How Much Should You Spend on Luggage? My Cheap Luggage Experiment + Cost Per Trip
I am usually a huge fan of finding the cheaper version of something. But luggage is one of those purchases where cheaper is not always cheaper in the long run.
I bought this Travelhouse 4-Piece Hardshell Luggage Set in the green herringbone color for $94.99. For four pieces of luggage, that sounds like an incredible deal.
And for the first couple of trips? It actually was pretty good.
But after taking it on a longer flight, the luggage broke. That made me start thinking about luggage differently: instead of asking, “How much does this suitcase cost?” I think the better question is:
How much does this suitcase cost per trip?
Because a $95 luggage set that lasts three trips may actually be more expensive than a $300 set that lasts for years.
My Review of the Travelhouse 4-Piece Luggage Set
The biggest advantage of this set is obvious: the price.
For about $95, I got four coordinating hardshell suitcases in different sizes. They looked cute, rolled reasonably well and gave our family plenty of packing options.
For someone taking an occasional road trip, cruise or short domestic flight, I can see the appeal.
However, I wouldn’t buy this particular set again for frequent airline travel.
It lasted through a couple of trips, but one of the pieces broke after a longer flight. Airline baggage handling can obviously be rough on any suitcase, but if I’m checking luggage regularly, I want something that can tolerate being tossed, stacked and moved through airports repeatedly.
So while I don’t think this luggage was completely terrible, I would categorize it as:
Good for: occasional travelers, kids’ luggage, road trips, infrequent vacations and people who need several suitcases inexpensively.
Not my choice for: frequent flying, regular checked baggage, business travelers or expensive long-distance trips where a broken suitcase becomes a major inconvenience.
The Better Way to Shop for Luggage: Calculate Cost Per Trip
Here’s the calculation I wish I had considered before buying luggage:
Price of luggage ÷ number of trips it lasts = cost per trip
For example, my $94.99 luggage set looks extremely inexpensive.
But let’s say it effectively lasted three trips.
$94.99 ÷ 3 = about $31.66 per trip
If it only survived two trips:
$94.99 ÷ 2 = about $47.50 per trip
Even if I got four trips from it:
$94.99 ÷ 4 = about $23.75 per trip
Now compare that with spending $300 on better luggage that lasts 30 trips:
$300 ÷ 30 = $10 per trip
Or a $500 luggage set that survives 60 trips:
$500 ÷ 60 = about $8.33 per trip
Suddenly, the expensive luggage doesn’t look quite as expensive.
How Much Should You Spend on Luggage?
I think your luggage budget should depend much more on how often you travel than on some arbitrary idea of what a suitcase “should” cost.
| How Often You Travel | What I’d Consider Spending | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 trips a year | $75–$150 | Budget luggage may be completely adequate |
| 3–6 trips a year | $150–$300 | Better wheels, handles and construction start to matter |
| 7–15 trips a year | $250–$500 | Durability becomes much more important |
| 15+ trips a year | $400–$700+ | Premium luggage can make financial sense over time |
These aren’t hard rules. They’re simply a way to think about the purchase.
If You Travel Once or Twice a Year
I wouldn’t automatically spend hundreds of dollars.
If you’re taking one family vacation and maybe a road trip each year, an inexpensive luggage set could make perfect sense.
This is especially true if you normally:
- Carry luggage yourself
- Drive rather than fly
- Use carry-ons instead of checking bags
- Store luggage carefully
- Don’t need the suitcase to survive dozens of airport baggage systems
In that situation, a $100 luggage set lasting several years could be a great value.
If You Fly Several Times a Year
This is where I would start spending more.
Once you’re regularly checking bags, you’re not just paying for a box that holds your clothes.
You’re paying for:
Wheels that don’t snap off.
Handles that keep extending.
Zippers that don’t separate.
Corners that don’t crack.
Shells that can flex without breaking.
Those parts matter much more after the fifth, tenth or twentieth flight than they do when you’re standing in your bedroom packing for the first trip.
Frequent Travelers Should Probably Buy Better Luggage
If you’re flying monthly, I would absolutely look at luggage as an investment.
Imagine two choices.
Option A:
$100 luggage set
Lasts 4 trips
Cost = $25 per trip
Option B:
$400 luggage set
Lasts 50 trips
Cost = $8 per trip
Option B costs four times as much initially but could ultimately cost dramatically less.
And there’s another cost that doesn’t fit nicely into a spreadsheet:
The Cost of Your Luggage Breaking Mid-Trip
This was the part that changed my opinion.
A suitcase breaking while it’s sitting in your garage isn’t a huge deal.
A suitcase breaking while you’re halfway across the country—or overseas—is different.
Now you’re potentially:
- Shopping for luggage during vacation
- Moving everything into another suitcase
- Throwing the broken suitcase away
- Paying inflated airport or tourist-area prices
- Dealing with broken wheels or handles through the rest of the airport
- Worrying about your belongings spilling out
That hassle has value too.
Checked Luggage and Carry-On Luggage May Need Different Budgets
I also don’t think every suitcase in your house needs to be equally expensive.
A carry-on that stays with you is generally going to have a much easier life than a large checked bag.
So I would be more willing to buy an inexpensive carry-on than an inexpensive suitcase that I planned to check constantly.
If you’re deciding where to put your money, I would prioritize the large checked suitcase first.
What I Would Look for Next Time
After our experience, these would matter more to me than getting four suitcases for the lowest possible price:
Strong wheels: Spinner wheels are wonderful, but they’re also one of the parts most exposed to damage.
Sturdy telescoping handle: A wobbly handle on a brand-new suitcase isn’t a great sign.
Reinforced corners: Corners take a tremendous amount of abuse.
Good warranty: Read what the warranty actually covers. Some luggage warranties cover manufacturing defects but not airline damage.
Replacement parts: Being able to replace a wheel can extend the life of luggage dramatically.
Weight: A suitcase can be extremely durable and still be frustrating if the empty suitcase eats up too much of your airline weight allowance.
Does Expensive Luggage Always Mean Better Luggage?
Definitely not.
I’m not suggesting that everyone needs luxury luggage.
There’s a point where you’re paying for the brand, appearance and features rather than dramatically greater durability.
My takeaway is simply that the very cheapest luggage may not be the cheapest option for someone who travels regularly.
There’s probably a sweet spot.
If I traveled once a year, I’d happily consider another inexpensive set.
If I traveled several times a year and routinely checked luggage, I’d spend more money on fewer, better pieces.
My Verdict on This $94.99 Travelhouse Set
Would I say it was a complete waste of money?
No.
We did use it for multiple trips. For around $95 for four pieces, it’s hard to expect premium-luggage durability.
But knowing what I know now, I wouldn’t choose this set for frequent airline travel.
It was cute, inexpensive and initially did exactly what I needed it to do.
Then a longer flight proved to be too much for it.
For occasional travel, cheap luggage can make sense.
For frequent travelers, though, I’d stop looking at the sticker price and start calculating:
Cost per trip.
Because sometimes the $300 suitcase is actually the cheaper suitcase.
Quick Luggage Budget Formula
A simple rule I would use when shopping:
Expected luggage price ÷ expected number of trips
Try to get your luggage cost below approximately $10–$15 per trip if you travel regularly.
So if you expect to take:
- 5 trips: Spending $75–$100 may be reasonable.
- 10 trips: Spending $150–$200 could make sense.
- 25 trips: I’d consider $250–$400 luggage.
- 50+ trips: Spending $400–$600+ on genuinely durable luggage may be completely reasonable.
The goal isn’t necessarily to buy expensive luggage.
It’s to buy luggage once instead of buying cheap luggage over and over again.
