Best Time to Buy Luggage: Pre-Travel Sales and Clearance Windows (2026)

The best time to buy luggage is late August through September, when retailers clear summer stock at 40-70% off. Black Friday is the only reliable window for premium brands like Away and Monos. In 2026, tariff-driven price hikes make timing your purchase more important than ever.

Have you ever bought a suitcase a week before a trip, only to spot the same bag at 40% off two months later?

That gap is the difference between full price and saving $80 to $200 on one bag. Luggage has one of the most predictable sale cycles in retail. Knowing the timing can save you real money.

Our team tracks deals across thousands of stores. Luggage is one of those categories where timing is clear once you know what to look for. Sales cluster around two big peaks each year, with a handful of smaller events in between.

Why 2026 Is the Year to Time Your Luggage Purchase Carefully

Luggage prices are going up. Not slowly. Shoppers are seeing 5% to 15% price hikes on bags in 2026 due to new trade rules and freight costs. Samsonite raised prices in 2025. Other brands followed.

That changes the whole timing question. In a normal year, you can wait. But when prices drift up every few months, the best deal in October may cost more than the same bag did in August. Waiting now has a price tag.

The global luggage market is worth about $43.77 billion in 2026, growing at 6.64% per year. Demand is strong. Outside of real sale windows, retailers don’t need to cut prices.

So this guide isn’t just a list of sales. It’s a case for buying at the next real window, not waiting forever.

The Best Times of Year to Buy Luggage

Luggage pricing follows a predictable annual rhythm. Retailers need to clear old stock before new collections arrive. That clearance pressure happens twice a year in a big way: once after summer, once after the holidays.

There are roughly five or six buying windows per year, but they’re not equal. How deep the discounts go, and which brands join in, varies a lot.

Here’s the quick version before we go deeper:

Late Summer Clearance (August to September): The Deepest Discounts

Late August to early September is prime clearance time. Retailers need to clear summer stock before fall goods arrive. Discounts of 40% to 70% off are common. Macy’s runs hard clearance on luggage sets, and specialty retailers do the same.

This window is also less crowded than Black Friday. Stock is available in all colors and sizes. You’re not racing anyone for the last navy carry-on at 6 AM. Labor Day falls right in this window too, which often adds an extra promotion on top of clearance pricing.

One catch: this works best for hard-shell sets and checked bags, not direct-to-consumer brands. Away and Monos don’t do end-of-season clearance like department stores. For those brands, Black Friday is the window.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday (Late November): Premium Brands Go on Sale

Black Friday is the one window when premium luggage brands actually discount. Away and Monos ran flat 25% off sitewide in 2025. Samsonite went 40% off sitewide. Travelpro hit up to 50% off. At big-box stores, mainstream brands hit 70% off.

The trade-off is speed. Popular colors and sizes go fast. The midnight green carry-on? Gone by noon on Friday. The fix is simple: pick your bag before the sale starts. Know exactly what you want and buy it within hours of the sale going live.

Cyber Week runs through Sunday into Monday, sometimes Tuesday. Don’t panic-buy on Friday if your first choice sells out. Cyber Monday tends to bring fresh carry-on and backpack deals not included in the original Black Friday drop.

January Clearance and Post-Holiday Sales

January is the second-best month to buy luggage. Retailers push hard to clear holiday stock, and discounts typically run 30-60% off. You’re shopping last-season colors and discontinued models. That’s a real limit if you want a specific color. But if you’re flexible, January is excellent value.

Briggs and Riley ran 50% off select models in January 2025. That brand almost never discounts. The post-holiday window pulls in brands that stay full-price most of the year.

Presidents Day in February usually extends the window. If you miss the January peak, Presidents Day weekend often has the remainder.

Amazon Prime Day (July): A Growing Third Window

Prime Day used to be mainly an electronics event. That’s changed. Luggage deals on Amazon have grown a lot year over year. Prime Day 2025 average discounts ranged from 20-40%, with Samsonite and American Tourister sets hitting 35-55% off. Those numbers are real.

Target, Walmart, and Best Buy all run parallel sales now. So it’s not just Amazon. For mid-range carry-ons, it’s a full market event.

The limit is brand coverage. Away, Monos, and other direct-to-consumer brands don’t join. This window works for Samsonite, Travelpro, American Tourister, and Amazon-native brands like Level8. For premium DTC luggage, you still need Black Friday.

Set a price alert a few weeks before Prime Day. Deals go live early, and the deepest ones sell out fast.

Other Sale Windows Worth Watching

Memorial Day in late May brings 20-40% discounts on mid-range brands. REI’s Anniversary Sale in May is worth a look for backpacks and duffels. You can stack REI coupon codes on top of Anniversary Sale pricing for extra savings.

Early spring (March into April) is an underrated window. New luggage models come out for travel season, which pushes last-year stock into clearance at specialty stores. GEICO’s monthly buying guide even calls March a strong month for luggage deals for this exact reason. Discounts of 30-50% on prior models are realistic.

One more option: TJ Maxx and Marshalls carry last-season inventory at 30-60% off year-round. No timing needed. The catch is limited selection. But if you’re flexible on brand and style, these stores work anytime. Check TJ Maxx coupons or Marshalls deals before heading in-store.

When NOT to Buy Luggage

Mid-spring (April) and early fall (September, before clearance kicks in) are the worst times. New collections land at full price. Retailers have no pressure to discount.

Right before a trip is bad for your wallet too. You pay full price and have no time to return if the bag isn’t right. Buying luggage at an airport store is the worst version of this.

June and most of July are also slow for deals. Demand is high and retailers don’t need to cut prices. Prime Day is the exception. It breaks the seasonal rule for Amazon and competing stores.

Brand-by-Brand Sale Patterns: Away, Monos, Samsonite, Travelpro

Not all luggage brands run the same sale calendar. Knowing how each brand works saves you from waiting for a deal that won’t show up on your timeline.

Away launches new collections in summer and fall. They run promotions around those launches. Black Friday is Away’s most reliable sale. A first-time buyer discount is also available year-round. Outside those two options, Away rarely does sitewide sales.

Monos follows a similar pattern. Black Friday flat-rate sale is consistent. Occasionally they run a Friends and Family event in late spring or late summer, but that’s not guaranteed every year. Sign up for their email to get the heads-up.

Samsonite has a much broader calendar. They join most major events: Black Friday, Prime Day, Labor Day, Presidents Day. More chances to catch a deal. The discounts aren’t usually as deep as a rare DTC brand sale, but they stack well. You can often add Samsonite coupon codes on top of sale prices.

Travelpro shows up at major sale events and is sold through REI, Macy’s, and specialty stores. Deals show up more often than with DTC brands. Strong options during late summer and January in particular.

What most guides miss: these brands run outlet sections year-round on their own sites. Away’s outlet moves fast. Samsonite and Travelpro keep a wider range of older models on sale. If you’re not locked into a specific color, check those sections anytime.

Where to Buy Luggage for the Best Deals

The retailer matters almost as much as the timing. Different stores have different sale dates. The best price doesn’t always come from the brand’s own site.

Amazon is best for Prime Day. It also carries solid year-round discounts on American Tourister, Level8, and Samsonite. Check Amazon luggage discounts to track price drops.

Macy’s has one of the most aggressive luggage sale calendars in retail. Late-summer clearance, Friends and Family codes several times a year, and holiday sales all stack up. The Macy’s coupon page often has codes that work on top of sale prices.

REI is the right stop for backpacks, duffels, and soft luggage. The annual REI Anniversary Sale in May is the highlight. They also keep an outlet section with ongoing clearance. Travelpro is stocked here too.

Direct brand sites make sense when the brand is running its own sale. Away and Monos price best direct, and their first-time buyer discounts aren’t available through third-party stores.

Nordstrom runs good clearance during its Anniversary Sale in July and after the holidays. Nordstrom coupon codes tend to appear around those events and stack with existing markdowns.

Department stores like Macy’s and Nordstrom have the deepest off-season luggage cuts. Specialty and direct-to-consumer brands stick to a few set annual events. Knowing which type of brand you’re buying from tells you which window to target.

How to Stack Coupons and Sales for Maximum Savings

The best luggage deal isn’t a single sale. It’s a sale plus a coupon code, plus a cashback portal. Three layers of savings add up fast.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Find the current sale window using the calendar above.
2. Check for active coupon codes for that retailer. Macy’s almost always has stackable codes running during sale pricing.
3. If you’re buying online, activate cashback before checkout for an extra 2-8% back.

Here’s a real example: Macy’s luggage at 40% off in late August, plus a 15% coupon code from DontPayFull, gets you close to 50% off the original price. On a $300 hard-shell set, that’s $150 back.

Which stores let you stack? Macy’s is the most reliable. Nordstrom often allows extra codes on top of sale prices. Amazon is hit-or-miss by product. Away is the toughest. Their Black Friday rate usually doesn’t stack with any other code.

One more layer people forget: store credit cards. Macy’s cardholders get 20-25% extra off during Star Rewards events. Stack that on a sale price and you can hit 60% total off list. That’s a real number on a $400 set.

Practical Tips Before You Buy

Set a price alert 4-6 weeks before a sale. Retailers sometimes inflate the “original price” before a sale event. Tracking the real price for a few weeks tells you if a discount is real.

Pick your must-have features before any sale starts. Sales create pressure to buy fast. That pressure leads to buying the wrong bag at a discount. Know your size, wheel type ([64% of travelers prefer 4-wheel spinners](https://wifitalents.com/statistical-insight/luggage-industry-statistics/)), and hard-shell vs. soft before you’re in the moment.

Check the return policy before buying. Some Black Friday deals and clearance items are final sale. That matters with luggage. You don’t know if a bag is right until you’ve used it.

58% of shoppers prioritize carry-ons to avoid rising checked-bag fees. If you’re buying a full set you only need half of, it’s not a real deal. Be honest about which sizes you’ll use.

Check outlet sections of brands you’re eyeing too. Discontinued colors get cleared at 40-60% off year-round. No timing needed. Samsonite and Travelpro rotate outlet stock often. Worth a look even in March or June when the sale calendar is quiet.

Frequently Asked Questions

What month is best to buy luggage?

Late August and September are the best months overall. Retailers clear summer stock before fall goods arrive, creating discounts of 40-70% on hard-shell sets. If you want premium brands like Away or Monos specifically, November (Black Friday) is the better target.

Does luggage go on sale in January?

Yes. January post-holiday clearance runs 30-60% off as retailers push out remaining stock. The trade-off is fewer color options. But if you’re flexible on colorway, January is one of the best months for luggage value all year.

Is Amazon Prime Day a good time to buy luggage?

Prime Day has become a good time to buy luggage. In 2025, average discounts on luggage ranged from 20-40%, with mid-range Samsonite and American Tourister sets hitting 35-55% off. It’s a good window for mainstream brands but doesn’t include premium direct-to-consumer luggage brands like Away or Monos.

Is there a best time of year to buy Away luggage?

Black Friday is the most reliable time. Away typically runs a flat 25% off sitewide for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Outside that, Away offers a first-time buyer discount year-round. But actual sitewide sales are rare outside the holiday window.

How much can you save on luggage during Black Friday?

It depends on the brand. Away and Monos ran flat 25% off sitewide in 2025. Samsonite went 40% off sitewide. Travelpro hit up to 50% off. Big-box retailers reached 70% off on mainstream brands. For premium labels specifically, Black Friday is the deepest discount window of the year.

When should I buy luggage to avoid price increases in 2026?

Buy at the next real sale window rather than waiting. Price hikes of 5-15% are already hitting entry-level and mid-range bags in 2026. Samsonite raised prices in 2025. Waiting until next year could mean paying a higher baseline price on top of missing the current window’s discount. Don’t wait.

Does luggage go on sale during Labor Day?

Yes. Labor Day in early September lands right inside the late summer clearance window. Retailers run Labor Day promos while clearing summer stock. You often get sale event pricing on top of clearance discounts at once. It’s one of the better weekends within the broader August-September buying period.

Sources

1. luggage-factories.com – Tariffs on Luggage 2026 Impact: Price increases of 5-15% on entry-level and mid-range bags due to freight surcharges and new trade policies (2026)
2. The Points Guy – Samsonite Raising Prices Tariffs: Samsonite price increase announcement following tariff changes (2025)
3. Mordor Intelligence – Luggage Market: Global luggage market worth $43.77 billion in 2026, growing at CAGR of 6.64% (2026)
4. OJCommerce – Best Time to Buy Luggage: End-of-summer clearance 40-70% off, January clearance 30-60% off (2025)
5. TravelFreak – Best Black Friday Luggage Deals: Away and Monos flat 25% off sitewide for Black Friday; big-box retailers up to 70% off (2025)
6. Town and Country Magazine – Black Friday Luggage Deals: Samsonite 40% off sitewide for Black Friday 2025
7. Good Housekeeping – Black Friday Luggage Deals: Travelpro up to 50% off for Black Friday 2025
8. Forbes – Prime Day Luggage Deals: Amazon Prime Day 2025 luggage average discounts 20-40%; Samsonite and American Tourister sets 35-55% off
9. WifiTalents – Luggage Industry Statistics: 58% of shoppers prioritize carry-ons to avoid checked-bag fees; 64% prefer 4-wheel spinners (2025)
10. GEICO – Best Time to Buy Guide: March flagged as a strong month for luggage deals due to model changeover (2026)

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