Monos vs Away: Your Ultimate Guide to the Best Carry-On

When it comes to choosing the best carry-on luggage, it’s not a decision to make lightly. After all, you’re looking for something that will last you years and make your travel experience as smooth as luggage wheels on an airport linoleum floor. PureWow editors are avid travelers and have tested our fair share of luggage brands, including Away vs. Béis, the TravelpPro VersaPak and Monos Hybrid. Now, we’re doing the ultimate suitcase test in a showdown of Monos vs. Away. Below, I’ll be discussing Away’s The Bigger Carry-On ($295) and Monos’ Carry-On Pro ($295). Here’s how they stacked up against each other—and which one you should buy.  

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Away is a luggage and  travel accessories brand founded in 2015 by Jen Rubio and Steph Korey. The product range includes hard- and soft- sided carry-on and checked bags, in addition to backpacks, crossbodies, duffles, totes and diaper bags. Hardside suitcase shells are made from polycarbonate. Away also produces a slew of accessories: packing organizers, toiletry bags, tech organizers, small leather goods and luggage tags/charms.

Three years after Away entered the scene, Victor Tam, Hubert Chan and Daniel Shin created Monos in 2018. “Our name is inspired by the Japanese concept of mono no aware—the profound appreciation of the beauty in fleeting moments,” the brand writes. Similar to Away, Monos creates minimalist suitcases and accessories that evoke luxury brands—but instead of $700 for a carry-on, both brands offer one for under $300. Monos makes its suitcases (including aluminum and hybrid aluminum/polycarbonate renditions) available as sets. Clothing, bags and accessories are also in the lineup.

PureWow editors have been fans of both brands for years. I bought Away’s The Bigger Carry-On in 2017, lugging it across the country and internationally, as my carry-on and as checked luggage. Meanwhile, PureWow Vice President of Editorial Candace Davison and Associate Commerce Editor Natalie LaBarbera have had the Monos Carry-On Pro for two months and a year, respectively. Davison uses it to pack for herself and her two children, while LaBarbera does plenty of solo traveling via road trip. Our reviews are a result of these accumulated experiences, and we’re spilling the tea on everything from durability and maintenance to interior compartments and the smoothness of the wheels.

I will shamelessly say that I pounced on Away’s The Bigger Carry-On ($295) eight years ago because they did a Despicable Me collaboration. Now, you can happily find me rolling my Minion-yellow suitcase through LaGuardia and JFK, with an eyeball luggage tag to match.

Durability

This suitcase has rolled around the world, from Paris, Taipei and Provence to Los Angeles, Alabama, Boston, Dallas and New York. Eight years in, I can verify that it is extremely sturdy, even when checked. As a general rule, I really try to never check luggage, but when I must, it doesn’t come back worse for wear. The polycarbonate shell will get scuffed, but that’s something a Magic Eraser can fix with a little elbow grease. My suitcase still looks fairly new, despite being thrown around.

Capacity

Away claims that you can pack four to seven days’ worth of clothing, and I find that to be more than true. On my recent trip to Paris (sitting in my friend’s apartment by the Seine as I write), I packed ten articles of clothing—mainly separates, but did include a couple jumpsuits, one dress and one matching set. Accounting for mixing and matching the separates, I had 12 different outfits, plus one pair of flats (I wore my sneakers on the plane), one pared-down toiletry bag, pajamas, heatless curlers and 14 pairs of underwear. The dirty laundry bag comes in handy for keeping things separated as the trip progresses. One half of the suitcase is a zippered, flat compartment where I store my shoes and other inflexible items.

Davison and LaBarbera both have the Monos Carry-On Pro ($295), for two months and a year, respectively. Davison is a New York-based mom of two; LaBarbera is a Los Angeles-based solo traveler, often with her pup in tow.

Durability

Per Davison, the suitcase can take hits, falls and scrapes without issue. While scuffs are inevitable, markings are easy to remove with a microfiber cloth and/or the included mini scuff eraser. My sister, who also has a Monos suitcase, bought the brand’s $45 luggage cover, which also works to keep the suitcase spotless, even after five years.

Capacity

LaBarbera likes taking her Monos on road trips, while Davison tends to pack for herself and her kids when flying.

“It’s the perfect size to pack enough clothes and shoes (plus all the extras I’ll need) for a few days’ getaway,” LaBarbera says, noting that she does always have extra space remaining. “It’s super lightweight so it’s easy to haul in and out of the car.”

Davison adds: “I can typically fit three to four outfits, a change of shoes, PJs, bathing suits and chargers for my two kids and me—my husband is on his own!”

Both praise the exterior laptop compartment, which Davison uses to stash a tablet or laptop, plus a magazine and/or miscellaneous projects. LaBarera notes that the pocket isn’t very deep, though, so don’t expect to shove the latest Reese’s Book Club pick in alongside the tech.

The suitcase includes three zippered, interior pockets, though no laundry bag. There are three dust bags (two small, one medium), and Davison tells me she typically uses them for shoes, though the medium one could possibly be repurposed for laundry. LaBarbera tends to use the larger washable suitcase dust bag as a substitute.

Both suitcases share similar designs, using polycarbonate shells notched with horizontal lines. They’re also the same price, retailing for $295.

Empty, they weigh about the same, with the Monos Carry-On Pro at 7.8 pounds and Away at 7.9 pounds.

Other shared features include:

• Telescopic handles
• TSA-approved lockable zippers
• 360-degree wheels
• Three interior, zippered pockets
• 13 colorways (though 4 of Monos’ are limited-edition)
• Neither offers a battery bank

If you like to play it safe, Away’s The Bigger Carry-On is a sturdy bag that can withstand cargo hold and get off scot-free. I don’t love the idea, but it’s come back fine every time. And since my electronics are always in my backpack, I don’t hesitate as much to hand it over to gate check.

On the other hand, should you be trying to reduce the weight of your backpack (also one of my perpetual conundrums), Monos’ exterior laptop pocket is super handy. Nothing stresses me more than doing the TSA dance while one of the agents at JFK inevitably yells at me (happens every time). Being able to whip out my (heavy) electronics in seconds is a dream—and my back always thanks me.