Best Luggage for European Travel: Pick The Right One For You

Best Backpacks for Europe Travel

Backpacks are a good solution if you prefer having the use of both your hands in transit. Here are some great carry-on and large-capacity backpacks for travel in Europe.

Osprey Porter

Osprey Porter is one of the best backpacks for travel money can buy. The brand is generally known for high-quality backpacks that last for ages, and the Porter has been one of their bestsellers for years.

The backpack is the largest carry-on you’ll be allowed on board most European airlines, so it’s a fine choice even for air travel. It’s an even better choice for train and bus travel because you’ll easily fit it in the overhead compartments.

Also, the Porter is compatible with Osprey Daylite, and this link includes both backpacks. The Daylite is Osprey’s small daypack that attaches to the front of the Porter but can also be worn as a standalone backpack and double as your personal item on flights. It’s perfect for day outings in European cities!

The Porter backpack opens up suitcase-style, so it’s super easy to pack inside it. It’s got a capacity of 46 liters, which is more than most carry-on suitcases. The backpack also features multiple smaller pockets and compartments, for easy organization of all your belongings.

In terms of carrying comfort, it’s got padded shoulder straps, a hip belt, and a sternum strap. The back panel is not ventilated, which is the only downside. But that’s because this pack includes stowable shoulder straps, which are very convenient for travel.

Cabin Max Metz

Ryanair is very popular in Europe, mostly because plane tickets are often cheaper than train tickets. But they’re very strict about luggage sizes (that’s how they get you!), and you’re only allowed a tiny personal item for free.

You can pay for an extra carry-on or checked suitcase for your trip and it’s not too expensive, but keep in mind that it’s best to buy extra luggage while you’re purchasing tickets because the cost of checking luggage at the gate is extortion.

The Cabin Max Metz is a small travel backpack that meets Ryanair’s strict size restrictions for a personal item. If you have plans to fly with this airline while you’re in Europe, this bag is an absolute must. It’s surprisingly spacious for its size, and it can easily fit enough clothes for trips for up to a week.

Well, some people can pack in this for a week-long trip. I probably couldn’t, but I have a friend who’s a pro at packing and comfortably packed in this bag for our six-day trip. The main compartment is spacious and perfect for clothes and bulky items, while the smaller pockets and other compartments allow you to organize your electronics, toiletries, and any other items you might want to pack.

Also, the compression straps on the side are great if you need to squeeze the bag a bit to get it to fit in the sizer bins. Just tighten the compression straps as much as you can, and the bag will instantly get smaller.

Deuter Aircontact Core

The Aircontact Core is the ultimate backpack for backpacking through Europe. This should fit enough items for trips that are two weeks or longer, and it’s comfortable enough that you can wear it without being in pain or sore the next day.

The backpack has a capacity of 65 liters, which is equivalent to a medium-checked suitcase. It also comes with a small, detachable daypack with a capacity of 10 liters. Ditch the big backpack at your accommodation and use the small daypack for the exploration of new cities!

The Deuter Aircontact Core has a dedicated sleeping bag compartment, a rain cover, hip belt pockets, and a multitude of compression straps. It’s also got an elaborate and highly adjustable harness, which will help ensure that you’re not constantly in pain from wearing such a heavy bag.

The only downside of this backpack is that it’s not carry-on sized, so you will need to check it on flights. But if you’re planning to get around by train and bus, this will be a very convenient piece of luggage.

Best Duffel Bags for Europe Travel

Duffel bags are a great option for long trips, especially if you’re trying to use one piece of luggage for two or more travelers.

Samsonite Andante 2

Samsonite Andante 2 is a wheeled duffel bag with a large capacity. It’s a great alternative to a standard suitcase or even a large-capacity backpack, and it’s available in three different sizes. Your options range from a 22” carry-on to a 32” checked bag, which should be enough for up to a month in Europe.

The duffel features two in-line skate wheels and a telescopic wheel handle, for easy maneuvering. It’s also got multiple grab handles on top, front, and sides, so you can easily pick it up.

The best thing about the Samsonite duffel bag is the multitude of pockets. You get loads of internal pockets, external pockets, and even dedicated end compartments for shoes, wet items, and dirty laundry.

The duffel also features a drop bottom, for easy organization of its contents. Additionally, it’s one of the more affordable pieces of luggage for Europe, so certainly a good option for travelers on a tighter budget.

Eagle Creek Cargo Hauler

The Cargo Hauler is a very popular duffel bag model and an excellent option if you want luggage with a massive capacity. This duffel can fit 120 liters worth of clothes in the 32” model, which should be enough for trips that are a month or longer.

Eagle Creek’s duffel bag is also available in two smaller versions – a carry-on and a medium checked bag. It’s made from 1000D polyester ripstop and 600D polyester TPU, for excellent impact, abrasion, and water resistance.

Additionally, this duffel bag has shoulder straps so you can carry it like a backpack, which is very convenient considering its size and weight. Once fully packed, this luggage will be very heavy, and almost impossible to carry on just one shoulder without being in pain.

The Cargo Hauler duffel bag features a spacious main packing compartment, as well as a variety of internal and external pockets. It’s even got a small quick-access pocket at the top, which is great for items you want to keep handy while in transport. The duffel also features wheels and a wheel handle, for easier transport at full capacity.

Travelpro Roadtrip 30

The Roadtrip 30 is a drop-bottom duffel bag from Travelpro. It can function as a duffel bag with two spacious compartments, which is awesome if you want a piece of luggage that can be used by two or more people. Or you can use it as a bag with one massive packing compartment and store everything you could possibly need during your travels through Europe.

The Travelpro duffel also comes with packing cubes, which is extremely convenient. Those will help you keep the main packing compartments organized, plus you can use all the other pockets to store any smaller belongings.

This duffel bag is made from polyester that’s treated to resist stains, dirt, and water. It’s equipped with in-line skate wheels and a telescopic wheel handle for easy maneuvering. The wheel handle is height adjustable and extends to 42.5”, which is great for tall people.

The Roadtrip duffel bag has a grab handle at the top and on the front, but no handles on the sides. Also, it doesn’t have any compression straps, which is a downside considering they would be really helpful in making the bag sturdier and more compact, especially when it’s not filled to capacity.

Best Wheeled Suitcases for Europe Travel

Durable and reliable suitcases are often the preferred choice for travelers who rely on air travel to get around.

Samsonite Winfield

The Winfield is one of Samsonite’s all-time best sellers because it’s excellent value for money. It’s an affordable polycarbonate suitcase that will last you a long time, and it’s available in carry-on and checked luggage sizes.

The Winfield boasts single spinner wheels, a telescopic wheel handle, a TSA-approved lock, and an expandable capacity. The polycarbonate shell is very durable and impact resistant, but it doesn’t have the best scratch resistance and it will get scuffed easily.

However, that’s an issue you can solve with a simple luggage cover. This spinner suitcase is also very affordable, and it has two spacious compartments that will easily fit everything from your Europe packing list.

The top compartment features a zippered divider with pockets, while the bottom compartment has tie-down straps to keep your belongings in place. Overall, if you’re looking for budget-friendly but durable luggage for Europe, the Winfield is one of the best (Samsonite) suitcases you can get.

Travelpro Maxlite 5

Travelpro Maxlite 5 is one of the best softshell spinner suitcases for international travel. It’s available in five sizes and three luggage set options, with three of the individual sizes being carry-on compatible. The Compact Carry-On and the 20” Carry-On bags will both work for flights with most European airlines.

This luggage features spinner wheels, a height-adjustable wheel handle, an expandable capacity, a water-repellent coating, and multiple grab handles. It’s got a fully lined, spacious packing compartment with tie-down straps and a large zippered pocket in the top cover.

The Maxlite suitcase also features a convenient front compartment that’s perfect for all the items you want to keep easily accessible at the airport. This lightweight luggage weighs just 5.1 lbs, which is pretty amazing for a 22” carry-on. If you need a compact suitcase that you can bring on board of a plane (or for Europe train travel even!), this is possibly the best carry-on luggage out of the bunch.

Briggs & Riley Baseline Global Carry-On

In my opinion, the Baseline is one of the best softshell suitcases ever manufactured. It’s an expensive piece of luggage, but worth every penny for its amazing durability and unique, convenient features. This carry-on luggage is perfect for travelers who aren’t the best at packing light, thanks to the unique compression system.

The Baseline is a softshell suitcase with double spinner wheels, a TSA-friendly padlock, and a height-adjustable wheel handle. That sounds standard, so what is there to justify the price of three Samsonites? It’s an extremely durable construction and a proprietary CX compression system.

This suitcase can expand to grant you approximately 25% of extra packing space, and it doesn’t even have an expansion zipper. The CX compression system relies on side buttons to expand the luggage, and then you just push down on the front compartment to get everything to close.

This luggage also features zippered pockets, a built-in garment folder, a grab handle at the bottom, and protective corner guards.

Delsey Paris Chatelet Hard+

The Chatelet from Delsey Paris is an excellent option if you want a hardside suitcase, regardless of which size you’re looking for. This is an excellent piece of luggage made from durable polycarbonate, with all the features you need to stay comfortable on long trips.

The polycarbonate construction will handle long trips through Europe without getting damaged, while the spinner wheels allow you to easily maneuver this over different terrain types. Also, this suitcase features built-in brakes on the wheels that are activated with the push of a button, which can be a lifesaver on European trains.

The luggage also boasts a built-in TSA-friendly lock, multiple grab handles, and a height-adjustable wheel handle. Its interior is fully lined with a zippered divider in each compartment, and it comes with detachable packing cubes for shoes, and dirty clothes, and a removable hanger.