Samsonite vs American Tourister: Which to Buy

The short answer: it’s less of a rivalry than it looks. Samsonite and American Tourister are both brands of Samsonite International, which also owns High Sierra, Tumi, Lipault, Gregory and Hartmann. Both make cabin and checked cases in hard and soft shells, and both set the warranty per product. So compare the specific case — its size, weight, shell, wheels and warranty — rather than the badge.

Looking across the Samsonite and American Tourister luggage we list:

In practice that means: families shopping for a child’s case, or anyone who wants a front-opening lid, will find more of that at American Tourister; business travellers will find mobile-office cases on the Samsonite side. For a standard cabin or checked spinner, both brands have plenty to compare.

Luggage listings describe size in three different ways, and it helps to know which one you’re looking at:

• Height in centimetres — “55 cm”, “69 cm”, “81 cm”. This is the height of the case only. Around 55 cm is cabin size; the larger numbers are checked cases.
• Height in inches — “Carry-On 20-Inch”, “Checked-Medium 24-Inch”, “Checked-Large 28-Inch”. You’ll see this on cases made for the US market.
• Volume in litres — “55 cm – 34 L”. Useful for comparing how much two cases hold; “/41 L” after it is the volume when an expandable case is unzipped.

None of these is the full measurement an airline checks. For that you need all three dimensions.

Qantas limits each checked bag to a total of 140 cm (height + width + depth) on domestic flights and 158 cm on international flights. One American Tourister case we list states its size as 46 × 25.5 × 66 cm: 46 + 25.5 + 66 = 137.5 cm, inside both limits. Do the same sum for any case before you buy — and for cabin bags, check each dimension against 56 × 36 × 23 cm instead. Our carry-on limits guide has the rules for Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin.

Most of the cases above are hard shells. The trade-off is simple:

• Hard shell — a rigid case that keeps its shape; it usually opens in two halves, so packing is split between both sides.
• Soft shell — fabric sides that give a little, usually with outside pockets for things you want to reach quickly.

Whichever you choose, “expandable” (often written EXP) means a zip that adds depth. Remember that an expanded cabin case may no longer fit the airline’s depth limit.

Neither brand has one warranty length for everything. Both say the duration is stated on the warranty card inside the product and/or in the product’s feature list, so check the listing for the exact case. Both warranties cover manufacturing defects in materials and workmanship, and both exclude transport damage — including damage by airlines — as well as misuse, accidents and normal wear and tear. Keep your receipt: Samsonite says it’s your proof of purchase for a warranty claim.

Separately from any warranty, the Australian Consumer Law guarantees still apply to what you buy.

Yes. American Tourister is one of the brands of Samsonite International, alongside Samsonite, Tumi, High Sierra, Lipault, Gregory and Hartmann.

Neither across the board. Compare the specific case: its dimensions, weight, shell type, wheels and the warranty stated for it.

In Australia, Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin all publish an overhead-bag maximum of 56 × 36 × 23 cm, including wheels and handles. “55 cm” cases are the cabin-size category, but check the width and depth too — some are made to a 40 cm width.

No. Both Samsonite and American Tourister exclude transport damage, including damage caused by airlines. Report it to the airline instead.