When to Replace Your Luggage
Most bags are thrown away with years left in them, and a few are kept long past the point where they cost you money at every gate.
We have not tested this gear. Every figure here is compiled from published manufacturer specifications and published airline policies, and the arithmetic is public so you can check it. This page contains affiliate links — see the affiliate disclosure.
Repair: a worn zip slider, a dead wheel, grit in a bearing — all cheap and user-serviceable. Replace: a cracked shell, a bent handle tube, or a bag that no longer fits the airlines you fly. That last one is the case people never consider, and it is the most expensive.
| # | Product | Published warranty | Fits | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Travelpro Maxlite 5 Carry-On Spinner (21 in)Southwest, Frontier and Sun Country flyers who want a lifetime warranty | No stated end date | 3 of 11WN F9 SY | 6.6 | Check price on Amazon#ad How we earn |
| 2 | American Tourister Stratum 2.0 Carry-On SpinnerThe under-$100 buyer who still wants a decade of coverage | 10 yr | 4 of 11WN F9 G4 SY | 5.9 | Check price on Amazon#ad How we earn |
| 3 | Samsonite Omni PC Carry-On Spinner (20 in)A hard shell that survives being sat on by the bag above it | 10 yr | 4 of 11WN F9 G4 SY | 5.4 | Check price on Amazon#ad How we earn |
| 4 | Travelpro Platinum Elite Carry-On Spinner (21 in)Frequent flyers who check a carry-on at the gate often | No stated end date | 3 of 11WN F9 SY | 4.8 | Check price on Amazon#ad How we earn |
| 5 | Amazon Basics Hardside Spinner (21 in)One or two trips a year on Southwest, Frontier or Allegiant | 3 yr | 4 of 11WN F9 G4 SY | 3.4 | Check price on Amazon#ad How we earn |
No live price is currently verified, so every button here reads Check price on Amazon rather than a number we cannot stand behind. See how we handle prices.
Three faults worth fixing
These end more bags than they should, because they look terminal and are not.
| Fault | Actual cause | Fix | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zip separates behind the slider | The slider has worn oval and stopped pinching the teeth | Squeeze the slider body gently with pliers, or fit a new slider | $0–5 |
| A wheel drags or grinds | Hair and thread wound around the axle, or grit in the bearing | Tweezers, then a standard replacement wheel if needed | $0–20 |
| Scuffs and transfer marks | Cosmetic only | Melamine sponge on polycarbonate or polypropylene | ~$1 |
None of these is covered by a warranty — they are wear, not defects — and none of them needs to be. Step-by-step for each.
Three faults that end a bag
- A cracked shell. On ABS especially, a crack propagates. It cannot be repaired to structural strength and a cracked case will fail again in the same place. This is the classic warranty claim if it happened in normal use.
- A bent or jammed telescoping handle. The tubes run inside the shell and are rarely a serviceable part. If the handle will not retract, the bag is finished as a wheeled case.
- A torn seam at a load point — where a handle or a strap anchors. Fabric can be stitched; the anchor point rarely recovers its original strength.
For all three, claim before you buy. Every warranty in our ledger covers defects in materials and workmanship, and a wheel housing that cracked at its mounting point in normal use is a materials question. What each brand publishes.
The case nobody considers
A perfectly functional bag that no longer fits the airlines you fly. Nothing is broken; it simply costs you money now.
This happens for two reasons and both are common. Carriers tighten published limits over time and rarely loosen them. And people change how they travel — a bag bought when you flew Southwest twice a year is the wrong object when you start connecting through Europe.
| Situation | Cost of keeping the bag | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Bag is 1 in over at six US carriers, you fly monthly | A gate-check fee whenever a flight is full | Replace |
| Bag is 9.3 lb, you now fly European short-haul | 42% of a 10 kg allowance, every trip | Replace |
| Bag is 1 in over, you fly twice a year on Southwest | Nothing — Southwest's box is larger anyway | Keep it |
Do the arithmetic honestly: a gate fee twice a year for five years exceeds the cost of most bags in our ledger, and you spent the five years being annoyed as well. The five questions for the replacement.
Claim before you buy
- Find the receipt. Every warranty here is for the original purchaser and asks for proof of purchase. No receipt, no claim.
- Photograph the fault with the bag identifiable in frame.
- Describe it as a defect in normal use, which is the only thing any of these warranties covers — not as an accident, and not as airline damage unless your bag is the one line that publishes cover for it.
- Expect repair rather than replacement. Travelpro publishes repair as its first remedy; Samsonite and American Tourister publish repair or replace at their option. That is a good outcome — a repaired bag keeps its remaining warranty.
How long is reasonable
No manufacturer publishes a lifespan, so the warranty term is the honest proxy for what they are prepared to stand behind.
| Published term | Brands | Reasonable expectation |
|---|---|---|
| 3 years | Amazon Basics | Two or three trips a year, then replace |
| 10 years | Samsonite, American Tourister, Delsey | A decade of ordinary use |
| No stated end date | Travelpro, Osprey, Eagle Creek, Peak Design, Patagonia, LEVEL8 | Repair rather than replacement, indefinitely |
Every pick, with the working
Each entry below shows the published inputs, the four axis scores they produce, and what you give up. The order is the computed order, not a commercial one.
1 · Southwest, Frontier and Sun Country flyers who want a lifetime warranty
Travelpro Maxlite 5 Carry-On Spinner (21 in)
The best weight-per-liter figure of any softside carry-on here, and the cheapest route to a lifetime warranty — but the published overall height is 23 in, which is an inch over the limit at most US carriers.
- Published size
- 23 × 14.5 × 9 in
- Weight
- 5.4 lb
- Capacity
- 46 L
- Weight per liter
- 0.12 lb/L
- Cost per covered year
- $8/yr
- Published list price
- $160
Warranty Built For A Lifetime limited warranty
Fits 3 of 11 US carriers: WN, F9, SY. See the limits.
What it does well
- 5.4 lb for 46 L is 0.12 lb per liter, the lightest carry-on in this ledger
- Lifetime limited warranty covering wheels, zippers and handles at a $160 published price
- Softside give means an overstuffed bag still closes
What you give up
- Published overall height of 23 in fails the 22 in limit at American, Delta, United, Alaska, JetBlue and Hawaiian
- No published airline-damage cover
- Fabric shell scuffs where a hardshell would only mark
The arithmetic behind the score
- Value 8.1/10 — $160 ÷ 20 yr = $8/yr; $160 ÷ 46 L = $3.48/L
- Airline-fit breadth 2.7/10 — Fits the published carry-on limit at 3 of 11 US carriers: WN, F9, SY
- Carry efficiency 7.3/10 — 5.4 lb ÷ 46 L = 0.117 lb/L
- Warranty & support 8.0/10 — no stated end date (6 of 6); repair published (+2); airline damage not covered (+0)
Weights and breakpoints are published on how we rank. Where an input is not published, that axis is dropped and the remaining weights are re-normalized.
Specs: Travelpro published specifications, compiled 3 September 2026. Travelpro publishes both a 21 × 14 × 9 in case size and a 23 × 14.5 × 9 in overall size. The overall figure is the one a gate sizer measures, so it is the one used here.
2 · The under-$100 buyer who still wants a decade of coverage
American Tourister Stratum 2.0 Carry-On Spinner
$9 per covered year is the best value figure in this ledger, and it is the only bag here that lists under $100 at its own manufacturer.
- Published size
- 22 × 15 × 9.5 in
- Weight
- 7.3 lb
- Capacity
- Not published
- Weight per liter
- Not published
- Cost per covered year
- $9.00/yr
- Published list price
- $89.99
Warranty Limited 10 year global warranty
Fits 4 of 11 US carriers: WN, F9, G4, SY. See the limits.
What it does well
- $89.99 published price against a 10 year warranty works out at $9.00 per covered year
- 22 in published height clears the 22 in limit exactly at six US carriers
- ABS shell is the cheapest way to a wipe-clean hard case
What you give up
- 15 in width fails the 14 in limit at American, Delta, United, Alaska, JetBlue and Hawaiian
- ABS is the least impact-resistant of the common hardshell plastics
- No published capacity figure, so cost per liter cannot be computed
The arithmetic behind the score
- Value 8.6/10 — $89.99 ÷ 10 yr = $9.00/yr
- Airline-fit breadth 3.6/10 — Fits the published carry-on limit at 4 of 11 US carriers: WN, F9, G4, SY
- Carry efficiency not scored — No published capacity, so weight per liter cannot be computed.
- Warranty & support 4.0/10 — 10 yr (4 of 6); no published repair route (+0); airline damage not covered (+0)
Weights and breakpoints are published on how we rank. Where an input is not published, that axis is dropped and the remaining weights are re-normalized.
Specs: American Tourister published specifications and price, compiled 3 September 2026.
3 · A hard shell that survives being sat on by the bag above it
Samsonite Omni PC Carry-On Spinner (20 in)
The most widely sold polycarbonate carry-on in America, and the one whose published height actually meets the 22 in standard — the width is what fails it.
- Published size
- 22 × 15 × 9.75 in
- Weight
- 7.05 lb
- Capacity
- Not published
- Weight per liter
- Not published
- Cost per covered year
- $12.75/yr
- Published list price
- $127.49
Warranty Limited 10 year global warranty
Fits 4 of 11 US carriers: WN, F9, G4, SY. See the limits.
What it does well
- Full polycarbonate, which flexes under impact and returns rather than shattering
- $12.75 per covered year
- 22 in published height meets the standard US carry-on height exactly
What you give up
- 15 in width and 9.75 in depth are both over the 14 × 9 in standard
- 7.05 lb of the 25 lb Hawaiian cap is gone before you pack
- Published price varies by colorway, which makes the value figure a moving target
The arithmetic behind the score
- Value 7.6/10 — $127.49 ÷ 10 yr = $12.75/yr
- Airline-fit breadth 3.6/10 — Fits the published carry-on limit at 4 of 11 US carriers: WN, F9, G4, SY
- Carry efficiency not scored — No published capacity, so weight per liter cannot be computed.
- Warranty & support 4.0/10 — 10 yr (4 of 6); no published repair route (+0); airline damage not covered (+0)
Weights and breakpoints are published on how we rank. Where an input is not published, that axis is dropped and the remaining weights are re-normalized.
Specs: Samsonite published specifications and price, compiled 3 September 2026. Samsonite's own store published $101.99 to $127.49 across colorways on 3 September 2026. The higher figure is used here so the value arithmetic is not flattered.
4 · Frequent flyers who check a carry-on at the gate often
Travelpro Platinum Elite Carry-On Spinner (21 in)
The only bag in this ledger whose published warranty covers airline handling damage once the bag is registered — which is the single most expensive thing that happens to luggage.
- Published size
- 23.5 × 14.5 × 9 in
- Weight
- 7.8 lb
- Capacity
- 46 L
- Weight per liter
- 0.17 lb/L
- Cost per covered year
- $19.50/yr
- Published list price
- $390
Warranty Built for a Lifetime limited worry-free warranty
Fits 3 of 11 US carriers: WN, F9, SY. See the limits.
What it does well
- Published warranty covers damage caused by an airline when the bag is registered
- Same 46 L capacity as the Maxlite 5 in a heavier, more heavily built shell
- Repair rather than replacement is the published first remedy
What you give up
- $390 published price is the highest here — $19.50 per covered year against the Maxlite 5's $8
- 7.8 lb before anything goes in it, against a 25 lb cap on Hawaiian
- 23.5 in overall height fails the 22 in limit at six of the eleven US carriers we checked
The arithmetic behind the score
- Value 3.2/10 — $390 ÷ 20 yr = $19.50/yr; $390 ÷ 46 L = $8.48/L
- Airline-fit breadth 2.7/10 — Fits the published carry-on limit at 3 of 11 US carriers: WN, F9, SY
- Carry efficiency 5.2/10 — 7.8 lb ÷ 46 L = 0.170 lb/L
- Warranty & support 10.0/10 — no stated end date (6 of 6); repair published (+2); covers airline damage (+2)
Weights and breakpoints are published on how we rank. Where an input is not published, that axis is dropped and the remaining weights are re-normalized.
Specs: Travelpro published specifications, compiled 3 September 2026.
5 · One or two trips a year on Southwest, Frontier or Allegiant
Amazon Basics Hardside Spinner (21 in)
Skip this one. Skip it if replacement timing is your question. A published three-year term with replacement rather than repair as the remedy means the decision is made for you: inside three years it is free, and in year four the bag is finished. That is a coherent product and a short horizon.
A three-year warranty against a decade elsewhere is the whole story: this is the bag you buy when the trip is next week and the budget is fixed.
- Published size
- 21.6 × 14.9 × 10 in
- Weight
- 6.9 lb
- Capacity
- 39 L
- Weight per liter
- 0.18 lb/L
- Cost per covered year
- Not published
- Published list price
- Not published
Warranty Amazon Basics three-year limited warranty for luggage
Fits 4 of 11 US carriers: WN, F9, G4, SY. See the limits.
What it does well
- 21.6 in published height is under the 22 in standard
- 39 L published capacity at 6.9 lb, which is 0.18 lb per liter
- Built-in TSA lock on a bag at this tier
What you give up
- Three-year warranty is the shortest in this ledger by seven years
- 14.9 in width and 10 in depth both fail the standard box
- No repair route published — the remedy is replacement inside three years, then nothing
The arithmetic behind the score
- Value not scored — No manufacturer-published price, so this axis is not scored.
- Airline-fit breadth 3.6/10 — Fits the published carry-on limit at 4 of 11 US carriers: WN, F9, G4, SY
- Carry efficiency 4.9/10 — 6.9 lb ÷ 39 L = 0.177 lb/L
- Warranty & support 1.5/10 — 3 yr (1.5 of 6); no published repair route (+0); airline damage not covered (+0)
Weights and breakpoints are published on how we rank. Where an input is not published, that axis is dropped and the remaining weights are re-normalized.
Specs: Amazon Basics published product specifications, compiled 3 September 2026. Sold only through Amazon, so its price is a live retail price rather than a manufacturer list price. We do not carry a number we have not verified live — check it on the day.
No live price is currently verified, so every button here reads Check price on Amazon rather than a number we cannot stand behind. See how we handle prices.