I’ve Been to All 7 Continents—These Are the Best Travel Bags

• Durable and lightweight, built to handle real travel
• Spinner wheels are smooth and kid-friendly
• Compact size with real Away-style organization inside
• Stylish colors kids love and parents don’t hate

• You'll still be lifting it overhead at the gate
• If your kid’s in a mood, they will abandon it mid-terminal

If you’re traveling with a child and want to avoid carrying all the bags all the time, this is the one to get. The Away Kids Carry-On is, hands down, the best kids' suitcase we’ve ever used. We bought it for our son when he hit that stage of independence—“I want my own bag!”—and it’s been his loyal travel companion ever since.

Away took everything that makes their adult luggage great—durability, spinner wheels that actually spin, thoughtfully organized compartments—and reimagined it in a perfectly scaled-down version for younger travelers. The result? A suitcase that’s fun enough for kids to be excited about, but not so kiddie it makes parents cringe. The colors are bright but sophisticated, and the design is clean and functional. It even comes with a mesh divider and compression system inside, so you can pack it just like a grown-up carry-on (read: efficiently).

On warm-weather trips, I can usually fit a full week’s worth of clothes, a bathing suit, pajamas, books, and even a stuffed animal or two. It’s held up through countless airport sprints, hotel hallway drag races, and moments where it doubles as a seat during long delays.

Do you still end up hoisting it into the overhead bin? Yes. But it’s lightweight, rolls smoothly, and gives kids a sense of ownership and excitement about the journey—no small thing when travel days get long.