LuggageRate helps travellers choose luggage with fewer surprises.
We research, compare and review suitcases, carry-ons, backpacks and other travel gear, with a particular focus on the questions that matter when you actually travel: Will it fit the airline’s size limits? Is it too heavy before you even start packing? How practical is the layout? Who is it best suited to? And what compromises should you know about before buying?
Our aim is not to publish the largest number of luggage reviews. It is to make each guide useful enough to help someone make a better decision.
Who is behind LuggageRate?
LuggageRate was founded by Derek in 2011 and has been helping travellers make better luggage-buying decisions ever since.
I come from a product and technology background, where much of my work involved evaluating products, understanding user needs and turning complicated information into practical decisions.
Travel has also been a regular part of my life, and luggage is one of those purchases where small details can make a surprisingly big difference. A suitcase that looks great online may be too large for a particular airline, heavier than expected, awkward on public transport or simply poorly suited to the way you travel.
LuggageRate grew from that problem.
Rather than simply repeating manufacturer descriptions or producing generic “best luggage” lists, I want the site to answer the questions I would personally ask before spending my own money.
How we review luggage
Not every product on LuggageRate is evaluated in exactly the same way, and we believe readers should be able to see that clearly.
Some reviews are based on hands-on experience. When we have personally used or inspected a product, the article may include observations about packing, handling, wheels, handles, materials, airline use, measurements and other aspects we were able to evaluate directly.
Other reviews are research-based. This means we have not personally travelled with the product. Instead, the review is built from available specifications, manufacturer documentation, retailer information, warranty terms, airline requirements, customer feedback patterns and comparisons with competing products.
We label these differences rather than presenting research as first-hand experience.
Where relevant, our review pages may show information such as:
- Personally tested — we have directly used or evaluated the product.
- Purchased independently — the product was bought with our own money.
- Gifted or borrowed — the product was supplied or temporarily provided for evaluation.
- Research-based review — the recommendation is based on research and comparison rather than personal testing.
A research-based review should never imply that we packed, weighed, rolled, flew with or damaged-tested a suitcase when we did not.
What we check
The exact criteria depend on the product and type of article, but our research commonly looks at dimensions, empty weight, materials, construction, wheel and handle design, packing organisation, expansion, security features, warranty coverage, price and overall value.
For airline-specific recommendations, we also compare luggage dimensions against the airline’s published baggage requirements.
This is particularly important because the word “carry-on” does not automatically mean a suitcase complies with every airline’s rules.
Whenever possible, we link to official airline information and include the date on which important baggage rules were last checked.
How we use AI
We use AI tools as part of our editorial workflow, but AI does not replace editorial judgement.
AI may help us organise research, compare specifications, identify questions travellers commonly ask, analyse large amounts of information or improve the structure and clarity of an article.
However, we do not intentionally use AI to invent product testing, travel experiences, measurements, specifications or opinions.
Important factual claims should be checked against suitable sources before publication, particularly information such as product dimensions, airline baggage limits, warranty terms and technical specifications.
Recommendations, ratings and final editorial decisions remain subject to human review.
Our goal is to use technology to make our research more thorough — not to make fictional experience look real.
Our approach to recommendations
A product does not make a LuggageRate shortlist simply because it is popular or available through an affiliate programme.
We try to answer two questions for every recommendation:
Who is this product best for?
And just as importantly:
Who should avoid it?
There is rarely one suitcase that is objectively best for everybody.
A lightweight carry-on may be ideal for someone flying frequently on airlines with strict weight limits but less suitable for a traveller prioritising maximum durability. A premium aluminium suitcase may be beautifully built but unnecessary for an occasional traveller. A large expandable case may work well for family holidays but poorly for train-heavy trips through Japan.
Our reviews therefore focus on fit rather than simply ranking products from first to tenth.
Accuracy and changing information
Travel information changes.
Airlines revise baggage policies. Manufacturers update products. Prices fluctuate. Models are replaced. Warranty policies change.
For information that can materially affect a travel or buying decision, we try to identify reliable sources and periodically revisit important pages.
Where we discover a meaningful error, our goal is to correct it rather than leave outdated information online simply because a page is already ranking in search engines.
If you notice something that appears incorrect or outdated, we welcome corrections.
Affiliate links and editorial independence
LuggageRate may earn a commission when you purchase something through certain links on the site.
This helps support the cost of running LuggageRate and does not normally increase the price you pay.
Affiliate availability does not determine whether we recommend a product, and manufacturers do not receive a better rating simply because a commission may be earned.
We would rather tell you that a popular suitcase is too large, too heavy or poor value than recommend it because it pays a commission.
You can read more in our Affiliate Disclosure.
What we want LuggageRate to become
Our long-term goal is to build LuggageRate into a practical luggage reference for travellers.
That means going beyond generic product roundups.
We want travellers to be able to understand which suitcase fits their airline, which size makes sense for their trip, how competing models differ, and what trade-offs they should expect before buying.
Over time, we are building more airline baggage guides, product comparisons, brand resources, luggage-size information and detailed reviews around those decisions.
If LuggageRate saves you from buying the wrong suitcase — or makes your next trip slightly easier — the site has done its job.
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