A group of well-travelled women weigh in on the best cabin suitcases for 2023

The Original Carry-On

Specifications:

• Size – 55.1 x 34.8 x 22.9cm.
• Weight – 3.2kg.
• Standout features? For a surcharge, it can include an ejectable USB-connected power bank for on-the-go leisure or business travel charging.

Pros:

• Includes a water-resistant laundry bag (also handy for any leak-prone toiletries).
• Only four and five-star ratings from frequent flyers in the reviews.
• The charger will boost your phone back to full battery up to four times.

Cons:

• In-built charger only available for an extra £20.
• Not Ryanair cabin luggage compliant.

AWAY recommendations: “I usually travel a lot for work, and [in pre-pandemic times] average one or two trips a month,” says Lale Arikoglu, senior editorial operations manager at Condé Nast Traveler and cohost of the Women Who Travel podcast. “In terms of length of trip, it’s been anywhere from 10 days in Colombia to whirlwind weekends in cities like Portland or Chicago.” But no matter where she’s headed, she brings her Away Carry-on. “Sure, pretty much everyone in the airport seems to have one now, but they are so well-designed that I genuinely believe that they have made me a better packer,” she says. The other piece of luggage she cannot live without is her Paravel fold-up bag. “It zips up into a small pouch when you’re not using it, and then opens up into a full-size duffel when you need it to.”

Born and raised in Australia, Molly Goddard, cofounder of the luxury sleepwear brand Desmond & Dempsey, says her dream is to walk onto a plane carrying nothing. But in reality, she’s usually lugging laptops, sample pyjamas, and the occasional painting she’s picked up for a project. She takes two big trips a year to find inspiration for her collections; destinations can be anywhere from the English countryside to Morocco and Mexico. Still, she’s a light packer and loves her Away carry-on. “I have learned the less you take, the more you can take home,” she says. “Keeping things light also means getting ready is a breeze while you are traveling.”

On her most recent trip to New York, Claire Vero, the Surrey, England–based founder of Aurelia Skincare, says she bought an Away suitcase, which she’s now in love with. “The charging function is a godsend and I love their designs. I want to add to my collection with one for each of the children, and my husband too,” she says. Although she moved from South London to the countryside a year ago, she still travels regularly for work (namely New York, Paris, Copenhagen, and Rome) and likes to leave a little room in her luggage for retail therapy.