American Tourister has been mixing beautiful designs and affordability for a long time. One of their most well-known and well-reviewed suitcases is the American Tourister Moonlight medium checked bag. It’s a very affordable suitcase that rolls well, meets airline restrictions, and looks fantastic.
In this American Tourister Moonlight review, we’ll check out what this suitcase has to offer. We’ll find out how durable it is, what features it has, and find out how easy it is to move or carry it around. We’ll also compare it to other medium checked bags from American Tourister and similarly-priced brands, like Coolife and Kenneth Cole.
The Good
- Very affordable
- Lots of packing space
- Looks stunning
The Bad
- Comes with basic features
- Not durable enough for frequent travel
- Can get scratched somewhat easily
- Slightly heavier than most medium checked suitcases
Quick Take
The American Tourister Moonlight medium checked suitcase is an affordable option for leisure travelers who don’t travel more than ten times per year. It’s got great interior packing space, and it looks great. But, truth be told, we would have liked it if the bag had a few more features, like a TSA-approved lock. It could also see some improvements on the wheels.
Other than that, the suitcase is durable enough to last for a few years and a couple of dozen trips, whether they’re domestic or overseas. If you manage to catch it on a sale, then it’s a really solid choice in the affordable price range.
Full Review
Dimensions & Weight (7/10)
The American Tourister Moonlight is advertised as a 24-inch suitcase. This is partially true since the bag can be expanded by an extra inch or so. Its actual dimensions are 27.55 x 17.3 x 11.2 inches (70 x 44 x 28.5cm). Even though you won’t need to pay extra to check the bag, it is a bit on the bulkier side for a medium suitcase.
The interior packing space of the Moonlight matches its advertised dimensions since it measures 24 x 16 x 11 inches (61 x 40.5 x 28 cm). This is plenty of room for more than a week’s trip. Most customers said they managed to pack for 2-week trips once the bag was expanded. That’s pretty good for a checked suitcase, and if you pair it up with a carry-on, you’re looking at a 3-week or even 1-month worth of clothes.
In terms of its weight, the Moonlight checked suitcase is on the heavier side. It weighs in at 9.04lbs (4.1kg), which is slightly over the average weight of checked bags. On average, a medium-checked hardside suitcase weighs 8.97 lbs, which means that it’s only 1% above the average weight.
Materials & Water-Resistance (11/15)
The American Tourister Moonlight is made from a mix of ABS and polycarbonate. This plastic mix is more durable than ABS but a bit less durable than 100% virgin polycarbonate.
In terms of the quality of the material used, most customers said that it’s great. We couldn’t find complaints about the suitcase having dents or cracks. This is great news since you’ll have to check the bag, meaning that you’re putting it up against its greatest foe: the baggage handler.
That said, we found a concerning complaint by a few customers. Because of the material used, the bag had a strong chemical smell. While this is somewhat normal in affordable luggage, the reviews we read mentioned that the scent wouldn’t disappear even if the suitcase was left open for days. For some, this was enough to ask for a refund.
Just like other hardside suitcases, the Moonlight is reasonably water-resistant. While water can pass through the zipper lining, a slight drizzle on the case won’t be able to penetrate it. So, unless you get yourself in the middle of a storm, your clothes should stay dry.
Durability (13/20)
The main complaint about the American Tourister Moonlight is that it gets scratched very easily. While that’s expected, since the bag doesn’t have a scratch-resistant finish, it was interesting to see both 5-star and 1-star reviews complaining that the bag is full of scratches after just one trip. On top of that, many stated that the case would get scuffed, and some of it would peel off after a couple of trips.
The Moonlight’s wheels were also heavily criticized. Some customers mentioned that the wheels’ rubber would peel off after a few trips, while some wheels would get stuck inside the bag. There were also several complaints about them being completely broken in the first year of traveling.
We couldn’t find too many complaints about the zippers, which is great, because usually, zippers are the first ones to break. However, one major complaint that we did find is that the extra handles on the back can break off very easily, and the retractable one is flimsy. So, if you want to carry your bag, you should make sure that it’s not overpacked so that the handles don’t come off.
Moveability (11/15)
The American Tourister Moonlight is not the easiest bag to maneuver, but it can get around without too much hassle, as long as its wheels and handles stay intact.
It comes with four regular spinner wheels. They received mixed reviews, with some saying that they roll very easily, while other customers said they barely managed to move the bag outside the airport.
Thankfully, the bag comes with a couple of extra handles on the side and top of the case, as well as a retractable handle. These might not be the best in terms of quality, but they’re still somewhat usable. That said, a bottom handle would have also been an excellent addition to the suitcase.
Additional Features (5/10)
The American Tourister Moonlight doesn’t come with too many features to get excited about. Unfortunately, it doesn’t come with a TSA-approved lock, unlike most hardside suitcases in this price range.
Its interior, though, is great. While it might not have anything to write home about, the compartmentalization is pretty good for a cheap bag. The main compartment comes with tie-down straps that should keep all your belongings in place and a small pouch for toiletries on the side of the compartment.
The second part of the bag has a zippered mesh pocket, where you could fit your underwear, an extra pair of shoes, or all the laundry you’ll have after a two-week trip. The bag is also expandable, so you’ll be able to fit a few more clothes or gifts if you need to.
Design (9/10)
Even though we haven’t said too many good things about the American Tourister Moonlight checked suitcase, we’ve got to admit that it looks gorgeous. We think that the Moonlight is amongst the most beautiful American Tourister suitcases.
The bag comes in several colors. There are plain ones like the Anthracite and the Teal Blue and fancier ones like the Iridescent and the Marble ones. This variety is what allows the suitcase to be versatile, and we think that you’ll find at least one color that you’ll like. Its interior is also noteworthy, with some colors like the Rose Gold one having a very elegant interior design.
That said, Moonlight doesn’t score a perfect 10 out of 10 because we found several reviews mentioning that some colors don’t look as vivid in person. Still, there’s no doubt that the Moonlight is a beautiful bag.
Warranty (7/10)
American Tourister was bought by Samsonite a few years ago. So, every one of its suitcases has similar warranty terms to what Samsonite offers. American Tourister offers three different warranty periods, including a 3-year one, a 10-year one, and a lifetime warranty for some select bags.
The Moonlight suitcases come with a 10-year limited global warranty. According to the warranty terms, American Tourister will accept the warranty claim if the issue with it is evaluated as a manufacturing defect. So, if the damage is caused by any misuse on your part or by lousy handling from the baggage handlers, you won’t get a replacement part or a refund.
That might sound good on paper, but there’s a big caveat. You’re responsible for paying all shipping costs, even if you bring the bag to an official store. Plus, you won’t be able to file a warranty claim if you’re not the original owner of the suitcase. On top of that, American Tourister can deny your claim if they don’t think it’s a manufacturing defect.
Value (7/10)
The American Tourister Moonlight is somewhat weirdly priced on Amazon. Some of its color variations can cost upwards of 350$, and some just over 100$. So before you get one, double-check all color variations to find the cheapest ones. Although they may market it in the luxury class, it’s really somewhere in between affordable and medium-end, when you take into account what materials they’ve used, what features it comes with, the warranty, and other factors. We wouldn’t recommend paying more than 150$ for the American Tourister Moonlight 24-Inch checked suitcase.
Sometimes, you can even catch it in a sale for less than 100$, and if you do, then it’s a really good deal. Below 100$, you won’t find many suitcases that are better than the American Tourister Moonlight.
How Does the Moonlight Compare to Similar Suitcases?
American Tourister has a couple of bags that we think are very similar to the Moonlight: the American Tourister Stratum XLT and the hardside version of the American Tourister Belle Voyage.
Out of the three suitcases, the most expensive one is the Belle Voyage. That said, despite being made from ABS, the Belle Voyage is the best one out of the three. It has double spinner wheels, which are better than the regular ones that Moonlight comes with, has great compartmentalization, and looks stunning.
The Stratum XLT is even more affordable, and it weighs less than the other two bags. Its interior and dimensions are very similar to the Moonlight, while both of them look lovely.
When it comes to suitcases from other brands, we think that the closest competitors to the Moonlight are the Coolife PC+ABS Spinner and the Kenneth Cole Reaction Out Of Bounds. Both of the bags are lighter than the Moonlight, and they come in a variety of colors, albeit not being as beautiful as American Tourister’s bag.
Out of the three, the best-reviewed one is the Reaction Out Of Bounds, while the suitcase from Coolife is as durable as the Moonlight. All three bags have similar wheels and interiors and are priced the same.
Read Next: Kenneth Cole Reaction Renegade 20-Inch Carry-On Review
Our Verdict
The American Tourister Moonlight medium checked suitcase is a great hardside suitcase if you catch it on a sale. It’s received great reviews, it’s gorgeous, and it’s reasonably durable.
That said, there are definitely better checked suitcases than the Moonlight. The hardside version of the Belle Voyage is an excellent alternative by American Tourister. The Moonlight has also received several complaints about its wheels breaking and not rolling well, which we couldn’t find in the Belle Voyage’s reviews.
The American Tourister Moonlight should easily last you a few trips for less than $100. We’d suggest this to leisure travelers who don’t want to spend a fortune on luggage and business travelers looking for something fancier in their bags.
(5 votes, average: 4.80 out of 5)
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