The best way to buy Away luggage in 2026

Retailer overview

Away was founded in 2015 and built itself into one of the dominant direct-to-consumer luggage brands by combining smart industrial design, a price point under Tumi and Rimowa, and a brand voice that resonated with the millennial frequent flyer. Jessica Schinazi is CEO and co-founder Jen Rubio is executive chairman; there’s been no ownership change in 2026. The Carry-On starts at $275 and the Bigger Carry-On at $295.

Away’s discount structure changed between our May and September checks. The portal layer collapsed, the referral got bigger but stricter, and Away leaned harder into its own promotions: seasonal sales, bundles, and the Reclaimed store.

Cashback portal strategy

Rakuten is the only portal option and it’s a rounding error on a $300 bag. Activate it anyway, in a clean session with ad blockers off; just don’t let it drive the decision.

How Rakuten works, and how to get the $50 welcome bonus →

Credit card / card-offer strategy

The card layer at Away is Chase, not Amex. A Chase Offer of $100 back on $400 (Sapphire Preferred) or $200 back on $500 (Sapphire Reserve) ran in May 2025 and again in May 2026. That’s a 25-40% discount on a single bag, and it stacks with the referral and the portal because it’s a statement credit. It’s expired now; if the pattern holds, look for it in May 2027.

No Away Amex Offer surfaced for 2025 or 2026.

Referral and discount programs

• Referral: $40 off a first order of $125+, $40 to the referrer when it ships. US only, five referrals max per referrer, full-price items only, not combinable with the welcome code or bundles.
• Welcome code: 10% off a first order for email or SMS signup. Can’t combine with the referral, and the referral is worth more on anything over $400.
• ID.me community discount: 10% for military, medical workers, teachers, and students. Doesn’t combine with the referral.
• Bundles: $50 off a qualifying suitcase plus bag (August 19 to November 18, 2026); up to $100 off two or three suitcases, year-round.
• Away Reclaimed: reclaimed.awaytravel.com. Returned and cosmetically imperfect bags in three grades, roughly 20-30% off. No LifetimeCare, 7-day returns.

Best time of year to buy

If your trip is more than eight weeks out and it’s after Labor Day, wait for Black Friday.

Common exclusions and fine print

• The referral, welcome code, ID.me discount, and bundles don’t combine with each other; pick the biggest
• The referral applies to full-price items only
• Rakuten excludes gift cards and reseller orders; unlisted codes may void cashback
• Reclaimed bags carry no LifetimeCare warranty and a 7-day return window
• Returns on regular orders void cashback proportionally

Checkout sequence

1. Check the calendar. Late November or May? Wait for the window. Otherwise, continue.
2. Check Chase Offers on every Chase card for an Away offer.
3. Pick the single biggest discount: referral ($40 on $125+), ID.me 10%, or welcome 10%.
4. Clean browser session, ad blockers off. Activate Rakuten and click through to awaytravel.com.
5. Open the referral link (if that's your pick) after the Rakuten click, add items, apply at checkout.
6. Pay with the card holding a Chase Offer, or your best flat-return card.
7. Confirm Rakuten shows the order pending within 48 hours.

FAQ

Written and verified by the Stackable team · Paxton Pennington, founder

Stackable started when a search for the best week to buy luggage turned up only coupon sites that were wrong, expired, or worse. Every page here is the team reading the portal's own store page, the issuer's offer terms, and the retailer's policies, on the date shown, with a named person accountable for it. How pages are made · LinkedIn