Let us know what you decide and how the kids react.
I travel a lot with a carry-on and love Briggs and Riley. Enough so that as other family members have needed bags, this has become the choice! The luggage store near me does repairs and recommended two (rather than four) wheels based on what came back for repairs. These have a lot of nice features and continue to look and perform well. (I like the way they are deeper while you pack and then close down to the right carry-on size - really helpful if youāre a little overloaded.) Tumi bags hold up well but I prefer the B&R features.
If you are looking for something less expensive, the Delsey bags hold up well. They may start looking well-used, but they have lasted for us better than Travelpro and Victorinox.
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Iām definitely a fan of 2-wheeled suitcases. Thatās what weāve used. Have also had a large backpack that we sometimes add and throw things into and them check it as luggage (particularly on the way home). Itās a Rick Steveās bagāorange/brown, so easy to spot.
Iām very fond of both the Briggs & Riley and the Delsey Helium. Both are workhorses and take abuse from baggage handlers when they have to be checked (but Iām usually able to bring mine on the plane, which is why mine is lasting better than Hās).
Pre-Covid there were bags also at Ross and TJMaxx and Nordstromās Rack. Macyās has a selection as well.
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When Iāve had a bag destroyed by United, they have a selection of bags in their customer service near baggage claim you can choose among (none I recognized the name of the brand). They are just generic looking dark bags with 4 wheels, IIRC. At least that was the system many years ago when they broke the handle off one of our old no name bags.
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I donāt want a charger/battery bag as these are the ones always targeted for warnings etc. I have a Samsonite hard-sided small carryon spinner and it works fine. I used to have a soft-sided Samsonite with embedded wheels on one side (not 4 wheels) and it was the best bag ever. But itās deemed too large now for international flights. Itās hard to find a Euro-alrline approved carryon thatās not a spinner.
There are rolling bags that have a pocket for you to insert your battery in with a charging port and then you can remove the battery and carry the battery with you in plane.
I am also a fan of Away now.
I just recently came back from Europe and I borrowed D1ās Away luggage. It was so easy to push around. The wheels were very strong. I pushed it across many uneven pavements with very little problem. I am going to get one for myself now. I am hoping they will go on sale on Black Friday.
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Just sent my D on a plane where the cheaper airfare included no checked luggage :
Saw this post, looked at the super expensive hand luggage suggested and then bought an eastpack Tranverz small size on 2 wheels (not a backpack). I liked it so much that I bought one for myselfā¦.it conforms to the size limits, is light, easy to roll and is a reasonable price.
Edited to say that I find it on Amazon in Europe but not USAā¦.
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Checked luggage? No domestic airline (other than Southwest) includes free checked bag in its fare (any fare, including first class), unless you have its cobranded credit card that offers complementary checked bag or have status with the airline.
Budget airlines, like Allegiant, charge you for putting a bag in the overhead. Only the space under the seat in front of you is āfree.ā
In Sept we flew on cheapest Jetblue option, and were not allowed a carry-on (except personal item, backpack under seat). Had to pay for checked bag. We knew this ahead of time and opted for cheap fare since we anticipated possible Covid cancel on these rescheduled 2020 ticktets
Among the āfull-serviceā US airlines, only United and JetBlue currently donāt allow carry-on bags for passengers holding their cheapest Basic Economy tickets.
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I remember when you were allowed 2 suitcases up to 32Kg for travel to Europe! That was excessiveā¦.then it went to 2@ 23Kg. Then just one, now none. They take a little away at a time 
I always choose the cheapest JetBlue ticket. Then, when I choose my seat, I pick an āEven More Spaceā seat. They charge me an additional $30-$50 for the seat, which brings it to roughly what the next price level seat would be. The upside, though, is that I now get expedited security, early boarding, a roomier seat AND Iām now allowed a carry on bag. I only carry on, so boarding early always means my bag is in the overhead compartment before they run out of room and start checking bags.
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Iāve never flown JetBlue or any airline that doesnāt allow me to bring luggage on the plane.
It would be a nonstarter for me because I need to bring on my medications, batteries for my oxygen equipment, and a machine for my medicine. All of that is not supposed to count as luggage but I can see a potential problem with explaining it to a harassed airline employee.
Our airport is a big United hub, basic economy doesnāt allow carryons, just personal items.
My daughter just decided to go to Italy for a few days this month to visit a friend doing study abroad, going to read this thread because we a definitely in need of luggage (I think ours dates back to our honeymoon). We donāt like checking luggage.
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Iāve started packing a lot in my ācarry onā and then checking it for free at the gate.
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I canāt afford to allow my Rx or batteries to be separated from meāif it were to get lost, Iād be sunk and lithium ion batteries canāt be put in checked luggage anyway.
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Just bought the LL Bean Approach carry on. Just tried packing it tonight and I love it. Seems super sturdy and holds a ton. Has 2 wheels which I really like.
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I always fly the class above basic economy and because of our soon to expire silver status have always been upgraded to economy plus seating, where you have a bit more leg room, which is more room for all my medical gear. I will miss that about losing my status. 
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