The world is filled with gadgets promising to make travel smoother and more comfortable, but who better to tell it to you straight than our seasoned writers and editors? Crisscrossing the globe to get you the best deals and the most useful, on-the-ground advice, they’ve mastered the art of traveling light and packing smart. Here, they’ve shared their favorite products that they never go on a trip without.
1. HYC00 Travel Duffel Bag, $23
What We Love About It: This just might be the ideal carry-on bag. It comes in a variety of colors, fits under a plane seat perfectly, has a few different pockets, and is big enough for a few days worth of clothing. Buy it now.
2. Halfday Garment Duffel, $98
What We Love About It: Half garment bag, half duffel bag, this nifty piece of luggage allows you to stow your dress or suit in a hanging compartment to minimize wrinkles, which then rolls up into a duffel bag that fits the rest of your items (it even has two interior shoe pockets!). It comes in two sizes: The Original fits a full suit or dress as well as over three days' worth of clothes, while the Compact is great for shorter sojourns. Buy it now.
3. BUG Travel Garment Bag, $34
What We Love About It: This bag is especially great for business travel and hanging garments and holds much more than it might look like it does. At under three pounds, it’s also super lightweight, and its water-resistant fabric will shield against accidental spills or mishaps. It also contains a bevy of pockets and compartments for organizational purposes. Buy it now.
4. Baggu Standard Baggy, $14
What We Love About It: The Baggu Standard Baggy, which comes in tons of fun colors and patterns, can be folded up into a 5x5 pouch (basically the size of a deck of cards), but grows into a sturdy nylon bag that can hold up to 50 lbs — that’s around three grocery bags worth of stuff! Throw one into your suitcase or carry-on, then use it to haul gear to the beach, shop for souvenirs, etc. Even better, use it as a carry-on when you’ve shopped for one souvenir too many. Buy it now.
5. ODODOS Unisex Mini Belt Bag, $15
What We Love About It: This wallet-friendly belt bag is a total game-changer for travel. Despite its compact size, it’s roomy enough to fit your phone, wallet, boarding pass, keys, passport, and other small essentials — all of which are easily accessible (read: No more fumbling around to find what you need in hectic TSA lines!). Best of all, it comes in 43 different colors, from basics like black and beige to bolder hues like yellow and neon green. Buy it now.
6. Relavel Hanging Toiletry Bag, $13
What We Love About It: Despite its small size, this clear, hanging toiletry bag holds a lot, which makes getting — and staying — organized a breeze while on the go. It has several compartments, including a zippered mesh pocket for small items like a toothbrush and toothpaste, a large zipper bag for shower toiletries and the like, and a detachable bag for makeup. Plus, it’s waterproof! Buy it now.
7. Level8 Grace EXT Carry On Luggage, $112
What We Love About It: This 20-inch carry-on bag is a must-have for any frequent flier thanks to its durable hardshell construction and eight 360-degree spinner wheels that make schlepping through the airport a breeze. Additionally, the front compartment is super convenient, making it easy to access your laptop or any other items you want while on the go. Bonus: It has a TSA combination lock for an added sense of security, along with interior compartments and straps for easy packing. Buy it now.
8. Tumi Unisex Alpha 3 Continental Expandable 4-Wheeled Carry-On, $975
What We Love About It: This Tumi carry-on bag is a lifetime purchase that’s well worth the splurge since it’s ultra-durable and sturdy enough to withstand bangs, scratches, and wear and tear. It’s also stylish and expandable! Bonus points for the built-in USB port, too. Buy it now.
9. Evian Facial Spray, $7
What We Love About It: For a refreshing in-flight boost, spritz on some of this Evian Facial Spray, which energizes and hydrates the skin. Its gentle, hypoallergenic formula — the hero ingredient is, you guessed it, Evian water — means it’s suitable for all skin types, too. Buy it now.
10. Dermelect Smooth & Supple Lip Mask Melt (On-The-Go Travel Size), $7
What We Love About It: Forget chapped lips on flights, which are notorious for their low humidity and dehydrating effect. This lip mask is conveniently available in a tiny travel-sized variety, as well as an easy-to-apply squeeze tube. Formulated with moisturizing staples like castor and jojoba oils, it smooths and hydrates without irritating even the most sensitive skin. Buy it now.
11. Wolf Project Under Eye Mask (5-Pack), $20
What We Love About It: Loaded with protective ingredients like peptides, caffeine, and vitamin C, these gel eye patches work wonders to eliminate that exhausted I-was-just-on-a-plane-for-eight-hours-and-got-no-sleep look. They’re also super easy to apply. Buy it now.
12. BlueHills Premium Soft Travel Blanket, $29
What We Love About It: Planes tend to be on the chilly side, but BlueHills’ Premium Soft Travel Blanket can help keep you cozy thanks to its micro plush material. Plus, the included carrying case pulls double duty as a pillow when the blanket is tucked inside it, and you can clip it to your backpack or belt for hands-free carrying. Buy it now.
13. GDEOUP Travel Neck Pillow, $10
What We Love About It: This memory foam neck pillow is essential for any long journey as it’s lightweight, compact, and comfortable, checking all the boxes for those looking to relax or nap while traveling. Buy it now.
14. Lonely Planet Phrasebook and Dictionary - Latin American Spanish, $12
What We Love About It: Available in many languages, this pocket-sized phrasebook is the perfect travel companion. While apps abound for on-the-go translation, these paperbacks are great for in-flight reading and easily fit into small compartments of just about any travel bag. They not only cover pretty much every question or topic you might need along the way, but they’re also color-coded and easily scannable. Buy it now.
15. WearMe Pro Polarized Modern Rounded Square Men's Sunglasses, $40
What We Love About It: These inexpensive polarized sunglasses shield your eyes from hurtful rays (they provide 99.99% UVA and UVB protection) while making for a stylish accessory. Buy it now.
16. Madewell The McCarren Midweight Crewneck Sweatshirt, $88
What We Love About It: Plane cabins get frigid, so it’s always a good idea to bring an extra layer, even if you’re traveling somewhere hot. The McCarren Crewneck Sweatshirt from Madewell is lightweight enough not to be too bulky in your carry-on, but still warm (and stylish)! Buy it now.
17. Champion Men's Legacy Sweatsuits Colorblock Powerblend Fleece Full Zip Hooded Tracksuit Set, $95
What We Love About It: This tracksuit from Champion combines style and functionality. Made with a blend of cotton and polyester, this ultra-comfy set makes the perfect plane outfit. Buy it now.
18. Lululemon Align Leggings, $98
What We Love About It: Whether you’re sweating through a Pilates class or sitting immobile in a cramped plane seat for nine hours, Lululemon’s Align Leggings are some of the most comfortable leggings out there. They’re stretchy and buttery soft, and sleek enough to make you look sufficiently put together when paired with a nice sweater and boots. Buy it now.
19. Apple MagSafe Battery Pack, $99
What We Love About It: This portable charger is great because you never have to worry about sitting near an outlet when waiting to board or panic about running out of juice before you’ve found your hotel. Plus, thanks to its innovative design featuring built-in magnets, it easily secures to the back of your iPhone. Buy it now.
20. Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation), $190
What We Love About It: The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) are both comfortable and effective, easily blocking out a noisy commute through the airport, train station, etc. Even better, the travel case connects to the Find My iPhone app and can produce a chime noise when lost, making it easy to locate if misplaced in your hotel room. Buy it now.
21. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones, $379
What We Love About It: These wireless noise-canceling headphones are perfect for escaping travel chaos. They come programmed with three modes Quiet, Aware, and Immersion, and have a 24-hour battery life — great for long-haul flights. And, unlike other over-ear headphones on the market, these ones are pillowy soft and actually comfortable. Buy it now.
ShermansTravel uses affiliate links in this article to generate revenue. When you purchase an item after following one of these links, ShermansTravel may receive a commission. The items in this article were chosen independently by ShermansTravel's editorial team.
