable to a lifetime guarantee and repair service.

Cases made with the international jet set in mind.

Price point:

Rimowa’s collections are at a higher price point (and sadly rarely go on sale ), but they are a lifetime investment. Small cabin cases start around £500.

rimowa.com

Away

A person with orange-painted nails places a mesh packing cube into an open suitcase with beige and white stripes from one of the best suitcase brands, surrounded by other packing cubes and a folded orange garment.

The USP: Chances are you’ve been living under a rock (or on a social media ban) if you’ve not yet heard of luggage brand Away. Loved by the Insta set and, therefore, thousands of influenced millennials, Away creates thoughtful designs with modern travel in mind.

Think bag and suitcase duos that fit together so you can nip through the airport in style with one hand free, cool but trustworthy hardshell cases in contemporary colour palettes, and cases with built-in chargers so you never have to worry about your phone battery dying during the flight – just remember, don’t put those bags in the hold.

Price point: Cases start from £198.

awaytravel.com

Samsonite

The USP: The OG of luxury travel, Samsonite is a household name for good reason. They are undeniably reliable and innovative, always expanding and adding to their impressive line of tech bags.

The Nexus range is the latest to hit stores, boasting pieces that are as hard as rock yet super light – exactly what you want when you’re hotfooting it to a connecting flight. Also worth checking out are their under-seat cabin bags to avoid those annoying luggage charges. They are EasyJet-approved: perfect for 48 hours in Ibiza, taking only the most efficient luggage possible.

Samsonite is a household name for good reason

Price point: The smallest cabin bags start from a very affordable £139.

Lipault Paris

The USP: We’ve forever been waxing lyrical about effortless French style, but little did we know it could apply to suitcases. Enter Lipault Paris: the impossibly chic new name on the travel circuit. Their designs come in the sexiest of hues – a moment for that chocolate brown, please – and the design is super sleek, featuring minimalist shapes.

We also love the fact that you can buy a personalised luggage tag when you make your purchase for just an extra £10.

Price point: Cases start from around the £200 mark and are available to shop in the UK at John Lewis & Partners.

johnlewis.com

American Tourister

The USP: If you like to spot your case on the belt within seconds, say hello to American Tourister. They are the undisputed kings of vibrant, durable luggage that stand out on the baggage carousel.

Think impossibly tough hardshells but in the juiciest palettes, from pastel mint and candy pink shades. As fun as they might look, they are hard-working too, lightweight and built to take a beating. The vibe is very much young digital nomads with a thirst for booking their next trip.

Price point: Cabin bags start from a very reasonable £79, and can be bought online at John Lewis & Partners.

johnlewis.com

Tumi

The USP:
Frequent flyers looking to invest in something worthy of the first-class lounge: check out Tumi. These pieces are not cheap, but they mean business in both style and function.

The 19 Degree Aluminium is our favourite, boasting so many cool key features, from dual spinning wheels to practically bulletproof shells and secure TSA locks to keep everything safe. The coolest touch? They pack a variety of vintage-inspired decorative stickers inside your case, so you can customise it if you so please.

Price point: Not cheap. You won’t find anything less than around £550, and many of the styles go beyond £1K.

Frequent flyers looking to invest in something worthy of the first-class lounge: check out Tumi.

uk.tumi.com

Globe-Trotter

The USP: Perhaps the biggest flex when it comes to luxury airport style is pulling one of Globe-Trotter’s iconic pieces. To be honest, you’re most likely to be having it carried onto your private jet, but you can dream. The aesthetic is old-school glamour and heritage luxury, with their instantly recognisable silhouettes and buckle details that they’ve been crafting since 1897, and the pieces look best in their iconic stacked-up pyramid. 

Price point: With prices starting well over £1,000, it’s a serious luxury investment, but you’re buying a piece of travel history that only looks better with age.

The biggest flex when it comes to luxury airport style is pulling one of Globe-Trotter’s iconic pieces.

globe-trotter.com

The products on this page have been selected by our editorial team, however, The Handbook may make a small commission on some products purchased through affiliate links.


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