Carry-on only: the six cabin cases worth buying, from £298 to £1,895
Six of the best cabin cases, compared on the numbers that matter at the gate. Which one to buy, what the airlines actually allow, and how to pack so it all fits.
Checking a bag means waiting at a carousel while the people who didn’t are already in a taxi. A man who travels with one good cabin case gets those minutes back on every trip, and he stops wondering where his clothes are. For a long weekend or a short business trip, there’s rarely a reason to do anything else.
The trouble is that cabin cases run from under £300 to nearly £2,000, and the price says little about the two numbers that matter at the gate: size and weight. So we read the published figures for six of the best, set them against what the airlines allow, and picked a winner for each kind of traveller.
| Case | UK price | Size (cm) | Weight | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Away The Carry-On 3 | £298 | 56.1 x 36.8 x 23.1 | 3.9kg | A first good case |
| Samsonite Proxis 55cm | £359 | 55 x 35 x 23 | 2.2kg | Most men |
| Away The Aluminum Carry-On | £608 | 54.5 x 34.5 x 22.8 | 4.8kg | Metal for less |
| Rimowa Essential Cabin | £700 | 55 x 39 x 23 | 3.2kg | The name, without the weight |
| Rimowa Original Cabin | £1,090 | 55 x 40 x 23 | 4.3kg | Buying once |
| Globe-Trotter Centenary Carry-On | £1,895 | 56 x 42 x 21 | 4.2kg | The heirloom |
What the airlines actually allow
There is no universal cabin size. Each airline publishes its own limits, and they differ by enough to matter. Here are three that show the range, as they stand today.
| Airline | Cabin bag | Weight | Also allowed |
|---|---|---|---|
| British Airways | 56 x 45 x 25cm, including wheels and handles | You must be able to lift it into the locker unassisted | A hand bag or backpack, 40 x 30 x 15cm |
| easyJet | Large cabin bag, booked separately: 56 x 45 x 25cm | 15kg, and you must be able to lift it yourself | An under-seat bag, 45 x 36 x 20cm |
| Emirates (Economy) | 55 x 38 x 22cm | 7kg (10kg in Premium Economy, same size) | Check your fare |
Now the awkward part. Measured strictly against those published figures, not one of the six cases above meets Emirates’ 55 x 38 x 22cm on every side. Most of them are a centimetre or so too deep, and the Rimowas and the Globe-Trotter are also too wide. Against British Airways and easyJet’s larger allowance they all do well, with one small exception: The Carry-On 3 is listed at 56.1cm tall, a millimetre over. We don’t know how closely any airline will measure on the day, so if you regularly fly a stricter carrier, buy to its numbers and not to a label that says “cabin”.
On easyJet, there’s also a cost to getting it wrong. The airline says a large cabin bag is always cheaper added online than at the gate, where it costs £60.
Why weight matters more than you think
The empty weight of a case comes straight out of your allowance. On a 7kg limit, the Samsonite Proxis leaves you 4.8kg for your belongings. Away’s aluminium case leaves you 2.2kg, which won’t go far once a laptop is in there. Even on an airline with a generous limit, you’ll be lifting the thing above your head, and every kilogram of case is a kilogram you carry for no reason.
A beautiful case that eats half your allowance is a poor servant. Know what it weighs before you fall in love with it.
The six cases
Away The Carry-On 3, £298: a first good case
A polycarbonate shell, wheels with built-in brakes, and a compression system for getting more in. It’s the sensible entry point, and the cover is unusually good at the price: Away’s LifetimeCare offers repair support for the life of the case for functional damage from manufacturing defects or rough travel, with repairs free for the first five years. Watch that 56.1cm height on stricter airlines.
Samsonite Proxis 55cm, £359: the one most men should buy
At 2.2kg, this is by some distance the lightest case here, and it has a 10-year limited global warranty. The shell is Roxkin, a multi-layered material Samsonite developed itself and says bounces back into shape after knocks, and the case is made in Europe. It also expands from 38 to 44 litres. Keep that zip closed at the airport, though, because expanded it’s 26cm deep, over British Airways’ 25cm. If you only want one case and your priority is travelling well, not being admired, this is it.
Away The Aluminum Carry-On, £608: metal for less
If you want the look of anodised aluminium, this costs £482 less than the Rimowa, has a frame with no zip and carries two TSA-accepted locks. Away says it’s designed to absorb impact and pick up character as it goes. It’s also the shortest and narrowest case here, which helps on stricter airlines, but at 4.8kg it’s the heaviest of the six.
Rimowa Essential Cabin, £700: the name, without the weight
Polycarbonate, with Rimowa’s four-wheel design and a 36-litre capacity at 3.2kg. That’s more than a kilogram lighter than the aluminium Original and £390 cheaper, and it gets the same promise on Rimowa’s site of a lifetime guarantee covering repairs to functional damage. For a man who wants a Rimowa and flies often, this is the more rational of the two.
Rimowa Original Cabin, £1,090: buying once
The grooved anodised aluminium case that everyone recognises, from a company that dates itself to 1898. Rimowa rates it for three to four days of travel, with 35 litres and a 4.3kg weight. It costs more and holds slightly less than the Essential, so you aren’t paying for practicality. You’re paying for a case that’s meant to be kept, and the lifetime guarantee is the part of the argument we’d take most seriously. If 23cm is too deep for your usual airline, the Original Cabin S is 20cm deep and costs £1,040.
Globe-Trotter Centenary Carry-On, £1,895: the heirloom
Handmade in England by a firm dating from 1897, in vulcanised fibreboard with leather corners, straps and guides. It’s the least practical choice here and the most beautiful, and it weighs less than you’d guess at 4.2kg. The warranty is five years, shorter than the others, though nobody buys one of these for the paperwork. If you’d like the same maker with less decoration, the Original Carry-On has no straps, costs £1,395 and is, Globe-Trotter says, the lightest case it makes. The Centenary is also on our Christmas gift list, if someone is feeling generous.
How to pack so it all fits
- Split it into two bags. British Airways says your cabin bag may need to go in the hold and shouldn’t contain valuables, electronics or essential medicines. So those go in the smaller bag at your feet, along with your passport and phone.
- Keep batteries with you. British Airways bans power banks and spare batteries from checked baggage, so they must stay in hand baggage. Other airlines have their own rules.
- Wear the heavy things. Your jacket and heavier shoes travel on your body, and only your lighter pair goes in the case.
- Choose one colour family. If everything goes with navy, three shirts and two pairs of trousers cover several days. A suit is the exception worth folding when the trip needs one, so it’s worth getting one that fits properly.
- Check the liquids rule before you pack. GOV.UK warns that the rules for liquids have changed at some UK airports and tells travellers to check with the airport before they fly. Then check the airport you’re flying home from too.
Manners at the locker
Carrying your own bag makes you part of the slowest moment of any flight, so do it well. Have what you need for the flight out of the case before you reach your row. Lift it in one go, wheels first, and sit down, so the aisle can move again. Don’t take the space above someone else’s seat unless you have to, and when you land, wait for the row in front to clear. If somebody near you is struggling, offer a hand.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the best carry-on case overall?
For most men, the Samsonite Proxis 55cm at £359. It’s the lightest of the six on published figures and has a 10-year warranty. If you want to spend more and keep a case for decades, the Rimowa Original Cabin at £1,090.
What size is a cabin bag on British Airways?
Up to 56 x 45 x 25cm including wheels and handles, plus a hand bag or backpack up to 40 x 30 x 15cm. You must be able to lift the cabin bag into the locker unassisted. Check your own booking, because partner airlines may differ.
Is aluminium worth paying for?
Only if you like how it looks and how it ages, and you know that’s why you’re buying it. In both ranges here the aluminium case is the heavier one, and it costs more. On the published numbers alone, polycarbonate wins.
Two wheels or four?
Four roll upright beside you, which suits smooth airport floors. Two are pulled behind you, the traditional way, and many people prefer that on cobbles and kerbs. Globe-Trotter sells the Centenary and Original both ways at the same price, so it comes down to where you walk.
One good case will also shape how you travel: lighter, quicker, and out of the airport first. For where to take it, start with a weekend in London.
How we chose: prices, sizes, weights and warranties are from the UK sites of Away, Samsonite, Rimowa and Globe-Trotter, and baggage limits from British Airways, easyJet, Emirates and GOV.UK, all read on 3 November 2026. Airlines change their rules and allowances vary by fare, so check your own booking. We compared published figures only: the cases were not handled or tested for this guide, and the photograph shows a cabin case for illustration, not one of these models. The opinions are ours, and nobody paid to appear here.
