Rimowa Costs $1,800. The Suitcase That Outscored It Costs $375.
Updated July 2026
The Rimowa Original Check-In L costs about $1,800 and scored 7.6 in our research. The Away Large costs $375 and scored 8.1. Sit with that for a second, because the per-point math is brutal: Rimowa runs about $237 per score point, Away about $46. So is Rimowa worth it? Depends what you think a suitcase is for. The aluminum shell is beautiful, German-built, rolls on some of the smoothest wheels made, and carries a lifetime functional guarantee. It is also heavy at 13.7 pounds, dents permanently, does not expand, and organizes worse than fabric bags costing a fifth as much. Meanwhile the actual durability crown in checked luggage belongs to a $929 bag whose lifetime warranty covers even airline damage, free, with no receipt. We ran the price-per-point numbers on all five bags, including the honest rimowa vs away answer and the best checked luggage with lifetime warranty coverage. The order below follows the money.
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Rimowa Original Check-In L
7.6
The math: $1,800 divided by 7.6 is about $237 per score point, five times the Away's rate. What the premium actually buys is real but narrow: the iconic grooved aluminum look, brand cachet, superb Multiwheel spinners, a zipperless TSA-latch closure, and a no-registration lifetime functional guarantee. What it does not buy: expansion (none), light weight (13.7 pounds empty), or dent immunity (it dents easily and permanently, and cosmetic damage is not covered). You are purchasing design and status. Measured on what a suitcase does, cheaper bags outperform it.
The math: $375 divided by 8.1 is about $46 per point, the upset that makes this whole article. The polycarbonate shell takes years of checked-bag abuse, the WhisperGlide wheels roll beautifully, and the clamshell interior, with compression panel, mesh pockets, and a built-in laundry bag, is organized better than bags costing far more. LifetimeCare warranty included. Caveats: the standard Large does not expand, there are no exterior pockets, and light colors scuff. In the rimowa vs away fight, the scoreboard says Away, by half a point, for $1,425 less.
The math: $929 divided by our top luggage score of 8.6 is about $108 per point, less than half the Rimowa rate, and this is the warranty Rimowa's price implies you are getting. The Simple as That guarantee repairs functional damage for life, free, no proof of purchase, and uniquely covers damage caused by airlines. Add 1680D ballistic nylon, CX expansion that adds about 22 percent more room, and an external handle that leaves the interior flat. It is the heaviest bag here at 13.6 pounds, and the look is pure utility. Buy it once, stop thinking about luggage.
The math: about $485 divided by 8.4 is roughly $58 per point, which is why critics keep calling this the smart-money bag. The MagnaTrac self-aligning wheels are the best spinners in softside luggage, the DuraGuard ballistic nylon shrugs off water and stains, and you get a fold-out suiter, 2 inch expansion, and a lifetime warranty that adds airline-damage coverage if you register within 120 days. It was founded by an airline pilot and flight crews use it daily. Two catches: 66.75 linear inches can trip 62 inch oversize limits, and it looks like work, not fashion.
The math: at $149, a 7.0 score is about $21 per point, the cheapest rate in the entire guide, and proof the per-point metric needs a floor check. The Omni 2 is light at 10.8 pounds, expandable, TSA-locked, and backed by a 10 year warranty that over-delivers for the tier. But it is honestly the weakest bag here: the shell is thinner than the previous Omni, and wheels and zippers are the most-cited failure points under real airline handling. Fly a few times a year, it is the sane budget pick. Fly monthly, spend up.
Not on function per dollar. At about $1,800 it scored 7.6 in our research, around $237 per score point, while carrying less, weighing more, and organizing worse than far cheaper bags, and it dents permanently. What the money buys is the aluminum aesthetic, brand status, and a lifetime functional guarantee. If you want an icon and will keep it for decades, it is defensible. If you want the best suitcase, it is not this.
Rimowa vs Away: which should I buy?
Away won on our scoreboard, 8.1 to 7.6, at $375 against roughly $1,800. The Away Large has better interior organization, a durable polycarbonate shell, and a LifetimeCare warranty. Rimowa counters with aluminum construction, smoother wheels, a zipperless latch closure, and status. Unless the look is the point, the math is not close.
What is the best checked luggage with a lifetime warranty?
The Briggs & Riley Baseline Large has the most comprehensive coverage in travel: functional damage repaired free for life, no proof of purchase required, and it even covers airline damage. Rimowa and Away offer lifetime warranties that exclude key scenarios, and Travelpro covers airline damage only if you register within 120 days of purchase.
