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Amtrak Just Upgraded First Class on the Popular Acela Service
'These elevated touches will add to the experience on board and improve expectations for what to expect on Amtrak and Acela First Class,' Amtrak said in a statement, adding "they reflect a larger commitment to redefining hospitality and positioning Amtrak as the leader in premium service."
The new menu, which is now available on all Acela routes, was developed by James Beard award-winning restaurateur Stephen Starr whose restaurants are located in New York, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Florida, and Nashville, and include popular spots like Buddakan, Electric Lemon, Pastis, and The Clock Tower.
Each main dish was inspired by one of Starr's famed restaurants, including the Charred Bobo Chicken with acorn squash and aji verde sauce from St. Anselm, the Washington D.C. outpost of the American tavern, as well as the ricotta ravioli with a plum tomato sauce from Philadelphia's Parc. Or feast on the crab enchiladas with coconut, poblano peppers, and corn from Washington D.C.'s El Presidente, served up with a guajillo chili glaze and topped with lime crema and queso fresco. Each meal service is also accompanied by a variety of premium wine and spirits as well as soft drinks. Some of the elevated onboard dining in the Acela First Class cabins.
The rail company said it also recently upgraded its tableware and now serves meals with luxury amenities like linen table cloths and a hot towel service.
Popular among business and leisure travelers throughout the Northeast Corridor, the Acela line stretches from Boston to Washington, D.C., with several stops along the way, including in New York City and Philadelphia. The train operates as an express service with fewer local stops and higher speeds, allowing passengers to get to their location faster.
In addition to the elevated dining, first class passengers on Acela are also treated to other perks, like access to station lounges, including the Metropolitan Lounge at New York's Moynihan Train Hall, which features large glass windows, contemporary flooring, Wi-Fi, and snacks. On board, first class passengers also enjoy more legroom and comfortable seating (complete with adjustable headrests, lumbar support, and footrests).
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The Details: Hardside | 23 x 15 x 10 inches | 6.5 pounds | Expandable (1 inch) | Polycarbonate | 4 dual spinner wheels Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Tumi $779 $623 at Amazon View on Coming in right behind our beloved Samsonite Freeform is the Tumi Alpha Dual Access Carry-on. This close contender fell just short of our Best Overall slot due to its heaviness and lack of open packing space, but it's a sophisticated piece of luggage that's in a league of its own when it comes to organization and helpful features. 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The Details: Softside | 22 x 14 x 9 inches | 10.7 pounds | 35-liter capacity | Expandable (2 inches) | USB port | Ballistic nylon | 4 dual spinner wheels Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Away View on Nordstrom View on Away Travel Stroll through any airport, and you'll see loads of passengers toting one of Away's signature striped suitcases. After personally testing dozens of Away products, I can assure you'll have no regrets hopping on the Away trend. The brand's built-to-last luggage can always be counted on to help overpackers travel more efficiently, and The Carry-On Flex is a testament to that. Offering a generous 2.25 inches of extra packing space with its expandable feature, this is the exact kind of suitcase to bring on trips where you want extra room for those 'just in case' items. 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The Details: Hardside | 21.7 x 14.4 x 9 inches | 7.9 pounds | 39.8-liter capacity (unexpanded); 44.6-liter capacity (expanded) | Expandable (2.25 inches) | Polycarbonate | 4 dual spinner wheels Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Amazon You might have assumed that finding a budget suitcase means you have to sacrifice on the quality front, but Amazon's slate of luggage continuously proves that theory wrong. After testing their 21-inch expandable hardside spinner in the T+L lab, I'm convinced the retailer's wallet-friendly suitcase is the best you can buy on a budget. For starters, it offers the same capacity as suitcases that are more than double the price. 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The Details: Hardside | 21.7 x 14.8 x 10 inches | 6.8 pounds | 34-liter capacity | Expandable (2 inches) | Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) | 4 dual spinner wheels Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Delsey $330 $249 at Amazon View on $660 at Macy's T+L editors reach for this timeless carry-on from Delsey Paris again and again, thanks to its vintage charm and useful functionality. The polycarbonate shell is accented with reinforced corners, and with its two-tone colorway, you're guaranteed to arrive at your destination in style. Aesthetics aside, there's also substance. 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The Details: Hardside | 22.75 x 15 x 10 inches | 7.74 pounds | 44-liter capacity | USB port | Polycarbonate | 4 dual spinner wheels Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Dagne Dover While softside luggage is more durable and less prone to wear and tear, it isn't known for being the most stylish type of luggage. Dagne Dover completely changed the game when it launched its debut luggage collection last summer. T+L editors were among the first to try them out, and we were enamored by the sheen and elegance of the Seattle Carry-on—a modernized softside bag with the structure and sturdy frame of a hardside suitcase. Its 33-liter capacity and 20.5-inch height is ideal for short getaways (it was the perfect companion on my quick trip to St. Thomas), business trips, and international flights. It also offers two ways to pack: via clamshell opening and a top-loading option. During testing and on actual trips, we couldn't help but notice that the wheels glide like a dream over various surfaces. But with the beauty of this suitcase comes one painful fact: it's heavy for a carry-on. For some, it may feel like a drag schlepping a 10-pound carry-on (plus the weight of your items). However, if that's not a big deal to you, we say it's a great entry point for the softside newcomers. The Details: Softside | 20.5 x 13 x 8.75 inches | 9.13 pounds | 33-liter capacity | Recycled 900D polyester | 4 dual spinner wheels | 13-inch laptop sleeve Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Samsonite View on Samsonite $500 at Macy's View on In case you weren't aware, Samsonite's Proxis carry-on is kind of a big deal. Like, it was sent into space and dropped from 130,000 feet-level big deal. To date, this is the most lightweight and durable suitcase Samsonite has ever released. We brought the Proxis Global Carry-on Spinner into our testing lab for some experimenting of our own and found that this textured, hardside carry-on lived up to its claims of being virtually indestructible. 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The Details: Hardside | 22 x 14 x 9 inches | 4.7 pounds | Expandable (0.5 inches) | Roxkin material | 4 dual spinner wheels Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: July Sometimes, a diminutive carry-on just won't do (especially for longer trips). In these instances, we'd recommend something like the July Carry-on Max. It has a 50-liter capacity that jumps to 62 liters when fully expanded—the largest carry-on we've ever tested. Weighing in around 8 pounds, it's on par with other carry-ons with similar dimensions. However, we noticed that it became a little cumbersome to maneuver around tight corners the more we packed it, and because of its size, you may be forced to gate-check it at the airport. The exterior shell of the suitcase didn't get too banged up when we put it through the wringer of our durability tests. We were also amazed that you can choose between 20 different height handles—another design quirk that helps July stand out from the pack. Inside, there's a Y compression strap and panel on one side, while the other side is secured by a mesh panel with no pockets (a missed opportunity, if you ask us). We would be remiss not to mention that this carry-on comes with its own packable tote bag that fits discreetly inside the suitcase when not in use. You also have the option to personalize this suitcase with a name or initials, with nine fonts to choose from. The Details: Hardside | 23 x 16 x 9 inches | 8.16 pounds | 50-liter capacity (unexpanded); 62-liter capacity (expanded) | Expandable | Polycarbonate | 4 dual spinner wheels | Packable tote included Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travelpro You won't be short on organization with the Travelpro VersaPack+ Carry-on. While it may look small, it's got a roomy interior made even better by all of the useful add-ons, like the included shoe bags, a laundry bag to store used or wet items, and built-in compression packing cubes that strap in to the top of the bag for additional storage. It also features an external laptop sleeve, a small outer pocket, and a luggage lock. If you find that you're running out of space, the bag's tapered extension adds an extra 2 inches of depth. Our chief complaint about Travelpro's VersaPack+ carry-on is its weight. Part of the appeal of softside luggage is that it's lighter because of its fabric construction. And while its nearly 8-pound weight isn't the heaviest we've encountered, we do think it might get bogged down if overpacked. There's also a possibility you'll be forced to check it on smaller airlines because of its 23-inch height, so keep that in mind if traveling on airlines with tighter carry-on restrictions. Though its a bit heavier than we'd like for a softside, we found this spinner to be pretty compact and loved that it wasn't cumbersome to wheel around our obstacle course. The wheels, zippers, and handle also ran smoothly without any snags. 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The Details: Hardside | 22 x 14 x 9 inches | 8.6 pounds | 41-liter capacity (unexpanded); 51-liter capacity (expanded) | Expandable | Recycled polycarbonate, recycled polyester | 4 dual spinner wheels Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Samsonite There's so much to love about this sleek carry-on from Samsonite, from its smooth gliding wheels to its highly-customized handle that offers tons of handle height options. However, where it really shines is its internal organization. We found packing for a trip to be a joy thanks to its generous spacing, compartments, and accessories. The bag came with a TSA-compliant toiletry bag, a shoe bag which easily fit two pairs of shoes, and then—our favorite part—two packing cubes of varying sizes. The more narrow packing cube perfectly fit in the gap between the handles on one half of the suitcase, which we thought to be a clever, space-saving touch. The fun features don't stop there: this suitcase also features a MagneTag, Samsonite's patented magnetic luggage tag that magnetically snaps into the structure of the bag ensuring it won't get lost. Speaking of lost luggage, you'll also find a built-in AirTag holder in the bag's interior (a great benefit if you ever want to take the airline up on the option to check your bag). We thought it felt a little heavy, at 9 pounds but rolled very smoothly. The Details: Carry-on | 23 x 14.75 x 10 inches | 9.04 pounds | Expandable | Polycarbonate | 4 dual spinner wheels Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Casetify Nothing makes a statement at baggage claim like a suitcase that's inscribed with your name. If you're looking to invest in a luggage that you can make your own in every sense, we'd go with Casetify's 21-inch Bounce Custom Carry-on. The brand is widely known for its cushiony and protective phone cases, but it's recently entered its luggage era—and what an entrance it was. Much like with its phone cases, Casetify gives you the option to customize your suitcase using a variety of fonts, colors, and backgrounds. Associate editor Anna Popp picked her carry-on in a stunning cobalt blue and went with a pink-and-white combo for her initial design. Aside from the monogram option, what sets this carry-on apart from the rest are the reinforced bumper corners that give the suitcase another layer of protection from any rough handling it may endure. The capacity of this 21-inch spinner felt like just enough to fit a multiday vacation's worth of items, but we're confident you could fit more with some strategic packing. "I love the organizer flap it comes with since there are tons of little pockets to place various things," says Popp. "I also love that the flap can be taken out when you don't want to use it." While its not the lightest carry-on out there, we were impressed with its style element, and we expect to get tons of compliments at the airport. The Details: Carry-on | 21 x 13.9 x 9 inches | 8.23 pounds | 33.8-liter capacity | Polycarbonate | 4 dual spinner wheels Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: July There's something about a zipperless closure on a suitcase that instantly makes it feel a tad more luxury. Such is the case with the July Carry On Trunk. Built with two TSA-approved latch locks, a German polycarbonate shell, and a removable power bank, we'd say this pick serves equal parts style and function. We found an abundance of helpful organization on the interior of the bag: there are two dividers on each side of the bag with mesh pockets on each, clips to keep the dividers in place, Y compression straps on each side, and a cylindrical zip pocket on one side. We also noticed that the bag opens evenly as opposed to the 30/70 design that we typically see in other travel trunks. The wheels were so smooth, they practically rolled themselves through our testing lab floors and in airports. However, our favorite thing about the bag, as with all July luggage, was the handle which has 20 different heights and can be customized down to the exact millimeter. The one small drawback noted by T+L editor Hillary Maglin is that this carry-on tends to get black scuff marks from the baggage carousel conveyor belt after every trip. 'While most of the scuffs come off pretty easily using the included sponge, I noticed a few small scuffs are harder to get out,' she says. Aside from slight cosmetic damage that occurs with most hardside luggage over time, Maglin still attests that 'it's probably the sturdiest and most smooth-rolling spinner I've ever used.' The Details: Hardside | 21.5 x 14.75 x 8.75 inches | 8.4 pounds | 42-liter capacity | Ejectable USB-C battery | Polycarbonate | 4 dual spinner wheels Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Credit: Travel + Leisure Though these carry-on suitcases were strong contenders, they were just shy of making the list due to a few shortcomings. However, they do possess a few redeeming qualities we feel are worth mentioning. Rains Texel Cabin Trolley: We love the puffy exterior of this waterproof carry-on, though it does add bulk to the suitcase. We noticed that when fully packed, it just barely fit in the overhead compartment in our testing lab. Arlo Skye The Zipper Carry-on Max With Front Pocket: This bag had slightly weak scores in the maneuverability category since it didn't glide as effortlessly as other carry-ons we tried. However, we appreciated its helpful features, like its protective front pocket for laptops and removable power bank. Calpak Ambeur Front Pocket Carry-on Luggage: For under $300, this metallic option offers the sleek look of an aluminum suitcase without the heaviness. Upon first glance, the capacity seemed standard for a carry-on. During packing, we struggled to fit everything on our list. We also noticed that the laptop compartment protruded the more we packed it. Zero Halliburton Classic Aluminum 3.0 International Carry-on: The durability on this suitcase was top notch. In fact, it's one of the most solid suitcases we've ever tested. Ultimately, we preferred the Rimowa bag in our main list for an aluminum option, and we wish this one had more internal organization. Paravel Aviator Carry-on Plus: After toting the bag on trips over six months, we came to appreciate the built-in compression board that made it easy to pack in as many items as possible. Still, we would've appreciated an expandable feature here. Miamily Carry-on: We loved how easy it was to navigate a busy airport with a toddler placed on top of this ride-on suitcase. We just wish the luggage was lighter when empty. Bagsmart Roamer Expandable 20-inch Carry-on Luggage: This affordable bag has lots of impressive features. It even held strong after we whacked it with a metal bat about 10 times. The Amazon Basics hardside spinner ultimately won as our favorite budget option because it offered slightly more in terms of organization, but this is another excellent affordable carry-on that will last for years. Frequently Asked Questions Accepted carry-on dimensions vary by airline, according to the TSA. However, standard dimensions for a carry-on are 22 x 14 x 9 inches. Some airlines will differ give or take a few inches, which is why larger size carry-ons made this list. As a rule of thumb, always research your airline's carry-on rules before your flight to avoid having to involuntarily check your bag. Again, this varies. Some airlines like JetBlue and American Airlines currently don't have any weight restrictions for carry-on bags, while some international airlines limit carry-ons to 22 pounds. In our experience, carry-on weight limits are not always enforced as much as dimension size, but as a rule of thumb, your carry-on is likely too heavy if you can't lift it on your own. If you're concerned about the weight of your bag, grab an inexpensive luggage scale so you can check before heading to the airport. According to the TSA, you are allowed to bring a quart-sized bag of liquids, aerosols, gels, creams, and pastes in your carry-on bag and through the security checkpoint. No liquid in your carry-on or personal item can exceed 3.4 ounces. Any amounts larger than that will need to be checked or will be disposed of. Solid toiletries like powdered makeup, bar soap, and solid deodorant should pose no issue. Yes, AirTags and other luggage trackers are allowed in carry-on luggage. For GPS trackers that utilize a higher level of battery power, you should check with your individual airline to make sure it's allowed on board. T+L senior editor Jasmine Grant covers luggage and travel accessories. She owns roughly 35 different suitcases, backpacks, and tote bags, and rotates between her favorites for different trips around the world. She is a carry-on loyalist and enjoys the challenge of finding creative ways to pack weeks worth of clothing into a compact suitcase. She frequently utilizes clever accessories like compression packing cubes, hanging toiletry bags, and travel pouches to maximize space. Right now, her favorite carry-ons come from brands Away, Dagne Dover, and Samsonite. Love a great deal? 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