Shell
Hardside Carry-On Luggage
Polycarbonate or aluminum. Maximum protection.
Top pick
Samsonite Omni PC Hardside Expandable Luggage with Spinner Wheels, Teal, Carry-On 20-Inch
85/100 Verdict$82.64
Compare shells · 2026
Best Carry-On Luggage: Hardside vs Softside
Hardside carry-ons (polycarbonate / aluminum) protect contents and offer lockable zippers. Softside carry-ons flex to fit, absorb impact, and add exterior pockets.
See the full top 5 →
Shell
Softside Carry-On Luggage
Ballistic nylon / polyester. Flexible, more pockets.
Top pick
Travelpro Maxlite 5 Softside Expandable Luggage with 4 Spinner Wheels, Lightweight Suitcase, Men and Women, Slate Green, Carry-on 21-Inch
85/100 Verdict$120.00
- #1Samsonite Omni PC Hardside Expandable Luggage with Spinner Wheels, Teal, Carry-On 20-InchSamsoniteBest overallVerdict85/100Buyer4.4(29,947)Price$82.64
- #1Travelpro Maxlite 5 Softside Expandable Luggage with 4 Spinner Wheels, Lightweight Suitcase, Men and Women…TravelproBest overallVerdict85/100Buyer4.5(14,422)Price$120.00
One pick per shell. For the full top-5 inside any variant, use the cards above.
Best overall
Samsonite Omni PC Hardside Expandable Luggage with Spinner Wheels, Teal, Carry-On 20-Inch
Samsonite
★★★★★4.4(29,947)85Great
Across the verified-purchase reviewers we read, the Samsonite Omni PC is the most heavily-reviewed hardside carry-on in this pool by a wide margin, holding a 4.4-star average across roughly 30,000 ratings. That volume is the single most informative signal here: at that scale, an average that high typically reflects broadly satisfied buyers rather than a handful of gamed reviews.
Price
$82.64