Away Vs. Briggs And Riley: Which Luggage Brand To Choose?

Away and Briggs & Riley are two very popular brands for high-quality luggage. While their bags might appear similar at first glance, there are many differences in design and construction, and that’s exactly what I’ll be talking about in this comparison!

If you’re struggling to choose between these two brands, reading this comparison should make it clearer which brand offers the better luggage for your travel needs. Both brands make luggage of excellent quality, but when you take a good look at the details and all the extra features, it should be pretty easy to figure out which manufacturer is the better option for you, so let’s dive in!

Key Differences Between Away and Briggs & Riley

• Briggs & Riley has existed a lot longer than Away
• Briggs & Riley has a significantly wider product range
• Away doesn’t manufacture softside suitcases, but Briggs & Riley does
• Briggs & Riley doesn’t have any aluminum luggage
• Away luggage is more affordable (but it’s not a massive difference)
• Away no longer operates in continental Europe
• Away sells products directly to consumers, whereas Briggs & Riley also works with third-party retailers
• Most Briggs & Riley suitcases are expandable, whereas Away has only one collection with an expandable capacity
• Away offers more color variety for all its products

Brand Background

Away

Away was first founded in 2015, so it’s a relatively new luggage brand. The company managed to raise $31 million in financing, which was absolutely impressive at the time, especially for a female-founded startup. Right at the beginning this company was praised for innovation and regarded as a breath of fresh air on the market.

Away was the first luggage manufacturer to include built-in batteries in their carry-ons, which was a game-changer. The first luggage they launched was The Carry-On, and within a year they released three additional luggage sizes.

This company operated in North America and Europe for a while, but they decided to suspend their EU shop. They currently sell luggage just in North America and the UK, with physical stores in London, Toronto, and multiple US cities.

Briggs & Riley

Briggs & Riley was founded in 1993, so by the time Away launched its first suitcase, Briggs & Riley was already established as a trusted luxury luggage manufacturer. Just seven years after its inception, the Briggs & Riley brand was purchased by U.S. Luggage, a company that also owns Solo New York.

It’s worth mentioning that the vice president of U.S. Luggage had the idea of adding wheels to suitcases back in the 70s. Bernard J. Sadow is credited with the invention of the wheeled suitcase, even if his initial design wasn’t super popular right off the bat.

Briggs & Riley were initially known for their excellent warranty policy, which promised to cover damage created by airlines. Nowadays, they’re better known for the unique features they’ve developed over the years. This was the first brand to manufacture luggage with an Outsider handle, as well as the first brand to create a zipperless expansion system.

This company operates worldwide, partnering with third-party retailers to bring Briggs & Riley luggage to international destinations. It’s important to note that Briggs & Riley doesn’t have any physical stores of their own; they work with other retailers, and you can purchase luggage off their website.

Design

Away

Away quickly became famous for the simple luggage design that prioritized build quality and durability over appearance. The suitcases look plain, but they’re packed with useful features that you can’t really see on the outside.

This brand currently has three suitcase collections: a standard Polycarbonate collection, an expandable polycarbonate collection, and an aluminum collection. It’s worth noting that Away is a good mid-range option for aluminum luggage; they’re significantly more affordable than Tumi and Rimowa, and offer suitcases of comparable quality.

Away also manufactures duffel bags, backpacks, totes, and a few more types of bags, as well as a bunch of different accessories for their luggage. You can buy organizers, garment folders, packing cubes, toiletry bags, and a few other travel accessories from the brand.

Briggs & Riley

Briggs & Riley’s luggage is opposite from Away in terms of design. Their suitcases are anything but simple, especially the Torq and Baseline collections. I would say that out of all the popular luggage brands, Briggs & Riley seems like they’re catering primarily to business professionals. Most of their luggage looks like business cases, not to mention that their parent company owns another brand that primarily manufactures business briefcases.

The features on Briggs & Riley’s luggage are aimed at people who often travel for work. The suiter section, the easily accessible laptop compartments, and the Outsider handle that allows you to pack wrinkle-free are all features that can make business trips less stressful.

Briggs & Riley also manufactures many different types of bags and travel accessories. They make everything from rolling duffel bags to leather luggage handle covers, and they’re definitely one of a few brands that include everything you could possibly need for travel in their product range.

Quality & Durability

Away

Away Luggage is manufactured from premium materials. Most of their cases are made from polycarbonate, which is the best type of plastic for suitcases. However, polycarbonate still isn’t a perfect material and it scuffs and scratches a lot, plus the shell will inevitably break after enough trips.

That’s why Away also offers aluminum luggage, which is by far the best option for frequent travelers. If you fly hundreds of thousands of miles every year, investing in an aluminum suitcase is definitely a good idea, and Away is one of the top brands to consider.

Briggs & Riley

Briggs & Riley’s luggage is exceptionally durable. This is one of few brands that manufacture soft shell luggage that won’t break after half a dozen flights, and they’re by far the best option if you want a softside suitcase. Their softshells are particularly great for carry-on luggage, and they will not disappoint you even if you go for checked-bag versions.

The brand’s hardside luggage is even more durable than its softsides, and definitely a solid option for frequent flyers who want extra durable cases. All Briggs & Riley bags are subjected to rigorous testing that ensures all functional aspects of the luggage are up to the brand’s high standards and work as intended.

Features

Same Basic Features

Suitcases from both brands include similar core features – spinner wheels, height-adjustable wheel handles, TSA-friendly locks, expandable capacity, and external pockets. Both brands also use materials of high quality that offer excellent durability and impact resistance, which in turn means that the luggage is very durable.

Other features you can expect from both Briggs & Riley and Away luggage are internal compression straps, interior pockets, zippered dividers, mesh compartments, and lined packing compartments.

Additionally, both brands offer a wide range of luggage sizes. Whether you want a small international carry-on or a bigger carry-on, you’ll find several suitable cases in the product range of either brand. The same goes for larger checked bags and trunks.

Differences

Away was the first brand to include a removable built-in battery in their luggage. This made them stand out and attracted many customers, but they’ve stopped manufacturing such luggage.

One of the key differences is that most of Away’s cases are not expandable. You need to purchase the expandable version of the Away Carry-On or a bigger bag if you want this feature, and you should keep in mind that the smaller bags won’t be accepted inside the cabin if the expansion zipper can’t close.

On the other hand, Briggs & Riley is still going strong with its innovative features. The Outsider handle feature has been copied many times by other brands, but I don’t think anyone has managed to replicate their CX compression system. When it comes to expanding the bag’s capacity, Briggs & Riley manufactures by far the best luggage.

Size & Weight

I’ve noticed that Away luggage is generally lighter than Briggs & Riley luggage, so if you’re prioritizing weight over all other features, they’re the brand for you. The reason for this is mostly because the components of the CX compression system are heavy and add a lot of weight to the suitcase.

The one size advantage Briggs & Riley has over Away is their CX compression system. It allows you to expand the packing space and fit significantly more items inside, but then compress it when you’re done and return the bag to its original shape. Most Away carry-ons don’t even have an expandable capacity, except for their Flex collection which has to be checked if the bag is left expanded.

Price Differences

Briggs & Riley luggage is more expensive, sometimes even twice as much as Away luggage. Most Away luggage is priced in the $300-500 range, except for their aluminum collection, which is slightly more expensive. It’s even possible to get a few carry-ons for less than $300, which is a good deal for luggage of this quality.

On the other hand, Briggs & Riley luggage is generally priced in the $500-700 range, and that’s just for the carry-ons. The bigger, checked suitcases are in the $700-900 range, so they’re definitely not the best option if you’re on a tighter budget.

Warranty & Returns

Both companies offer lifetime warranties and promise to repair your luggage even if it gets damaged by an airline. Away offers a limited lifetime warranty and you can read a detailed overview of everything it covers right here, while Briggs & Riley offers just a lifetime warranty.

I’ve read through hundreds of customer experiences with warranty claims and returns, and Briggs & Riley appears to be better at honoring their warranty policy. People have gotten brand new suitcases without spending a penny just because their old ones were too worn out and the company ran out of replacement parts for them.

If you want a suitcase that’s entirely backed by the brand that produces it, invest your money in a Briggs & Riley bag.

Customer Experiences with Away and Briggs & Riley

The general agreement among frequent travelers seems to be that once you try Briggs & Riley bags, you won’t want to use anything else. I’ve looked through countless forum threads and reviews, and the vast majority of people prefer Briggs & Riley to any other luggage brand out there.

Customers usually praise their excellent warranty policy, as well as the durability of the luggage. Don’t get me wrong; Away gets a lot of love too and there are many people who prefer their luggage to Briggs & Riley, but it’s the older brand that gets the most praise from its customers.

Away vs. Briggs & Riley: Which Suitcase to Choose?

Personally, I would pick Briggs & Riley over Away in most cases. Briggs & Riley products are higher quality and come with a better warranty, but that’s to be expected considering their items are almost twice the price of Away items. It’s the better brand out of the two if you want soft-shell luggage or hard-shell luggage manufactured from polycarbonate.

On the other hand, if you want an aluminum suitcase, Away is your only option out of these two brands. Away is also the better option for travelers on a somewhat tighter budget because their luggage is not as expensive as Briggs & Riley’s, but offers comparable quality and performance.

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