Travelpro Platinum Elite Hardside Spinner Luggage Review — Is It Worth It? [Video]

With more than 35 years of experience, Travelpro has slowly but surely become a mainstay in the luggage market. Trailblazing the first rolling trolley in 1987, the brand continues to innovate, developing luggage built to last.

Founded by commercial airline pilot Robert Plath, Travelpro’s luggage is designed for regular use and remains a firm favorite with airline crew.

Though Travelpro has expanded its market to include other accessories to make travel easier, its luggage lines are still where the company shines. A prime example of this is the Platinum Elite Hardside Spinner range we’re reviewing today.

Travelpro Platinum Elite Hardside Spinner Luggage

Travelpro’s Platinum Elite Hardside Spinners are high-quality, reliable pieces designed for serious travelers. Whether you’re a serial vacationer or travel for business on a weekly basis, this high-quality luggage range will stand the test of time. The pieces are sleek, minimalistic, and modern, with an attractive exterior that will look as good in years to come as when you bought it.

Whether you’re looking for a new bag to take to corporate events or a trusty case for your next weekend adventure, the carry-on versions of the Travelpro Platinum Elite range have you covered.

Travelpro Platinum Elite Hardside Spinner Luggage Review

For this review, we tested the small carry-on version of the Platinum Elite Hardside Spinner range. It’s a trusty little case perfect for getting work done on the road. While it offers extensive interior storage, there’s also a version with an exterior laptop compartment.

Travelpro Platinum Elite Hardside Spinner Overall Rating

Travelpro Platinum Elite Hardside Spinner Style and Look

While the Platinum Elite bags hold up Travelpro’s reputation for utility and functionality, this range of luggage is also incredibly stylish. The variety of textures and accents on the case’s exterior are well-balanced and offer a level of protection and masking from potential damage.

These spinners come in a small selection of fashionable colors, so travelers have a little freedom to express their personal style.

Since there are no external pockets, the suitcase has a sleek appearance appropriate for professional or casual settings. The telescopic handle collapses into a recessed divot, which adds to this stylish minimalism.

Travelpro Platinum Elite Hardside Spinner Size and Compartments

Measuring 22 x 14 x 9 inches, the carry-on in the Platinum Elite Hardside collection is sized for most domestic and international flights.

However, if you use the expansion zipper, which adds an extra 2 inches of space, the bag could be too big to fit on smaller aircraft. Make sure you know the limits for the airline you’ll be flying with before you start packing.

If size is not an issue, the expansion zipper is helpful for bringing back any additional items you’ve picked up on your trip.

Weighing 8 pounds, the bag is a little on the heavy side for a carry-on, but it’s not surprising considering the high-quality materials used to construct the case. While most airlines aren’t strict about carry-on weight, it’s worth considering for personal ease lifting it in and out of the overhead compartment.

As far as packing space is concerned, this is a pretty roomy bag. It’s a miniature version of a standard hard suitcase, so it opens like a clamshell and has 2 main compartments. These spaces are divided by zippered panels, which help keep things organized and contained in transit.

The divider has 3 small pockets to stash small items securely. These include 2 mesh pockets and a wet pocket for damp or dirty items.

The interior lining was reasonably soft and didn’t rustle around too much. It’s an easy material to wipe clean should you have any spillages, but unfortunately, it doesn’t zip out to be washed.

Travelpro Platinum Elite Hardside Spinner USB Charging Port

For the tech-savvy traveler, this case includes 2 charging ports for USB-A and USB-C cords to keep small devices charged during travels. However, there’s no integrated power bank, so you’ll have to remember to pack your own.

We appreciated that the bag could act as a mobile charging station, but we weren’t a fan of how this element was incorporated into the case’s design. The power bank pocket is in a hard-to-reach spot that you can only access via the expansion zipper.

Travelpro Platinum Elite Hardside Spinner Durability and Materials

With a shell made of polycarbonate plastic, the carry-on in the Platinum Elite collection of hardside luggage is a durable little bag that won’t crack or dent, even when tossed around during travel. 

Even non-substantial damage is minimized. The entire shell is texturized to prevent scratches and stains.

Corners are usually a weak point in hardside bags, but Travelpro tackled that issue by adding aluminum plates to act as additional guards.

Travelpro Platinum Elite Hardside Spinner Wheels

The PrecisionGlide double spinner wheels are slightly recessed in the hard shell to protect them from damage when handled. They are larger than average for carry-on wheels, and the outer material is soft rubber that helps absorb impact and limits noise when rolling.

The real strength of these wheels is their maneuverability. We had no issues turning corners or changing directions quickly, which is good when rushing to a flight gate.

Travelpro Platinum Elite Hardside Spinner Handles

This particular carry-on has 3 handles. The main one we used during our tests was the telescopic handle, which has 4 height settings that can be adjusted with the push of a button.

Usually, the more settings a handle like this has, the harder it is to adjust, but this one glided smoothly. It didn’t jiggle much and felt pretty sturdy at its tallest height.

There are 2 additional handles meant to help carry the case or lift it into the overhead compartment on an airplane.

We weren’t a fan of these handles. While we appreciated their streamlined profile, they were so tightly pressed to the case that they squashed fingers. They’re also made of hard plastic and lack any cushioning for comfortable carrying.

We would have also expected a bottom handle on a case that has been so well-designed in other areas.

Travelpro Platinum Elite Hardside Spinner Locks and Zips

After reviewing a few bags by Travelpro, we weren’t expecting the carry-on in the Platinum Elite line to have a lock, but this case did. Since it’s approved by the TSA, we don’t anticipate any trouble traveling with it activated.

The lock mechanism is attached to the zipper, so the pulls are a bit larger than average. We didn’t mind this since it made them easy to grip. However, they’re prone to jingling around if they’re not locked in place.

We didn’t have any problems with the zippers’ strength or durability. They glided easily and didn’t seem prone to catching or tearing. We’re a little concerned about how useful the expansion zipper is, though, especially for air travel. Using it could easily push the bag over the allotted size limits.

Travelpro Brand Warranty and Customer Service

Like other select Travelpro bags, the Platinum Elite Hardside line is covered by the brand’s limited lifetime warranty. This covers manufacturing defects to the carry handles, telescopic handle, wheels, and zippers.

This premium collection also includes Travelpro’s Trusted Companion warranty, covering damage caused by airlines within the first 5 years of ownership. Travelers must register their luggage within 120 days of purchase to benefit from this enhanced coverage.

Other Travelpro Platinum Elite Hardside Spinner Luggage

Rounding out the collection, the Platinum Elite Hardside line includes a larger carry-on option. Both carry-on bags have a laptop compartment, which we think is perfect for professionals and students. There are also 2 checked-bag options, a medium and a large.

While it’s probably unnecessary to own the whole line, we appreciate how inclusive it is.

Final Thoughts

With over 35 years of experience in the luggage industry, Travelpro has become a brand travelers trust to produce durable yet affordable pieces.

The small-sized carry-on in the Travelpro Platinum Elite Hardside Spinner line holds up this reputation and then some. The suitcase comes in handy for professionals in particular. It might be small, but it offers plenty of space to pack the essentials while also keeping devices like tablets and laptops easily accessible while on the go.

While we were a little disappointed in the lack of features to maximize comfort, we were overall pleased with this trusty little case.