Abstract In the present work, biodegradable polyesters were synthesized by polycondensation reactions of renewable 1,4:3,6-dianhydrohexitols (isosorbide, IS; isomannide, IM) with aliphatic dicarboxylic acid chlorides containing 4, 6 and 10 carbons (namely, C4, C6 and C10) using a non-solvent method. All polyesters showed a thermal stability up to 320 °C and the glass transition temperature varied from 0 to 68 °C. Films were prepared by hot pressing. The semi-crystalline ISC10 and IMC10 films showed good mechanical properties with Young’s modulus E = 127 ± 20 MPa, E = 125 ± 10 MPa and elongation at break e = 19 ± 5%, e = 16 ± 3%, respectively. The water sorption (liquid and vapor) of films was slow and low due to their crystalline micro-structures. The films were strongly barrier for gases with permeability coefficients PN2 = 0.09, PO2 = 0.26, PCO2 = 1.32 barrer for ISC10, and PN2 = 0.18, PO2 = 0.46, PCO2 = 2.04 barrer for IMC10. Furthermore, the high CO2 and O2 selectivity coefficients of ISC10 (αCO2/O2 = 5.1) and IMC10 (αCO2/O2 = 4.4) were favorable for the fruits and vegetables preservation. ISC10 film showed a better quality for food packaging in terms of mechanical and gas permeation properties compared to IMC10 film. A detailed discussion of the relationships between microstructures and sorption/permeation properties was conducted.