Travelers Club Luggage Reviews : Is It Worth It?

Stop overpaying for luggage you only use once a year. If you are tired of seeing three-digit price tags for a box on wheels that is just going to get thrown into a cargo hold, you are looking at the right brand. Travelers Club isn’t trying to be Tumi or Rimowa.

It is trying to get you to your destination with money left over for the actual vacation. If you are a student, a family on a budget, or someone who refuses to spend rent money on a suitcase, you should buy this product. It gets the job done without the pretension.

My Experience With Travelers Club Luggage

I remember standing in the aisle of a department store, staring at a sea of black and navy rectangles.

I needed a carry-on for a last-minute weekend trip to Chicago, and I wasn’t prepared to drop $200 on a bag I might drag through snow and slush.

That is when I saw the Travelers Club Chicago 20-inch hardside spinner.

It was bright—specifically a shade they call “Teal”—and the price tag was shockingly low. I picked it up.

It felt incredibly light, almost suspiciously so.

I decided to take the risk, and honestly, that trip defined my relationship with budget travel gear.

Packing this bag was an interesting experience. The first thing you notice when you unzip a Travelers Club case is the interior lining. It is simple, usually a grey or black polyester that feels a bit thin, but it does the job. I am a chronic over-packer, so the expandability feature was not just a luxury; it was a necessity.

I unzipped the expansion gusset, which gave me about two extra inches of depth. This is where the rubber meets the road. When you expand a cheap suitcase, the center of gravity often shifts, making it tip over. To my surprise, once I packed my heavy denim and shoes at the bottom, the case stood its ground.

The real test was O’Hare International Airport. If you have ever been there, you know it is a marathon of walking. The four spinner wheels on the Travelers Club bag are plastic, not the rubberized, silent-glide wheels you get on premium bags. On the smooth terrazzo floors of the terminal, they performed adequately. They swiveled and turned without getting stuck, though they did make a distinct “clacking” sound over the tile joints. It wasn’t stealthy, but it was functional.

The handle situation gave me a moment of pause. When I pulled the telescopic handle all the way up, there was a noticeable wiggle. It rattled a bit in its housing. I remember gripping it tighter, wondering if it would snap if I torqued it too hard around a corner. It didn’t. I have since learned that this “wobble” is a common trait in budget luggage to allow for thermal expansion and contraction, but it certainly feels disconcerting the first time you use it.

Getting the bag into the overhead bin was a breeze because of how lightweight the ABS shell is. I watched a fellow passenger struggle to lift a heavy canvas roller, while I tossed my Travelers Club bag up with one hand. That is the trade-off. You sacrifice the tank-like build of a luxury bag for something that doesn’t strain your back.

Upon arrival, I dragged the case over concrete sidewalks and through a slushy hotel lobby. The wheels took a beating. They didn’t break, but they definitely felt rougher on the pavement than they did in the airport. The shell, however, held up surprisingly well. I expected cracks or major dents, but the textured finish masked the minor scuffs it picked up along the way.

After several trips, the zippers are still functioning, though I am careful not to yank them around corners. I have learned that you have to treat this luggage with a specific kind of respect. You can’t sit on it to force it closed like you might with a soft-sided ballistic nylon bag. But for the price I paid? It has paid for itself three times over. It is not an heirloom piece you will pass down to your grandchildren, but it is a reliable workhorse for the occasional traveler who wants to save their budget for experiences rather than gear.

Also read: My Thoughts on Matrixx Water Softener

Pros Of Travelers Club Luggage

Unbeatable Price Point: The most significant advantage of Travelers Club luggage is simply how affordable it is. You can often find entire three-piece sets (carry-on, medium, and large checked bag) for the price of a single carry-on from a mid-tier brand like Samsonite. This makes it accessible for students, large families who need to buy multiple bags at once, or anyone who travels so infrequently that a large investment makes no financial sense. You are not paying for a marketing budget or a legacy logo; you are paying for the raw materials and assembly.
Lightweight ABS Construction: Most of their hardside lines use ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene). While this material is not as flexible as Polycarbonate, it is incredibly light. This is a massive benefit when you are facing strict airline weight limits. If your suitcase weighs 10 pounds empty, you have less room for your belongings. Travelers Club bags often weigh significantly less than their competitors, allowing you to pack that extra pair of shoes without tipping the scales at the check-in counter.
Textured Finishes Hide Wear: Many travelers worry about hardside luggage looking beat up after one trip. Travelers Club designs many of their lines, such as the Chicago and Midtown collections, with a micro-diamond or embossed texture. This is a smart design choice because it refracts light in a way that hides surface scratches and scuffs. A glossy bag looks terrible after one run-in with a baggage handler, but these textured shells keep looking presentable for much longer, even if they have taken a few hits.
Variety of Colors: If you have ever tried to spot a black suitcase on a carousel filled with 200 other black suitcases, you know the struggle. Travelers Club leans heavily into aesthetics, offering a wide spectrum of colors including bright oranges, teals, pinks, and purples. This isn’t just about fashion; it is a practical utility. You can spot your bag from fifty feet away, reducing the anxiety of the baggage claim wait. It also reduces the chance of someone else accidentally grabbing your bag, which happens more often than you might think with generic black luggage.
Functional Expandability: Almost all Travelers Club hardside models come with an expansion zipper. This feature allows you to increase the packing capacity by about 15% to 20%. This is crucial for the return leg of a trip when you have likely accumulated souvenirs or haven’t folded your dirty laundry as neatly as you did when you left. The flexibility to start with a carry-on size and expand it if forced to check the bag is a versatile feature that adds tremendous value.

Cons Of Travelers Club Luggage

Durability of the Wheels: The spinner wheels on these units are generally single-wheel casters rather than the double-wheeled “airplane” style found on more expensive brands. While they roll fine on smooth airport floors, they struggle on carpet, cobblestones, or rough pavement.¹ Because they are made of harder plastic rather than a shock-absorbing rubber compound, they can transmit vibration up to the handle. If you drag this bag over European cobblestones for a mile, there is a risk of a wheel housing cracking or the wheel simply wearing down faster than you would like.
Handle Instability: As mentioned in my experience, the telescopic handle system often feels loose. This “wobble” is the most common complaint among users. While the handle rarely snaps off completely, the lack of rigidity can make the bag harder to steer when it is fully loaded. If the bag is heavy and you try to make a sharp turn, the handle can twist in your hand, reducing your control over the luggage. It lacks the solid, locked-in feel of a premium telescopic system.
Zipper Quality: The zippers are often the first point of failure on budget luggage, and Travelers Club is no exception.² The coil zippers used are standard grade, not heavy-duty YKK zippers. If you overpack the bag and force the zipper shut, the teeth can separate or the pull tab can snap. Once a zipper fails on a hardside case, the bag is essentially useless. You have to be very conscious of not over-stuffing the bag to the point where the zipper is under extreme tension.
Interior Lining Materials: To keep costs down, the interior fabric is a thin polyester that is not attached to the shell in many places. It floats loosely, which can sometimes get caught in the zipper if you aren’t careful. The pockets on the divider are often simple mesh that can tear if you put sharp objects (like keys or uncapped pens) inside them. It lacks the wet pockets, laundry bags, or intricate organization systems found in higher-end competitors.
ABS Shell Brittleness: While lightweight, the ABS material is more rigid than Polycarbonate. In the world of materials science, rigidity can be a weakness. If a Polycarbonate bag gets crushed, it flexes and pops back into shape. If an ABS bag gets crushed in extremely cold weather or thrown with significant force, it is more likely to crack or shatter. This makes Travelers Club a riskier choice for checked luggage in very cold climates where the plastic becomes more brittle.

Maintenance Tips For Travelers Club Luggage

Cleaning the Exterior Shell: Because most Travelers Club luggage is made of ABS plastic, you must avoid harsh chemicals. Do not use bleach, acetone, or industrial solvents, as these can melt the plastic finish or cause discoloration. The best method is to use warm water mixed with a mild dish soap.³ Use a soft microfiber cloth to wipe down the shell. If you have stubborn scuff marks—which are common on the conveyor belt—a “Magic Eraser” (melamine sponge) is your best friend.⁴ dampened slightly, it can buff out black rubber marks from the luggage carousel without damaging the textured finish of the case.
Wheel Lubrication and Care: The wheels are the moving parts most likely to seize up. After every trip, inspect the wheels for debris. Hair, string, and carpet fibers love to wrap around the axle of spinner wheels.⁵ If you let this build up, the friction will melt the plastic housing. Use a pair of tweezers or a toothpick to pick out any debris. Once clean, do not use WD-40. WD-40 is a solvent that attracts dust and can gum up the works later. Instead, use a food-grade silicone spray lubricant. one quick spritz into the wheel bearing will keep them spinning freely and reduce the noise they make on hard floors.
Zipper Maintenance: The zipper is the lifeline of your suitcase. To prevent the teeth from becoming misaligned, run a piece of beeswax or even a candle along the zipper teeth once every few trips. This lubricates the metal or plastic teeth, allowing the slider to glide smoothly. If you find the zipper getting stuck, do not yank it. distinct jerking motions are what break the pull tabs. Back it up gently, check for fabric obstructions from the lining, and try again. When storing the luggage, leave the zippers slightly open to allow air circulation and prevent pressure on the teeth.
Handling the Telescopic Handle: Since the handle is known to be a weak point, you can extend its life by changing how you use it. Never lift the suitcase by the telescopic handle. That mechanism is designed for pulling, not lifting vertical weight. When you need to lift the bag into a trunk or an overhead bin, always retract the handle and use the fixed carry handles on the top or side of the case. This prevents bending the internal aluminum tubes, which is the primary cause of handles getting stuck in the “up” or “down” position.
Storage and Nesting: One of the benefits of buying a set is that they “nest” inside each other (the small one fits in the medium, which fits in the large). Before you nest them for storage, ensure the interiors are completely dry to prevent mold. Place a dryer sheet or a small packet of silica gel inside the innermost bag to keep them smelling fresh. Store the luggage in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Prolonged exposure to UV rays can make ABS plastic brittle over time, increasing the likelihood of cracks during your next trip.
Odor Removal: If your luggage develops that plastic chemical smell or picks up odors from travel, simple baking soda is the solution. Sprinkle baking soda inside the shell and let it sit for 24 hours, then vacuum it out. Alternatively, you can wipe the interior with a solution of white vinegar and water. The vinegar smell will dissipate quickly, taking the bad odors with it.

Comparison with Other Brands

Travelers Club Vs. Samsonite

Material Differences: This is the biggest differentiator. Samsonite primarily uses Polycarbonate or proprietary blends like Curv material in their mid-to-high-end lines. These materials are flexible and virtually unbreakable. Travelers Club uses ABS, which is rigid and prone to cracking under high stress.⁶ If you want a bag that will survive 50 flights a year, Samsonite wins. If you fly once a year, the material difference may not matter to you.
Warranty and Support: Samsonite offers extensive global warranties (often 10 years) and has repair centers worldwide. If your wheel breaks in London, you can likely get it fixed. Travelers Club offers a limited warranty (usually 5 years), but the process often requires you to pay for shipping the bag to them, which can cost almost as much as buying a new one. Samsonite is an investment; Travelers Club is a consumable.
Price-to-Value Ratio: You can buy three Travelers Club carry-ons for the price of one Samsonite Freeform. If you are outfitting a family of four, Travelers Club is the logical financial choice. However, the “cost per use” might be lower with Samsonite if you travel frequently, as one Samsonite bag might outlast five Travelers Club bags.

Travelers Club Vs. American Tourister

Brand Lineage: It is important to note that American Tourister is actually owned by Samsonite.⁷ It serves as their budget-friendly arm. Because of this, American Tourister benefits from some of Samsonite’s supply chain and quality control standards. Travelers Club is an independent entity. Generally, American Tourister sits slightly higher on the quality ladder than Travelers Club, but they are very close competitors.
Design Aesthetics: American Tourister is known for pop-culture collaborations (Disney, Marvel) and very distinct, fun molded designs. Travelers Club is more utilitarian but offers a wider variety of solid metallic colors. If you want Mickey Mouse on your bag, go American Tourister. If you want a solid rose gold bag for cheap, go Travelers Club.
Wheel Performance: In head-to-head tests, American Tourister wheels tend to be slightly smoother and more robust than Travelers Club wheels. However, both brands typically use single-spinner wheels in their entry-level models, so the difference is not night and day. Both will struggle on thick hotel carpets compared to premium brands.

Travelers Club Vs. AmazonBasics

Availability and Consistency: AmazonBasics luggage is ubiquitous and easy to return, which is a huge plus. However, Travelers Club is often sold in physical stores like Walmart, Target, and Burlington. This gives Travelers Club an edge because you can actually go to the store, lift the bag, check the zipper, and feel the handle before you buy. With AmazonBasics, you are buying blind.
Feature Set: Travelers Club tends to be more aggressive with features like expandability and included accessory pockets, even on their cheapest models. AmazonBasics hardside luggage often skips the expansion zipper on their entry-level models to save cost. Travelers Club generally offers more “features per dollar” than the generic Amazon alternative.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Does Travelers Club make good luggage?

Yes, but “good” is relative to the price. If you define good as “functional, lightweight, and affordable,” then absolutely. They are excellent for vacationers, students, and road trippers. If you define good as “indestructible and high-performance,” then no. They are a budget brand designed for light-to-moderate use. They are not built for the rigorous demands of flight crews or weekly business warriors.

Which brand of luggage is the most durable?

In the general market, brands like Briggs & Riley, Tumi, and high-end Samsonite (using Curv or Roxkin materials) are considered the most durable.8 Among budget brands, Travelers Club is average; it is durable enough for standard handling but less durable than American Tourister or aggressive competitors like Monos or Away, which use higher-grade Polycarbonate shells.

Is Traveler’s Choice luggage a good brand?

It is easy to confuse them, but Traveler’s Choice is a different brand from Travelers Club. Traveler’s Choice often sits at a slightly higher price point and offers features like “spherical” wheels and thicker shells. Travelers Club is generally the more budget-friendly option of the two. Both are reputable in the entry-to-mid-level market, but they are distinct companies.

Where is Travelers Club luggage made?

Travelers Club luggage is manufactured in China.9 The company has its own manufacturing facilities and also partners with other Chinese production firms. This centralization of manufacturing in China is what allows them to keep their costs so low and their production volume so high, supplying major retailers across the United States.10

Conclusion

Ultimately, Travelers Club luggage is the champion of the “good enough” category. I don’t say that as an insult; it is a compliment. Not everyone needs a bulletproof suitcase. If you are looking for a bag that looks good, holds your stuff, and costs less than a nice dinner out, this is the brand for you. It allows you to explore the world without waiting months to save up for gear. Would you like me to help you find the current best prices for the specific model I reviewed?