Breeze Through The Airport And Your Holiday With These Stylish Carry-On Bags

These smart suitcases balance style and practicality, making a strong case for a carry-on only travel approach.

Choosing what to wear on vacation is all of the fun of the holiday. A chance to wear things you wouldn’t in your day-to-day yes, but away from your regular routine, even your tried-and-true wardrobe staples get a new appeal.

Packing your outfits though, isn’t always as novel. Regardless of whether you carry just the essentials or find yourself sitting on your case to zip it up before you’ve left the house, packing and unpacking can be a challenge. Especially when you’re going carry-on only.

Whether you’re trying to avoid checked baggage fees, find comfort in knowing where your belongings are at all times or are eager to dive straight into your trip so want to skip the baggage carousel, many now eschew checked baggage in favour of cabin bags, making bag choice all the more critical.

Luggage is expensive, but nowadays you get plenty of bells and whistles. Suitcases with smooth rolling wheels make it easy to make your way briskly through the airport or the streets of a new city. Expandable compartments mean you can squeeze in more wearable souvenirs you’ve picked up on your travels. Some people prefer simple weekender-style messenger bags that can be stuffed to the gills and slung over your shoulder - we’ve included some choice picks for those in our shoppable guide to cabin baggage below as well.

Saben Cabin Bag in Nutshell, $299

The rich chocolate shade and herringbone pattern of this cabin bag is a welcome and identifiable change from the parade of black cases you spot in the departure hall, but embodies a similar classic neutrality. Made from moulded polycarbonate with metallic rose gold detailing, TSA and combination locks as well as a 360-degree dual spinner wheel system this Saben bag melds a lightweight and robust construction throughout.

July Carry On Trunk, $595

Inspired by retro luggage sets but designed for timeless travel, the July Carry On Trunk is a supremely stylish heritage-style trunk packed with modern features. If you live in fear of a ripped zip, the latch lock style should appeal. Inside the rivetless anodised aluminium frame, a water-resistant nylon lining holds a stain-proof laundry bag, Y-Strap compression system to secure a capacity of 6-8 outfits. This high-spec case also has an ejectable FastCharge USB-C battery for on-the-go charging of your devices. This style comes in nine colours in matte and glossy finishes. Cases from the hyped Australia brand carry a lifetime warranty on manufacturing faults and 100-day return policy on unpersonalised items.

Samsonite 73Hours 55cm Suitcase, $309

As the name suggests, Samsonite’s 73-hour suitcase is built with weekends away in mind. Weighing in at 1.9kg this soft cover case is very lightweight toting interior and exterior zipped pockets as well as a roomy central cavity that doesn’t sacrifice functional capacity or durability (it has a 10-year warranty).

Patagonia Black Hole Wheeled Duffel 40L, $434

Delsey Chatelet Air luggage, $610

Faux leather trim and chic design details give a sleek vintage appeal to this rolling case. Even with a focus on elevated aesthetics, there’s still tonnes of functionality in this unique suitcase. If you’ve ever struggled to stop your rollaway literally rolling away on a sloped street or moving train you’ll be intrigued by the brake system in play here - locks on the two front wheels of the luggage preventing the bag from drifting away but still allow you to trundle the bag on the back two wheels. This is a standard cabin size, but not expandable, making it a good fit for minimalists.

Rains Texel Cabin Trolley, $650

If the thought of being without your laptop for the duration of a flight breaks you out in a sweat, the Rains Texel 55cm Cabin Trolley could be the one for you. This streamlined design has a fold-down zip pocket (fabricated of course in Rains’ signature waterproof PU fabric) on the front that fits laptops, tablets and other gadgets up to 15 inches, so your devices can be safely stowed away when needed but within easy reach. Opening in the other direction a main zip-closed compartment is a bi-fold case with two mesh closures and elasticated compression fastenings that keep things where they should be during your journey.

Citta Canvas Weekender Bag, $90

Città Essentials range focuses on timeless staples and that is a good descriptor for this simple canvas overnight bag. The straightforward, practical design is ideal for overnight getaways and the dimensions allow the bag to be used as carry-on luggage. Granted it doesn’t have a wheelable capabilities, but if you’re checking a bag this is a good supplementary tote. Robust handles and a padded adjustable shoulder strap make it easily carried on your body if you choose to take this as your one and only too.

Yu Mei Wellington Weekender, $899

Finished in breezy canvas with contrasting deer nappa trim, this elegant tote will be an elegant companion for short-haul travels or jet setting. The understated approach continues inside with one internal zip compartment. But if you favour a more regimented approach to packing - Yu Mei’s large organiser, $345 has 15 specifically designed storage features, and slots right in while still having room to spare for other incidentals.

Ölend Calypso Mutli Bag, $229

For something to hold your essentials, look no further. Depending on your personality, the unexpected is either a drawcard or dreaded feature of travel. A versatile tote like Ölend’s Calypso Multi-bag makes it all the easier to go with the flow and shoulder whatever crops up during your trip. This transformable tote is super organised, which will be handy on the plane and at your destination. For a start, it can be held by its straps, carried as a messenger, worn as a backpack or crossed across your back. The inside is just as versatile: there are three zippered pockets of different sizes, one elastic and one removable that converts into a purse and a main compartment that closes with a zipper. There’s also a hook to attach your keys, a padded compartment for laptops up to 16″ and a water bottle holder.

Deadly Ponies Phanton Duffle Maxi, $1499

For an incredibly luxe way to carry your overnight essentials, try Deadly Ponies’ practical-yet-very-sophisticated weekender made in calf leather and finished in gunmetal brass hardware. While it’s undeniable arm candy, your arms don’t actually need to do any of the work - a discreet strap on the back slides straight on to the handle of another suitcase for ease of transport.

Cotopaxi Batac 24L Del Dia Pack, $170

If you are checking a suitcase, taking a backpack as your carry-on is a savvy arms-free strategy - trying to negotiate what awaits at the other end with two rolled bags? No thank you. While stowable and lightweight, this Cotopaxi backpack features an enviable ratio of pockets, padded sleeves and mesh side pockets to open internal space. There’s no chance you’ll confuse your pack for someone else’s either - each one-of-a-kind pack is sewn using fabric left over from other companies’ larger production runs.

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