What sets this bag apart is its packing options, size, and amazing wheels. We didn't find many negatives in this latest round of tests. The Platinum Elite performed just as it always has — like an all-star.
Go big or go home, capacity is a non-issue for the Platinum Elite. There's plenty of room for everything you want to pack, and there's an expansion zipper if you need more space. We would feel confident packing for a month-long trip in this bag, or sharing packing space with a partner for a shorter trip.
With 128.8 liters of packing volume available, the Travelpro is the largest suitcase in our lineup. For the most part, the packing area is wide open, allowing you to organize your belongings however you prefer, using packing cubes if you see fit. If we didn't need all the space, we loved that we could use the interior cargo panels to securely lock down everything so that it doesn't move around during the jostling that happens between baggage claims, flights, and bustling about. If you somehow need more packing space, a key feature we've always loved about this bag is its expansion system. It opens on an angle from the bottom, and stays slim at the top, giving the Platinum Elite a lower center of gravity and better balance when standing or rolling. It's simple, but it makes a difference.
The keystone of this bag's organization process is its folding garment panels. Travelpro calls it a fold-out suiter. Basically, it allows you to carefully pack your finer clothing for a more wrinkle-free ride to wherever you're headed. It looks a little weird at first, but the entire system is super easy to use, holds way more than we thought it could, and, most importantly, it actually works quite well.
Based solely on how it rolls, we would have given the Platinum Elite a perfect 10. It skates easily over most surfaces. However, our scores were also based on lifting, sliding, and carrying — and this bag is big.
In addition to the trolley handle, this trunk has three well-placed grab handles (top, bottom, and one side), so there's always a place to grab hold of while you bustle from the claims carousel to the car, and everywhere in between. We love the feel of this bag's main handles, which are wrapped in a faux leather material and are solid and comfortable. We also appreciate its sturdy, form-fitting trolley handle. It's solid, smooth, and easy to hold onto.
The stars of the show are the wheels. The Platinum Elite simply glides better than any other product in our lineup. Years back, we thought Travelpro's PrecisionGlide System and MagnaTrac technology sounded like typical manufacturer marketing lingo, but after testing several versions of this bag over a long period, we can honestly vouch that they work. Each wheel on the Platinum Elite uses embedded magnets to quickly self-align in any direction you're walking. This bag runs straight and doesn't vibrate. In fact, if you let go of it, it will continue to track right next to your hip.
It doesn't have the brute strength of hardshell luggage, but everything about the Travelpro is made with an eye for detail. It's quite lightweight, considering its size and level of craftsmanship, so at first it gives the impression of being a little lean, but it's not.
We pushed our Platinum Elite down a flight of stairs and dropped it off a ledge onto its head. We don't recommend doing this regularly, but we wanted to see how it responds. No piece of luggage is indestructible, but the bag's ballistic nylon casing weathered everything with grace. Aside from a few scuffs on its reinforced corners, the Travelpro came away unscathed. When considering what it's made for (airplanes), it needs to be lightweight. However, the Platinum Elite is about as good as you can get with a softshell, or any shell for that matter. We do wish it had better bumper rails on the backside, though. What the Travelpro has are three simple strips of plastic. We think they could incorporate something that is a little more protective for when you need to haul this big bag up the stairs.
An occasional rain shower isn't much of a worry here either. We doused our Platinum Elite with hose water and found it to be just as water-resistant as past models we've tested. In fact, the bulk of the water just beaded up and rolled off of the exterior. Most of the interior compartment remained dry, but the outer pocket did collect a fair amount of water. It's not waterproof, but it does a great job of shielding your belongings from mild precipitation, and we wouldn't want to run around with our luggage in a torrential rainstorm anyway. But you can be sure that the Platinum Elite will resist spills from your coffee or water bottle without absorbing the liquid.
The Travelpro has a classic, understated style. It's not trendy and modern like many hardshell cases, but its lines are clean and its style has stood the test of time. As for function, its wide-open design also has many value-adding features.
We like this suitcase's color selection. The Travelpro is available mostly in earth tones, with faux leather trim, but its palette offers a decent amount of options. When it comes to simple conveniences, we really like this bag's interior pockets, high-end zippers, removable toiletry bag, and clothing carrier. We also really loved the convenience and security of its TSA-compliant combination lock, something that many soft shells don't offer.
The Travelpro Platinum Elite 29" will appeal to most travelers. It offers extras that make traveling with checked luggage more convenient and simple than other suitcases on the market. It's a bit more expensive, but this bag is suited for extensive jet-setters (business or leisure) who want a checked bag they can count on to last through multiple trips a year, for many years. The occasional traveler would certainly appreciate it as well; the only thing to consider is whether the price is worth it for just a trip or two per year. One thing the Travelpro excels at is larger-scale travel, such as cruises or month-long European trips, because it can carry a lot of clothes and has special packing features to accommodate dress clothes. For some, the Platinum Elite 29" may be too large for their needs. If so, it is also available (with all of the same features) in a more moderate 25" size.
If you want the Travelpro name but want a slimmer option, the TravelPro Maxlite 5 25" is something to consider, and it costs less. If you're willing to upgrade, we also like the upscale quality of the Briggs & Riley Baseline Large Expandable Spinner, but you'll pay a higher price. If you'd rather go with a hardshell case, we really like the Away The Large.
