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 Airfly wireless transmitter that'll let you connect your AirPods or any wireless headphones to your airplane seat...even without Bluetooth!
It also comes with a USB-C charging cable, travel pouch, keychain holder, quick-start guide, and a manual.
Twelve South is a small business that has been creating innovative tech accessories since 2009.
Promising review: "This fixed my constant issue with the airline I always fly with when going abroad — the god awful provided headphone sets. It was so much more comfortable and simple to use my own earphones with noise cancelling for the entire flight. I can’t recommend this product enough truly" —jkjk97
Get it from Amazon for $34.99+ (available in three styles).
2. A hands-free (rotating!) phone mount to help you watch what you want or take advantage of the movies available online for those budget airlines without TVs in the back of the seats. It'll work on the plane *or* while you wait to board. A three-hour flight without a seat TV should be illegal.
Perilogics is a small biz that specializes in tech-oriented travel products and backpacks.
Promising review: "The gadget I didn't know I needed until I bought it. I regularly fly Southwest, and they offer complimentary in-flight entertainment...on your own device. This allows me to watch whatever I want to watch with the phone at a comfortable eye level, and keeps my hands free and i can choose if I want to put the tray table down or not." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $12.97 (available in three colors).
3. A bendy travel pillow can help you catch up on some sleep you sacrificed for that budget-friendly morning flight. Buy that window seat, bring this versatile pillow.
Promising review: "I always disliked the neck pillows that I used to use while flying as didn’t help. The flexibility and ease of use is amazing and this not only helps my neck, but also lower back! I used it for an international flight and it made it much more comfortable. You can even use it alongside your back and the cover comes off to clean!" —Fred Paisley
Get it from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in six colors).
4. Or an alternate Trtl travel pillow that, thanks to its scarf-like construction, you can easily to adjust to your perfect comfort level and tilt angle to get some Zzzzzs while someone else gets you to where you're going.
Ciera Velarde, a former editor here at BuzzFeed, also loves this! She says: "I've used this for the past few years and swear by it! Before this, I always found traditional neck pillows uncomfortable and would end up ditching them halfway through the flight and getting frustrated. The Trtl pillow is adjustable — you wrap the pillow around your neck and secure it with Velcro, and if you find it's too loose, just make it a bit tighter! I've truly never slept better on a plane than with this pillow."
Promising review: "I love this TRTL!! I first used it on a trip from Seattle to Buenos Aires and will now always use it. It made it possible for me to be comfortable on that long flight. I found it to be the best neck support in how it holds up my neck in a comfortable natural way. I love how I can use it on either side of my neck, and even in the front and back of my neck. I love how I can cover my face to just below my eyes if I want privacy. It is cozy, lightweight, durable and packs easily, or I can wrap it around my carry bag handle for quick transport. I bought one for a friend who took it on a Seattle to New York flight and she said it was a game changer for her as she was able to sleep for the first time while flying. Now I know that with my TRTL and Bose noise cancelling head phones, I can be cramped in a middle seat on a long flight and survive in relative comfort. Thank your TRTL!!! I just bought another one for a gift for my daughter. It is a well-designed product!" —Amis Balcomb
Get it from Amazon for $60.99+ (available in six colors).
5. And because you deserve another option: A memory-foam neck pillow that comes high enough on the sides so your neck isn't lolling about and thus waking you up from your mid-flight slumber.
Promising review: "Plush thick pillow that holds your head comfortably during a flight. It fit great around my next and there’s a mechanism to adjust the fit to how you prefer. Super portable since it comes in a nice small bag you can fold it and store in. Highly recommend." —L Caldwell
Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in five styles).
6. A set of affordable, highly popular wireless Bluetooth earbuds some reviewers compare to AirPods for significantly cheaper. They'll be perfect for listening to a podcast while you take a train ride to that cute little town you've been meaning to visit.
These come with a wireless charging case that provides up to 14 hours of charge (with the earbuds able to play for four-plus hours with each full charge).
Promising review: "The ear buds fit perfectly. I use them when I ride my motorcycle, workout, phone calls and when I travel. They have never fallen out of my ear. They are comfortable; I prefer them over my headset when I fly. The battery life is good for working out or a short ride. However, I take a spare headset for longer flights. I highly recommend these ear buds, especially if you've had issues finding comfortable a comfortable, affordable set." —vdubzis
Get it from Amazon $25.99+ (available in five colors).
7. A pair of Mack's Earplugs that'll seal out noise on a plane, in a hotel room, or wherever else you need to get some sleep.
Check them out on TikTok here.
BuzzFeed editor Emma Lord swears by these and raves: "The moldable silicone of Mack's Earplugs contours easily to the shape of your ear to block out noise much more effectively than other foam or plastic varieties, and the noise reduction is so good that if I pair them with a white noise machine (or just like a white noise loop on Spotify) I genuinely don't hear noises from outside my room.
I've also *loved* these for traveling — if you put these babies in on a plane not only does it help reduce some of the YIKES factor when the plane takes off (it's loud!!), but it cancels out the murmuring noises of passengers on the flight and makes it easier to get some shuteye."
Promising review: "I've been purchasing Mack's earplugs for about eight years now as they help me sleep so much better at night (and are also super helpful on long plane trips). They're the best ones on the market and much larger with more comfort and coverage than ones in my local stores and pharmacies. Mack's are getting harder to find so I'm writing this in the hope that they stay in business." —Amazon Customer
Get 12 pairs from Amazon for $12.99.
8. A travel belt can help you easily secure your personal item (aka, a large purse or backpack) to the top of your rolling bag. See, getting through airport security *can* be a cinch. (Sorry.)
The travel belt is adjustable to 38 inches to fit most bags. The belt itself is vegan leather with elastic accents and a quick-release buckle.
Cincha Travel is a small business in California that develops adjustable travel belts made out of vegan leather. The brand donates 100 airline miles for each purchase, which are used to reconnect separated migrant families.
Promising review: "Rather than carry my bag on my arm or shoulder, this CINCHA offers a much more comfortable option. I move faster with this item! Highly recommended!" —allegria8
Get it from Amazon for $39.99 (available in 18 colors).
9. A trifold travel wallet so all your important documents are in one place and you're not wearily holding up the line when it comes time to show the TSA agent your passport and boarding pass.
The wallet has a passport pocket, boarding pass compartment, three credit card slots, an ID slot, a slim card pouch, slim pocket, a ticket slot, a cellphone pouch, a coin zippered pocket, key holder, and pen holder.
Promising review: "I brought this to Europe with me and felt comfortable knowing none of my cards were going to get scanned by thieves." —Hannah McDonald
Get it from Amazon for $12.99+ (available in 40 colors).
10. An *very popular* off-the-shoulder jumpsuit suited for just about any sightseeing needs.
FYI, if you have Amazon Prime, you can give this a spin before you buy it!
Promising reviews: "This jumpsuit is cute and comfortable. I love it. It is very comfortable to wear on a road trip or for flying." —B-More Mom & Luvin' It
Get it from Amazon for $28.78+ (available in sizes S–3X and 31 colors/patterns).
11. An Apple AirTag for each bag to give you peace of mind even if you're driving to your destination and are just leaving your luggage at the hotel before check-in time!
Storytime: After traveling last summer carry-on only, and being a person who tries to carry on whenever possible, I finally bought a couple of Apple AirTags during Black Friday sales. And I am SO grateful I did. My normal carry-on bag was too big to fit the Lufthansa luggage requirements (and BOY, do they check that!) so I had to check my bags for a December 2022 trip to Vienna and back from Prague (with a layover in Frankfurt). My bag didn't make it onto the plane in Frankfurt, and once I landed in Newark, New Jersey, I pulled up the app on my phone and saw that yes, my backpack AirTag was indeed with me, but my suitcase AirTag was still in Germany. (The screen grab is from an Amazon review, but you get the gist.) The AirTag also helped me track FedEx's delivery of the suitcase to my parents' house, where I was spending the holidays immediately after my Europe trip ended. I was even able to see it on a highway less than an hour's drive from my parents' house. TL;DR: I think AirTags are very much a worthwhile investment if you travel a few times a year. And I'm not the only one who thinks so.
Promising review: "Used them in my luggage when traveling on airlines. Track luggage everywhere except on airplane. Good comfort level." —HerbH
Get it from Amazon for $24 (also available in a four-pack for $78.99).
12. An inflatable foot rest you might have to buy several of so everyone in the family has one of their own. You can inflate it to three different heights!
13. A neck pillow you can stuff with clothing — even a whole outfit — to give you some comfy flexibility and help get around super strict carry-on size restrictions. The listing says you can even pack three days' worth of clothes in it! Which would especially be welcome if your carry-on-only budget doesn't exactly align with your fashionista status.
Check out a TikTok showing how someone used a similar neck pillow to just take that and a personal item onto a RyanAir flight that was charging for hand luggage.
Promising review: "It was no problem fitting two days' worth of clothing into this pillow casing. I also found it to be very comfortable as a neck pillow. These days it is always a fear that you will lose your luggage, this way I am protected with a change of clothing, AND a comfortable rest on the airplane. I was a little confused how it worked at first (the tag was in a separate pocket) aside from the two ends, both of which zip open. It has to be loaded from one end or the other, it does not open along the middle. However, I am quite pleased by the multitude of adjustments to the straps for fitting around necks, luggage, or seat headrests." —micki
Get it from Amazon for $39.95.
14. An inflatable wedge pillow if you prefer to lean on something as you sleep. This easily fits on your tray table and reviewers even say they used it upon arrival and their destination!
Promising review: "We bought this for a flight from Atlanta to Paris. It worked great. One of the best things about it was that it can open up and be flat so if you have a window seat, you can lean it against the wall and over the arm rest to make it super comfortable to lean against the wall. On the other hand, if you have an aisle or dreaded middle seat, you can inflate and put it together for the support when leaning forward. Well worth it to get some good sleep on a longer plane flight!" —Darth Wookiee
Get it from Amazon for $24.99.
15. A memory foam seat cushion with an ergonomic design and gel layer for cradling your behind while you're in your car seat off to your next adventure. After all, you don't want a sore behind once you get to your destination.
Lots of reviewers who drive for a living rave about it.
Promising review: "I got this for a return flight because I was sitting on a metal bar in the seat for five hours. I had it shipped to my hotel. It made a huge difference in sitting in my seat on the way home. I was comfortable and not grumpy." —Kindle Customer
Get it from Amazon for $39.99 (available in three color combos).
16. A travel-friendly blanket-slash-pillow because those tiny plane pillows never do the trick and we can say the same about the blankets. With this, you'll have options. Oh! And it clips onto your backpack or carry-on.
17. An airplane seat back organizer because those seat back pockets are NEVER as big as you need them to be. With this you can actually store your snacks, water bottle, and so much more without having to get up and get stuff out of the overhead throughout your flight.
Promising review: "Out of all the travel accessories and/or items I have purchased to make traveling more comfortable this ranks up there as one of the best. The material is soft and not too thin or too thick for that matter. It stretched perfectly over the table without a lot of extra material hanging off the table yet it wasn't so tight that it looked like it would rip. When the table was up there was plenty of room in each of the pockets for my cell phone, gum, ear buds holder, and two tablets. I am so happy with this purchase and recommended it to all my family members." —Mking110
Get it from Amazon for $29.99.
18. An *very popular* off-the-shoulder jumpsuit suited for just about any sightseeing needs. But it'd also make an incredibly comfy flight outfit so you'll get a number of wears out of it on one trip.
FYI, if you have Amazon Prime, you can give this a spin before you buy it!
Promising reviews: "I bought this specifically to wear on a 13-hour flight. Obviously I needed something comfortable (preferably with no waistband) but I also wanted it to be something stylish. This was perfect! The only slight complaint I had was the large size of the neck hole. I realize it is made to be like an off-the-shoulder look, but when flying, I wanted my shoulders covered. I was able to wear it on my shoulders, but sometimes it would slide down and I’d have to readjust. Again, nothing major, just a slight annoyance but since that was just my personal preference, I didn’t knock off any stars. Overall I am very pleased." —Cami
Get it from Amazon for $28.78+ (available in sizes S–3X and 31 colors/patterns).
19. A pair of compression socks because since you saw Karl and Frank from Succession snap on their own, you've thought "Hmm, maybe I should get some of those."
Read more about compression socks for travel at Johns Hopkins and The Huffington Post.
Promising review: "These compression socks really helped me. No swelling of feet and legs on a flight from New York to Munich and onto Palermo. Amazing fit and not too thick. Really comfortable." —L. M. Morabito
Get them from Amazon for $14.32+ (available in unisex sizes S–XXL and in 13 colors).
And check out our full Physix Gear compression socks review here.
20. If you get jet lag, try a set of homeopathic jet lag pills made to help you fight off time zone changes and disrupted sleep schedules. Plus, you can actually sleep while taking these. I've taken them on a couple of red eyes and I think they help!
According to the instructions, you should take them at take-off and then every two hours and then again once you arrive to help with relaxation and combat sleepiness.
Promising review: "I heard about this product from my cousin who used it for a trip Japan and it was very effective. I used it for a trip to Washington DC that had several stops and delays — total of 15 hours to get to my destination. I was comfortable upon arrival. The next morning I was ready for a work day." —ELEANORE
Get a pack of 32 pills from Amazon for $14.90.
21. Some no-tie elastic shoelaces you can add to your go-to sneakers so you can easily slip them on and off at security. And then when you're on the plane if you're a no-shoe person. But the laces won't look any different!
Promising review: "These things are great! Made taking my trainers off at airport security and during a long flight so much easier. Very comfortable too. Thinking about getting another pair for running!" —B. Borkent
Get them from Amazon for $11.99 (available in 38 colors).
22. A set of Sea Bands with a little nub that targets the acupuncture point on your wrists meant to help reduce nausea. This'll be great in case you get motion sick.
Promising review: "These are snug enough to do the job; but comfortable enough that on a 5.5- hour flight I forgot I even had them on. I left them on 'til I got unpacked in the hotel, which totaled seven hours. They kept their shape and didn’t stretch out so I’ll get many uses out of them. I highly recommend them." —T. Schneider
Get a set of two from Amazon for $8.52 (available in adult and children's sizes).
23. A weighted sleep mask to help block out the reading light and/or sunlight from your neighbor's open airplane window shade while you catch up on some of that sleep you sacrificed to get the early flight. Oh, and it's weighted!
Promising review: "Very comfortable, is not too tight on your head. I mostly use it when I have headaches and it helps to relieve the pressure. I now wear it to sleep and on long flights." —Amazon Customer
Get one from Amazon for $14.99.
Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.