Travel Luggage Essentials

Having the right luggage is essential for a smooth travel experience. I'm going to break this section down into carry-on and checked baggage. I will discuss personal item bags separately. I am also including various price points to make travel accessible for all budgets. I've stuck with gender neutral for all options. If you are interested in more than just luggage, check out my long haul travel essentials.

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Carry-On Roller Bags

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• Travelers Club Cosmo Hardside Spinner Luggage, Black, Carry-On 20-Inch - this is for the budget-conscious traveler. It has essential spinning wheels that make moving through the airport a breeze. Added bonus, it comes in some pretty great colors.

• Away Carry-On Luggage, Lightweight Hardside Suitcase with Spinner Wheels - a fantastic carry-on that is roomy, durable, lightweight, and easy to stow in the overhead bin. This is my go-to carry-on. It also comes in a variety of colors that allow you to express your personality and standout from the crowd at the luggage belt!

• Briggs & Riley Essential 22" Carry On Expandable Spinner - this is splurge but with a lifetime warranty, frequent travelers may find it worth the investment. Its expansion feature compresses to fit in most overhead bins. 

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Checked Baggage

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• ​28" Sweetcrispy Carry on Luggage, Hard Shell ABS, Double Spinner Wheels Lightweight Suitcase - this is budget friendly suitcase with expandable storage capacity. ​

• Away Large Checked Luggage, 29 Inch Hardside Suitcase with Spinner Wheels - Away uses a  patented compression pad system to allow you to pack for 2+ week trips and it includes a water repellent laundry bag, which I use on nearly every trip. I purchased mine in red so I can spot it quickly coming off the luggage belt.

• TUMI Extended Trip Expandable 4-Wheeled Packing Case - Rolling Suitcase with Removable Garment Sleeve - this suitcase is an investment but comes with a five year warranty. This easily holds 2 weeks of travel wear. Worth the investment if you do yearly, multi-week trips.

The options here are endless, but my number one criteria for my personal carry-on is that it MUST have a strap to attached to my roller carry-on so I can  be hands free and not have anything weighing down my shoulders or arms. Here are just a couple that I love that make travel easy peasy.

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• Lululemon Cruiser Backpack - this is my go-to bag. It has an exterior hard pocket for eyeglasses (no more smushed glasses!), a phone pocket, water bottle holder, and is packed interior pockets, including a 16" laptop sleeve, Most importantly, it has a luggage strap to hook onto my carry-on roller bag handle. I use this for most of domestic travel

• Away Everywhere Bag, Padded Laptop Sleeve - this bag is another gem of a travel bag. It has a ton of interior storage and lot of pockets for those that like everything in its place. It also includes a 16" laptop and a one-year warranty.

• Lo & Sons Original Catalina Deluxe Premium Canvas Duffel Bag - a clean and chic weekender bag crafted with sustainable materials. A spacious interior, quick-access slip pockets, secure zipper openings, a bottom shoe compartment, and a suitcase sleeve on the back make this bag perfect for  travel.

• Cotopaxi Allpa 42L Travel Pack - This bag is entering higher rotation on my travel lately. It has tons of different zippered storage compartments to get everything packed tight and organized. It has 4 internal zippered compartments and 2 external zippered storage areas: a padded for laptop area and one for easy access essentials. This is my go-to bag if hiking is going to be involved in my travels. I used this one for my 4 Day Inca Trail hike. Like all other options, it too has a luggage strap.  Yay!