comparison
Rimowa vs Away Luggage — Is the Premium Worth 5x the Price?
9 min readPublished 2026-05-01Updated 2026-05-01
The €1,100 German engineering icon vs the €295 direct-to-consumer disruptor. Both promise to be the last suitcase you ever buy. One of them is lying.
The Quick Verdict
Away is the smart buy for most travelers. At €295, you get a well-built carry-on with a useful battery, smooth wheels, and enough durability for 200+ flights. It's the best luggage under €400.
Rimowa is for travelers who view luggage as a lifetime purchase. The aluminum Original will literally outlast you — Rimowa services and repairs their cases indefinitely. Every dent tells a story. If you fly 50+ times per year and keep things for decades, the per-trip cost converges.
The honest truth: At 5x the price, the Rimowa is not 5x better. It's maybe 30% better in materials and 200% better in longevity. Whether that justifies €800 depends entirely on how you think about purchases.
Rimowa is for travelers who view luggage as a lifetime purchase. The aluminum Original will literally outlast you — Rimowa services and repairs their cases indefinitely. Every dent tells a story. If you fly 50+ times per year and keep things for decades, the per-trip cost converges.
The honest truth: At 5x the price, the Rimowa is not 5x better. It's maybe 30% better in materials and 200% better in longevity. Whether that justifies €800 depends entirely on how you think about purchases.
Construction & Durability
Rimowa Original: Anodized aluminum body with a frame closure (no zipper — the case clicks shut with two latches). This is significant: frame closures are more secure and durable than zippers, which can burst under pressure or catch fabric. The aluminum dents but never cracks, shatters, or structurally fails. Rimowa will repair any damage for a fee, indefinitely.
Away Carry-On: Polycarbonate shell with a YKK zipper closure. Polycarbonate is light, flexible, and absorbs impacts well. But it scratches visibly — after 20-30 flights, the surface shows wear. The zipper is YKK (good quality) but zippers are inherently the weakest point of any luggage. Under extreme baggage handler abuse, zippers can fail.
Winner: Rimowa for longevity, by a significant margin. But Away's polycarbonate handles normal travel use perfectly well for 5-7 years.
Away Carry-On: Polycarbonate shell with a YKK zipper closure. Polycarbonate is light, flexible, and absorbs impacts well. But it scratches visibly — after 20-30 flights, the surface shows wear. The zipper is YKK (good quality) but zippers are inherently the weakest point of any luggage. Under extreme baggage handler abuse, zippers can fail.
Winner: Rimowa for longevity, by a significant margin. But Away's polycarbonate handles normal travel use perfectly well for 5-7 years.
The Wheels Test
Wheels are the most important feature of any spinner luggage — bad wheels ruin everything.
Rimowa Multiwheel: Four double wheels with ball-bearing construction. These glide. On smooth airport floors, the case rolls with almost zero resistance — a light push sends it coasting. On cobblestones, rough pavement, and carpet, the wheels handle transitions smoothly without catching. After years of use, Rimowa wheels maintain their performance.
Away 360° Spinners: Four Hinomoto wheels (Japanese manufacturer — well-regarded in the industry). They're smooth, quiet, and handle airport floors well. On rough surfaces, they're adequate but you notice more vibration than the Rimowa. After heavy use, some users report wheel wobble after 2-3 years.
Winner: Rimowa. The wheel quality is noticeably superior. If you've ever used a Rimowa at an airport, you know what I mean — the glide is genuinely different.
Rimowa Multiwheel: Four double wheels with ball-bearing construction. These glide. On smooth airport floors, the case rolls with almost zero resistance — a light push sends it coasting. On cobblestones, rough pavement, and carpet, the wheels handle transitions smoothly without catching. After years of use, Rimowa wheels maintain their performance.
Away 360° Spinners: Four Hinomoto wheels (Japanese manufacturer — well-regarded in the industry). They're smooth, quiet, and handle airport floors well. On rough surfaces, they're adequate but you notice more vibration than the Rimowa. After heavy use, some users report wheel wobble after 2-3 years.
Winner: Rimowa. The wheel quality is noticeably superior. If you've ever used a Rimowa at an airport, you know what I mean — the glide is genuinely different.
Features & Practicality
Away wins on features: The ejectable USB battery (compliant with airline regulations) is genuinely useful for charging your phone during layovers. The interior compression system packs efficiently. The removable laundry bag keeps dirty clothes separate. These are practical, thoughtful features that Rimowa doesn't offer.
Rimowa wins on fundamentals: TSA-approved combination locks are integrated into the frame. The flex-divider system inside is adjustable. The frame closure ensures nothing gets caught in a zipper. But there's no battery, no tech features, no extras — just impeccable engineering of the basics.
For the modern traveler: Away's battery and organization features are more practically useful day-to-day. Rimowa's build quality and repair program are more valuable over a decade.
Rimowa wins on fundamentals: TSA-approved combination locks are integrated into the frame. The flex-divider system inside is adjustable. The frame closure ensures nothing gets caught in a zipper. But there's no battery, no tech features, no extras — just impeccable engineering of the basics.
For the modern traveler: Away's battery and organization features are more practically useful day-to-day. Rimowa's build quality and repair program are more valuable over a decade.
Who Should Buy Which?
Buy the Rimowa Original if:
- You view luggage as a lifetime purchase (20+ years)
- You fly frequently (30+ trips/year) and want investment-grade durability
- You appreciate the iconic design and what it signals
- You value frame closure over zipper construction
- You can absorb the €1,100 without financial concern
Buy the Away Carry-On if: - You want the best carry-on under €400 - USB charging and interior organization matter to you - You prefer lightweight luggage (3.4kg vs 4.3kg) - You replace luggage every 5-7 years anyway - You'd rather spend €295 and use the €800 savings for actual travel
Buy the Away Carry-On if: - You want the best carry-on under €400 - USB charging and interior organization matter to you - You prefer lightweight luggage (3.4kg vs 4.3kg) - You replace luggage every 5-7 years anyway - You'd rather spend €295 and use the €800 savings for actual travel
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🧳€1,100
Rimowa Original Cabin
€1,100★★★★½4.7/5
Pros
+Anodized aluminum construction — will outlast you
+Multiwheel system is the smoothest roll in luggage
+TSA-approved locks integrated into the frame
+Iconic grooved design is instantly recognizable
Cons
-€1,100 for a carry-on is genuinely hard to justify
-Aluminum dents — the first dent hurts the most
-Heavier than polycarbonate alternatives (4.3kg empty)
-No external pockets or USB port
🧳€295
Away The Carry-On
€295★★★★☆4.3/5
Pros
+Ejectable USB battery for phone charging — genuinely useful
+360° spinner wheels are smooth for the price
+Polycarbonate shell is lightweight and resilient (3.4kg)
+Interior compression system maximizes packing space
Cons
-Polycarbonate scratches visibly — looks worn after 10+ flights
-Zipper construction less durable than Rimowa's frame closure
-Wheels are good but not Rimowa-smooth on rough surfaces
-Everyone has one — especially at airports in the US
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Rimowa luggage actually last forever?▾
Is Away luggage worth buying?▾
Can I take the Away battery on a plane?▾
What about Samsonite or Tumi?▾
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