Henry Alden, of St Andrews Road, Portsmouth, was arrested at Edinburgh Airport as he stepped off a flight from Barcelona on 19 May.
He was carrying 11kg of cannabis, which would have had a street value of £110,000.
The 20-year-old was jailed for three years and eight months.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard that Alden had flown from Luton to Barcelona five days earlier.
Prosecutor Bruce Erroch said the defendant told Border Force officers the suitcase was his, that he had packed it himself and that he was not carrying anything for anyone else.
The case was opened and officers found it contained two T-shirts, a polo shirt, shorts, underwear and 11 kilo bags of cannabis, Mr Erroch said.
Alden has admitted illegally importing and being concerned in the supply of the Class B drug.
Vincent Belmonte, defending, said Alden was approached with an offer that he would get £5,000 if he went to Spain and brought something back.
He said his client had "foolishly" agreed to it.
A drug smuggler has been jailed after he arrived at an airport carrying just a phone charger, a change of clothes, and a suitcase full of cannabis.