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The best budget suitcases for your next trip – for less than £100
We've curated our tried and tested favourites
Tested by Blossom BoothroydHomes Testing Manager
We’ve tested over 150 suitcases and cabin bags at the Good Housekeeping Institute, and one thing we’ve learned is that good luggage doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Why spend hundreds of pounds on a case when that money could go towards even more travel adventures?
To prove this, we’ve pulled together a list of the best cheap suitcases – all under £100 – that have passed our tests with flying colours. From spacious check-in luggage to compact cabin bags, these are the best value suitcases to buy when you’re on a budget. For our full reviews, keep scrolling.
To test these suitcases, the Good Housekeeping Institute experts pack them up just as you would for a real trip. Next, we wheel them across various surfaces to test their manoeuvrability. Then come the merciless drop tests, to ensure they can withstand being thrown around in the hold. Finally, a soak in the shower tests their resistance to a downpour.
These are the cases that came out on top.
Score: 87/100
You’ll stand out on the luggage belt with American Tourister’s cheerful array of colourways. This suitcase only picked up a few scuff marks in our durability tests, and moved smoothly over tarmac, ticking our boxes for durability and manoeuvrability.
Plus, with three internal pockets, it’s roomy enough for a city break (or a five-day jaunt in the sun, if you pack lightly – we’ve done it!).
Key specifications
| Weight | 2.5kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | H55 x L40 x D20 cm |
| TSA approved lock | Yes |
Using the GHI's best cheap cabin bag for a five-day trip
Score: 83/100
This very affordable suitcase should leave you with plenty of spare change for souvenirs or museum entry. You can pack all your clothes neatly inside, thanks to zip-up compartments and adjustable luggage straps.
Its wheels impressed in our drop tests, emerging practically unscathed, but there were some cracks on the face. This will be okay if you’re not checking it in though (and it comes with a five-year guarantee!), and while you can lock it, it’s not TSA-approved. It’s often under £40 though, making it a savvy buy.
Key specifications
| Weight | 2.6kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | H55 x L35 x D20 cm |
| TSA approved lock | No |
Score: 82/100
Tripp's affordable luggage always performs well in our lab, and this large case didn't disappoint. There's lots of room for your not-so-capsule holiday wardrobe, it turned corners well and moved smoothly over most surfaces, although it struggled a little on carpets and cobbles.
Overall, though, this is sturdy and spacious case at a great price. We also love the bold colours that make it easy to spot on the carousel.
Key specifications
| Weight | 4.2kg |
|---|---|
| TSA approved lock | Yes |
| Dimensions | H76 x W50 x D32 |
Score: 81/100
Of all the large luggage we’ve tested in our lab, this one is particularly lightweight– at 3.6kg, you won't have to sacrifice your luggage allowance. However, it was still easy to pack in two weeks' worth of clothes – in fact there was room for more! And while there aren’t any internal pockets, everything stayed neat.
Testers were impressed with its durability too – on test, it only scuffed a little, while the main panels remained pristine, and we were able to pop out any dents. It moved well too. Our experts liked its cabin equivalent as well, so whatever your needs, the Tripp Escape should serve you well.
Key specifications
| Weight | 3.6kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | H77 x W51 x D32 cm |
| TSA approved lock | Yes |
Score: 81/100
This is one roomy suitcase from Amazon. If you need extra space, it's expandable, so there's no need to worry about squeezing in one more souvenir.
It was sturdy too; testers only noticed damage as they neared the end of their drop tests, so it should be fine with the occasional rough treatment at the airport. Our experts liked its comfortable telescopic handle too.
Key specifications
| Weight | 5.4kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | H78 x W32.5 x D53.5 cm |
| TSA approved lock | No |
Score: 78/100
This large, spacious suitcase is great for families or taking on long trips. There’s plenty of room for all your outfits, with a full zip cover on one side, two pockets on the other and straps to hold everything in place. It also has a TSA-approved lock so airport security can access your luggage without any damage.
The exterior shell held up well in our lab tests, suffering only minor scrapes when we dropped it from a height and dragged it up kerbs. Note that this suitcase is on the heavier side, at five kilos, and it lacks some extras like a laundry bag or padded laptop pocket. However, overall, it’s a great price for a quality suitcase of this size.
Key specifications
| Weight | 4.95 kg |
|---|---|
| TSA approved lock | H89 x W53 x D35 cm |
| Dimensions | Yes |
Score: 77/100
One of the cheapest our list, this M&S cabin bag is a real steal. It's lightweight and there are ample straps and a pocket to keep all your luggage in order. Its handles were comfortable when testers wheeled it around too.
Obviously for the price, there are some compromises; there's no built-in lock (just room for one on the zip) and it wasn't as durable as more premium designs. But cabin bags generally aren't thrown around in the same way as hold ones, so we don't consider this a dealbreaker.
Key specifications
| Weight | 2.5kg |
|---|---|
| TSA approved lock | No |
| Dimensions | H55.5 x L38 x D22 |
Score: 76/100
Another good value Aerolite buy on our list, this one is a hard shell 4-wheel spinner with a large capacity and a range of pockets to make packing easy. There's also a handy telescopic handle for easy manoeuvring.
It's not as durable as others we've tested and suffered notable damage in our drop tests and it wasn't completely watertight either. But, if it does have a five-year warranty in case anything goes wrong and it offers a lot of packing space for the money.
Key specifications
| Weight | 4.85kg |
|---|---|
| TSA approved lock | No |
| Dimensions | H79 x W58 x D31 |
How we test suitcases
Our Good Housekeeping Institute experts test suitcases by replicating how you use them in the real world, packing them full for a trip away. They weigh the cases when empty, then fill them with a set packing list, which would see them through either a long weekend or two weeks, depending on the case’s size.
They then see how well the suitcase moves across a range of different surfaces, including tarmac, carpet and cobblestones, to get an idea of what they’re like on the go and how easy they are to pull.
Finally, our experts carry out our famous drop tests, where each case is thrown on its wheels, sides and corners a total of 52 times to ensure it will survive being bashed around in the hold. We even pop them in the shower, to make sure your luggage won’t get too damp if you get caught in a downpour.
Why you can trust the Good Housekeeping Institute
Only the best products can earn the Good Housekeeping Institute seal of approval. Our tests are rigorous and designed to reflect real-life usage. This is why our readers know they can trust our recommendations.
Our luggage reviews are overseen by Blossom Boothroyd, our homes testing manager, who has developed strict protocols against which every case is assessed and scored.
The results of our tests are then passed on to Megan Geall, our senior homes writer, who looks after all our suitcase buying guides and is experienced at turning technical information into useful, digestible reviews.
More Tried & Tested travel heroes
- Best suitcases for every budget
- Best cabin bags for skipping baggage claim
- Best packing cubes to help you fit more in your case
Still not sure which type of bag you need? Read our comprehensive luggage buying guide.
What should I look for in a cheap suitcase?
You're not going to get some of the fancier features you’ll find on our list of the best suitcases – USB charging points, waterproof zips (some water seeped through all the zips on this list during testing), and even silent wheels all spring to mind. But that’s where the compromises end.
All the suitcases in this roundup are hard-sided, and have gone through extensive durability testing to make the cut – so your favourite straighteners, or that hand painted pottery souvenir you picked up on your travels, should be safe inside.
You don't have to sacrifice on space either – if you’re jetting off for a while, look for a case that's suitably roomy, but still lightweight enough to meet your luggage allowance (and you can always purchase one of our best packing cubes to make the most of the room). The same goes for cabin bags, since airlines are now giving weight specifications alongside size restrictions.
For ease when you’re on the go, look for a telescopic handle, wheels and a TSA-approved lock, which means that if your suitcase is pulled aside at the airport, security won’t have to break into it, as the agents have a universal key.
Final verdict: which cheap suitcase is the best?
Our best cabin bag under £100 is the American Tourister Bon Air Case, which is durable, easy to manoeuvre and spacious.
But if £80 is still a little steep, the Aerolite Lightweight Hard Shell Cabin Bag came a close second and costs just £30.
If you need more space, our best check-in suitcase is the Tripp Holiday 8 Large Suitcase, which costs £70.
Jasmine is the Good Housekeeping Institute’s homes writer. With a background in design, she is committed to sorting the good products from the great –and helping Good Housekeeping readers do the same.
Throughout her career, Jasmine has written extensively about product quality, craftsmanship and sustainability, and is passionate about consumer rights. She previously worked as a writer and researcher at the product longevity platform Buy Me Once.
If she isn’t reviewing the latest gadgets for your home, you can probably find Jasmine cooking elaborate meals or crafting something weird and wonderful!
Blossom is passionate about finding the best home products and appliances for GH readers. As head of the homes testing team, she has led reviews across multiple categories, from pizza ovens, and smart plugs to portable fans and hobs. She enjoys delving into the intricacies of products and refining testing protocols to ensure we’re testing them against their claims. Her aim is to find the top-performing products on the market, to help take the hard work out of housework. Blossom’s most notable accomplishment in the lab has been toasting 528 slices of bread in her quest to find the best toasters money can buy. In her free time, she openly admits to being a music geek and indulges her creative side through crocheting, baking, singing and writing.
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