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. 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 in a budget-friendlier car, bus, or ferry ride.
Promising review: "So glad I bought these. Flying usually makes me terribly nauseous. These helped so much! You need to find the right pressure point, and they are really tight. Other than that, 5 stars." —T. Schneider
Get a set of two from Amazon for $8.53 (available in adult and children's sizes).
2. A hands-free (rotating!) phone mount can 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.
Promising review: "Great idea, handy little gadget. A tiny bit bulkier than I wanted to pack, but so very glad I did! Took with me for a flight out of the country. Handy to be able to clamp or stand on tray table to watch films aired via in-flight Wi-Fi. Sturdy, versatile, appears well made, and durable. Used with Samsung Galaxy Note 10+." —KLMCats
Get it from Amazon for $12.99.
3. Tide sink packets with the perfect amount of detergent for a sink wash to help lighten your clothing load. Plus! These'll easily slide into the toiletries bag that you thought had no. more. room. Seriously, it's time to get over packing an outfit for every freaking day of your trip. No one cares.
Each pack comes with three packets. And, because they *are* liquid, they'll easily slide into the side of your toiletries bag. I've packed these on international trips to much success!
Promising review: "I have taken these packets in travels throughout the world. They are small and fit in my bag. They are good for a wash in a sink or wash bag. I use Tide at home, as my wash of choice. Glad to have them. They don’t leak either." —Barbara Jefferson
Get nine packs from Amazon for $6.60.
4. Or a pack of laundry soap sheets you won't have to slip into your toiletries bag if you're flying. This way you can save more room for souvenirs than three changes of underwear for every day of your trip.
I travel just about any chance that I get and found a WHOLE lot of success with these little laundry sheets on an almost-three-weeks European vacation this summer where I carried on only and rewore outfits several times.
Promising review: "I saw these recommended on a travel blog, and I'm glad I bought them. I used them both in a washing machine and to hand-wash some items on my trip, and in both cases, they were super easy to use and got my clothes clean while taking up a minuscule amount of space in my luggage. I would highly recommend these for extended travel." —angal2
Get it from Amazon for $7.19+ (available in four other styles, including hand soap and shampoo).
5. An airplane footrest that loops over your tray table so you can kick back, relax, and hopefully head off to Snoozeville as soon as you get comfy in your seat that was most definitely the cheapest on the plane. (We're birds of a feather, you and I.)
Promising review: "I bought this for an international flight, and I’m glad I did — sprained my ankle the last night, and this was my best friend for the return. Even with upgraded seats, I chose to use this rather than the foot rest on the airplane seat. I love that the height is adjustable, and it can work for one foot or both. Seriously a game-changer." —M. C.
Get it from Amazon for $21.99 (available in three colors).
6. Pedialyte powder packets because yes you are a grown-ass adult, but sometimes you indulge a little too much or feel a little dehydrated from traveling and could use some electrolytes. I always pack these for trips and have never regretted it. And they're much tastier than electrolyte tablets you dilute in water. Go through security FULLY hungover knowing you can fill up your water bottle with this *right* after.
Promising review: "These little tubes of electrolyte powder are a lifesaver. I am a frequent traveler and have had many instances of food poisoning. I'm always glad to have these packets in my travel bag. I keep them for myself, or sometimes other people I'm traveling with — you never know when you might get sick and severely dehydrated. Additionally, they're good for hangovers! I don't travel without them; I always make sure I have at least two packets on me at all times. They don't take up any room in my hygiene bag." —Amazon Customer
~Trust me~ when I tell you that these will work in a pinch. I bought them a few years ago to take on a bachelorette party to New Orleans, and everyone in the Airbnb was grateful I did. Since then, I've always had them in my carry-on bag when going on a trip. They REALLY came in handy when I went to the Greek islands for 10 days with an apparent mission to eat every piece of seafood and cheese within sight while washing it down with jugs of wine. These are powder in small individual packets, so they're so easy to pack! And also, you don't have to lug around a bottle of Gatorade to feel better.
Get a 24-count from Amazon for $24.31.
7. 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: "I was a little reluctant purchasing Airfly after reading the reviews, but I’m so glad I did! It worked perfectly on the plane, and while on my trip, I also used it to listen to music in the car. It acted like a speaker because I had no aux cable. It was great!" —Yamile cardozo
Get it from Amazon for $54.99.
8. A portable door lock to attach to any regular old door for your budget-friendly hotel, vacation rental, room in a guest house, or, well, just any door. It's super easy to install and won't damage the door. It'll be a comfort for solo travelers, especially.
Just make sure that if you're flying, it's easy to access in your bag. I have this, and it's been flagged by security a few times.
Promising review: "I just got back from a solo trip and used this at the hotel. It made me feel so much safer, and I’m SO glad I found this product. If you’re traveling alone and want some extra security, this is a great product to have on hand." —Jess S.
Get it from Amazon for $14.99+.
9. A portable safe you can secure to a beach chair to keep your valuables safe or to keep your passport in your hotel room in case there's no safe or the safe isn't working. (Raise your hand if you've stayed in a small hotel without a safe. ::raises hand::)
After putting this in MANY travel stories, I bought one for myself for a summer European vacation where I found myself at several beach clubs. It was perfect for keeping mine and my friend's belongings safe while we dozed in our beach chairs or swam in the sea. Plus, it's the perfect size to hold phones or wallets, and easily carry in your beach or tote bag. Just make sure that you leave it unlocked during transit if you're flying because I've had TSA want to take a look at mine a few times.
Promising review: "I bought this to attach to my lounge chair at the beach (to safeguard my phone and credit card/cash). I had peace of mind while I was swimming or walking down the beach. It was light enough to carry in my bag. I’m glad I purchased it." —Penny Kitchens
Get it from Amazon for $23.98+ (available in three colors).
10. A bendy travel pillow for helping you sit upright in the most awkward of positions, whether it be on a bus, train, plane, or ferry.
Promising review: "I ordered five travel pillows to try out for my trip to Madrid, and this was the winner. I have fibromyalgia and normally get terrible neck and shoulder pain when flying long distances, but this pillow helped me so much. If I switched positions, I would just reshape the pillow to support whatever I needed to. My daughter and I both have one now, and we use it in bed every night, too. I am so glad we found this amazing pillow. 😊" —Pam Goodson
Get it from Amazon for $24.99 (available in four colors).
11. A pocket-sized, refillable travel perfume atomizer you simply pump on your normal size perfume bottle to keep you smelling like your signature scent while you're on the go. Yes, I paid all that dough for a Le Labo but no I won't pay more dough for their (still v pricey) travel bottles.
^ That's me pumping my signature perfume into one of these travel atomizers I've been using for about a year. As the reviewer down below mentions, it's great to just throw in your purse on the reg for a fragrance re-up throughout the day. As you can see, it's about the size of my thumb and therefore takes up very little room. Plus! It's smaller than most rollerball travel fragrances you can pick up. This first one is working so well, that I just have the other three in storage. But if this one bites the dust this summer during travels, I'll be OK about digging into my stores to use one of the remaining three...especially at this price point.
Promising review: "These little bottles allowed me to take four different scents with me on my trip. I was about to take one big glass bottle, but I was worried that it would break, so when I saw these, I read reviews and took a chance, and I'm glad I did. I love it!" —QueenFrecklez
Get a four-pack from Amazon for $7.55.
12. A waterproof pouch that I buy for every water-adjacent vacation (so mostly warm-weather trips like Croatia and Greece). But! As soon as I booked my flight for Iceland, I bought one of these to take along to The Blue Lagoon. It survived rain, hail, and all kinds of steam rising off the water.
It fits any phone up to 100 mm x 170 mm (or about 3.9 inches x 6.7 inches). It also keeps out sand, dirt, and rain.
With these, I find that they're good for about a day due to condensation. So, for a trip I'll buy two to three, except for this one where I just knew I'd be in the water at the Blue Lagoon. And while I'm on the subject, check out a TikTok I made using the phone case! On the day I went, we had to duck and run inside because of rain. And it was hailing on us when I was in the water, so I had to face a certain way to keep from getting pelted in the face. But, when in Rome! Then we went inside and ate lunch at the Lava Restaurant, and it was GORGEOUS and clear outside post-lunch. So, this case worked well taking pics in both bad and good conditions (as you can see from the two pics for comparison). I've used this case to take underwater pics, on boat rides, and have worn it with the lanyard jumping off a boat into water. So, I really trust these!
Promising review: "Vacation must-have. I was skeptical about purchasing a waterproof case, but I’m so glad I did because I was able to capture fun water excursions worry free!" —Lisa D
Get it from Amazon for $7.99 (available in 13 colors).
13. A collection of compression packing cubes to use over and over again without having to remember to pack a pump for sucking out the air in case you know you won't be beholden to luggage weight limits.
Again, just be sure to look up any weight restrictions on carry-on luggage. I ran into that problem last summer (it was in Croatia while flying British Airways, btw), but the person at the airport check-in counter that gave me some trouble about my bag just seemed to care about my roller carry-on. So, I'd suggest using these in a backpack or tote bag you plan to put under the seat.
Promising review: "These things are amazing. I’ve stuffed them to the max. Bought a second set because I was so impressed. So glad I spent the extra money on these, instead of some of the cheaper options I saw. I am confident these will last a very long time. They are super sturdy, functional, very attractive (I bought pink), and helped to keep me organized on my trips." —Meshelle
Get a pack of six from Amazon for $39.99 (available in twelve colors).
14. A 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.
Promising review: "I was skeptical of this at first, but am so glad I bought these for my international travel. Multiple 11+ hour flights back and forth, definitely loved the fact that I had these. It was a bit awkward to try to find the right position where my chin/cheek area would be comfortable, but once I did, I did not have any issues sleeping, and I woke up without any pains on my neck. Since it is a basically fixed size, I would say give it a shot, and if it fits, great! You'd be glad to have this for long travels where you have to sit straight up, and if it doesn't fit, then it's just a bit of a hassle to have to return it. Overall, it was definitely worth it for me to take that risk of potentially having to return it if it didn't fit." —Eric
Ciera Velarde, an 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."
Get it from Amazon for $59.99+ (available in four colors).
15. A TSA-friendly toiletries set you'll easily fill, clean, and then refill with your go-to regular products. And the bag is sturdy as HECK.
I own and love this set! It includes the zippered bag, four soft silicone bottles with leakproof caps, three compact jars, an two toothbrush caps. I've used this set on more than five trips, and for trips when I don't require body wash or shampoo (like to visit my parents), I use the extra room in the bag to shove in all my beauty products and daily contacts. Plus! It comes with labels that stay on the containers really well despite my thoroughly washing these containers between trips. I bought this set in spring 2019 and have, admittedly, lost a container or two. But the ones that I've held on to over dozens of trips have all held up well!
Promising review: "I used this recently on a trip to Europe. They worked great, no leaks, and got through security in my carry-on just fine. I’m glad to have these for future trips." —Rachel
Get it from Amazon for $12.99+ (available in eight variations).
16. Or if you're not in need of containers, a clear TSA-approved toiletry bag so you can Lego-fit all your liquid and spreadable bbs in there with ease.
Promising review: "I've had this bag for a year — it's gone through TSA several times, and I have never had an issue with it! I've actually been able to fit more into it than I would a traditional Ziploc bag. SO glad I made the purchase!!!" —Glenna
Get it from Amazon for $13.99 (available in 11 colors).
17. A waterproof Kindle to let you bring a TON of reading material (without a stack of books hogging space in your carry-on) for your time sipping a mimosa near the gate, then on the flight when you can't fall asleep, during layovers, on downtime during your travels, you get my drift.
Promising review: "I have never been a fan of eReaders and have always considered the physical book to be far superior. I didn't see the point in having one. Boy was I wrong! I bought this after multiple friends recommended I get the Paperwhite for traveling; easy library checkouts, esp. when libraries are closed; and for reading at night/in the car/while laying out. I'm reading more than ever now, switching between physical and eBooks. If you're a skeptic that struggles with trying to pack too many books when traveling or wants to read even when your surroundings are dark, just take the chance and buy it. You'll be glad you did." —Jeff Simmons
Get it from Amazon for $129.99 (available in 8GB and 32GB and in four colors).
18. A mini lightweight flat iron that'll help you get your signature smooth locks, or at least tidy up your blowout you're really banking on lasting for a few days.
It also comes with a heat-resistant pouch for easy carrying!
Promising review: "Loved having this on my recent trip to Ireland. So glad I purchased something with dual voltage so there were no hair worries while traveling. It works well and takes up little space. Plan for it to take longer to style your hair; it’s small. But it doesn’t take a lot more time. Glad I purchased!" —Ashley
Get it from Amazon for $14.97 (originally $16.97).
19. 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 went out of the country for the first time and am so glad I bought this wallet. It holds all my documents and IDs, and makes going through airports easy with everything right at hand. It's a good size and fit nicely in my cross-body travel bag. So, if you need a nice travel wallet, give this one a go. It's a good quality and price." —khaleesi
Get it from Amazon for $13.99+ (available in 33 colors).
20. A luggage-mounted cup caddy with a pocket for your bagel or croissant (look at you being fancy so early in the morning!) so you can steer your way to your gate with your caffeine in tow.
Promising review: "Bought it for several planned trips and glad I did. Most of the airports I stopped at did not have cup holders. In the past, I'd place my drinks on vacant chairs, my lap, balancing on my carry-on, in my purse, etc....and hope it didn't spill. This product is easy to place on my hand-carry and easy to stow away when needed. I can also leave my drinks in the travel cup holder when moving from one gate to another. Great purchase!" —Betty C
Get it from Amazon for $15.99 (available in various and patterns).
21. A water bottle that's collapsible, refillable, *and* leakproof so you won't have to shell out for disposable water bottles at the airport or gas stations. Also the lid comes completely off, which makes it super easy to refill with zero mess.
Promising review: "Purchased this to travel with for my honeymoon and am sooooo glad that I did! Rolled up, it barely took up any space in my backpack, and when full, it was not overly heavy and hung on my pack easily. It has good flow, and barely any taste change or smell to it when first used. Will be traveling with this from here on out!" —Carrie Weise
Get it from Amazon for $34.95 (available in eight colors).
22. Or a water bottle with a Brita filter so you can feel confident in drinking the water from a water fountain in a place you're a little iffy about. Or course, check up on the water quality in your locale!
Promising review: "I love this water bottle! I bought one for me and one for my husband because we went to Europe, and I didn't know what the water quality would be there. I was so glad I did because we mostly had to use tap water, and I don't typically like the taste of tap water. The water tasted great, and I couldn't even tell it came from the tap! When you first use the straw after a refill, it takes a moment for it to come out. But after that, there is no delay. This bottle was the perfect size to have enough water to keep me hydrated without being too bulky to carry around. I would definitely recommend it!" —Gina Meeks
They do require replacement filters every two months; you can find a pack of five of those for $11.25.
Get it from Amazon for $22.89+ (available in two sizes and five colors, and in insulated stainless steel in six colors for $29.90).
23. A mini-steamer to keep you looking super pulled together once you get to where you're going (and looking fab). Packing cubes are GREAT for packing...not so much for keeping your clothes wrinkle-free.
For more on why this particular one's great, read a BuzzFeed editor's mini steamer review. TL;DR: This steamer's incredibly useful: It heats up in about 90 seconds, steams about five garments before needing refilled, and is all around perfect for anyone who doesn't want to wait too long or work too hard to get the wrinkles out.
Promising review: "I bought this steamer leading up to a week-long work trip, and I'm so glad I did. Normally, I set aside about an hour shortly after I arrive to iron all my clothes for the week. It gets a bit tedious, so I thought it would save me some time if I just took a travel steamer with me. With this tool, I was able to cut that time down to 10 minutes. It worked wonderfully! My suitcase was very tightly packed, and my clothes were very wrinkled, but the steamer did a great job getting out even the deepest wrinkles. In one use, I was able to de-wrinkle a thick pair of dress pants (they were very badly wrinkled)." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $24.97.
24. A set of affordable, highly popular wireless Bluetooth earbuds some reviewers compare to AirPods for significantly cheaper. I was able to wear mine comfortably under my bucket hat while I slept on a very rocky bus ride from the Snæfellsnes Peninsula in Iceland. And while I was out exploring, the charging case easily fit in my coat pocket.
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).
I also use these on the reg in my everyday life to listen to Spotify and podcasts, and even talk on the phone. I have to charge them about once a week and always keep them in my coat pocket.
Promising review: "Great sound quality, incredibly easy to use. Really glad I got them before my trip." —Moneka Rodriquez
Get it from Amazon $18.99+ (clip the "15% off coupon" on the product page for this price; available in five colors).
25. A fanny pack with a ton of storage room inside that has a long enough strap to wear crossbody *or* comfortably fit over outerwear for some hands-free adventures.
I wear a size L/XL in clothing, and sometimes, waist bags just don't work out so well for me. With this one, I can confirm that it fit around my waist comfortably without outerwear, across my chest without outerwear, *and* over a thick coat and several layers. The pockets inside are so handy, and I even had room to spare throughout my Iceland trip. This was the only purse I brought for the whole trip, and it performed its job flawlessly. Just make sure that you zip the zipper ALL the way because the zipper goes down pretty far on the sides for easier access to contents. Having my hands free was wildly convenient for a number of reasons, including crawling around inside of an ice cave and putting out my hands for some extra balance while walking on sheets of ice along cliffs. Oh, and it comes in so, so, SO many colors.
Promising review: "I bought this for a recent San Francisco trip. I’m so glad I did!" —Tdot401
Get it from Amazon for $16.98 (originally $18.98; available in 26 styles).
26. A cute portable charger can fit in your coat pocket or bag. And you can also easily use your phone while it charges! I've taken this on two international trips since purchasing, including a day trip to Budapest where I only had my purse. And it's my favorite charger to date for capturing adorable Christmas markets in Prague to breathtaking cliff views in Iceland.
I bought this specifically for my weeklong trip to Europe in December when I knew I'd be taking a million videos of adorable Christmas markets. But! I keep it in my bag all the time, even when I'm not on vacation. I use Google Maps to get around NYC, and any New Yorker will tell you that when you leave your home on a quick errand at 10 a.m. on a Saturday, you may not get home until 3 a.m. because there's always something cool to do, and friends constantly reach out with impromptu plans. This little charger has saved me on several days while I'm out and about. No more need to bring your pal a phone charging cord when you're meeting for happy hour and searching the bar for stools near an outlet.
Promising reviews: "Got this for a family trip to the Orlando theme parks, and it was a lifesaver. Got this for my son's iPhone for entertainment on some long lines. At one point, it was at 19%, plugged in the battery, left it hooked up in my backpack, and it was 85% in nice time (I don't know exactly how long but within an hour I'm sure), and it was only on the second of the three dots showing the battery charge level. Another day my son walked around with this plugged in just for fun. I'm so glad I got this; it'll be great on trips to any city or traveling if outlets aren't handy. This has been a great investment." —Laura K.
Get it from Amazon for $29.99+ (available in five colors).
27. 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: "I bought a pair of these AirTags for a trip to France, and I’m so glad I did! First of all, the setup is super easy. I had zero problems, and both were done in, like, five minutes. I put one in my purse and one in my suitcase. On the way back home, the airline lost my luggage. Checked the Find My Friends app where the AirTag is tracked, and I could see that it never left the Charles de Gaulle airport. I felt more assurance being able to track my bag through the app as it made its way across the world back to me. 10/10 would recommend!" —Lindsay Kirby
Get it from Amazon for $27 (originally $29; also available in a four-pack for $99).
28. An on-the-go Gillette razor that'll spare you some precious space in your bag without sacrificing quality.
It comes with one handle and one blade refill!
Promising review: "I bought this for a four-week backpacking trip to Europe and was so glad I did. You can absolutely get this through TSA, and the case that comes with it is excellent for protecting the blade. I shaved probably once every few days, and the blade held up the whole time I was gone, and I'm still using it after I got back. Great for travel." —Angela
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
29. A pair of quick-dry water shoes to help you traverse nearly every kind of ground you may come upon.
Promising review: "So glad I got these for my trip to Hawaii. These shoes saved my feet getting into the coral-covered beaches of Kaua'i. Great on the hot sand, too. Much more comfortable than the ones I got for my daughter at Target." —jaspy106
Get it from Amazon for $8.68+ (available in seven sizes and 44 colors).
30. A universal travel adapter so you always have a way to juice up your devices or use your US-friendly plugged item in a different outlet. You can plug up to five devices in this at a time...and it covers 160 countries!
But remember that this is not a voltage converter!
Promising review: "I just came back from a three-week trip to Europe. The travel adapter works like a charm. So glad I have it to use with all my travels outside North America!" —Merlina
Get it from Amazon for $19.95 (available in two colors).
Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.