Samsonite vs Travelpro: which carry-on is better?

By the Amazon Picks Desk, Canada News Media. We research products from real Amazon.ca listings, specifications, owner reviews and expert reviews; we have not tested them ourselves.

Travelpro is the lighter, more airline-focused choice, while Samsonite is the cheaper way into a hardside bag with a 10-year warranty. On Amazon.ca today, Samsonite’s Omni PC carry-on costs $139.90 and Travelpro’s Maxlite 5 softside costs $208.07 and weighs about 2.4 kg. Air Canada’s published carry-on limit is 23 x 40 x 55 cm including wheels and handles.

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Updated Nov. 2, 2026. Prices checked on Amazon.ca on Nov. 2, 2026 and may change.

Samsonite and Travelpro carry-ons compared

All six listings were shipped and sold by Amazon on Nov. 2, 2026. Sizes and weights come from each listing and were converted from inches and pounds. The Ascella listing gives its dimensions in product details without separating case from wheels, so treat that row as approximate.

Samsonite vs Travelpro: our picks by traveller

Every pick below is ranked by how well it fits a type of traveller, not by price or commission. The brands overlap more than the marketing suggests: both sell polycarbonate hardsides and polyester softsides, both use spinner wheels and TSA locks, and both back their bags with a long warranty.

No. 1, best for the cheapest hardside: Samsonite Omni PC 20-inch

This is the entry point if you want a hardshell and a big-name warranty. The listing shows a micro-diamond polycarbonate texture described as scratch-resistant, side-mounted TSA locks, four oversized spinner wheels and a 10-year limited warranty against defects. Overall size is 22 x 15 x 9.5 inches (about 55.9 x 38.1 x 24.1 cm) and weight is 6.81 pounds (about 3.1 kg). It is the heaviest of the budget bags here, and at 24.1 cm deep it is slightly over Air Canada’s 23 cm limit on the listing’s own numbers. It holds a 4.4-star rating from 2,757 reviews at $139.90.

See the current price on Amazon.ca

No. 2, best slim hardside: Travelpro Maxlite Air V2 Hardside

Travelpro built this one around airline sizers. The listing gives overall dimensions of 22 x 14 x 9 inches (about 55.9 x 35.6 x 22.9 cm), a case size of 18.75 x 13.25 x 9 inches and a weight of 6.4 pounds (about 2.9 kg). It has eight spinner wheels, a polycarbonate shell, a TSA lock and a 2-inch expansion zip. The listing describes a limited lifetime warranty plus a one-year Trusted Companion Promise that covers airline damage repair when the bag is bought new and registered. At 22.9 cm deep it fits Air Canada’s depth limit unexpanded, and it is about 1 cm over on height. It costs $153.99 (the listing shows a list price of $219.99), with 4.4 stars from 719 reviews.

See the current price on Amazon.ca

No. 3, best budget softside: Samsonite Ascella 3.0

The Ascella 3.0 is a 100 per cent polyester softside with dual spinner wheels, expansion to carry more, a multi-stop handle and a removable WetPak pocket sized for 3-1-1 toiletries. A softside gives a little when a gate agent or bin squeezes it, which is the main practical argument for the format. The listing does not give a clean weight, and its published product size of 60.3 x 38.1 x 25.4 cm appears to include the fully expanded body, so check the size chart before you buy. It costs $156.14 and has a 4.4-star rating, but only 101 reviews, far fewer than the others.

See the current price on Amazon.ca

No. 4, best all-rounder from Samsonite: Freeform Hardside Expandable 21-inch

The Freeform is the most-reviewed bag in this comparison, with 7,964 reviews and a 4.3-star average, so the rating rests on a lot of owners. The listing gives overall dimensions of 21.25 x 15.25 x 10 inches (about 54 x 38.7 x 25.4 cm) and a weight of 6.5 pounds (about 2.9 kg), with a recessed TSA combination lock, double spinner wheels, an expandable shell and a 10-year limited warranty. The depth is the catch: at 25.4 cm it is over Air Canada’s 23 cm limit before you expand it. The Navy colour was $187.57 on Nov. 2, 2026, and other colours were priced a few dollars either way.

See the current price on Amazon.ca

No. 5, best lightweight softside: Travelpro Maxlite 5 Softside 21-inch

This is the lightest bag here at 5.4 pounds (about 2.4 kg) and has the highest rating, 4.5 stars from 2,986 reviews. The case is listed at 21 x 14 x 9 inches, overall 23 x 14.5 x 9 inches, with a 46-litre volume, a 2-inch expansion, polyester with a stain-resistant coating, two exterior compartments and a PowerScope Lite handle. Travelpro lists limited lifetime coverage and a one-year Trusted Companion Promise for airline damage. The overall height of about 58.4 cm is over Air Canada’s 55 cm, though a soft bag packed lightly can compress. It costs $208.07.

See the current price on Amazon.ca

No. 6, best splurge: Travelpro Platinum Elite Hardside 21-inch

The Platinum Elite costs $392.72 and has a 4.2-star rating from 1,134 reviews, the lowest rating in this group. For the money, the listing describes external USB-A and USB-C ports, a hidden pocket for a power bank (not included), MagnaTrac self-aligning magnetic spinner wheels and a built-in TSA lock. Weight is 8.1 pounds (about 3.7 kg) and overall size is 23 x 14.5 x 9.5 inches. Travelpro’s airline damage repair promise runs for the first five years of the lifetime warranty on this model, longer than on the Maxlite bags. It is also the heaviest bag here, which matters on a 10 kg cabin allowance.

See the current price on Amazon.ca

Is Samsonite or Travelpro better for Air Canada’s carry-on size limit?

Air Canada’s limit is 23 x 40 x 55 cm, and it counts wheels and handles. That is tighter than many ‘carry-on’ labels imply. On the listings’ overall dimensions, only the Maxlite Air V2 (22.9 cm deep) meets the depth limit unexpanded, while the Omni PC, Ascella, Freeform and Platinum Elite are all deeper than 23 cm. Hardshells cannot be squashed, so the numbers matter more for them. Softsides such as the Maxlite 5 can compress when packed lightly, but the listing’s overall height is still above 55 cm. If you fly Air Canada often, measure the bag you are considering with its wheels and handle, and compare it with our guide to carry-on luggage for Air Canada.

Samsonite or Travelpro: whose warranty is better?

Samsonite’s listings for the Freeform and Omni PC describe a 10-year limited warranty against defects in materials and workmanship. Travelpro’s listings describe limited lifetime coverage for defects, plus a Trusted Companion Promise that covers repair of airline damage for one year on the Maxlite bags and for the first five years on the Platinum Elite, when the bag is bought new and registered. On paper, Travelpro’s coverage is longer and includes airline damage. Warranty terms differ by model and region, so read the brand’s own page before relying on any of this.

Hardside or softside carry-on?

Hardside bags resist rain and protect fragile items, but they cannot flex into a tight bin. Softside bags often add outside pockets and can squeeze in, but they take on scuffs and rain more easily. If you plan to check the bag sometimes, our checked luggage guide covers larger sizes, and our luggage set guide covers matching sets.

When is the best time to buy luggage in Canada?

Luggage prices often move around Black Friday (Nov. 27 this year), Boxing Day and Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days, as a general pattern. We do not predict any discount. Several of these listings already showed a coupon or a list price crossed out on Nov. 2, so check the page on the day you buy.

Who should skip these

Skip the Omni PC and Freeform if you fly Air Canada with a strict gate agent, because both run deeper than 23 cm on the listings. Skip the Platinum Elite unless you will use the USB ports, since a $139.90 to $156.14 bag does the basic job. Skip the Ascella if review volume matters to you, as it has the fewest reviews. Samsonite suits budget shoppers and people who want a hardshell at a low price. Travelpro suits frequent flyers who want lower weight, slimmer cases and longer coverage.

Frequently asked questions

Is Samsonite or Travelpro better?

Neither wins across the board. Travelpro bags in this comparison are lighter and come with longer coverage, while Samsonite’s Omni PC is the cheapest hardside at $139.90.

Does Samsonite make carry-on bags that fit Air Canada?

Samsonite lists its 20-inch and 21-inch carry-ons as meeting most carry-on restrictions, but Air Canada’s limit is 23 cm deep including wheels, and the listings show some Samsonite models deeper than that. Measure before you fly.

Is Travelpro a good luggage brand?

Travelpro’s Maxlite 5 holds a 4.5-star average from 2,986 reviews on Amazon.ca, and the Maxlite Air V2 holds 4.4 stars from 719. Owner ratings are only one signal.

How long is the Samsonite warranty?

The Freeform and Omni PC listings describe a 10-year limited warranty against defects in materials and workmanship.

Which is lighter, Samsonite or Travelpro?

On the listings, the Travelpro Maxlite 5 softside is lightest at about 2.4 kg, and the Maxlite Air V2 is about 2.9 kg, the same as the Samsonite Freeform.

Sources: Air Canada carry-on baggage rules, and the Amazon.ca listings for each bag linked above, read on Nov. 2, 2026.

Related reading: best carry-on luggage for Air Canada, best checked luggage in Canada and our Amazon Picks hub.

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