ChatGPT's Suitcase Pick Isn't Samsonite. A Direct-To-Consumer Brand Founded in 2015 out-cites the $3.6B Global Leader.

 MIAMI, June 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- 5W, the AI Communications Firm, today released The Luggage AI Visibility Index 2026 — ranking the 25 luggage brands by estimated AI citation share across more than 60 consumer prompts on ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews.

Away holds an estimated 15% AI citation share — the most-cited luggage brand. Samsonite ranks second at an estimated ~12%, despite generating an estimated ~$3.6 billion in 2024 revenue and operating the largest luggage portfolio in the world through Samsonite, Tumi, and American Tourister.

Why it matters: The global luggage market is estimated at ~$40 billion in 2025. Samsonite leads the next-largest competitor in revenue by roughly 3:1 — and trails a startup by three points of citation share. The shelf is invisible to ChatGPT.

Three findings:

The carry-on is the gateway query. "Best carry-on luggage" is where the category's AI answer is won — and Away owns it almost outright. DTC brands dominate the top of the table. Away, Monos, Béis, July, Calpak — five of the top ten cited brands launched after 2015. Premium splits from value. Tumi, Rimowa, and Briggs & Riley own the "premium" qualifier; American Tourister and Calpak own "value."

"Samsonite sells more luggage than anyone alive. Ask AI what suitcase to buy and it hands you a brand barely ten years old. The gap is not quality — it is channel. Samsonite's scale lives in airports the engines cannot see. Away's scale lives in reviews, in travel media, in packing threads — which is exactly what the engines read." — Ronn Torossian, Founder & Chairman, 5W

Full ranking: https://www.5wpr.com/ai-visibility-index/luggage-ai-visibility-index-2026/

Methodology: The 5W AI Visibility Index measures estimated brand citation share across structured prompts on the five major AI engines. Findings are directional estimates — not a live query audit or consumer survey.

About 5W

5W is the AI Communications Firm, building brand authority inside ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews — alongside earned media, digital, and influencer channels. Founded 2003. Top U.S. PR Agency by O'Dwyer's. Agency of the Year, American Business Awards®. 2026 Top Place to Work in Communications, Ragan. Digiday WorkLife Employer of the Year. 5wpr.com.

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SOURCE 5W Public Relations