Best large suitcase: The travel team’s definitive tried and tested guide to the must-have hold luggage for your next long haul flight -plus what to avoid

Reviewed by Erin Deborah Waks

This is one of my favourite suitcases ever.

The on-trend glossy brown colour immediately caught my eye, but I was initially sceptical it was just a pretty face with no substance.

But I was wrong.

Horizn is known for innovation and design expertise, and this extremely lightweight model provides both style and performance.

It wheels like a dream – it barely made a sound while I hauled it through several stations and across cities. It’s light and easy to move around.

Plus, it’s in line with Horizn’s sustainability policies. The luggage with a hard shell made from renewed high-performance polycarbonate, which saves over 72 per cent of CO2 emissions without compromising on performance – meaning it’s great for eco-conscious travellers.

By Alesia Fiddler

Modern, stylish and sleek, Victorinox’s suitcase is perfect for travellers looking for large, reliable luggage.

The four wheels glide smoothly through the airport, even when the case is packed full and heavy.

Inside, there are two spacious compartments that have plenty of room for all your travel essentials and more.

Both sides are sealed with a zipper, which I found to be much more practical than straps and my items felt secure.

The shell is strong and although it is a shiny plastic, after one return trip to Dublin, the case came out of the airport with minimal marks and scratches.

The telescopic handle feels sturdy, but is slightly on the smaller side for me. Personally, I would appreciate a wider handle for such a large case to help it feel steadier, but others might not have the same issue.

Reviewed by Jowena Riley

This suitcase meets all the requirements for style, comfort, and seamless navigation – which one would expect given its £445 price tag.

Designed in a beautifully classic shade of sand and brown, this suitcase is simple yet statement.

The thread stitching on the top and side handles is immaculate, and the bespoke logo printed on the soft interior material only adds to the suitcase’s luxury.

The dual-zips are a great feature – the suitcase closes at the middle and the zips are instantly secured into a lock compartment which you can set a combination for.

This makes finding the zips much easier than traditionally – and annoyingly – brushing your hands across the bottom and sides to locate them.

Although the collapsible handle may appear to extend only a short distance, the overall height of the suitcase allows for comfortable handling and pulling – perfect for those of a taller height.

Actually navigating the suitcase around is seamless – I managed to roll it with ease both behind and alongside me across carpeted floors, bumpy, uneven pavements and granite roads, which barely knocked it from its path.

In addition, the wheels are so quiet you’d barely know you’re travelling with it.

For me, the only and most undesirable part of this suitcase is the recycled polyester material, which can give off a plasticky appearance when light is reflected off of it, though this does not affect the suitcase’s use.

The material is also quite flexible to the touch – certainly not as sturdy as other hardback cases – so it’s hard to tell whether this can take on years’ worth of hard knocks while being transported from airport to plane.

Reviewed by Erin Deborah Waks

This is the best budget case.

On the cheaper end of the scale, this case is great value for money. It’s functional, simple and spacious, making it easy to pack.

It’s also really light, at just 3.9kg, so would be easier to lift, and won’t take up too much of your weight allowance.

It lacks the style of some of the other cases reviewed, though – so it might not be for the glamorous traveller.

But if you’re after function, space and convenience, this might be the option for you.

Reviewed by Erin Deborah Waks

Gliding along with Bric’s Bellagio case in tow, I felt like Cara Delevingne or Kendall Jenner waltzing through an airport on the way to Milan Fashion Week.

To say this suitcase is pretty to look at is an understatement – the design feels like something a wealthy traveller on the Orient Express would have.

It’s not just nice to look at, though – it functions extremely well. The wheels move seamlessly, so you can move through the airport almost silently.

It’s got all the bells and whistles you’d expect from a suitcase of this calibre, too – lock, packing compartments, real leather accents.

It’s on the pricier side, though, so won’t be for everyone, but for the luxury-lovers out there, it could be the option for you.

Reviewed by Marti Stelling

My first impression of this suitcase was its size. It is 30.5 inches in height and has a 95-litre capacity. At 5’1, it comes to my hip. While this wouldn’t be a problem for somebody taller, it is something to be aware of if you are short.

Inside, it has 11 pockets and a shoe/laundry bag. This is the most pockets I have ever seen inside a suitcase and would be great for organising items for an extended trip. It also comes with an internal AirTag pocket, a hidden passport pocket and it has corner protectors to protect it against wear and tear.

To test its performance, I took the suitcase through the rain onto a busy, rush-hour tube, then wheeled it with me on the 20-minute walk across uneven pavement and puddles to my flat.

While it was a challenge to navigate the stairs with this bulky suitcase and find space for it on the train, I found that on the pavement, it rolls quietly. Its 360-degree spinning wheels made it easy to manoeuvre and it survived being bashed around a bit.

At £270, this is definitely a high-end purchase. However, it is a great quality case with plenty of features which make it worth the investment, in my opinion.

Reviewed by Joanna Tweedy

This hard-shell Expandable Spinner is the larger model in Briggs & Riley’s popular range.

It’s not cheap at nearly £700 but it does lots to shout about, including a capacity of 131 litres at its full expansion.

The clever Compression-Expansion technology – essentially a button then expands the suitcase and once you’ve filled it, and then lets you push it back down to a more compact size – does away with the battle of trying to zip up a bulging suitcase.

I like the classic colour palette of navy on the exterior and cream on the interior, and there’s plenty of functional pockets to separate out accessories.

How does it wheel? Really well, it handled Heathrow’s long walks with ease and turns on a sixpence too.

Reviewed by Hayley Minn

Carrying the Away suitcase across London without anything in it, I couldn’t believe how light as a feather it was – despite being so metallic and sturdy.

People kept looking at me like I was Eddie Hall, as I walked up the escalators, lugging it around without a care in the world.

I was also so impressed by how many compartments the suitcase has, including a bag that doubles up as a space to keep your shoes clean and also a dirty washing bag.

Plus, due to the lightness of the suitcase, I was able to fit so much in, including heavy jumpers, and it still be well under the 23kg baggage limit.

However, after just one flight, it was left pretty scratched up, which was disappointing.