A frequent traveler favorite: A review of the Travelpro Platinum Elite Carry-On Hardside Spinner

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Travelpro has long been the preferred luggage brand for airline crew and travelers. The company was founded by a commercial airline pilot, which has only added to its credibility and appeal.

One of the best-selling carry-on bags from Travelpro is the Platinum® Elite Carry-On Hardside Spinner. The expendable carry-on is fashionable and practical, combining an attractive exterior with smooth maneuvering and long-lasting construction. Its durable casing is made entirely of 100% polycarbonate, and its textured surface helps to hide scratches and scuffs.

Here’s why the Platinum® Elite Carry-On Hardside Spinner could be a smart option for your next carry-on luggage.

Travelpro Platinum Elite Carry-On Hardside Spinner

The Travelpro Platinum Elite Carry-On Hardside Spinner stands out as a durable and stylish choice, praised for its smooth maneuverability, durable polycarbonate shell, ample storage space and convenient tech features like USB ports, making it a trusted option for frequent travelers despite minor concerns about bulkiness and weight.

$296 at Travelpro
$296 at Amazon

What we liked about it

With a design that is both long-lasting and aesthetically pleasing, the Platinum® Elite Carry-On Hardside Spinner is a bag that is made of high-quality materials and is trusted by airline crews and passengers all over the world. Here are some of the most noteworthy features of this carry-on bag.

Effortless to navigate

Travelpro excels in one aspect that sets them apart from their carry-on bag competitors: the wheels on their luggage. The brand utilizes its own patented PrecisionGlide® System–eight MagnaTrac® technology to create spinner wheels that effortlessly glide across various terrains.

We were impressed by the Travelpro® x Travel + Leisure® Carry-On Spinner’s wheels during our testing, and we found the performance of the Platinum® Elite Carry-On Hardside Spinner equally remarkable, as demonstrated by an exceptional level of smoothness.

Strong polycarbonate exterior

Given Travelpro’s reputation with airline personnel and travelers as a brand that constructs reliable and functional luggage products, then the Platinum® Elite Carry-On Hardside Spinner has to be able to withstand hundreds of hours of constant use in a variety of environments without breaking or cracking.

The Platinum® Elite Carry-On Hardside Spinner has a polycarbonate shell with aluminum corner guards and a scratch-proof finish, and it feels and looks like a viable long-term solution for your carry-on needs.

It balances strength, flexibility and lightweight design, making it ideal for frequent travelers. Although we have only tested the durability of this carry-on bag for a short amount of time, we are fairly certain that with its polycarbonate hard shell and well-built components, it should endure a long time.

More than enough space for an extended weekend bag

This 45-liter capacity carry-on bag easily accommodated everything on my packing list for a 5-day trip away from home. During our return trip, we decided to bring back a few souvenirs and gifts. To accommodate the extra items, we used the expansion zippered feature, which allowed us to increase the capacity of the bag’s main compartment.

In addition to compression straps and four zipped pockets for holding smaller items, we managed to fit enough belongings for a 4-night, 5-day trip and easily stow the bag in the overhead bin.

Good choice of colors

Travelpro doesn’t offer color or style customization; however, the Platinum® Elite Carry-On Hardside Spinner comes in 7 colors. Shadow Black, Dark Sky Blue, Daring Red, True Navy, Vintage Grey, Metallic Sand and Cream White are the options available to you.

I went with True Navy, which I thought was gorgeous and included black and brown undertones, a black aluminum handle with a contoured grip and a brown accent strip on the front.

Handy tech features

The carry-on comes with the convenience of external USB A & C ports, which allow you to charge your devices while you’re out and about. Just connect your own power bank. The external battery pocket is cleverly tucked away in the expansion feature of the bag for quick and hassle-free access.

What we didn’t like about it

The Platinum® Elite Carry-On Hardside Spinner boasts several impressive features, although it does come with a few minor limitations worth mentioning.

Bulky when fully expanded

It’s okay to bring a few extra things back with you from vacation, but if you’re bringing gifts from a weeklong trip in Europe for the whole family, you should be aware that the Platinum® Elite Carry-On Hardside Spinner may appear bulky.

As a result, the airline may request that you verify the size in its carry-on bag sizer bin before boarding the plane or at check-in. If you’re normally “team carry-on” like us, you’ll need to be careful about how much you stuff into the bag after it’s expanded to its full capacity.

Not the lightest hard-side carry-on

If you find it difficult to lift a suitcase, you might want to consider a lighter option, although the 8.1-pound weight shouldn’t be a problem for most people. There are a few carry-on products of similar size that you might find lighter, such as Travelpro’s Maxlite® Air Carry-On Hardside Expandable Spinner and the Samsonite Freeform Carry-On Hardside Expandable Spinner.

How it compares

Bottom line

Despite its above-average price point, this suitcase remains more affordable than similar options we evaluated, offering exceptional structural quality and performance.

With its widespread popularity among both airline crew members and travelers, coupled with its durable construction built to endure frequent travel, there’s no doubt that it represents a worthwhile investment.

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Note: The prices above reflect the retailers' listed price at the time of publication.

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