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American Tourister Review

Friday, January 17th

2025 Luggage Reviews

American Tourister Review 4 Star Rating

American Tourister

4 Star Rating
  • Starting at $39.99 for a kids' suitcase
  • Hard and soft-shell suitcases
  • Disney and Star Wars-themed luggage
  • Repairs available at an authorized service center
  • 3-year limited warranty on luggage
  • Positive customer reviews overall

American Tourister got its start back in 1933 with brothers Sol and Irving Koffler in Rhode Island. Their goal was simple: create affordable and durable suitcases. In 1993, American Tourister was taken over by Samsonite, another popular luggage company, but they still operate under separate names today. You can buy American Tourister's suitcases in over 120 countries and they are known for being wear-and-tear resistant and offering good value.

4 suitcase categories

The four main categories of American Tourister luggage include hardshell, softshell, Disney, or Star Wars. Every so often they make different themed suitcases, but at the time we were shopping, those were our choices. The softside suitcases differed in size and color, rather than features. You could buy a 20”, 24”, or 28” spinner as a single suitcase or buy them in a 2- or 3-piece set. The colors aren't all available in every size and configuration, but they tend to include black, classic blue, digital lavender, and purple orchid.

Most options in hardshell

If you're looking for a hard suitcase, you'll have a few more options as far as colors and design go. Some have a geometrical line design, others have what appears to be waves going across the front and back, and some are striped. You can buy individual suitcases or purchase them in a set of 3. Some of the colors include purple haze, slate blue, black, petal pink, mint, blue spruce, power plum, among others. Most of American Tourister's hard suitcases are either 20”, 24”, or 28” in size.

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Disney must-haves

For the Disney and Star Wars fanatics, there are some fun Minnie or Mickey designs, ones designed to look like R2D2, Darth Vader, or a Stormtrooper. If you're headed to one of the Disney parks, snagging one of these might be a necessity.

Choices around $150

Depending on the size and quantity of luggage you're getting from American Tourister, you'll probably spend between $70 and $350. The least expensive choice is an 18” kids Disney carry-on for $39.99 with either a Mickey, Frozen, Minnie, Princess, or Baby Yoda theme. The next cheapest choice is a 20” spinner suitcase in black for $69.99. A 3-piece hardshell luggage set is as much as $349, but you can easily find something closer to the $150 range or less with plenty of options.

Good durability overall

Most of the suitcases expand at least 1” for extra packing space if needed. One side typically has a modesty pocket and the other side consists of a mesh door pocket and elastic tie tapes. You can view photos of the insides of each suitcase on the listings and the types of wheels they come with. Thousands of people have praised American Tourister luggage for its quality, and the brand is well-liked overall. Every so often we see someone who has an issue with the zipper quality, but outside of this, people say that American Tourister suitcases are tough enough to get tossed around and have plenty of space for what they need.

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3-year limited manufacturing warranty

There is no Better Business Bureau (BBB) profile for American Tourister, but there is one for Samsonite. They have a "B” rating from the BBB for their failure to respond to 2 complaints against the company. There aren't a ton of customer reviews on this page at all, so it feels like their rating might be a little weak because it's based on a lack of information. Third-party ratings report that there tends to be some issues with wheels falling off every so often, which is one of the main concerns people have about any luggage brand they buy. You can get your suitcase repaired at any authorized American Tourister Service Center in the country, but you'll be responsible for the cost of getting it there and you'll need to fill out a repair request through their website. Depending on who you buy your suitcase from and how it was handled, your suitcase may qualify for American Tourister's limited 3-year global warranty that covers manufacturing defects.

Safe and trusted brand

American Tourister has high reviews from customers overall. They are one of the most well-known luggage brands in the travel industry and have definitely "been around the block” (see what we did there?) as far as making and distributing suitcases goes. As long as you find a suitcase that appears to fit all your needs and has good customer ratings, American Tourister is a safe and trusted luggage brand to own.

What is the Best Brand of Luggage?

Whether you're a world traveler and you frequent the airport, or you're just taking a weekend trip a few cities away, you need something to keep all your belongings organized. At some point in life, everyone will need to have a good set of luggage and there's really no way around it. It's something that you might only buy once in your life if you get a high-quality set and it will serve you over and over again.

The key is to own the right sizes and, of course, colors and design that fit your style. You may never have put much thought into all the different features you could find in different sets of luggage, but as you start shopping online you'll soon realize that there are a lot of things to consider.

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Luggage FAQ

Not necessarily. Every company has to start somewhere, and a new brand might be the next big hit. However, sticking with luggage brands that have lots of customer reviews and a track record of honoring warranties is always a safer bet.
Definitely not. Some brands have limited lifetime coverage of manufacturer defects, while others only extend that protection in the first few years that you own your luggage. A very small number of luggage brands protect you against wear and tear, even airline mishandling, but the majority will only replace or repair your suitcase if something malfunctions (like a zipper breaks).
Unused? Yes, usually. Check the policy of the luggage brand you're considering if you think this is a real possibility.
In our experience, not usually. You're paying for the prestige and the look, but luxury luggage brands rarely match their more affordable counterparts with respect to durability and function. Even the ones that supposedly offer a "lifetime warranty” often fall down when it comes to honoring that promise. You're usually better off going with luggage that mixes form and function: what good is a fancy name if your suitcase busts open the first time it's thrown on an airport conveyor belt?
Very few. Even iconic brands like American Tourister and Samsonite are usually made in China.
Your features wish list depends on the kind of travel you anticipate doing. Adventurous, outdoorsy types might like duffel bags with compartments to separate muddy and wet clothing from dry, clean items. Business travelers or the tech savvy might appreciate a carry-on with a built-in USB port. Other commonly-sought features include spinner wheels, TSA-compatible locks, zippers to expand the packing capacity, and external handles that maximize interior packing space.
No. While most luggage brands do their best to designate their carry-ons as domestic- or international-sized, there are no guarantees. Helpful hint: read through the customer reviews on any piece you're considering and see if any mention your frequently-flown airlines.
That's like asking "Coke or Pepsi”. Soft-sided tends to weigh a little less and be more forgiving of cramming in that one last must-have item. Hard-sided is, well, harder. It can offer greater protection if you tend to travel with fragile belongings, but it also tends to get scuffed up quickly. It's really more a matter of personal preference than anything.
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Continued from above...

For example, do you want hard or soft luggage? Do you want wheels that glide straight? Or ones that can swivel around in all directions? Do you want it to have a lock with the zipper in case it gets into the wrong hands? How about pockets on the outside or the ability to expand? See? There are many more things to decide on than you may have originally anticipated.

When you're off from place to place or sprinting to your airport terminal, the last thing you want is a busted wheel or handle. You might have to spend a tad bit more money, but having a high-quality luggage set is totally worth it. Another helpful hint when shopping is to buy something that's easily identifiable in case your luggage gets mixed in with other people's or you want to quickly grab your suitcase from the luggage carousel at the baggage claim. All of your essentials are in that important travel bag, so you'll always want to be able to pick it out in a crowd.

There are many companies that sell luggage online, but which ones will last you years to come? Some brands have really basic options while others get a lot more technical and fancy, so we've done the research to lay it all out for you so you can buy from a company that will best fit your traveling lifestyle. Here are some major things to take into account when weighing your options for luggage brands:

  • Selection. Does the company have a lot of sizes to choose from? Do they have luggage with more basic features that come at a lower cost as well as those with fancy wheels, extra pockets, and high-quality materials to keep them in good shape while getting shuffled around? Find a brand that gives you plenty of options and allows you to pick your very favorite.
  • Price. Luggage can vary quite a bit in price. If you're getting a high-end suitcase with extra compartments, accessories, top-shelf materials, and a unique design, chances are that you're going to be spending a bit more. Make sure that customer reviews live up to the hype and price of the luggage brand so you know you're getting your money's worth. If you hardly ever travel and just need something to function as a large compartment for your clothes and nothing more, look for a good deal.
  • Warranty policy. If your luggage arrives and isn't what you pictured or it arrives damaged, what is the warranty like? If you use it a few times and the zipper breaks or a wheel falls off, will the company repair or replace it at no charge? How long will the warranty last?
  • Reputation. We prefer shopping at stores that let customers leave honest feedback about their items. Pay attention to what people say about the durability, glide, material quality, and customer service of a certain brand and its unique products. Taking the brand's Better Business Bureau rating into account can also set you on the right track.

The experts at Top Consumer Reviews have researched the best luggage brands you can buy from online. We hope you are able to find a great luggage set to accompany you on all your big adventures that lie ahead!

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