Away Luggage: A Must-Have Travel Item
One of my main concerns while preparing for our trip to Asia was finding a luggage I can take with me from one country to the next. And since I was traveling to 4 countries, I knew exactly what I want my luggage to be: durable. Thanks to the creative minds behind Away, I found just that. A reliable and durable luggage that will be a staple in my travel essentials for years to come. So what exactly does Away bring to the table?
Features:
Built-in Battery Charger
Two Compartments with Compression pad/strap
Impenetrable Outer Shell
TSA approved lock
Premium Hinomoto 360° wheels
Nylon Laundry Bag
Testing the Product:
The suitcase came a week before our trip, carefully packaged and wrapped in a dust bag. It came with a cute instruction booklet and a charger for the built-in battery. I chose the Bigger Carry-On in Asphalt over the regular Carry-On. I figured I needed the extra space to fit two week’s worth of clothes and other essentials. One thing about the size that got me worried is the dimensions. I wasn’t so sure if it was going to fit Air Asia’s overhead compartment.
According to their website, “the Bigger Carry-On is made to fit the sizers of major US airlines” but didn’t really mention anything about other airlines outside the US. After learning it was a couple of inches over, I decided to just go for it because I really wanted to bring it to Asia with me. Good thing I went with my gut because it wasn’t a problem at all. It fit the overhead compartment just fine.
outer shell and 360 wheels
I was really impressed with the thoughtfully designed outer shell that also looks very sleek if I may add. They guarantee it to be unbreakable. I don’t know about you guys but that’s kind of a big deal! You don’t want to be one of those people fussing over a broken luggage in the airport at two in the morning. Right? I did notice a few scratches here and there but nothing major. It still looks awesome despite the wear and tear. Another neat feature is the premium Hinomoto 360° wheels which proved useful when navigating busy airports.
Compartments
The two compartments with compression pad/strap was pretty stellar in terms of giving me additional space for my clothes. I’m notorious for packing my luggage to the brim but this baby held everything with ease. I like how neat my luggage was thanks to the two compartments that separated my clothes from my toiletries and other essentials I brought along with me. I didn’t need to use those packing cubes everyone seems to have nowadays.
laundry bag and tsa approved lock
The mostly overlooked nylon laundry bag that comes with the luggage was surprisingly useful. We spent a few days in each country and sometimes we didn’t have enough time to dry out our wet bathing suits so I ended up packing it inside the laundry bag. And much to my surprise it worked pretty well.
My other favorite feature is the TSA approved lock that is so easy to use. I no longer have to worry about those annoying locks with keys I can’t seem to find.
built-in battery charger
Those features sound great and all but let’s be honest, the main draw for me and the real game changer is the built-in battery charger with two USB ports. I can’t stress enough how useful this feature was during our trip. Just charge the battery overnight and voila, you can charge your phone up to five times! It was so convenient especially since not every airport had an outlet we could use to charge our electronics. And it didn’t hurt that I was that cool person running through the airport while charging my phone at the same time. I seriously lost count of how many people were doing a double take on my luggage.
The battery complies with all regulations from FAA, TSA, DOT and if they do ask you about it, you can show the sticker on the bottom of the carry-on. I didn’t have any problem going through security in Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia but boy were they strict in Beijing. I had to remove the battery from its case inside the luggage using a TSA approved screwdriver (included), which was a pain in the butt, I admit. But overall it wasn’t too bad.
Verdict:
I totally recommend this product. If you’re a constant traveler like me who wants one less thing to worry about when traveling, then you should consider buying the Bigger Carry-On. The Bigger Carry-On is priced at $245 and comes in a variety of colors including their new minions yellow. The best part about purchasing an Away product? You get a 100 day trial. If you end up not liking it (I’m not sure why) then you can return the product, no questions asked.
- Check out their website to purchase your own Away luggage by clicking this link: Away
Disclaimer: This post was written in collaboration with Away. While I received the item for free in exchange for a review,
all honest opinions are my own and I won’t ever recommend a product I don’t believe in.
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Away Luggage: A Must-Have Travel Item
I have to admit that the idea of having a charger inside the bag sounds like a huge plus. I did wonder about TSA and other security orgs and how they dealt with it –major props that most, except Beijing, didn’t have a problem with it. This bag might just have me going back to roller bags — love the look of it and the functionality. Thanks for sharing!
It really was! I can’t rave about it enough! The charger was really useful throughout our trip. I don’t know how many times I forgot to charge my phone before our flight. You should definitely look into purchasing one Patricia. You won’t regret it. 🙂
This looks amazing! If I ever trade in my backpack for a suitcase I want one of these. I can;t believe it actually has a charger built it!
Right? I couldn’t believe it either. And I like that it has 2 USB ports so I can charge more than one electronic device.
This luggage looks amazing. I love having a hard plastic one because it lasts longer and it doesn’t get as ripped as the ones that are not. Never used it with a built in charger. That must be so handy. I have used a backpack as carry on for many years as camera bag and it is just too heavy and hurts your shoulder. I will definitely check out this one. ?
I definitely agree with that. I have an old suitcase that doesn’t have this hard shell and I was always afraid it was going to rip. And yeah, the built in charger was super handy. You should definitely look into Away and let me know what you think! 🙂
We have an AWAY carry-on and absolutely love it. We really love the charging feature and use it on every single trip. The design is super sleek too 🙂
That charging feature is just really neat and smart! I like that they added that to the suitcase. That’s awesome you guys have an Away carry on too!
This piece of luggage is a godsend for travelers! I can’t believe it has a portable charger built in – genius!
It’s pretty cool right? Who would’ve thought you could add a built in charger in your suitcase? Amazing!
Luggage is so very important, especially if you are on a log trip, you need something sturdy and easy to handle. AWAY seems to fit the bill perfectly. Also the fact that there is a built in battery charger is so useful.
It’s a really neat feature. I don’t know how many luggages nowadays have a built in charger. So thanks Away for introducing us to this smart luggage 😀
omg this looks like the perfect travel companion. Although I am a backpack lover, I do carry suitcases sometimes and they are such a relief for my back. Oh gee, a charger inside sounds nifty. Do they also have that international lost and found tag? For ex if you lose your bag but are registered on their site, they can find it (Something like that, i am fuzzy on the details)
I love backpacks too but sometimes I really need a carry on for those long trips. I believe they do have that feature as well but its purchased separately. I think its called Tile luggage tag. I might’ve to look into that one too!
Backpacks are my thing as I feel I’m not comfortable with luggage bags. But this bag by AWAY looks really great, especially the inbuilt battery charger, which alone tempts me to try. A great review!
Eek I can’t seem to fit all my clothes in just one backpack. Idk how you guys do it, really! But yes, if you end up transitioning later on to luggage bags then you should definitely check out Away. Thanks so much for visiting Reshma!
I have been DYING to know how the bags that have chargers work, especially this one! I travel international multiple times a year and that’s the one feature I have found extremely interesting so I’m glad to hear it works. And up to five charges for your phone? Whoa….CANDY CRUSH TIME! 😀
Same here! I was like, hmmm where does the battery go and where do I charge this? But it was actually very simple to use. You will definitely love this Andrea. I’m sure it will come in handy during your travels.
Haha candy crush time! 😛
I’ve heard these suitcases are really great. I am in the market for a new carry on. I need to check this out. Seem like the lock could be great for securing items when a hotel doesn’t have a safe!
You should definitely check out Away’s carry-ons Stephanie. And I totally agree about securing items using the carry on. Such a neat feature right?
Looks like a nice and suitable bag to have to take on the road. Never heard of this brand but will look into this a bit more after reading this post.
It’s an up and coming suitcase brand that has an array of amazing products. You should definitely check them out!
Nice carry on, Janna, but unfortunately in Australia the standard carry on size is much smaller than in the USA. Having a built-in battery charger is a fantastic feature! Does the company make one in a smaller size?
They have a smaller size for the carry on. I’m sure that would be more than suitable for your needs. The built in charger was a life saver and I used it a lot during our recent trip to Asia.
This seems to be the perfect bag, it covers all my needs including TSA plus it has built -in battery charger, gosh, this will definitely be one if my options
Sounds awesome right? You have to check them out Karla!
It has all the right features for a carry on and looks pretty smart, I love that you can have TSA approved locks on the case for extra security even if it is a hand carry.
Awesome features right? The locks definitely came in handy during our trip.
Wow…a luggage with a battery charger. That seems to be a smart addon. Would love to have one of these while traveling.
It really is a smart add-on. One of my fave features!
Great looking luggage! I just recently bought hard-shell luggage with the four wheels, and love it. It makes pushing a large suitcase through the airport effortless. I wish mine had a battery charger though, as that would come in handy all the time! I’m always searching for an outlet in an airport, even in some lounges!
Right? It’s so annoying when I can’t find an outlet at the airport. This feature is definitely my favorite!
Love this – I totally see the value in investing in durable luggage – we were on a 45 day round the world trip recently and the crappy cheap luggage I purchased because I was cheap, the wheels snapped and it was hell for the second half of the trip trying to transit with it. So now I’m in the market for a new bag, and happy to take your recommendation on this brand!
Oh no! That sounds awful. That’s one of my worries too when I travel. Good thing I found this smart luggage from Away. You have to check them out. I’m sure you’ll find their products worth the investment!
I found this luggage pretty cool! I never heard of a luggage with a battery charger, this is a must! And not to mention the color and design, it looks very elegant. Good recommendation, thanks!
It’s pretty cool right? This was my first time hearing about a luggage with a battery charger too! It definitely came in handy during our trip to Asia. No problem at all Elisa! Glad you like the product!
This looks so handy. I like that it’s also so stylish. I would actually carry this one. Some of the high tech travel pieces aren’t stylish at all. This looks great.
Glad you think so too! Its definitely stylish and and high tech. You should definitely check Away’s suitcases.
Hi Janna, thank you for the post! I’m traveling to Beijing in a few weeks with this carry-on, and I was just wondering how strict the security is at the Beijing airport. Did you need to take it out to just go through the security? They didn’t force you to throw it away or anything did they? If so, I need to reconsider the luggage I’m taking with me for this trip 🙁
Hi Yili, no problem at all! Glad you found it just in time before your trip to Beijing! I didn’t know that it was going to be that strict in Beijing to be quite honest because we didn’t have any problems going through security in Thailand, Indonesia and Cambodia. But it wasn’t too bad. They just asked us to remove the battery pack inside (which I should’ve done in the first place) and asked us what it was. I told them it was a battery pack and after inspecting it, they gave it back. That’s it! Just make sure to bring the small booklet it comes with just in case so you have proof that it complies with FAA, TSA, DOT regulations.
You can totally bring it with you during your trip to Beijing! 🙂
Have you taken the bigger carry on JetBlue? I ‘m wondering if it will fit in the overhead compartment. Thank you!
Hello Angelika! I haven’t taken the bigger carry on via JetBlue but we did fly with Virgin America and it fit the overhead compartment just fine. I’m guessing they have similar dimensions? But to be sure, just check JetBlue’s compartment dimensions and compare it with the bigger carry on. That’s what I did before I brought it with me. Hope that helps!
I’ll be going to Thailand next April and was contemplating on getting the carry on or the bigger carry on but after reading ur review, I feel relieved now lol. What airline did u take to Thailand?
Hi Christina! I’d definitely go for the bigger carry on since it gives more space. We flew with Qatar airlines going to Thailand and from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, we took Air Asia. I was more worried about Air Asia because their aircraft is a lot smaller but it fit the overhead compartment just fine. Hope that helps! Enjoy Thailand 🙂
Have you taken this bigger carry on while in Europe ? I’m worried the bigger carry on might not fit on those budget airlines planes such as easy jet and flybe.
Hey JB, no I haven’t taken it to Europe. Planning to take it though next year when I go there. Maybe you can check the overhead compartment dimensions and compare it to the bigger carry on’s size? For reference, I did fly with budget airlines in Asia and it fit their overhead compartments just fine. Hopefully you can take it with you!
When you removed the battery, could you do it with the luggage closed? Or, do you have to access the battery from inside the case? Accessing it from the outside would prevent you having to unpack if they make you gate check the bag.
Hi Jonathan, you would need to open the luggage and unzip the inner liner before getting to the battery compartment. So it’s best if you do it beforehand so you don’t need to unload your stuff at the airport. Unfortunately there isnt any access to the battery from the outside. Hope that helps!
Hi! Thank you for your review of the compatibility of Away Bigger Carry On with AirAsia! I’ve been debating whether to get a regular vs bigger carry on myself for over 4 months now because I travel a lot to Asia and take a lot of their budget airline (such as AirAsia, Lion Air, etc.). Glad I found this blog post, and now I’m more convinced to get the Bigger one since I needed the space anyway! Question, have you bring your Away Bigger Carry On to Europe using European airlines, and if yes, how was it? Thank you!
You’re welcome! Glad you found it helpful. You should def purchase the bigger carry on. It fits fine with budget airlines in Asia. As for European airlines, I have not tried it yet but hopefully it fits. I’d love to bring it with me to Europe this fall.
Hi I’m looking to buy the bigger car 6 on myself and you mentioned it fit in the overhead compartment. Do you mean it fits with the wheels facing in/out or do you have to turn it sideways? Thanks!
Nearly two years later, have you flown with this bag more? Do you still have the same thoughts? Which airlines did you fly with?