I've Traveled Over 400,000 Miles With This Away Carry-On—Here's How It's Held Up

16.09.2024 - 19:01 / cntraveler.com

It was 2016. I was working as an editor in New York City, and a carry-on from a new travel brand had just landed at my desk. A cardboard box held inside a black Away carry-on. Sleek, with a ridged design, it featured technology that was groundbreaking at the time—a built-in USB battery to charge your phone, a compression panel to press down clothing for even more room, and a removable laundry bag. Not only that, but as it was made from durable polycarbonate hardshell, it became my first hard-sided bag—at that time, hard shell luggage was still a small percentage of luggage bought and used, though it was gaining popularity every year. (According to the Travel Goods Association and first reported by The Washington Post, hard shell luggage accounted for almost 8 percent of the US luggage market by volume in 2010; by 2015, that number was just over 16 percent.)

Dimensions: 21.7" x 14.4" x 9"
Weight: 7.5 lb. 
Capacity: 39.8 L
Pros: Lightweight, hard-shelled, easy to maneuver
Cons: Handle only adjusts to two heights; it's very popular (meaning you'll want to add some defining characteristics like a bag tag)
Standout feature: The compression panel that really locks everything in

I previously had a soft-sided carry-on my parents had graciously given me as a graduation gift (and as someone who didn’t have a passport until I was 22, I used that sucker a lot in my 20s), but it had been six years since then and this, well, this new Away carry-on was different. The first time I used it, I flew through the airport—the bag basically drove itself on the 360-degree wheels that were found at each corner. It made me feel like a full-blown adult.

“From the beginning, we set out to expand the conversation around travel, solving real world travel pain points by keeping an incredibly close pulse on our customer’s needs,” says Luigi Auricchio, Away’s VP of design.

Later that same year, Away launched The Bigger Carry-On, which was, obviously, bigger than the original carry-on, but still fit in most US airline’s overhead compartments. (It’s the brand’s best-selling product to date.) But I loved my little black bag—it was the perfect size for both US and international airlines, and fit so much in such a compact space (thanks in large part to the compression panel). I can fit at least a week’s worth of outfits, plus shoes, makeup, and accessories inside. In 2017, I got an email from the Away team—as did all those who had purchased its bag prior to that. Due to airline restrictions put in place by the UN, they were changing the built-in battery to be ejectable rather than built into the bag (with no way of getting it out).

The author with her go-to carry-on in Mexico City's Las Alcobas hotel

The author's suitcase in 2022

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