For a long while, if you wanted an aluminum suitcase, you were going to spend four figures. Away’s suitcase is not exactly affordable, but it is attainable (9/10, WIRED Recommends).
The metal is thick, and the fixtures are solid; Away didn’t cheap out on the materials. Two organizer panels inside keep your stuff from shifting around, and there’s a a stowable interior laundry bag to keep dirty clothes off your clean clothes. There’s also an option of an integrated power bank that’s accessible through a flip-up door near the telescoping handle. I generally recommend a stand-alone power bank, but it’s a free option on the Away, so you may as well get it.
An aluminum bag will dent and scratch over time, and you should accept that before you splash down big money on one. You may be able to baby it a little more if you never check it—don’t count on that, because it’s common these days for airlines to run out of carry-on room—but it’s unlikely that you’ll make it more than a few trips with it looking minty new. I’m hesitant to buy into marketed “authenticity,” but I have to agree with Away. A dinged-up and well-traveled bag ends up looking pretty sweet.
(Note: Away has been embroiled in continued controversy over the behavior of its CEO, her departure from the role in December 2019, her quiet return in January, and her possible removal again at the end of this year.)
