We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
1. An anti-theft backpack with the main body zipper on the inside (against your back while in use) so you can feel safer knowing that nobody will be able to unzip it when you're in a crowded unfamiliar space.
2. An iPhone dongle case you can attach to your keys (or carry-on bag) because I'm pretty sure Apple designed this dongle so small just so we would lose them easily so we'd have to keep buying more. Well, the joke's on them because this genius invention will make sure that you have the dongle so you can use your headphones properly during your flight/travel.
3. A TSA- approved toiletry bag so you can easily stash your liquids and be ready when you go through security (and not hold up the line because everyone hates that).
4. A digital luggage scale to prevent you from paying an overweight baggage fee ever again – sometimes it's hard not to overpack, OKAY!!!
5. A Brevite camera bag that's compact, lightweight, and has a ton of functional features so you can store your camera equipment (and more) while still feeling totally stylish on your trip.
This backpack is designed with a pocket that fits a laptop up to 16", a passport pocket, luggage passthrough, hidden pockets, and a top compartment, which is great for an extra set of clothes. It can hold all of this while also holding a full-frame DSLR and three lenses, which is great for any photographer (no matter their level).
Promising review: "This backpack is the perfect size for my photo adventures with friends. As someone who likes walking around the city and taking photos, I love that this backpack protects my gear, gives me easy access to my camera on the go, and also includes space for my laptop or anything extra that I might need that day." —Catalina C.
Get it from Brevite for $129 (available in 10 colors).
6. A travel wallet with an RFID-blocking shield material to not only keep all your many important travel documents organized but also safe and ready for you to grab when you need your ID quickly in the TSA line.
7. A vaccine card holder you can clip directly on your bag or purse so you have it on hand at all times in case you need to show it to anyone. *shakes fists at whoever designed these to not fit in a wallet*
BTW — Ava Reign Creations is a New York-based Etsy shop that sells masks, gifts, and more.
Promising review: "These will be great for travel to Hawaii. Each of us will be able to safely keep our vaccination cards on us. We will be able to clip them to inside of our travel backpacks and access them easily. Shipped quickly and well packaged." —hydrator1
Get it from Ava Reign Creations on Etsy for $8 (available in seven colors and designs).
8. A helpful checklist so you can plan out everything you need to pack and not worry about getting that feeling of "What am I forgetting?"
9. A Trtl neck pillow specifically designed to keep your head in a comfortable position while you sleep so you can actually get some shut-eye so you're ready to go when you get to the destination.
Promising review: "This thing is the greatest thing invented since chicken and biscuits. It's like a nice scarf with just enough support to keep your neck just in the right position. I highly recommend it. Works great with big headphones too." —Deana Hero
Get it from Amazon for $29.99+ (available in three colors and in a junior size).
10. A pair of compression socks to stop your feet and legs from swelling up as much as Violet Beauregarde did in Willy Wonka's factory.
11. A chic carry-on suitcase that will basically become your new travel BFF. Not only does this suitcase have an ejectable portable battery, it also has a "crush-proof" shell with bumpers for extra protection, a hidden laundry bag that is odor-proof, and a compression system that makes it so you can fit everything you need in your bag. This bag might really have it all.
12. A travel pouch that attaches to your bra so you can keep the most important things closest to you (such as your money, credit cards, and a copy of your passport) without fear of some pick-pocketing wizard breezing past you, barely touching you, but somehow getting away with your stuff.
13. AirFly, a wireless transmitter that'll connect your AirPods (or any other wireless headphones) to the headphone jack on the flight so you can enjoy all the free entertainment without being forced to bring two sets of headphones or use the crappy ones they have the AUDACITY to charge for on some flights.
14. A solar-powered charger you'll want to have on hand for any camping or road trips where outlets are sparse but phones are needed. Plus, it's also good to have on hand for any emergencies (including power outages, hurricanes, etc).
15. A heat-resistant silicone mat so you can wrap up your hot curling iron and straightener and throw 'em in your bag as you run out the door to catch a cab to the airport because you're late...again.
16. A travel perfume atomizer you can place directly on your favorite perfume to pump up to 60 sprays into — this means you can take your favorite scent with you without having to buy a pricey travel size. 🙌
17. An external battery so powerful that it can charge your phone up to three times before it needs to be charged itself (now that's convenient).
18. A foot hammock made out of memory foam because we can't all afford to fly first class, but this little gadget will make you feel like you can (even if it doesn't come with free champagne).
19. A Double Dipper Dip Clip I'll pretty much guarantee you'll find super useful during your next road trip. Clip this to the air vent in your car to hold your favorite sauces so you can dip your fries and chicken tenders in the car, no prob.
20. A travel kit with enough bottles to fit all your hair products so you can bring along all your favorites and not worry about what the hotel products might do to your precious hair.
21. Some odor eliminators you can stash in your luggage or carry-on and not have to worry about throwing stinky or sweaty clothes in your suitcase after your hike to get the perfect sunset photo for Instagram ends up being a little harder than you originally thought.
22. A tote organizer to turn your black hole of a purse or carry-on into an organized dream where you can reach and grab your hand sanitizer in seconds instead of spending 10 minutes searching through everything to find it.
23. An electronics organizer with spots for all your cords, chargers, devices, and stress*.
24. A skyline mini wallet emergency kit filled with so many practical items you may need throughout the trip (i.e. Tylenol, a hair tie, etc.) but that's small enough to fit in your carry-on bag (and then your purse), meaning you can keep it with you at all times and grab it whenever you need it.
BTW — Anne Cate is a woman-owned small business based in Cleveland, Ohio that handmakes minimalist keepsakes with a skyline from more than 100 cities and colleges around the world!
The kit includes a hair tie, ChapStick, two floss pics, a sewing kit, bandages, emery board, two safety pins, two earring backs, a makeup wipe, two bobby pins, two mints, a deodorant wipe, a Shout wipe, a tampon, hand sanitizer, and Tylenol.
BuzzFeed Shopping writer Danielle Healy says: "I, your resident forgetful person, bought the NYC skyline version of this at the start of COVID-19 to keep in my work tote. Unfortunately, I haven't touched my work tote in months because...*gestures at the world around*...but it's a really handy kit I know will save me a ton whenever I regularly leave the house again. Everything from Anne Cate is super high-quality. The wallet on its own is adorable and could be used for a million different things."
Get it from Anne Cate for $22 (available in 46 skylines).
25. A set of shoe organizer bags to keep both shoes together and also make sure all the gross stuff on the bottom doesn't get on your nice clean clothing.
26. A 3D-contoured sleeping mask with contoured spaces for your eyes (which relieve the pressure put on them), so you can sleep easily and longer no matter if the person sitting next to you refuses to turn off their light.
27. Silicone earplugs to reduce the pressure in your ears because sometimes you can't avoid getting an ~earful~ when the plane is taking off (and from the woman sitting next to you).
28. Some homeopathic jet-lag pills to help you adjust to the time change in a better way than just getting there and hoping for the best. ‾\_(ツ)_/‾
29. A travel belt made so you can attach any bag to the top of your suitcase because sometimes the best carry-on bags are not designed with that handy sleeve on the back. With this, you won't have to lug your bag through the airport when your gate is the absolute last one at the end of the longest corridor.
The travel belt is adjustable to 38 inches so it will fit most bags.
BTW — Cincha Travel is a small Cali-based biz started by a BIPOC couple that makes these adjustable straps from vegan leather. The brand also donates 100 airline miles for each purchase, which are used to reconnect separated migrant families.
Promising review: "Love this! I am constantly struggling between holding my jacket and two carry-ons. This is the perfect solution! I can’t wait to start using it when I’m back to regular business travel." —Allison
Get it from Cincha Travel for $35 (available in 15 colors, can be monogrammed for an additional $12).
30. Some biodegradable hypoallergenic wipes because flying can make you feel gross and these give you the chance to freshen up when there's not a shower in sight.
31. A set of space-saver bags that work miracles when it comes to squeezing your clothes down to basically nothing so you can pack even more! Yay!
32. A portable door lock to help you feel extra secure in your room. If triggered, this lets out a loud alarm sound which will wake you (and maybe everyone else around you) up.
33. A Kindle Paperwhite ingeniously made to be waterproof so you can take this into the pool with you and take your R&R while on vacation up a level. Plus, it will hold all the books you want to read, no matter how long they are.
I've been an avid Kindle user for years, but when I saw this version, I knew it was time to upgrade. The main selling point is the fact that this one is waterproof. So waterproof, in fact, that it can be in up to 2 meters of fresh water for more than 60 minutes. Plus, it's lighter, has more storage, and the battery lasts for WEEKS. I took this on vacation with me a while ago and was so impressed. I was able to sit on the ledge in the pool and read without worrying about getting the device wet. And I even put it in the water to test, and it still works perfectly. Plus, I used it every day and didn't have to charge it the whole time I was on the trip. That gets a big gold star in my book. And I'm not the only one who thinks this. It has more than 19,000 5-star reviews and 4.4 out of 6 stars. If you're an avid reader (or just a casual reader who wants to read more), this is for you.
Promising review: "I have an older Nook with e-ink display and have always really enjoyed the premise, but wanted something more modern. When I saw that this was waterproof, I was hooked. It reads just like a paper book, the light feature is gentle and perfect for night reading, the battery lasts for weeks, and I'm not worried about water damage at the beach or pool. I 100% would recommend it if you're an avid reader like myself." —whirledpieces
Get it from Amazon for $129.99+ (available in 8- and 32 GB and in four colors).
34. A dirty laundry bag to put smelly and gross clothes in to protect them from touching your still-good, perfectly clean ones.
35. The Airhook – it holds phones and tablets and attaches to the seat in front of you so you can be entertained on every flight, even the ones without seat-back entertainment. Plus, this has fold-down cup holder, so you don't have to worry about using your tray table and then panicking when you still have half a drink left and need to use the bathroom.
36. A collapsible water bottle that'll take up wayyy less space in your bag pre-security, but also help you avoid paying approximately $20 for one water bottle *and* help you stay hydrated = all very important things.
37. A compact travel adaptor with two USB ports so you can easily plug your phone into the adaptor and figure out how to charge it in more than 150 countries.
38. A set of packing cubes — once you use them, you'll wonder how you've lived this long without them in your life. They help keep your clothes organized and allow you to pack more in your suitcase. I call that a win-win.
39. A USB-chargeable fan you'll be SO grateful you have on your next trip to Disney or any amusement park in the warmer months, really.
40. And a pair of AirPod Pros with noise cancellation so clear, you'll feel like you're relaxing on a beach even before the plane lands. You really don't realize how loud a plane actually is (even if there isn't a baby crying) until you try these, trust me.
Promising review: "I have always traveled over the years, and my headphones have essentially been a big part of my every day routine. I’ve tried Beats By Dre, Sony, Bose, etc. and from the sound quality, noise cancelling, price point, battery life, and convenience of how sleek they slide in the ear and take calls as well... this is a no brainer, MUST BUY. I am in love with my pair. 5/5 stars highly recommend!!!" —Alex
Get them from Amazon for $197.
Now the hardest part: packing.
