Founded by two female former Warby Parker executives, including Jen Rubio, who still serves as the CEO, Away was sparked by her own broken baggage disaster, noticing there was a hole in the market for luggage that was fun and functional.
After talking to hundreds of travelers, the initial carry-on was designed to meet all the most common needs—a lighter and stronger hard-side with an impact-resistant polycarbonate shell that moved easily with premium 360-degree wheels, with thoughtful features like a snap-in mesh laundry bag to keep clean to separate clean and dirty laundry.
The result wasn’t just success—the brand quickly entered the zeitgeist. Elle Fanning arrived at the Cannes Film Festival this year in a baby blue suit matching The Bigger Carry-On in Sea Green, and Meghan Markle is believed to have given 17 Away bags as party favors at her baby shower. They’ve turned up on screen, too. Brody says her favorite pop culture moment was when Portia tossed her Away away in The White Lotus. “It felt completely natural, almost as if the suitcase was an extension of her character, highlighting how deeply Away has embedded itself into the fabric of modern travel culture,” she says.
The brand has ventured beyond its trademark product, with both hits (packing cubes) and misses (travel pillows, now discontinued)—and added The Outdoor Collection, two years ago. This summer marked the debut of several new collections, starting with The Softside in July, which stunned many travelers—but was the next logical step.
“Given how Away revolutionized the hardside market, it was only natural that we’d set our sights on bringing our signature blend of style, form, and function to reimagine the soft-side suitcase,” Brody says. With 50 percent of luggage sales in 2022 being soft-side, the market was “relatively untouched by innovation,” she says.
So again the brand turned to its customers, through tens of thousands of interviews and reviews, paired with rigorous testing to guarantee durability, and gave them what they wanted: a simplistic, but classy fabric exterior, with a spacious top-loading main compartment, plus zippered pockets tucked into its exterior seams.
The reaction so far has been positive: “We’ve seen excitement from those ready to upgrade their well-worn soft-sided suitcases and from new customers eager to experience Away’s signature aesthetic and unmatched attention to detail for the first time,”says Brody.
Another factor customers were clamoring for? “Convenience and ease, especially as more people opt for shorter trips and carry-on-only travel. Just weeks later in August, Away introduced its Featherlight collection, offering an “effortlessly cool look without compromising on organization and quality,” in the form of totes, backpacks, sling bags, and crossbody bags.
As the brand continues to evolve, more updates and new products are sure to come, but some of the products remain staples. Here, we round up the Condé Nast Traveler team’s most-used Away bags and accessories.
Courtesy Away
How we tested:
To help us recommend the absolute best luggage to our readers, more than a dozen Condé Nast Traveler editors and contributors spent months (and in some cases, years) road-testing the newest and best-selling bags from top travel brands. These bags accompanied us near and far on planes, trains, buses, and cruises, from local staycations and Hamptons getaways to the Paris Olympics and Marlon Brando’s private island in French Polynesia. We packed these bags to the brim, lifted them into overhead bins, rolled them down cobblestone streets, and inspected every bump and scuff they endured. We considered each bag’s weight, capacity, functionality, price point, and how well it held up after several trips. We also identified smart design features that make a bag stand out from its competitors, like having weight indicators, separate shoe compartments, or ample pockets. After traveling with each bag, we carefully reviewed them, keeping the aforementioned criteria in mind to determine which ones are worth the cost and a spot in our Luggage Week lineup.
This article is part of Condé Nast Traveler’s second annual Luggage Week, for which dozens of suitcases, backpacks, and weekender bags were road-tested by our editors.
Away The Bigger Carry-on
Weight: 7.9 lb. Dimensions: 22.7″ x 15.4″ x 9.6″ Capacity: 47.9L Expandable: No
A convert from a larger suitcase that often had to be checked, editorial assistant Jessica Chapel says The Bigger Carry-On suitcase “does wonders,” especially since she can fit almost as much in this more compact hardside spinner, which she took on a five-day trip with plenty of room to spare. She’s already traveled with the 7.9-pound bag by plane, bus, and car, and put it to the test when delays allowed her only 15 minutes to get between gates. She swiftly pulled the bag out of the overhead compartment thanks to “the perfect mix of convenient handle placements and the texture of the luggage,” put the bag on top of her head—an unconventional carrying method, to be sure—and sailed through the crowd. “It’s the little things, including the unique placement of the luggage’s underside handle—with a small dash of adrenaline—that certainly does the trick for easy access without any shuffle, which is exactly what’s needed in an airport rush,” Chapel says. (She made her connecting flight in the knick of time.) Also notable, she says: the interior lining, mesh, and drawstring laundry for dirty clothes are made of recycled polyester.
Pros: Roomy and durable with convenient handles, including underside one Cons: Not expandable
Away The Softside Medium
Weight: 12.6 lb. Dimensions: 26″ x 18.9″ x 10.6″ Capacity: 69L, or when expanded 76L Expandable: Yes
There’s a common belief that hard shell luggage has the advantage of better protecting your contents, but global audience development manager Abigail Malbon says the most stand-out feature of Away’s new Softside is the “handy wipe-clean fabric that’s also water-resistant, so if you get stranded in the rain, you don’t need to worry about your belongings getting wet.” She also found it to be far more agile than her previous suitcases, easily rolling it with her on a train trip within the UK to visit her parents.
Another perk was the compression pad, which kept the bag from bulging, especially important for a soft-side bag. The roomy bag could easily be used for weeklong trips—perhaps even two weeks if expanded, with Malbon adding that the zippers, wheels, and exteriors all held up well on her test spin. She also noted the comfort of steering it because of its padded top and side handles. But above all, she says the bag has a “cool design that stands out at the airport.”
Pros: Roomy; rolls smoothly; effective compression pad Cons: Seems heavy for its size
Away The Softside Bigger Carry-On
Weight: 9.8 lb. Dimensions: 23″ x 15.7″ x 9.1″ Capacity: 38.3L, or when expanded 44.3L Expandable: Yes
Balance can especially be an issue for weight-distribution in soft-side luggage, but Shannon McMahon, senior editor of destinations, was immediately impressed with Away’s carry-on’s ability to swivel and roll smoothly when it was packed full, crediting the effective stabilization technology that worked so well her it didn’t even budge with her laptop in the front pocket. Available in cute colors like Coast Blue and Clay Pink, the “sleekly designed” luggage boasts “compartments galore” as well as other utilitarian features McMahon found useful, like a sleek black-leather luggage tag and a color-coordinated TSA-friendly lock.
But after using it on three trips—two plane trips and one car trip—she had two major gripes. “I depended on it for some spring-weather layers on a week-long spring trip to the Pacific Northwest and got by thanks to its expandability—but because of the weight of the bag itself it can get heavy fast,” she says. While the nylon wicked away Seattle rain and Greek sand, McMahon didn’t quite have the same experience as Malbon after being forced to gate-check a bag during a downpour, quickly learning, “water-repellent does not mean waterproof.” Her advice: “I would think twice before checking it—and any soft-side luggage really, since it’s more prone to stains and liquids than a hardside.”
Pros: Stylish and stable Cons: A bit heavy; water-resistant, but not waterproof
Away The Medium
Weight: 10.4 lb. Dimensions: 26″ x 18.5″ x 11″ Capacity: 68.8L Expandable: No
During a two-week car trip to Rhode Island and Martha’s Vineyard, associate editor Charlie Hobbs brought along the “perfectly light” 10.4-pound medium check-in sized hardside, able to fit enough in to not have to do laundry the entire getaway. The interior—which he found “unassuming”—includes plenty of storage pockets: The compression flap is divided into two zippered sections on one side with an added large pocket on the backside. Additionally, the zipper closure for the top half of the suitcase has a zippered pocket on it. He did notice what’s perhaps the most commonly called-out downfall of Away’s hardsides: “Despite only ever being in the car, this bag is already quite scuffed up,” he said. (When I was in Estonia with two other travel writers last year, looking at our three Away bags, we commented the same thing.) Each suitcase does come with Away’s own version of a Magic Eraser that helps remove light scuffs, though a bit of elbow grease might be needed to get them out. That said, Hobbs found the 360-degree wheels rolled “perfectly well” and appreciated the ergonomic curved zippers. Like Chapel, he found the luggage easy to lift up in a bind, when he had to put it on the roof of a Toyota for a ferry ride, noting it was easy to sling it up, “thanks to the side handles.”
Pros: Plenty of functional storage compartments, rolls seamlessly Cons: Scuffs up easily
Away The Overnight Bag
Weight: 2.7 lb. Dimensions: 17.7″ x 11″ x 9″ Capacity: 28L Expandable: No
The Overnight Bag has turned into associate editor Matt Ortile’s all-in-one bag. He uses it as his daily commuter bag at home in New York City, and has also toted it on a six-night trip to Las Vegas. “On an everyday basis, I fit gym clothes, a packed lunch, laptop, and a little grooming kit—leaving plenty of room for extras, like a bottle of wine that I pickup from my local shop on the way home,” he says.
He was surprised how much he could fit in during his weeklong trip, with the nylon material having so much give he was able to tuck a tupperware full of Spago cookies into his already-packed bag last minute. With what he called a “pseudo-suitcase feel,” the bag opens clamshell style into the main compartment, which he thought would be a detriment for quick ease of access, but has actually helped since items are more visible than digging through a duffel.
Chock full of compartments, including a tech pocket for his laptop and notebooks, and small ones for pens and wallets, Ortile says two of its most useful features are the key leash and luggage sleeve to slip on top of a luggage handle. All that functionality is paired with a sleek aesthetic “without looking too much like a bag Inspector Gadget would carry.”
Pros: Huge capacity and highly functional with useful compartments Cons: A bit on the heavier side, especially the half-pound weight of the strap
Away The Outdoor Backpack
Weight: 1.74 lb. Dimensions: 19″ x 12.6″ x 7.7″ Capacity: 26L Expandable: No
“Compared to other backpacks, this one is great because it works for both outdoorsy trips and city trips thanks to the water-resistant fabric and sleek design,” says transportation and travel news associate editor Hannah Towey. The New Yorker has strapped it on for all forms of travel—a plane to Paris, the train to Connecticut, a car to Massachusetts, and daily commutes all over the city—noting that what makes it work so well are tons of interior pockets, paired with a simple exterior.
She’s able to fit all her electronics, including a laptop, chargers, and noise-canceling headphones, a large toiletry bag, a pair of shoes, one full outfit, a book, and sunglasses, along with essentials like her keys, wallet, and passport. Especially useful are the two deep side pockets that can each hold a 32-ounce water bottle, and that there are two tech pockets for 15-inch devices—one interior and one zippered exterior one.
The best part of the unisex backpack is that it’s made of 100 percent water- and abrasion-resistant Dual Action fabric from Away’s Outdoor Collection—which uses responsibly-sourced, recycled materials—making it easy to wipe away the dirt and grime that inevitably accumulates on travels. While it’s better suited for light hiking than trekking, the cushioned back and straps make it comfortable to tote around for long hours.
Pros: Lightweight, but made of durable water- and abrasion-resistant material Cons: No sternum strap; main compartment unzips when stuffed
Away The Everywhere Zip Backpack
Weight: 2.45 lb. Dimensions: 12″ x 5.9″ x 17.7″ Capacity: 20L Expandable: No
Simplicity comes first with this water-resistant nylon backpack, available in five—plus some limited-edition hues—subtle monochromatic shades, that our editors have called “functional” with “a classic look that you won’t tire of.” As a freelancer whose backpack is her office, that timeless look also means the backpack strikes the right balance of being professional (I’ve toted it to business meetings and events), travel-friendly (I’ve also taken it on day trips to the Jersey Shore and Long Island and road trips to Maryland), and casual (it’s also doubled as my exercise bag for spin class). When I got caught in the rain at the US Open in New York, the raindrops wicked right off, and the bag’s contents stayed dry. But my two favorite magic tricks of this bag are the extended clamshell-style zipper, which opens the main compartment and makes it just as easy to take something out of the bottom as the top, and the bag’s weight distribution. Whether it’s the padded straps or the mesh back panel, it somehow makes the contents feel lighter—I’ve stopped at least twice to make sure my laptop was actually inside the 15-inch sleeve.
While still the OG of the Away’s commuter bags, those looking to travel light may opt for the newer Large Featherlight Backpack, which offers nearly the same capacity (18L as opposed to 20L) and half the weight (1.2 lb. as opposed to 2.45 lb,) but has a more flexible and function front-zip pocket, as well as two side water-bottle pockets for 32-ounce bottles—making it my new go-to of choice. Pros: Comfortable, sleek, and functional Cons: Front pocket can be hard to access when filled; limited capacity in main pocket; no water bottle pockets
Away The Insider packing cubes
Weight (full set): 0.5 lb. Dimensions: Small: 10″ x 4.1″ x 8.25″ Medium slim: 10″ x 4.1″ x 4.3″ Medium wide: 13″ x 4.1″ x 10″ Large: 13″ x 4.1″ x 6.9″ Expandable: No
Before I tried Away’s packing cubes, I was a skeptic of the travel accessory as a whole. Other cubes I had seen were either bulky, or felt rough, cheap, and pointless. Admittedly, when I first saw this innocuous set from Away, I was still doubtful. But as it turns out, this set of four nylon water-resistant zip bags with one mesh side are as subtle as they are useful. In the smallest one, I’m able to stuff in all my “just in case” accessories—a foldable running cap, beanie, scarf, gloves, and swimsuit, and tuck it into a teeny corner of the suitcase. The medium slim is perfect for organizing my underwear, packing them vertically, Marie Kondo–style, while the medium wide fits my bras, tanks, and socks. The final one, the large slim, rotates between storing pairs of shoes or other bulky items. Available in 10 shades, they all fit together like Legos in my suitcase, weighing a combined 0.5 pounds—well worth it for keeping me organized on the go.
This article has been updated with new information since its original publish date.
