Well-specified polycarbonate luggage with a generous 100-day return window, but the old lifetime warranty has quietly become five free years and a fee after that.
By Brand Verdicts research deskLast updated October 2026Travel gear
B−
7.1/10
Quality7.8
Value6.6
Service6.9
Policies8.1
Transparency6.3
CONSIDER
The scorecard
Why B−: The Series 3 cases are solid and the 100-day return window is long, but the April 2026 warranty rewrite, DIY repair kits and pricey aluminum lines keep it in mid-table.
Criterion
Score /10
Weight
Product quality
7.8
30%
Value
6.6
25%
Customer service
6.9
15%
Returns & policies
8.1
15%
Transparency
6.3
15%
Overall
7.1
derived
Overall is the weighted mean of the five rows, adjusted by a small slug-seeded offset so that brands never line up in a false staircase, and capped at 9.8. Full working on the Methodology page (v2.1).
Main findings
Suitcases bought from April 14, 2026 get LifetimeCare: free repairs and one replacement for five years, then repairs that may carry a service fee.
The older limited lifetime warranty still applies to cases bought before that date, and one help-center answer on corporate orders still describes it as current.
Returns and exchanges are free for 100 days, but only on unused items; Away tells buyers to test wheels indoors and keep the lock on 0-0-0.
The Carry-On 3 lists at $328 in the US, weighs 8.6 lbs and holds 41 L; the Aluminum Carry-On costs $625 and holds 32 L at 10.5 lbs.
Recent one-star Trustpilot reviews cluster around being sent DIY repair kits, parts that did not fit, and long email threads.
Bags and accessories carry only a one-year limited warranty, far shorter than the suitcase coverage.
What Away sells
Away is a New York luggage brand founded in 2015 that sells mainly through its own site and around 16 stores in the US, Canada and London. The core is hard-shell polycarbonate luggage, now in its Series 3 generation (Carry-On, Bigger Carry-On, Medium, Large, Trunk) with Flex versions that zip open for extra room. Above that sit the Aluminum and Aluminum Edge lines, which swap zippers for latched frames. A growing bag range covers Signature weekenders, totes and backpacks, plus lighter Featherlight pieces, packing cubes, toiletry cases and tech organizers. Bundles carry small headline discounts, and a pre-owned Away Reclaimed shop resells returned cases. It suits travelers who want a well-designed carry-on with long return terms and do not mind paying above mass-market prices.
Line-by-line verdicts
6 items. Each chip is a per-product call and can differ from the brand verdict.
The Carry-On 3 BUY
The Series 3 version of Away's best-known case lists at $328 in the US. Away's spec sheet gives 22.1 x 14.4 x 9.1 inches including wheels, 8.6 lbs and 41 L, with a polycarbonate shell, rear-wheel brakes, a trolley with five height settings and two hooks on the handle rated to 22 lbs. The compression pad and outward-opening interior carry over. It suits short trips and anyone who wants to stay out of the hold. One colorway showed a sold-out pre-order notice in October, and the older Carry-On at $278 is the better buy if brakes and hooks do not matter to you.
StrengthLight for its size, with brakes and hooks the old model lacked
WeaknessCosts $50 more than the previous Carry-On, which is still on sale
Listed at $398, this is the Series 3 Bigger Carry-On with a zip expansion that adds 2.25 inches of depth. Away gives 23 x 15.4 x 9.4 inches, 9.5 lbs and 49 L, and pitches it at four to seven days away. The extra room is real, but the dimensions already sit at the edge of many airline sizers before you unzip the expansion, and Away's own UK help page concedes you may need to check a Flex case once expanded. It suits people who pack light on the way out and heavy on the way home. Measure your usual airline's limits before buying.
StrengthExpansion gives room for the return leg without a second bag
WeaknessExpanded, it may not fit cabin sizers on stricter airlines
Away's premium hard case lists at $625 in the US. It is anodized aluminum with a zipper-free latched frame, two TSA-accepted locks and leather-wrapped handles. The numbers are where it struggles: Away's own spec sheet gives 10.5 lbs and 32 L, against 8.6 lbs and 41 L for the Carry-On 3 that costs about half as much. Aluminum dents by design, and Away's warranty excludes dents and scratches as cosmetic. You pay nearly double for a heavier, smaller case whose most visible wear is not covered. Buy it only if the look is the point.
StrengthLatched frame with no zipper to split or snag
WeaknessHeavier and smaller than the polycarbonate case at nearly twice the price
A hybrid at $428: a textured polycarbonate shell on an aluminum frame, with aluminum corner guards, two TSA-accepted locks and the CompressMore pad. Away lists it at 10.1 lbs and 35 L. The homepage calls it the waitlisted favorite, back in new colors this autumn. It gets you the zipper-free closure of the full aluminum case for about $200 less, and the shell will not show dents the way metal does. Against the Carry-On 3, though, it is still heavier, smaller and $100 dearer, and it lacks the brakes and trolley hooks of Series 3.
StrengthZipper-free frame without the dent-prone metal shell
WeaknessSmaller and heavier than the cheaper Series 3 Carry-On
A $278 duffle in water-repellent nylon with recycled leather trim. It opens clamshell-style to lie flat, has a padded laptop pocket for devices up to 16 inches, two bottle pockets and a trolley sleeve, and Away lists it at 3 lbs and 37.5 L. Free personalization is US only. The design is thoughtful, but the warranty is the catch: bags carry a one-year limited warranty, not the five years of suitcase cover, so a torn strap in year two is your problem. At this price that gap matters more than the feature list.
StrengthLay-flat opening and laptop sleeve make it pack like a small case
WeaknessOne-year warranty on a bag priced like luggage
Four nylon cubes in different sizes for $48, sized to fill an Away carry-on exactly, with two sets for a checked case. They have mesh tops, store flat and go in the washing machine on cold. On-site reviews are mostly positive, with the most common reservation being that the largest cube is on the small side. They are cheaper than many branded alternatives and add $48 to a suitcase order, which helps clear the $100 free-shipping threshold for bags and accessories. Note they are not compression cubes; Away sells those separately at $88.
StrengthSized to the suitcase, washable and inexpensive for the brand
WeaknessThe largest cube is small for bulky knitwear
Free US ground on suitcases; bags and accessories free from $100, else $10
Returns
Free returns and exchanges within 100 days, unused items only; personalized items excluded
Warranty / guarantee
Suitcases: five years free repairs, then fee-based; bags and accessories: one year
Support
24/7 virtual assistant; human team 10am-8pm ET, weekdays; no phone line listed
Payment options
Major cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Shop Pay (US); no split payments
Values are short phrases taken from the brand's own pages at the time of the last update. "Not stated" means the desk could not find the policy in writing.
Caveats
The April 2026 warranty change is presented as an upgrade, but free repairs now stop at five years; after that Away says a service fee may apply, and extending to ten years costs $35.
Several recent reviewers say Away sent parts or a DIY repair kit instead of fixing or replacing a broken case, and some kits did not fit.
Returns require the item to be unused and in original packaging, so the 100 days are a trial at home, not on a trip.
Help pages disagree with each other: the corporate-order answer still promises a limited lifetime warranty, and the LifetimeCare page counts both 16 and 17 stores.
What customers say
Away's Trustpilot profile shows an 'Excellent' score of 4.7 at the time of reading, built on several thousand reviews. The bulk of recent five-star reviews are about warranty service rather than the luggage itself: a worn handle or a broken zipper on a case several years old, replaced quickly and without argument. Durability praise is common too.
The one-star reviews are a sizable minority and tell a consistent story from October 2026. Customers expected a replacement and were sent parts or a repair kit with a video guide, sometimes the wrong part, sometimes after several weeks. Others describe claims limited or refused, long email chains and no phone option. A few UK reviewers say a repair was offered for a fee, and one says claims are handled only for addresses in the US, UK or Canada. Away replies to many of these publicly, usually offering an in-store repair or a direct email address.
Alternatives
Monos
Pick this if you want a lighter polycarbonate carry-on and buy during its frequent promotions.
Samsonite
Pick this if you want carry-ons sold in physical stores worldwide with local repair centers.
Travelpro
Pick this if you check bags often and prefer softside luggage built for frequent flyers.
The verdict
Away still makes a well-thought-out carry-on, and the Series 3 changes (brakes, hooks, a better trolley) are useful rather than cosmetic. The 100-day free return window is one of the longest in luggage. The reasons to hesitate are newer: the lifetime warranty has become five free years, repairs increasingly arrive as kits, and the aluminum lines ask a lot for less capacity. Buy the Carry-On 3 or the older Carry-On, register it, and skip the metal. Verdict: CONSIDER.
Read awaytravel.com homepage, Series 3, Aluminum, Aluminum Edge, Signature Weekender and packing-cube product pages for prices and specs in October 2026.
Read the LifetimeCare page and full FAQ set, including returns, shipping, payment, contact and bag warranty answers, in October 2026.
Read Away's Trustpilot profile, most recent and one-star filters, in October 2026, noting themes rather than counting.
Checked US and UK help answers for shipping thresholds and carry-on sizing in October 2026.
Desk research only: the brand's own site and support pages plus published customer reviews. Nothing was purchased or tested by this site. Scored under Methodology v2.1.
Spotted an error or a changed policy? Tell the desk. Outbound links go through /go/ and may earn a commission if an affiliate programme is joined; see the disclosure.
