Away
Away sells DTC luggage and travel gear online and in about 17 stores.
On the record
Checkpoint: Any new priced funding round, which would confirm or break the $1.4B valuation
The call
Away built a recognizable brand but has not grown revenue past its 2019 peak, and cloned rivals plus a margin-thinning wholesale push are the main pressure, not AI.
Away makes colorful, modern-looking suitcases and travel bags sold mainly online, cutting out the middleman to keep prices lower. The problem is that other companies like Monos and July copied Away's look and matched its quality, so there is nothing unique that customers cannot get elsewhere; big luggage makers like Samsonite and Rimowa also compete. Away's sales have dropped from $300 million to $150 million over seven years, it has laid off workers twice, and it started selling through Amazon and Nordstrom instead of just its own website, which cuts into profits. The one thing that could turn this around would be a hit product or a major shift in how the company operates, but right now the biggest sign to watch is whether Away gets acquired at a lower price than it was worth before, which would mean investors lost money.
Why
01
AI pressure: None apparent. No AI product is named as eating Away's business; the pressure here is cloned aesthetics and price, not algorithms. Could AI do the core job? Unlikely.
02
Bigger players: Samsonite (Tumi), Monos, July, Béis. Revenue has stalled near $150M+ for years after peaking near $300M in 2019, while Monos, July, and Béis clone the look at similar prices. Could a giant copy it? Yes, easily.
03
What protects it. Brand recognition and an existing store and wholesale footprint (Amazon, Nordstrom, Dick's, Amtrak) that newer clones haven't matched yet.
What would change this call
Away raises a new priced funding round in the next year. A round below $1.4B would confirm equity value has fallen since 2019.
Public reporting on Away's Nordstrom and Amazon wholesale sell-through in 2026. Weak sell-through would show the wholesale pivot is not offsetting DTC stagnation.
Another executive departure or CEO change under Jen Schinazi within a year. Continued leadership churn would signal ongoing instability rather than a turnaround.
Public reporting on Away's Nordstrom and Amazon wholesale sell-through in 2026. Weak sell-through would show the wholesale pivot is not offsetting DTC stagnation.
Another executive departure or CEO change under Jen Schinazi within a year. Continued leadership churn would signal ongoing instability rather than a turnaround.
Key numbers
- Revenue peak ~$300M in 2019, now $150M+
- $1.4B valuation set May 2019, no priced round since
- ~17 stores across US, UK, Canada
Named risks
- No priced funding round since 2020 convertible note, equity likely underwater at $1.4B mark.
- Two layoff waves (Feb 2024, May 2025) signal managed decline rather than growth.
- Zipper failures and April 2026 warranty downgrade eroding brand trust and reviews.
- Wholesale pivot to Amazon, Nordstrom, Dick's may dilute DTC margins.
- July 2026 forced-labor tariff litigation on 60 economies could raise import costs on China-manufactured luggage.
Rivals, as read in July 2026
| Rival | Direction | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Monos | contesting | Cloned aesthetic and matched product parity per Forbes 2026 luggage review |
| July | gaining on | Forbes Vetted 2026 named July's checked luggage best-in-class over Away |
| Béis | contesting | Cited by Forbes 2026 as cloning Away's brand aesthetic with matched product parity |
| Samsonite (Tumi) | gaining on | Owns Tumi since 2016; faces no capital or channel barrier to matching Away's product |
| Rimowa | contesting | Legacy premium incumbent named as adjacent competitor, 2026 brief |
| Travelpro | contesting | Legacy incumbent with no structural block to matching Away's pricing, 2026 brief |
Questions people ask
- Is Away profitable in 2026?
- Away has not disclosed profitability. Its Wikipedia infobox lists revenue at '$150+ million,' down from a 2019 peak near $300M, and it has taken no new priced funding round since a 2020 convertible note, suggesting margin pressure rather than growth as of mid-2026.
- Who is Away's biggest competitor?
- Away faces DTC clones Monos, July, and Béis, which Forbes' 2026 luggage guide rated as matching or beating Away on specific products (July won best checked luggage), plus legacy giant Samsonite, which already owns Tumi and can match Away's pricing without a structural barrier.
- Is Away still worth $1.4 billion?
- Away's last priced valuation was $1.4 billion from its May 2019 Series D (~$100M, led by Wellington Management). No new priced round has followed, only a $30-40M convertible note in 2020 at a discounted cap, so the $1.4B figure is stale as of mid-2026.
- Could AI replace Away's luggage business?
- AI cannot manufacture or distribute physical suitcases, so Away's core product isn't directly automatable as of 2026. However, AI-generated comparison content is eroding the organic SEO traffic that historically drove Away's direct-to-consumer customer acquisition.
- Did Away change CEOs recently?
- Yes. Co-founder Jen Rubio stepped down as CEO in 2025 to become Executive Chair. Jessica Schinazi, previously of Dyson, LVMH, and Amazon, became CEO after joining as President in late 2024, per a June 2, 2025 announcement.
- Is Away's luggage quality declining?
- Away discontinued its signature built-in phone charger by 2023, switched away from YKK zippers after 2023 with reported failure complaints in 2026, and in April 2026 replaced its lifetime-replacement warranty with 'LifetimeCare,' guaranteeing free repairs for only five years.
Timeline
- 2026-07-24Away's cooler tote product reported by Gear Patrol; forced-labor tariff litigation filed on 60 economies same week
- 2026-05-07Amtrak partnership launched with Topside Collection featuring locking wheels for train travel
- 2026-04-14Away overhauls warranty to LifetimeCare, cutting free repair guarantee to first five years
- 2026-02-24Away launches Softside Garment Roller, a hybrid checked/garment bag
- 2025-06-02Jessica Schinazi named CEO, replacing co-founder Jen Rubio who becomes Executive Chair
- 2025-05Away lays off 22 employees including chief commercial officer; expands wholesale to Amazon and Nordstrom
- 2024-07Away launches softside quilted luggage line
- 2024-02Away cuts 25% of internal staff
- 2020Away raises $30-40M convertible note at a discount to 2019 Series D valuation
- 2019-05Away raises ~$100M Series D at $1.4 billion valuation led by Wellington Management
Revision history
29 July 2026
First assessed. Losing its protection. The text above is fixed as of this date and is not edited afterwards.
In the same band
Sources
- Away (company)
- Built for modern travel
- Away, Instagram's favorite suitcase brand, is now worth $1.4 billion (2019-06-01)
- Exclusive: Trendy luggage brand Away quietly laid off chief commercial officer, 21 others (2026-06-22)
- Away, an Original Internet Darling, Will Sell Its Luggage in More Places (2025-05-15)
- Amtrak and Away Partner for a More Premium Travel Experience (2026-05-07)
- Away Just Cut 25 Percent of Its Staff (2024-02-14)
- Away - Headcount, Funding & Open Jobs (2026-07-05)
- Working at Away (2026-07-04)
- Away CEO Jen Rubio expands luggage brand into soft-shell bags and puts IPO on the back burner (2024-06-27)
- Away Quietly Launched a Whole New Luggage Category (2026-03-24)
- Did a Luggage Brand Just Make the Most Versatile Cooler Bag of 2026? (2026-07-24)