This Samsonite Paralux Carry-on Is Writer-approved

Carrie Bradshaw stored her extra sweaters and shoes in an oven; I stash mine in suitcases. As a travel writer who flies at least once a month, I practically live out of my carry-ons—so for efficiency’s sake, I tend to keep a few bags packed at all times. There’s a small village of them tucked into the loft space above my Brooklyn apartment’s tiny closet, amassed over years of testing new releases for Travel + Leisure. I rotate through them frequently, or at least I used to, up until a recent trip to France. That’s when my Samsonite Paralux Carry-on ruined me for all other take-aboard luggage. It’s become the number one suitcase I recommend to friends—and right now, it’s 15 percent off at Samsonite when you apply the code “SAVE15″ at checkout. 

I’ve gravitated towards Samsonite luggage for over 20 years, traveling with many of the brand’s hardside carry-ons, softside checked bags, compact underseaters, and convertible backpacks across six continents. To be clear, my trip to France wasn’t my Samsonite Paralux Carry-on’s maiden voyage, exactly—I’d previously taken it for a spin inside of T+L’s New York City testing lab and brought it on a weekend road trip to Montreal. But it was its first flight, which allowed me to take advantage of the suitcase’s full potential. Its generous capacity, smart organizational features, dual openings, and included packing cubes proved indispensable during my two-week getaway, allowing me to pack over a dozen outfits, three pairs of shoes, and several souvenirs (namely, bottles of French wine) on my return trip. 

This bag is extraordinarily spacious for a carry-on—it measures 23 inches tall, 15 inches wide, and 10 inches deep. These dimensions technically exceed the carry-on size restrictions for most major airlines, but I was able to wheel mine onto a recent Delta flight with no issues. The bag’s roomy interior is ideal for longer trips where every inch of packing space is of the essence.

What truly sets the Samsonite Paralux Carry-on apart from others is that it can be opened two ways: from the middle, like most traditional suitcases, and from the front, via a door that’s separate from the main compartment. The latter is particularly useful for opening it when floor space is limited. 

This front compartment boasts a dedicated interior tech pocket that can comfortably accommodate a 15-inch laptop, as well as a zippered pocket for stashing your passport, travel documents, a book, and any other small essentials that you’d like to keep within easy reach. Its innovative front door is remarkably flexible, and even folds back at the top to allow convenient access to the inner pocket. This was a major advantage when passing through TSA, as I was able to efficiently remove my laptop and my liquids without having to unzip the entire compartment. 

The Samsonite Pralux Carry-on’s large top compartment features two compression straps, which can be tightened over the removable compression panel to maximize packing space. This panel doubles as a hanging toiletry container with a loop at the top, which I secured onto the bathroom hook in my Airbnb for easy access to my skincare and haircare routine. The top section of the panel is a zippered pocket, which I used to store dirty laundry (mainly delicates), while the bottom is a waterproof zippered pouch that’s large enough to fit several TSA-approved containers. 

For a quick getaway, the top compartment alone could suffice—it has plenty of pockets and offers ample storage, after all. But for my two-week trip, I eked out every last inch of space, thanks in large part to the two packing cubes included in the main compartment. There’s one larger cube, which I used to store the bulk of my outfits, and a smaller one that perfectly fits my socks, underwear, and workout clothes. I loved that the cubes matched the color of the interior lining, which made for a streamlined, sophisticated look.

While I am a staunch believer in carry-on only travel, I do have one regular exception to my rule: I’ll always fly home from France with wine, thus requiring me to check a bag. On this recent journey—which involved several wine tastings in the Loire Valley and winemaker dinners in Paris—I wound up with nine bottles that I couldn’t bear to part with. It was then that I discovered the Samsonite Paralux Carry-on has a sneaky one-inch expander, which opened up just enough space for my spoils, with each bottle carefully wrapped in a sweater to avoid breakage. 

I’m delighted to report that the bag (and my nine bottles of wine) held up beautifully in transit, with just a few scuff marks that were easy to rub out with a Magic Eraser. The partially-recycled polypropylene exterior proved to be equal parts flexible and durable, with no dings or dents to report, while the wheels also impressed me during the trip by smoothly navigating the cobblestone streets of Paris. 

Overall, the Samsonite Paralux Carry-on has proven to be a worthy travel companion for anyone seeking a spacious, easy-to-organize bag that can fit weeks’ worth of clothing and stand up to an unplanned gate-check. Below, shop more discounted Samsonite travel bags worth adding to your lineup, from compact underseaters to spacious, softside checked luggage.

More Samsonite Luggage on Sale at Amazon:

Love a great deal? Sign up for our T+L Recommends newsletter and we’ll send you our favorite travel products each week.