The Best Lightweight 62-Inch Suitcases Available - Top Rated in 2023

Suitcases are limited in size by most airlines to a standard maximum size of 62 inches / 158 cm in Linear Dimensions (L+W+H). Having a large suitcase makes it easy to pack, but we need to remember to still stay within the 50 lbs / 23 kg weight limit (or even 40 lbs on some Low-Cost Airlines) to avoid being dinged those pesky Overweight Baggage fees.  This is where a lightweight suitcase comes in.

When packing into a large suitcase, it's easy to quickly exceed that 50 lbs weight limit.  A typical Large suitcase, when empty, can weigh up to 14-15 lbs, quickly eating up a significant part of your luggage allowance.  We have done the research for you to find the Best Lightweight 62-inch Suitcases that weigh in at less than 10 lbs, making sure you don't get charged any Overweight Baggage fees on your next trip. [AMZ asins='']

A Note on Maximum Luggage Size

The standard Max Size for most airlines is 62 inches / 158 cm, including any handles/wheels, which in a typical rectangular suitcase shape would be 30 x 20 x 12 inches. Many manufacturers of Large-Sized suitcases try to stretch the rules a little bit, with some of their larger pieces of luggage slightly exceeding these dimensions - such as the best-selling Samsonite Winfield 2 28" Suitcase coming in at 31 x 20 x 12.75 inches (Linear Dimensions = 63.75) with the wheels and handles. 

With most airlines, exeeding the maximum dimensions with large suitcases that get up to 64-65 inches (L+W+H) should not be an issue, unless you happen to luck into a stickler check-in agent having a really bad day and they decide to pull out a tape measure - the airlines are definitely much stricter when it comes to not exceeding the 50 lbs weight limit at the check-in desk. 

Top Rated and Best Selling Lightweight Max-Size 62" Luggage

If you don't want to read through our reviews, here are the links to view our top picks for the Best Lightweight Max-Size 62 Inch Suitcases:

Best Lightweight Hard-Sided Suitcase: Samsonite FreeForm Hardsided Spinner 28 Inch - 9.5 LBS

Best Lightweight Soft-Sided Suitcase: VERDI Softside 28" Expandable Soft Spinner - 8.3 LBS

Luggage Scale:  Etekcity Luggage Scale - 30,000 5-Star Reviews

How to Weigh Your Luggage?

The easiest way to weigh your luggage is with a handheld luggage scale.  You can order one from Amazon for under $20, and you simply loop the scale around the handle of your suitcase, lift it up, and get your reading.  We like the Etekcity Luggage Scale for its lightweight yet sturdy rubber-textured handle and accurate readings, but any luggage scale will do.

If you don't have a luggage scale, you can use your bathroom scale to get a rough estimate of your luggage weight. Weigh yourself without your luggage, then weigh yourself again while holding your suitcase, and subtract to get the difference.  This isn't 100% accurate, but it's good enough for a rough estimate.  Placing your luggage directly on the bathroom scale will not get you an accurate reading.  Save yourself the hassle and simply order a luggage scale, it'll last you for the next 10 years or more.

Does Soft-Sided or Hard-Sided Luggage Weigh Less?

In general, a soft-sided suitcase will be about 1 - 1.5 lbs lighter than a hard-sided suitcase, but it all depends on the materials used. Large Polyester and Nylon Soft-Sided Suitcases come in at around 9.5-10 lbs, whereas a Plastic Hard-Sided suitcase is typically 10 - 10.5 lbs. Ballistic Nylon Soft-Sided Suitcases (12.5 lbs) and Aluminium Hard-Sided Suitcases (14.5 lbs) are both slightly heavier options, although more durable.

The Best Lightweight Hard-Sided 62 Inch Suitcases

Recommended: Samsonite FreeForm Hardsided Spinner 28 Inch - 9.5 LBS

The best-selling 28" hard-sided suitcase from Samsonite comes in at a featherweight 9.5 lbs, almost unheard of for a Max-Size hard-sided spinner suitcase to weigh less than 10 lbs.  The packable dimensions are 27.6" x 20.0" x 13.0" providing plenty of space to pack easily, with the spinner wheels extending its overall outside dimensions to 31.1" x 20.95" x 13.78", for total linear dimensions of 65.83 inches. This is slightly over the max 62" limit of most airlines, but thousands of reviews have confirmed that it is accepted by almost all major airlines without any issue.   

We like the zipped divider on one side, as opposed to a clipped divider on some other models, but in an ideal world we would love to have a zipped divider both sides.  The Samsonite FreeForm is also expandable to add about 15% extra storage space inside, making it easier to close the suitcase, and if you wish you can then zip-up the expansion to compress it back to its original size.  It also includes a built-in TSA Combination Lock to keep your belongings safe.

Buy the Samsonite FreeForm Hardsided Spinner on Amazon

Budget Option: AmazonBasics Hardside Spinner 30 Inch - 12.2 LBS

The AmazonBasics Hardside Spinner is slightly heavier than the Samsonite FreeForm, coming in at 12.2 lbs (about 2.5 lbs more), it is quite a bit lighter on the wallet.  Just like the Samsonite FreeForm, the Amazon Basics 30 Inch model maximizes your packing space as a Max-Size checked luggage - exterior dimensions come are 12.7 x 21 x 30.7 inches including wheels, for total linear dimensions of 64.4 inches.  Again, like the Samsonite FreeForm, this just barely exceeds the 62-inch maximum of most airlines, but it should not be an issue and will be accepted by all major airlines without any trouble.

Just like the Samsonite, the AmazonBasics suitcase has a zippered divider on one side for easy closing (again, we would prefer both sides to have zipped dividers), and is also expandable for extra storage.  The main feature that is lacking is that there is no lock built-in to the suitcase.

Buy the AmazonBasics Hardside Spinner 30 Inch on Amazon

The Best Lightweight Soft-Sided 62-Inch Luggage

Travelpro Maxlite 5 Expandable 29" Softside - 8.5 LBS

The Travelpro Maxlite 5 29" is a large soft-sided suitcase weighing in at a mere 8.5 lbs. It is a 1/2 pound lighter than the previous model Maxlite 4, with exterior dimensions coming in at 31x21x13, meaning total linear dimensions of 65".  Once again, this is larger than the typical allowed 62", but it is unlikely to cause any issues with most airlines.

Interior dimensions of the Maxlite 5 are 29 x 20.5 x 8.5 inches, a pretty long and wide cavity to pack into, which is not as deep as some other suitcases, but with the option to expand for an additional 2 inches of depth.

Buy the Travelpro Maxlite 5 29" on Amazon

VERDI Softside 28" Expandable Soft Spinner - 8.3 LBS

The VERDI Travel Softside 28" Expandable Suitcase is a more compact design offering maximum packing volume while staying just within the 62" Max-Size of most airlines.  It weighs just 8.3 lbs, allowing you to fill this suitcase up with your entire closet for your next trip.  

This suitcase has interior dimensions of 27.56 x 12.6 x 18.11 expands for an additional 2 inches of storage, offering more storage than the Travelpro Maxlite at a lighter weight (8.3 lbs vs 8.5 lbs).  We like the 360 degree double spinner wheels, and that thanks to its squat design it can remain upright, unlike many other soft-sided suitcases that tend to tip over.

Buy the VERDI Softside 28" Expandable Soft Spinner on Amazon

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