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1. A set of Sea Bands, which target an acupressure point on your wrists meant to help reduce nausea — a must-have for anyone who gets motion sick on long car rides, cruises, buses, and trains.
Promising review: "These were awesome! My entire family suffers from motion sickness, especially carsickness. My little one gets sick in the car on a regular car ride through the city. So I knew that a long road trip was going to be a disaster. I was amazed at how well these bands worked for everyone! Not one single person complained about being sick for 12 hours in the car. At one point I did have one child remove their bands because they said they were getting too tight. But after only a few minutes without them, a headache started to come on, so they immediately put them back on and the relief was instant. I have suffered for decades and now I know better. I will never travel without mine again!" —1SmartCookie
Get a set of two from Amazon for $8.53 (available in adult and children's sizes).
2. An airplane footrest, because yes, it IS possible to sit comfortably on a plane — all you have to do is hook this onto the tray table and boom, instant elevation (and a LOT less foot swelling to deal with post-flight!).
Promising review: "My feet never touch the floor when I sit on airplane seats. For short flights, this is bearable, but I have been in misery on longer rides. I used this sling during a trip to Thailand from East Coast USA and it made the trip so much better. Between this sling and a pair of compression stockings, I survived 26 hours of consecutive flight with no swelling or pain. It's easy to use with any tray table or back-of-seat pocket. It folds up small enough into its pouch that I could carry it in my hand luggage, and it takes up about the same space as a set of over-the-ear headphones." —Holbytla
Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in three colors).
3. A vinyl plastic vaccine card sleeve with a resealable top just to make *extra* sure it won't rain on your vaccinated travel parade. (This also comes with handy holes for lanyards if you want to keep them close!)
Promising review: "These fit the current COVID vaccine cards perfectly. We got these for keeping the cards safe during a recent vacation. These are better than laminating because they will allow the paper to release gas and not break down." —Jonathon W.
Get a set of three from Amazon for $6.98 (also available in 5-, 10-, 20-, and 50-packs).
4. Or a leather passport case with a protective side sleeve for your vaccine card, so your two most important travel documents will always be tucked in together and ready to rumble.
Henney's Boutique is a California-based Etsy shop that specializes in passport holders.
Promising review: "Shipping was impeccable! The holder is sleek looking. It is nice and large. My COVID vaccine card fits snugly." —Alexandra Tino
Get it from Henney's Boutique on Etsy for $10.
5. A hands-free (rotating!) phone mount designed for use on all airlines — not only can you mount it to the tray table, but to the arm of a chair or any flat surface, so you'll be able to stream content easy as pie.
Promising review: "I bought this nifty gadget about six months for a multi-leg, ultra long haul trip and it more than held up the entire duration. I was able to finagle it to fit the tray tables on different planes and like others, I find the height just nice when clamped onto a stowed tray table. It also works on my roller carry-on handle during layovers. However, I find myself using it a lot outside of travel too! Work-wise, I've clamped it onto my office desk shelving to hold my phone at eye level beside my computer. At home, I simply clamped it to a deck of cards and it turns into a versatile stand that I can place on any flat surface. Heck, I've been using it to hold my phone comfortably at eye level while watching videos in bed. It's extremely well-built and I find myself fidgeting with it all the time. Thus far it still feels solid and I don't anticipate breaking it any time soon. Even if it does break, I'll be happy to buy another one or two of it!" —Earendil
Get it from Amazon for $10.98.
6. A popular water-resistant Under Armour face mask designed to sit off your lips, giving you plenty of room to breathe without getting fabric sucked into your mouth — a perfect mask for anyone looking to relax on a long plane flight. It's also made with the company's Iso-Chill fabric, so it doesn't overheat despite being bulkier than other masks.
FWIW, if you're planning to exercise in a mask while traveling, this mask also has the approval of a *ton* of runners and athletes in its reviews. I have two of them in my own rotation, and I'm impressed by how comfortable they are on long flights *and* while working out. The straps are super soft on your ears — I've gotten to used to straps chafing and was surprised by what a difference this made. I gifted one of these to my dad for Christmas, too, and it's his go-to for walks and errand running. It's just an overall easier mask to breathe in (while still maintaining a tight fit and keeping the people around you safe!).
Promising review: "I love this mask. It's comfortable and fits well on the sides. It's multi-layer, which gives me peace of mind, but it's not hot nor does it trap my breath, making it uncomfortable when I'm working out. It washes and dries well, but just make sure you give yourself time for it to completely dry before planning to wear again...as I mentioned, it's multi-layer, so it takes a little longer (to air-dry). I also wore this mask on recent plane trips that I took for the extra peace of mind. So glad I spent the money on a better-made mask. I'm thinking of ordering another one." —Kristi S.
Type Of Fit: Around-the-ear loops
Pocket For Filter: No
Fabric Type: Iso-Chill fabric
Shipping Time: Standard shipping
Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in five sizes and six colors; for reference, I'm wearing the Small-Medium above).
7. Plus a soft silicone ear saver and mask extender you'll be grateful for on long flights, train rides, and bus trips — not only does it take some of the pressure off your ears, but it helps make a more personalized fit on masks with elastic straps that don't *quite* fit your face, making them much comfier and more secure.
People are also using these to prevent their hearing aids or earbuds from falling out and getting lost while they're taking masks on and off. Plus this silicone ear saver is anti-slip to keep it locked in place and designed not to get tangled in hair.
Psst — a lot of reviewers mention this worked great for kids' masks, especially since sizing for kids' faces is all over the place and difficult to measure out when you're buying masks online!
Promising review: "I bought these for my second 10-hour plane ride because the back of my ears hurt so bad from the mask the first time! These are super-comfortable, easy to use!! Love that it has three notches to adjust it better! Overall love the product!" —Carlee Wilson
Get a four-pack from Amazon for $6.99 (available in eight different color combos).
8. A handy RFID-blocking travel wallet complete with *deep breath* 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 a pen holder, all in one itty-bitty place so you're never scrambling to find anything when you're on the move.
Promising review: "I absolutely love this wallet. I needed a new travel wallet, and this holds everything I need all in one place, and it still closes nicely and stays flat! I can fit my boarding pass, passport, ID, credit cards, money, checked baggage tickets, receipts, and more in it, yet it doesn’t bulk up or look like an overstuffed mess. It's just amazing. The description says it only holds US money, but I just used the boarding pass flap to hold all my Japanese yen (¥), which are larger. I didn’t use the zippered pocket for coins as I much prefer a separate coin purse for that sort of thing. I definitely recommend to anyone who travels a lot!" —Anthony Luu
Get it from Amazon for $13.99+ (available in 35 colors).
9. A luggage drink caddy for anyone who considers the Starbucks mermaid a copilot — this sticks right into your wheeled luggage and has two roomy pockets for drinks, water bottles, your snacks, your phone, and whatever else was taking up room in your hands on the go.
Promising review: "This cup holder is perfect! It helps me a lot! Last time I took a plane with a suitcase and a cup of coffee, when it’s my turn to check my passport and ticket, the coffee cup fell to the ground and coffee sprinkled. It was a nightmare! This time I bought this cup holder, it did do me a favor! I don't have to worry about where my cup and phone are! I can free my hands to do other things. I love it so much! Hope you love it too." —Philip
Get it from Amazon for $17.99 (available in six colors).
10. An inflatable wedge pillow so you can fully conk out by turning that dead space between you and the chair in front of you into your own personal oasis — this is great for resting your head to watch stuff on your phone and also just for catching some ZZZs.
Promising review: "I used this on four international flights last month and it made all the difference in the world. It's compact, easy to inflate/deflate, very versatile in how you can position it, doesn't rely on the tray table, and works well for bulkhead seats as well as those with someone in front of you. I can't sleep with my head back without snorting myself awake, so this is a perfect alternative. I can very comfortably lean forward in my seat and sleep almost like I can in a bed. I'm 6'2" and this pillow is plenty tall enough to just rest on my lap and let me lean forward into it without feeling crunched over. This pillow will easily let me get enough comfortable periods of sleep on a nine-hour flight that I don't feel completely drained upon arrival. My wife tried mine out before we left on vacation and loved it so much she had me order her one. We both wouldn't travel without them now." —Still Chilly In Colorado
Get it from Amazon for $19.99.
11. A set of homeopathic jet-lag pills to show all time zones and weary post-travel limbs who's boss. This doesn't have any side effects and won't mess with your *actual* attempts to sleep, but may help you feel more refreshed after long flights or (sighs deeply) red-eyes.
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: "My husband and I have used this product now for five years for multiple trips overseas and these really work. How do we know? We've forgotten to use them on a couple of legs and there has been a night/day difference in our energy levels. We use precisely as directed, setting timers on our phone when possible to remember the doses. On a few occasions we've slept through the timer, so missed the timing of a couple of doses, and we've been fine. Our last trip to Australia was 34 hours door-to-door on the outbound. We would have been a complete wreck without these. As it was, we arrived late morning, remained awake and lively (enough) through dinner, and then got a good night's sleep. The next day we felt as good as new. For the years before I used this, I would need to sleep for a few days after a leg like that. We never travel without this now. I highly recommend this product." —motokat
Get a pack of 32 pills from Amazon for $7.65.
12. A waterproof pouch to keep your phone and other "doesn't play well with water"–type gadgets safe. Not only does this keep it safe, but you can still use the touchscreen with it, meaning you can take underwater travel photos galore 🐠🐟🐡.
It fits any phone up to 100 mm x 170 mm (or about 3.9 inches x 6.7 inches). It's also a great fix for keeping out sand and dirt (and a great option for runners, if you're caught in the rain but still want to be able to toggle through your music options).
Promising review: "I purchased this case in July for an upcoming canoe trip with a friend, and as luck would have it, we flipped our canoe. Being the rebel that I am, I chose not to wear my phone around my neck, and so it, my ID, and my debit card ended up at the bottom of the river and I just assumed it would be discovered a thousand years from now and placed in a museum as an ancient artifact. Fast forward to this week. I was contacted via FB by an Alachua County Sheriff’s Office diver and guess what he found? Yup, my phone case with all of the contents intact and dry as a bone! He had to cut the case open, but there was not one single drop of water in it and he ended up purchasing a case for himself because he was just that impressed!" —Julie McDonald
Get it from Amazon for $7.99 (available in 14 colors).
13. A hybrid travel planner and journal, so not only can you organize all your plans for the trip in advance, but chronicle them in the same space for safekeeping. Extremely love to see it, especially because the planning and anticipating of the trip is every bit as fun as the trip itself!
The Lamare is a Florida-based Etsy shop established in 2017 that specializes in planners and journals.
Promising review: "I loved the journals I received. They are gorgeous. They're well-made and fun to use!" —Kristy
Get it from The Lamare on Etsy for $14.95.
14. A reusable water bottle with a daily pill organizer so not only can you condense two very handy items in one sleek bottle, but you'll be less likely to forget to take your medication with your traveling throwing off your routine.
Promising review: "Very nice! I love this bottle. I took it on a trip. It worked beautifully!" —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $12.99+ (available in four colors).
15. A rechargeable, dimmable light-up compact mirror you'll be especially grateful to have in your arsenal for trips that are of the "go! go! go!!" variety and don't leave you with much time to touch up your makeup or fiddle with your hair in a hotel bathroom.
Promising review: "Important travel necessity for your makeup bag. One of my favorite features is that it’s rechargeable. The battery lasts a long time and the light is substantially bright. The fact that it comes in one of my favorite colors is an added bonus. It’s also reasonably priced. I’ve seen similar AAA-battery-operated mirrors that cost more. It’s perfect for tweezing those stray hairs." —Kisha
Get it from Amazon for $15.99 (available in three colors).
16. A transparent TSA-approved toiletry bag for all your liquids and makeup so you can sail on through security without worrying about anything other than the fact that oops, turns out your socks don't match.
Promising review: "This bag held surprisingly more than expected. I put tiny travel jars for my skincare creams and other small toiletries in it with room to spare. I definitely feel like it was easier to pack and was also easy to grab out of my bag for security. It feels sturdy with nice, thick vinyl. The double zipper moved easily, and I was pleased that it opened completely for ease of getting the items I needed out of it." —Mrs M Tate
Get it from Amazon for $13.99 (available in 11 colors).
17. An itsy-bitsy travel razor you can bop right into your checked lugged for a fraction of the space — perfect for when you're on long trips when you might want to do a few ~touch-ups~.
Promising review: "I cannot express how much my daughter and I love these razors! They are perfect for traveling and the little grip is much easier to hold than I expected. Now there is no need to take those awful disposable razors on vacation. We can use the same quality razor that we used at home." —Anitra W.
Get it from Amazon for $8.99.
18. A packing checklist so you never arrive in the middle of a brand-new city and open the family suitcases to a whole lot of things that *aren't* your underwear ever again.
Promising review: "We travel frequently and have two children. As any parent knows, packing for yourself and your children can be overwhelming (especially for trip longer than a few days). I have found this list to be a lifesaver and I also give it as a gift for other traveling families. It is easy to plan, organize, and list out items that are easily forgotten. You can also list the quantity of each item needed. It has a variety of clothing options and space to add more. Overall, wonderful purchase and has likely saved me many forgotten items!" —Mike D.
Get it from Amazon for $9.35.
19. A small power bank charger that thousands of reviewers swear by as an easy, highly portable way to get a quick charge on their phones — especially great for trips where you're on the go so much that there's no time to go back to the hotel and charge.
Promising review: "This little gem is amazing! This year we were fortunate enough to do some local traveling and attend quite a few concerts this year. I take a ton of videos and pictures, often draining the battery. This power-packed product charged not only my phone when it was low, but my boyfriend’s AND the girl next to her!! Since you can only take small bags into venues, this slipped right into the pocket behind my phone! We had numerous comments on it bc of the little paw charge indicator. The flashing came in handy a few times when we found ourselves in the dark! I will be buying more and giving them as gifts this year!" —Annetastic
Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in three colors).
20. An expandable dirty laundry bag to make the packing/unpacking process a breeze — this packs in a tiny zip-up and extends into a bag that can hold a week's worth of laundry, and is made with moisture-resistant fabric so your dirty clothes don't muck up your nice clean ones.
Promising review: "I love this bag for travel. It's the perfect size. Unlike so many travel laundry bags, this one is the perfect size for clothes and undies. So many are too small like a lingerie bag or too big like a bag to take to the laundromat. This is cute and folds up into itself." —N. Newman
Get it from Amazon for $10.31 (available in five colors).
21. A adorable hanging toiletries bag so you can have your own little makeshift "getting ready" station without using up too much counter space in a hotel — an especially nice hack when you're traveling with other humans.
J-BeautyLife Accessories is a California-based Etsy shop that specializes in travel bags, cosmetic bags, and jewelry.
Promising review: "This is a great travel bag. I found myself lugging around three little bags and finally decided that I needed a cute, durable travel kit. Found it! Seems to be solid quality, fast shipping, and I love the gray lemon design." —clarev and mark
Get it from J-BeautyLife Accessories on Etsy for $14.19 (available in four colors).
22. Or a ridiiiiculously convenient fully stocked toiletries bag that does half your packing work *for* you. This clear TSA-approved bag comes complete with quality shampoo, conditioner, lotion, deodorant, toothpaste, a toothbrush, flossers, a spare bag, and a styling comb.
Psst — a lot of people brought these for their hospital stays to have their kids!
Promising review: "This is amazing!!! Like imagine everything you would need for a short trip and visualize it in front of you. This kit: perfection! Everything you would need! They even supply you with a medium ziplock bag to put everything in if you were to go on a plane (since they request you put your toiletries in a see-through plastic bag anyway) this is amazing and I have nothing but nice words to say. This is such a genius idea and it’s perfect for any short trip!!! Five stars!!!" —Alexis
Get it from Amazon for $10.59.
23. A set of two foldable waterproof shoe bags you will be soooooo glad you bought to keep your shoes separate from your nice clothes, especially when your last vacation day might end in a downpour or a muddy hike!
Promising review: "Took this on vacation and I bought two, one for myself and one for my boyfriend. My feet are women’s size 6 and my boyfriend's are men’s size 9. We were both able to fit one pair of slipper/slides and one pair of shoes. My boyfriend and I just placed on top of each other. We had mud on our shoes and sand but it didn’t get mixed up with the rest of our belongings (hence why I purchased the darker color, I knew the lighter one would stain/look so dirty). I will def use this every single time I travel." —OctoberPaperTrails
Get a set of two from Amazon for $8.99 (available in seven colors).
24. A foldable jewelry organizer made with a soft quilted cotton to keep all your baubles safe and untangled while you're on the move — this has special spaces for earrings, bracelets, and necklaces, plus two zippered pockets for watches and other accessories.
Promising review: "Absolutely love this! I purchased it for a week-long vacation and it kept my jewelry safe and untangled. I had stopped traveling with necklaces because they always wound up a tangled mess. No more! Bonus is that the soft pink case is beautiful and classy looking. It is also very slim so it’s easy to pack or carry in your purse. Highly recommend this product! My favorite purchase in a long time!" —Petite and Pampered Boutique
Get it from Amazon for $16.99 (available in two sizes and seven colors).
25. A super-soft MakeUp Eraser to wipe makeup right off your face with nothing but water and a gentle scrub — a perfect solution when you'd rather not wrangle makeup remover in your carry-on or you're worried about messing up other people's towels.
It's got two sides — one that can wipe off all your makeup with water and a light scrubbing, and another that exfoliates your skin. Plus, all you have to do when you're done using it is wet it and hang it up to dry! No more wasting money on icky washcloths that hurt your skin!!! I can hear your pores singing from here.
Promising review: "Good quality and sewing/finishing. Gets every trace of makeup off without any stress. Love these! Love taking them on trips so I don't ruin other people's towels and such with removing my makeup. These wash up fresh and beautiful all the time. Got the black ones, so they look as fresh as the day I bought them." —HeartofAvalon
Get it from Amazon for $15.98+ (available in five colors).
26. A nifty leakproof, portable pet water bottle with a mini dish so your furriest friend can stay hydrated when you're on adventures in the big wide world together. Bonus: If there's any leftover water in the dispenser, you can press the button to swish it back into the bottle to avoid any waste!
Promising review: "I saw this on a TikTok video and checked on Amazon and ordered it. My toy poodle loves it and drank out it with no hesitation. With the heat wave we are having in California right now I want to be sure she is well hydrated. Before I leave the house I fill the holder with ice and water and I am set. Easy to clean and no spilled water in the car. Easy to throw in my purse and have it when we are out walking around. I know what people with dogs are getting for Christmas this year." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $16.99+ (available in two colors and two sizes).
27. A pair of compression socks for anyone whose feet and legs are prone to swelling on long flights — these are a chic solution to keep you ready for action once you land.
Promising review: "Took a 10-hour flight overseas, and I am usually prone to ankle/foot swelling on long-haul flights like that. Wore these for the entire flight and they worked perfectly! No swelling when I landed! They're definitely snug feeling, but not constrictive to the point where my calves or feet ever hurt. I wouldn't recommend wearing for longer than your actual travel time because they do get a bit uncomfortable if you're thinking of wearing all day, but perfect for those long flights!" —Shireen
Get it from Amazon for $14.50+ (available in 10 colors and sizes S–XL).
28. A bar of natural, plastic-free solid shampoo you can easily slide into your carry-on without worrying about it getting flagged at TSA *or* exploding mid-flight and drowning your laptop in Garnier Fructis.
Promising review: "First time I bought this soap it was for traveling. Lugging around large bottles of shampoo for six people for a four-to-six-week vacation is just not an option and buying shampoo is sketchy since a couple of us have soap allergies. The little bar packs up perfectly in a little baggie and takes the smallest amount of luggage space. One bar washed six heads of hair for five weeks!! Every day!! Suds well and cleans well." —Dominique B.
Get it from Amazon for $11.99+ (available in eight scents).
29. Plus a waterproof soap travel case so you don't have to worry about it splish-splashing with everything else in your toiletries bag when it's time to pack it back up.
Mamazita is a Canada-based, woman-owned Etsy shop establishing in 2017 that specializes in zero-waste products.
Promising review: "Love it! It is perfect for the soap bar I take on trips. It is very well made with quality materials and shipped quickly too!" —Brianna Konz
Get it from Mamazita on Etsy for $5.92 (available in four colors).
30. A set of small travel containers that are *super* versatile, since you can use them for anything from holding small amounts of sunscreen or lotion to storing pills to stashing away earrings.
Each set of nine containers also comes with two small spatulas and a storage bag.
Promising review: "I have traveled twice now with these little jars and have had no issues with leaking. I love the two mini spatulas that come with the set for getting thicker products out of the jars. I only wish I could buy more of the smaller ones without having to purchase the larger. Great product and highly recommend." —Amazon Customer
Get a set of nine from Amazon for $9.95.
31. A set of toiletry wipe packs so compact and handy it'll make Dora the Explorer and that bottomless backpack feel like they're playing in the little leagues.
Eqwipt2go is a Colorado-based, mother-and-daughter-owned Etsy shop established in 2021 that specializes in personal hygiene packets.
Each of the four packets include a face wash wipe, deodorant wipe, hand sanitizer wipe, toothbrush wipe, and sunscreen wipe all held together by an elastic hair tie.
Promising review: "Has become a backpacking staple for me! Everything I need and doesn’t take up much room in my pack, makes prepping for a trip so easy! :)" —kcarrow22
Get a pack of four from Eqwipt2go on Etsy for $10.
Psst — this ships for free!
32. A 50-count set of super-handy laundry soap sheets you can use to hand-wash your clothes right in the sink, whether you want to refresh your undies or you sweated out some workout clothes and want to go on round two with them after letting them air-dry. TBH, one of these tiny things might save you a whole BUNDLE of packing space for extra clothes you don't need!
Promising review: "This came SO in handy during my vacation to Europe! I was making lots of different stops to places with different types of weather. With these laundry soap sheets I was able to wash my clothes in the sink — letting me pack just the right amount of clothes for all the different places I went." —Katie Fujarski
Get a set of 50 from Amazon for $7.19 (also available in a hand soap version).
33. A stick of Body Glide anti-chafing balm you can apply between your thighs so you can wear all your fashionable vacation dresses to touristy spots or hike in your more active excursions without worrying about extra ouchies.
34. Plus a foot-blister-preventing balm that basically magics an extra layer between your skin and your shoe, so you can go on all your hikes or long walks around new cities without worrying about getting big ole blisters on your feet without a Band-Aid in sight.
Promising review: "Wow. I took this on vacation, during which we walked about 20,000 steps daily. And of course my shoes being to rub against parts of my feet, terribly. But I smeared this on and it was amazing. I did have to reapply a few times a day, in public, but I highly recommend this!! I used it on my toes, ankle area, etc., and my feet felt great (normal)." —Y.
Get it from Amazon for $8.
35. A trusty Tide To-Go stain removing pen, because nobody wants to get a stain on their One Nice Top the first day of traveling and have it be out of commission for the rest of the trip. Enter these tried-and-true bad boys, which will take care of the problem in a pinch.
Promising review: "These were a lifesaver. I was walking to the bus and decided it was a great decision to drink coffee while walking. Like a scene from an infomercial, I spilled coffee all over my white shirt. Yes, the classic coffee on the white shirt. Luckily I had one of these in my bag (I put one in each of my most-used purses in anticipation of my clumsiness). I went into a store bathroom and quickly scrubbed the Tide To-Go on my shirt. All of the coffee blobs went away and once the awkward wet splotches dried up, my shirt was perfectly white again. You've got yourself a big fan, Tide." —NAD
Get a pack of three from Amazon for $6.87.
When the jet-lag-preventing tablets put a pep in your step:
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