Wyndham Wisdom

Carrying On

Extra luggage fees? These capacious bags solve the problem

1. TOUGH CASE
The polycarbonate shell on the superlightweight (8 pounds), 22-inch rolling bag from Titan's 360° Four Diamond Edition collection is virtually scratchproof--that is, it'll take anything a disgruntled passenger might throw at it in the overhead bin. (titanluggageusa.com; $600)

2. SMOOTH CUSTOMER
George Clooney wannabes should check out Tommy Bahama's Tuscany Leather carry-on. With its distinctive shape and brass hardware, the bag has style to spare, and the roomy interior has plenty of space for your cool leather jacket. (tommybahama.com; $695)

3. BACK TO BASICS
Travelpro's Platinum 6 20-inch Rollaboard is the little black dress of the luggage world. In other words: the perfect practical bag. It's light (under 10 pounds), and the built-in stability system helps avoid tipping. Plus it expands by 2½-inches--room enough for a few little black dresses. (travelpro.com; $300)

4. DOUBLE DUTY
Perfect for active travelers, Eagle Creek's Tarmac Plus One is super- lightweight and made of durable, water-resistant ballistic nylon. A zip-off backpack lets you go from the terminal to the trail in a flash. (eaglecreek.com; $295)

5. STYLISH TRAVELER
Fashion-forward globetrotters will love Tumi's Voyageur Avignon. The 20-inch wheeled nylon carry-on has plenty of pockets and expands 2 inches. More importantly, it comes in several different prints--including brown zebra and python (shown here)--which means you'll never grab the wrong bag again. (tumi.com; $495)

6. FOR THE JET SET
Paris designers Viktor & Rolf emblazoned the latest bag in Samsonite's Black Label collection with a cheeky, vintage-inspired airplane print. Practical touches like padded compartments and wheels that spin 360 degrees make it worthy of the Samsonite name. (samsoniteblacklabel.com; $775)