We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed collects a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
1. An anti-theft backpack to keep your belongings safe from sneaky pickpockets. How, you might ask? It's cleverly designed to open from the back rather than the front, so there's no unzipping it unless you take it off. It's also spacious enough to fit a tablet or small laptop, and looks cute to boot!
2. An iPhone dongle case that attaches to a keychain, because who here hasn't lost at least one of these tiny yet $$$ accessories? Honestly wish I'd had this brilliantly simple idea myself!
3. And a leather electronics organizer to neatly store larger accessories all in one place. It comes with four slots that can be used for USB cables, headphones, power adaptors, and any other cords you might need, and rolls up to stay nice and compact.
4. An in-flight foot hammock that might seem a little *extra* at first, but will make you a believer after one use. Simply hang it on the arms of your tray table and rest your feet on the cushion to help prevent soreness and swelling. Just make sure you're wearing a clean pair of socks before taking your shoes off.
5. A solar-powered charger to bring on outdoor trips or anywhere outlets might be...hard to come by. It has two USB ports, so all you have to do is spread out the solar panels, plug in your device, and let some direct sunlight power it up.
6. Or, if you're not the outdoorsy type, an external battery you can charge before your trip to keep your devices powered up on the go.
7. A collapsible water bottle that'll save precious room in your suitcase AND money, since you won't have to pay an exorbitant amount for overpriced bottled H2O at the terminal. Simply unroll it after you've gone through security and fill it up at a water fountain. Plus, it's lead, latex, and BPA free, is dishwasher safe, and can be used for hot or cold drinks.
8. A pair of Apple AirPods Pro with noise cancellation to keep you from losing your mind every time your flight neighbor alternates between chomping down on pretzels and snoring. They come with three sizes of silicone tips to comfortably fit your ears and a charging case that provides more than 24 hours of listening time.
Promising review: "I’m thrilled. I love the fact there’s multiple ear tips and the small ones fit my ears great. Thrilled with the noise canceling feature while I stare at a family member yapping loudly on the phone and I don’t have to crank my volume up to drown them out. The controls are easy. It pauses music when I take an earbud out, so I’m not fumbling to pause and then yanking an earbud out while yelling 'what?' I’ve never spent this much on headphones but these are worth the sub-$200 I paid." —Pixie
And here's more from BuzzFeed Shopping editor Emma Lord: "I have a pair of these, and they're not playing around. Once they're securely in your ear, you can toggle the headphones between noise-cancelling and regular sound, depending on your situation. I've been working from home, and the noise cancelling is so effective that I can work next to a window where my neighbor is doing heavy construction and I don't hear anything louder than a faint buzzing. It's quieter than if I'd just plugged my ears with my own fingers. I'm also a runner, and these don't budge when you're sweating, which is nice. It's also handy that these toggle out of noise cancellation mode, because I feel better being able to hear traffic and other people around me when I'm out and about. The TL;DR is I love these so much I have zero interest in owning another pair of headphones for as long as I live." Read her full review of the AirPod Pros here!
Get them from Amazon for $197.
9. And an AirFly Pro wireless transmitter so you can connect your new favorite earbuds to the plane's entertainment system. Who cares if you've seen You've Got Mail upward of 50 times, that piece of cinematic gold deserves better than those flimsy airline-distributed headphones.
10. A Trtl neck pillow that'll actually keep you from awkwardly dozing off on your neighbor's shoulder, thanks to its ergonomic design and soft fleece support. Plus, it'll double as a scarf (planes be COLD), and it's way less bulky than those puffy U-shaped pillows.
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).
11. A mini white noise machine for when your hotel room is right next to the ice machine and the other guests on your floor appear to be recreating Elsa's palace in their suite. Choose from 11 sounds to help you drift off, or connect to your phone via Bluetooth to stream your own audio.
Promising review: "I travel a lot for work and need some kind of noise to cover up sounds from the hallway in hotels. This little device is the best one I've found. I've found one of the sound options that sounds just like an AC unit that puts me to sleep in an instant. And no worries that the hotel AC stops running in the middle of the night as they usually do and you wake up to a silent room and can't go back to sleep. The sounds on this little guy are the best ones I've heard. Buy this for travel and you won't be sorry!" —KJ
Get it from Amazon for $34.99 (available in two colors).
12. A few mini tubs of tried and true Vaseline lip therapy cocoa butter that you can apply before your flight to prevent the inevitable chapping and cracking that comes from exposure to that super-dry recycled air.
13. Some in-flight earplugs that won't only drown out the sound of the screaming toddler in back of you, —they'll also help prevent air pressure discomfort and popping.
Promising review: "Never fly without these! Before I found these, I endured excruciating pain in my ears upon descent and landing. Felt like a hot poker being driven into each ear. My ears would also be plugged up, and it would often take two to three days for them to resume their normal state of being. I insert them about an hour before landing, as the plane is making its slow descent. I'm comfortable, and the most discomfort I experience is a slight adjustment of pressure feeling in my sinus. NO PAIN. NO TEARS." —K. Tombrella
Get a pack from Amazon for $7.60 (also available in five, and ten-packs).
14. A combination travel blanket/pillow/poncho because flying on a plane should really be considered a form of Arctic voyaging. Bringing multiuse products on trips is always a smart way to save space, and this one is just the thing for anyone who wants to avoid in-flight shivers. And if you tend to run hot, you can also use it as a comfy seat cushion.
P.S. It's also machine washable!
Promising review: "I purchased this for my 13-hour flight and would highly recommend it. The blankets provided by airlines are usually reused and made of itchy fabric. They also tend to slide off while I'm sleeping and fall to the floor several times, making them unsanitary to use. This Travelrest blanket has a slit that you put your head through. It rests on your back shoulders and stays on until you take it off. There's a front pouch that you can put your valuables in... this was very useful. Without this, I used to put my passport, wallet, phone, etc in the seat pocket in front of me...which is risky since the stuff can fall out of those pockets (very easy to lose/forget things). Also very lightweight and soft." —sartra
Get it from Amazon for $29.95 (available in two sizes and two colors).
15. A digital luggage scale so you'll know just how many souvenirs you can cram into your suitcase without having to pay some hefty over-capacity fees. Just hook the scale to your luggage handle, lift up, and the LCD display will show the weight. You can also switch between pound and kilogram measurements.
Promising review: "This luggage scale does everything that a luggage scale should do. First, and foremost, it is accurate. I tested it against two other scales, and it was spot on. The scale is smallish, which is nice because it is the last thing that I am going to stuff into my luggage after I have finished packing and weighed everything else. Everyone that travels on an airplane should own one of these scales. At a bare minimum, it will save you from having to repack your dirty underwear in front of a gate agent, at the most, it will save you being hit with a $50–$100 extra baggage fee which negates the cost of that cheap ticket that you spent days searching for." —ManFromDola
Get it from Amazon for $12.99.
16. A Brevite camera backpack, because you've finally decided to upgrade your photos to beyond smartphone quality and your new DSLR deserves a safe space. This sturdy bag has dedicated compartments for a full-frame DSLR and three lenses, along with a 16-inch laptop pocket, a water bottle holder, and a few other pockets. TL;DR: You NEED this!
17. Some vacuum seal bags in case you've ever been accused of "overpacking" and want to prove that bringing ten sweaters on a weeklong trip is perfectly acceptable and doable. Place your garments into the bags and use the included travel pump to suck the excess air out. Now, you'll have plenty of extra room for the eight dresses you absolutely need to bring along as well.
18. A fingerprint recognition lock so anyone who wants to steal the contents of your luggage would literally have to cut it open (good luck, buddy). It can be used up to 2,500 times on a full charge, and when it runs out of juice, simply connect it to a USB power supply.
19. A fanny pack you can also wear as a crossbody bag for hands-free schlepping. It's surprisingly spacious, and comes with a hidden back pocket to keep valuables safely tucked away.
20. Or, an unassuming money belt with a hidden zip-up pocket if you're still not convinced that fanny packs are, in fact, "cool."
21. A box of Mighty Patch pimple, blemish, and zit patches to spot-treat those pesky skin eruptions that always seem to pop up at the most inconvenient times. My skin tends to have a mind of its own whenever I'm traveling, so it's helpful to have an overnight remedy on hand juuust in case.
22. A travel-size steamer you'll want to have on hand in case your S.O. surprises you with a reservation to the swankiest restaurant in town during what was supposed to be a "laid back" beach vacation. Don't worry, just get out that maxi dress you threw into your suitcase at the last minute, steam out those wrinkles, and hope that they don't have a no-flip-flop policy.
Promising review: "I’ve had it for a few months now and I couldn’t be more happy with it. I travel a lot for work and it is the perfect size for my carry-on suitcase, and it works great. It’s easier and faster to steam my shirts than having to iron them like I was doing before I got the steamer." —David Trejo
Get it from Amazon for $29.97.
23. A luxurious silk eye mask to help you get some serious shut-eye while you're away from home. Its soft fabric will protect your hair and skin and, best of all, it's machine washable!
24. A sparkly iPad case that just snaps on to protect your tablet from getting scratched up in transit. It also folds up to act as a little stand, so you can prop your iPad up on your tray table for easy reading and streaming.
25. A passport and vaccination card holder, because if there are two things you don't want to be without while traveling, it's those. For convenience, the vaccination card slot is see-through, so you can easily flash it whenever you need to.
26. A pair of ultra-comfy Allbirds sneakers for that walking tour you signed up for without realizing it was scheduled to last six hours. They're designed to be flexible so they move with you, and can be tossed in the washing machine when they start to get smelly. Plus, they're made with renewable materials. ♻️
27. A set of TSA-approved squeeze bottles you can pour your favorite shampoos, conditioners, and body products into, rather than spending money on travel size versions. And, since they're made with food-grade BPA-free silicone, they're also safe for storing baby food.
28. And, to store them, a waterproof toiletry bag with a hook to hang in the hotel bathroom (because you know the idea of a hotel bathroom having more than an inch of counter space is laughable). It comes with four compartments and packs up into a cute little purse.
29. An in-flight phone mount in case whatever airline you're flying doesn't have any good viewing options (if they even offer them at all). It just attaches to the top of your seat-back tray so you can keep up with Succession even when you're midair.
