A great suitcase isn’t a purchase you make lightly. The best luggage brands are designed to last for years, enduring rough baggage handlers, narrow cobbled streets and being hauled in and out of bus undercarriages, all while keeping your precious belongings safe and organised.
Thankfully, modern luggage has come a long way from the bulky, squeaky-wheeled suitcases of the past. Today’s models prioritise durability and thoughtful design, featuring lightweight hard shells, smooth-spinning wheels, TSA-approved locks, compression packing compartments and even tracking technology that’s compatible with smartphones.
So, whether you prioritise style and practicality, a backpack that masters the minimalist “one-bag” travel philosophy, or simply the most durable gear for your intrepid adventures, read on to shop a selection of the best luggage brands available in New Zealand, alongside our editors’ must-have travel accessories, from hat clips to portable hair dryers, to make your journeys effortless.
Shop the edit: NZ’s best luggage brands
Samsonite
Best for: Ultra-light, durable luggage
Samsonite is synonymous with tough, travel-ready luggage. Its suitcases, particularly those made from its pioneering Roxkin and Curv materials, are some of the lightest, yet strongest hardshell luggage out there. That means less lugging, more rolling, and durable shells that withstand rough baggage handling.
The brand also offers a light, sturdy, on-the-go travel option for the intrepid globetrotter in the form of their Ecodiver collection.
Practical features like double wheels for a silky-smooth ride, divided interiors with handy pouches (including compression pouches that maximise space), and personalisation options make Samsonite one of the best luggage brands for all-round performance. Some backpack styles even feature USB ports for working on-the-go.
What they offer: Hardshell, softshell, aluminium, backpacks, totes, kids’ ride-on suitcases, packing cubes, TSA-approved lock straps, RFID wallets
Warranty: Up to 10-year limited global warranty (varies by product)
Key features:
- Some models offer personalisation
- Double wheels for a smoother ride
- Divided interiors with handy pouches, some with compression features
Saben
Best for: Looking put-together on the go
If you’re the type of traveller who always arrives on time to the boarding gate, complete with slicked-back hair and a matching tracksuit, Saben luggage will perfect your look.
The popular Kiwi handbag brand offers lightweight, hardshell suitcases in cabin, medium and large sizes, all with dual-spinner wheels for easy manoeuvrability. Crafted from moulded polycarbonate with metallic rose gold accents, they’re the perfect style statement for travellers who like to feel polished wherever they go. Currently available in Black and Navy Ink, keep an eye out for limited-edition colourways, too.
July
Best for: Colourful, personalised suitcases with trackable technology
Chic yet highly functional, Melbourne-founded July ticks all the boxes. Its hardshell suitcases, crafted from aerospace-grade German polycarbonate, are incredibly hardwearing yet light to carry.
July’s standout feature is its integrated CaseSafe tracking technology, available on selected styles and built directly into the TSA-approved lock. Compatible with both iPhone and Android devices, it offers more than 12 months of battery life, with a replaceable battery that can be easily swapped out when your phone alerts you that power is running low.
The luggage also features the brand’s signature SilentMove wheels for easy movement across cobblestones or rough terrain. Limited-edition colours and the option to personalise your suitcase with your name or initials make spotting your bag at baggage claim a breeze.
For an even more seamless journey, add a set of colourful packing cells or compression packing shelves that can be hung in a wardrobe or shower rail, and a tech kit for stashing accessories and cables.
What they offer: Hardshell suitcases, carry-ons, large and small totes, backpacks, travel accessories
Warranty: Limited lifetime warranty (varies by product)
Key features:
- Limited lifetime warranty on all luggage (varies by product)
- TSA-approved locks
- Ejectable battery (USB-C) for charging on the go
- Stain and odour-proof laundry bags
- 100-day return policy
Bellroy
Best for: User-friendly design for organised travellers
Based in Melbourne and certified B Corp, Bellroy has a reputation for thoughtful design. Its luggage range features slim hardshell and softshell suitcases alongside accessories that keep you organised while travelling.
Expect clever touches on suitcases like telescopic handles with an underside push button, smooth-gliding silent wheels, and packing cells that double as internal dividers.
Bellroy’s modular approach to design means your luggage can adapt to business trips, holidays, and everything in between. You can even purchase replaceable wheels, handles, locks and packing cells to keep your suitcases rolling for years.
What they offer: Hardshell and softshell luggage, backpacks, slings, totes, travel wallets, tech pouches
Warranty: 10 years on luggage, 6 years on bags
Key features:
- Recycled and eco-friendly materials
- Telescopic handles with multiple heights
- Silent, replaceable wheels
- Removable and modular packing cells
- Integrated TSA locks
Cuyana
Best for: Style seekers
Cuyana’s leather travel bags aren’t just stylish; they’re part of a wider travel system. Thoughtful travel-focused features include spacious front pockets with magnetic closures for easy access to travel documents, slip pockets for laptops, and a luggage sleeve that doubles as a zippable back pocket.
For extra comfort and versatility, you can add on accessories like clip-on laptop sleeves and tote inserts, and adjustable shoulder straps.
Osprey
Best for: Journeying off the beaten track
Osprey luggage is for adventurers who expect their gear to take a beating. Its travel packs and duffels are built with reinforced materials, plenty of compartments for gadgets and gear, and ergonomic fits for comfort on the move.
Osprey stands out for its body fit customisation (with various pack sizes and adjustability) and a true “one bag for a lifetime” mentality.
What they offer: Hiking packs, travel backpacks, soft duffle bags, day packs
Warranty: All Mighty Guarantee (lifetime warranty covering repair or replacement)
Key features:
- Easily accessible pockets and external gear loops
- Water-resistant materials
- Multiple compartments for efficient packing
- Customisable fit (adjustable harness and straps)
Oroton
Best for: Business travellers
If you’re often travelling overnight for work or heading away for the weekend, you need a carry-on bag that’s both spacious and durable. That’s where Oroton’s Margot and Paxton weekenders come in.
Available in both leather and suede in a range of classic neutral shades, these stylish unisex travel bags include multiple compartments for easy organisation and adjustable straps for comfortable top-handle or crossbody wear.
Available at:
Bon Maxie
Best for: Well-designed travel bags and accessories
Australian-designed Bon Maxie first gained a loyal following for its innovative handbags, which combined stylish design with clever organisation and a splash-resistant canvas. As the brand has grown, so has its product range, which now includes everything from travel backpacks and drink bottle bags to hanging toiletry bags, compression packing cubes and weekender bags.
Each piece is thoughtfully designed to keep your belongings organised, accessible and easy to find, making Bon Maxie a go-to for travellers who like a place for everything and everything in its place.
Briggs & Riley
Best for: Luxury luggage that guarantees longevity
New York-based Briggs & Riley is favoured by business travellers and frequent globetrotters. Its streamlined, sophisticated luggage is crafted from premium materials and loaded with technical advantages, like shock-absorbing spinner wheels and patented compression-expansion systems that optimise packing space.
What they offer: Hardshell and softshell suitcases, rolling garment bags, duffles, underseat bags, backpacks
Warranty: Simple as That lifetime guarantee for functional damage
Key features:
- Understated, classic style
- Patented compression-expansion technology
- TSA lock compliance
- High-grade spinner wheels
- Smartlink straps for connecting multiple bags
Fjällräven
Best for: Outdoor adventurers and lovers of a utilitarian aesthetic
Known for its simple Scandinavian design, tough construction and distinctive colourways, Fjällräven’s water- and dirt-resistant travel backpacks and duffels are built for travellers who live and breathe the outdoors, whether hiking, biking, mountaineering or hunting.
From daypacks and travel totes to tramping packs, expect hard-wearing materials, functional storage and a timeless aesthetic built to last for years.
We’re particularly fond of the Kånken Mini, a smaller version of the brand’s iconic backpack, perfect for tiny adventurers heading off on a family holiday or making the daily journey to kindergarten.
Antler
Best for: Bold, enduring design from a heritage brand
Antler brings the best of British design and practicality to Kiwi travellers. Its hardshell Icon Stripe and softshell Soft Stripe ranges combine lightweight durability, spacious dimensions, and enduring quality. Perfect for anything from quick weekend getaways to extended adventures, these versatile bags also stand out for their colourful, bold design.
What they offer: Hardshell suitcases, softshell cases, weekenders, carry-ons
Warranty: A limited lifetime warranty for suitcases purchased from 15 May 2023, and a 10-year warranty for suitcases purchased before this date
Key features:
- External pockets for quick access
- Light and spacious soft and hard shell options
- Trendy design details and a wide range of colours
- Smooth-rolling wheels
- Reinforced corners for impact resistance
Your Home and Garden’s guide to the items worth packing for smarter travel
- A reusable drink bottle. We love Frank Green’s portable drinkware and clever accessories, including its innovative French press that doubles as a reusable coffee cup and a lip gloss holder that attaches to your bottle strap.
- Bags and pouches for beauty essentials: Keep skincare, makeup and brushes neatly organised with dedicated cosmetic bags and travel pouches.
- A jewellery travel case. Keep your delicate chains tangle-free and earrings safely paired with a portable jewellery organiser.
- A universal travel adaptor. Need we say more?
- A portable hair dryer when the hotel hair dryer doesn’t cut it. Look to travel-friendly options like the Dyson Supersonic Travel or the ghd Flight+ Travel for salon-worthy blowouts no matter the destination.
- Bag inserts and organisers to enhance any tote bag’s shape and utility. Check out organisers from brands such as Saben, Orbitkey and Prene.
- A power bank. Don’t get caught with a low phone battery in the middle of capturing a video.
- An underwater camera or GoPro for capturing underwater adventures and marine life without worrying about water damage to your phone.
- Noise-cancelling headphones or earbuds for long-haul flights and noisy commutes. Brands such as Loop, Dyson and Sony offer fabulous options.
- A tech organiser or gear pouch to keep cables, chargers and gadgets, from your phone and Kindle to your GoPro and power bank, in one easy-to-find place.
- A hat clip for securing a wide-brimmed hat to your bag so you don’t lose it along the way, especially if a European summer is on the cards.
- A durable passport holder to protect your most important travel document while keeping boarding passes and cards close at hand.
- A travel journal for recording memories, documenting adventures or pondering your travels.
What are the best luggage brands in NZ?
Samsonite hits that sweet spot for the average Kiwi traveller between durability, style and value. Its proprietary materials and decades of innovation make it a consistently reliable choice. For frequent flyers wanting luxury and longevity, Briggs & Riley’s lifetime guarantee and compression technology place them in a league of their own. Check out our comprehensive list of top-rated luggage brands here.
Features to consider when purchasing a suitcase:
- Four double-spinner wheels for manoeuvrability
- In-built tracking compatible with Apple and Android phones for peace of mind
- Integrated, TSA-compliant locks for international travel
- Lightweight and impact-resistant shell (polycarbonate or aluminium)
- Divided compartments and compression for efficient packing
- Extending, adjustable handles
- Exterior pockets for easy access to essentials (softshell/duffle)
- Laundry or shoe bags for organisation
Is it better to have hard or soft luggage?
This really comes down to how and where you travel. Hardshell luggage provides superior impact resistance, protects better against rough handling, sheds rain, and tends to look newer for longer. Softshell bags are lightweight, often hold a little extra, and often have multiple external pockets for easy access to essentials. They are ideal for carry-on or trips where flexibility is key, such as train or bus travel.
Do I need a suitcase with an in-built TSA lock?
If you’re flying internationally to or from the United States, a TSA-approved lock is highly recommended. It allows customs agents to safely open and relock your bag without damage if an inspection is needed.
Other countries’ border agents using TSA locks include New Zealand, Australia, China, Japan, Canada, and parts of Europe. While not every country uses TSA, it’s now a near-universal feature of quality luggage.
Can I take a suitcase with a USB charging port on the plane?
Most airlines, including those in New Zealand, allow suitcases with built-in USB charging ports, provided the battery is removable. Always check that any battery-powered feature (like July’s ejectable USB-C battery for its carry-on suitcases) can be taken out and packed in your carry-on, especially on international flights, to comply with airline and safety regulations.
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