Best Professional Travel Briefcases for Business in 2023

best travel briefcases

If you are looking for an easy and stylish way to transport your laptop and documents from when your on the move, then you can’t go wrong with a briefcase.

But when you're traveling, you have to consider how durable it is, as well as pockets for ease of access to your passport and boarding pass.

You also want it to look smart, particularly if you're traveling with work, so choosing leather is a must.

In this post, we go over our top picks for a travel briefcase:

Best Travel Briefcases 2023

Here we have our choice for the best travel briefcases by type and style:

Best Laptop Briefcase for Business Travel

Winner: Essential Modern Briefcase

The Essential briefcase is very practical while remaining very professional. It's ideal for those looking for two external zipped pockets, which makes it convenient to separate different items. It easily holds a 15.6 inch laptop in the dedicated compartment, with plenty of other sub-pockets for other travel essentials. The full grain leather means it looks smart and will age well, unlike cheap canvas bags that look tatty over time. It comes with a shoulder strap too, perfect for moving fast through the airport.

Pros:

Full grain leather
Detachable shoulder strap
15.6 inch laptop zipper pocket
Large external pocket.
Two large zipped internal pockets
Handmade in Italy
Can be personalized
Available in black, brown, or tan.

Click here to check the price

Best Luxury Laptop Briefcase

Winner: No.1 Men's Leather Briefcase

If you prefer a more traditional style of briefcase with a top clasp, then the No.1 Briefcase is for you. It features a classic over the top cover with lockable front clasp, as well as heavy duty handles linked with brass fittings. The central compartment holds up to a 15.6 inch laptop, and the two other pockets are ideal for other travel essentials like chargers, books, and passport. The full grain leather is very stylish, particularly in the black colour.

Pros:

Full grain leather.
Handmade in Florence, Italy.
Soft cotton lining.
Durable YKK solid brass zippers.
Locking function.
Structured edges.
Top handle
Detachable shoulder strap.
Dedicated 15.6 inch laptop compartment.
Multiple inner compartments.
Can be personalized.
Available in black, tan, or brown leather.

Click here to check the price

Best Large 17-Inch Laptop Briefcase

Winner: CITY Large Laptop Briefcase

If you own a larger laptop, then this is the best choice for you, as the CITY Large is the only one on this list that can handle a 17 inch laptop. It features a traditional laptop bag design, but made from full grain leather to keep it professional. The zipped exterior pocket makes it easy to keep your passport and boarding pass to hand when moving through the airport. It comes with a shoulder strap too.

Pros:

17 inch laptop compartment.
Full grain leather.
Handmade in Florence, Italy.
Soft cotton lining.
Durable YKK brass zippers.
Spacious design, without being bulky.
Can be personalized.

The CITY large is available in black, brown, or tan leather.

Browse the CITY Large online here.

Best Messenger Travel Briefcase

Winner: Exquisite Slim Leather Laptop Briefcase

If you want a slightly cheaper briefcase without sacrificing the full grain leather, then the Exquisite is ideal. It features a slim profile, with one compartment split into two, one side being the dedicated 14 inch laptop compartment. It comes with two side attached handles, and a detachable shoulder strap.

Pros:

Full grain leather
Slim profile
Detachable shoulder strap
14 inch laptop compartment
Mobile and tablet slip pockets
Large internal zipped pocket
Three pen slots
Fits A4 size paper
Handmade in Italy
Can be personalized
Available in black, brown, red, or tan.

Click here to check the price

Best Convertible Travel Briefcase Backpack

Winner: 10X Leather Laptop Backpack

Pros:

Fits under airline seats
Convertible bag for every situation
Unisex
Top and side handles
Full grain leather
Can convert from backpack to shoulder bag
Fits up to 15.6 inch laptop or tablet.
Handmade in Italy
Can be personalized
Available in brown, tan, black, or red.

Click here to check the price

Best Wheeled Travel Briefcase

Winner: Voyager Leather Carry-on with Wheels

Pros:

Full grain leather
Hand luggage compliant.
16 inch laptop sleeve.
Luggage tag included.
Two exterior pockets for easy-to-reach items.
Durable cotton lining and YKK zippers.
Handmade in Italy
Designer travel bag.
Can be personalized

Click here to check the price

Best Travel Briefcase Garment Bag

Winner: Grand Leather Garment Bag

Pros:

Full grain leather
Dedicated garment carrier.
Carry-on luggage size.
Carry a suit and shirt without creasing.
Large main compartment for other items.
16 inch laptop compartment.
Perfect for the gym or business travel.
Adjustable shoulder strap.
Durable cotton lining and YKK zippers.
Handmade in Italy
Can be personalized

Click here to check the price

Best Weekender Style Travel Briefcase

Winner: Weekender Leather Travel Bag

Pros:

Full grain leather
16 inch internal padded laptop sleeve.
Carry-on luggage size.
Internal zipped pocket for travel essentials like your passport.
Plenty of space for all your gear.
Ideal for the gym or business travel.
Adjustable shoulder strap.
Durable cotton lining and YKK zippers.
Perfect overnight bag.
Handmade in Italy
Can be personalized

Click here to check the price

How to Choose a Briefcase

There are many features to consider before you purchase your next briefcase. Take a look at the following list to help you choose your ideal briefcase.

Size

The most important thing you will carry in your briefcase will most likely be your laptop so you need to make sure it fits! Either measure your laptop or better yet take your laptop with you when searching for a briefcase to make sure it fits securely into the padded laptop compartment. Remember, however, if you are planning to use your briefcase for school or work you will need to easily fit not only your laptop but all of your textbooks and work documents as well. If you are shopping online take the time to carefully read the briefcase description (including the size) before purchasing.

Use Cases

Carefully consider what you will be using your briefcase for. Some briefcases have expandable compartments and are ideal for carrying gym gear, your lunch bag, or even extra clothes for an overnight trip. Other briefcases offer durability and extra protection for your laptop but may not include extra compartments, perfect if you are simply using the briefcase to transport your laptop to work and back.

Material Quality

A briefcase can vary a lot in its durability and quality based simply on the material it is made from. The most popular materials used in making briefcases are nylon, polyester, and genuine leather.

If durability is your main priority go with a briefcase made of thick ballistic nylon. Nylon has great protective qualities, and you can be sure your important items inside the briefcase will be safe in any kind of weather. In addition, nylon does not rip or tear easily, you can toss your briefcase into the overhead bin on an airplane or even spill a drink on it and be assured that your briefcase will be just fine.

Unfortunately, nylon does not make for the most professional looking of briefcases and may not be suitable if you are going for a sophisticated addition to your outfit.

If classy and aesthetically pleasing is your goal, spend a little bit extra and go for a genuine leather briefcase. A sleek leather briefcase gives anyone a suave professional look. Leather briefcases not only look great they are also very durable. The main disadvantage to leather is that it does require a fair amount of maintenance.

Leather can be damaged if it is exposed to too much sun, wind, and rain. In addition, your leather briefcase will need to be cleaned with specifically designed leather cleaning products and oiled every so often to keep it looking good.

Finally, the most inexpensive type of briefcase is a polyester briefcase. A polyester bag will look very similar to a nylon bag, but it will not be as durable as either ballistic nylon or leather. The main advantage of a polyester briefcase is its affordable price.

Feel and Comfort

These days briefcases are designed to be easy and comfortable to carry with ergonomic shoulder straps and sometimes even wheels. Some briefcases have front flap pockets, making it easier to access small items like a cell phone or passport. Wide-mouth zippers are another great feature that allows you to easily move a laptop in and out of the bag.

Related:

Should You Have a Wheeled Briefcase?

There are a few circumstances in which having wheels on your briefcase will be important.

For those with back pain, wheeled briefcases can really help to take the load of and protect your back.

Also if you're going to struggle carrying it through an airport or while traveling, then you should consider a wheeled option.

Just remember that a wheeled case can't be brought onto a table when you're at work, so unpacking it can be awkward and unprofessional.

FAQs

Suitcases vs Briefcases

A suitcase is typically used for clothes and toiletries when going on a trip. While a briefcase could hold clothes and toiletries, of course, it is more typically used for business type uses such as carrying documents, files or a laptop.

Related:

Briefcases and Back Pain

If your briefcase is heavy and you typically carry it by the handle with one hand it could be bad for your back. If you use an ergonomic strap and keep your briefcase fairly lightweight, you should not have any back issues. If you are finding your back is getting sore, consider a briefcase with wheels.

Are Hard Shell Briefcases Cool?

Hard briefcases used to be very common but most modern-day briefcases have a soft shell. It is rare to see a business professional carrying a hard-shell briefcase as they are no longer as fashionable.

Do Laptops Fit in a Briefcase?

Yes! Most briefcases come with a 15-inch padded laptop compartment although it is possible to get a briefcase that fits a larger laptop.

Related:

Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed our article on the best travel briefcases.

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