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1. A travel backpack designed to open up fully (like a suitcase) so you can easily access everything inside instead of desperately trying to shove your hand all the way to the bottom. AND it actually holds a 40-ounce water bottle 🙌🏼.
I have been searching for the perfect travel backpack for a long time. I had found some I liked, but the zipper broke and it wouldn't fit my water bottle, so I needed to find a replacement. This bag has it all — it fits a 40-oz water bottle, it has straps to tighten the sides and make it not as bulky, it opens all the way for easy access so you don't have to shove your hand all the way down to the bottom, it has a ton of small pockets for everything you could ever want and has a padded laptop sleeve. I was able to cram SO MUCH stuff into this thing, and it saved me the hassle of TSA pulling everything out when they pulled it aside for deeper inspection.
Promising review: "This is a great bag. Exactly what I was looking for. It's lightweight enough yet sturdier than expected. I like the fact that it's rip stop material. The zippers are heavy duty. The adjustable water bottle cage is a great feature. Even has a cinch strap in the event it's a taller bottle. The storage pockets are very usable and multifunctional. The laptop sleeve is well padded without being too thick. I bought the version that comes with three packing cubes so if my bag is opened at customs they don't have to touch all my personal items and things won't fall out. I bought this for all kinds of travel; weekends at the coast, a week in Mexico and possibly even a two week trip to Europe next year. That's the plan. There are straps with buckles on either side so the bag can be compressed if need be or you can tether a jacket or travel blanket to the outside. I'm very pleased with this item." —SLR
Get it from Amazon for $49.35+ (available in five colors and with or without packing cubes).
2. A hard shell carry-on suitcase with a built in TSA-approved lock so you can feel good knowing everything in your bag is secure. There's also a hidden name/address card so you don't have to have one of the paper tags flopping around, and a USB charging port!
I am plagued with being an overpacker. I recently decided it was time to upgrade my suitcase from the cheap one I found at Costco to something a bit more…sturdy. I found this one and ended up actually getting a matching blue one for my husband! It is extremely roomy and has one open side and one zip side so you can keep shoes or dirty clothes or other items separated from the rest of your stuff. I also really like the hidden address label because I am not a fan of those annoying paper tags that flop around and ultimately break off leaving all your important info God knows where. The variety of bright and fun colors is just the icing on the cake!
Promising review: "I have older Bric's suitcase, which I have always liked. Their quality is excellent. I like to travel light, so I like to have the largest carry-on I can find, and this 21” bag is very roomy, meaning I can pack a few more things!" —KG
Get it from Amazon for $179 (available in six colors).
3. A foot hammock made out of memory foam so you can kick your feet up and pretend like you're flying in business class.
Ok so as you can tell from my picture on the right, I was a liiiitttlee bit more crammed than the picture on the left (idk if the reviewer is on a train or a plane with wayyy more leg room or what, but my seat did *not* have that much legroom), so needless to say when I first set it up I was a bit nervous. BUT this hammock did not disappoint. I am one of those people who has to have my feet up or propped on something or else I just cannot get comfortable. Because of this, I tend to struggle on flights. This completely changed flying for me. Instead of constantly moving around to try to find a comfortable position, I just rest my feet on the hammock and can actually be comfortable. Even though I wasn't able to stretch my legs out straight (thx for no legroom @ Delta), just having this to keep my feet propped off the floor made all the difference. HIGHLY recommend for any long flights.
Promising review: "This is an amazing product. It's so simple but works incredible to prevent swelling and pressure on legs while flying. I just flew the first leg of an international flight and used it, and I am on a layover now and had to pause to write this review. I LOVE THIS PRODUCT!! It easily attached to the tray table, and I adjusted to my desired height. It is like a hammock for your feet. You just prop them up inside the thing/swing/hammock — which is very cushiony — and your feet are hoisted up comfortably. I'm a big girl, and weight is no issue. DEFINITELY A MUST-HAVE ON ALL MY FLIGHTS NOW. This thing is great!!" —Queen
Get it from Amazon for $21.99 (available in three colors).
4. An AirFly wireless transmitter because finally someone understands that pretty much nobody has wired headphones anymore and the ones they hand out on the airplane just aren't cutting it. Now you can connect whatever headphones you have via Bluetooth and start your movie marathon — no, we won't judge that you're on your third movie of the flight, what else are you supposed to do?!
I always get annoyed about the concept of wearing wired headphones that are stuck in my ears for a long flight. I knew the only way I was going to be even reasonably comfortable on my 8-hour journey was if I was wearing my over-the-ear headphones, but of course the problem with that is that they use Bluetooth. Thankfully, I've been writing about this product for awhile so I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to give it a try. It is honestly the perfect answer to being able to use your own Bluetooth headphones. I would absolutely recommend these to anyone going on a long flight!!
Promising review: "You don't know it yet but you need this. A friend recommended this and I decided to try it. It works well in flight. Huge improvement in comfort and sound quality over the airline's headphones. Also used for various tours when traveling. Again far more comfortable than the typical tour listening equipment." —PJ14
Get it from Amazon for $34.99+ (available in three variations).
5. And a pair of over-the-ear headphones that will actually be comfortable to use for the entire 8+ hour international flight. Now you can keep yourself entertained instead of having to rip out those annoying earbuds and get stuck listening to the crying baby and your neighbor snoring.
IDK if I just have incredibly sensitive ears or what but leaving earbuds in for more than an hour or two is always so uncomfortable for me. I decided to bring these along so I could actually watch movies or listen to music for a more substantial part of my flight. I had honestly forgotten about the noise-canceling feature, but when I first put them on on the plane I was shocked by how much of the airplane noises had almost completely disappeared!!
Promising review: "These are the perfect noise-canceling headphones for traveling. Their ability to be folded and put into a small case that takes up very little room is amazing! I loved the set I received, so I bought my husband these for Christmas and he loves them just as much. Not only are these headphones perfect for traveling, but also for school usage and zoom meetings. I have used mine daily for the last seven months and they have not faltered at all. My top favorite headphones I have ever owned, and the best Beats headphones out there." —Taylor
Get them from Amazon for $169.99+ (available in six colors).
6. A small purse perfect for storing all your daily necessities in a compact space that actually fits a lot more than you'd expect. The simple and sleek design makes it easy to pair with any outfit.
I knew I needed a purse to hold my everyday essentials (phone, wallet, sunglasses, hand sani, etc.), but I didn't want something aggressively big. This purse ended up being perfect. I was worried it was going to be too small for everything I wanted to carry around but it fits soooo much more than I would've thought. It's also a great simple bag so you can easily wear it with any outfit and even fancier looks.
Promising review: "This purse is so cute and trendy and still the perfect size to bring with me when I travel. It fits my small wallet and iPhone perfectly and still has some extra space for some other small items. I love the adjustable straps and it makes for a cute crossbody." —Viktoriya Perekurenko
Get it from Amazon for $23.99+ (available in two colors).
7. A travel toiletries pack so you can toss that grungy old plastic baggie you've been reusing for the past who knows how many trips. This will easily hold all your toiletries and the silicone bottles make it easy to get every last bit of your product out.
This set includes a high quality plastic bag, four bottles (two different sizes), four jars (two different sizes), two spray bottles, two product spoons, one funnel, one cleaning brush, and one page of labels.
Before buying this I had just a hodgepodge of random travel size products and a bag that didn't really fit any of it. I wanted to find a cohesive set, all of which actually had a place to go. Enter this guy. Not only is it all matching, but the variety of bottles, jars, and spray bottles is super convenient for all kinds of different products. The labels are also really helpful for making sure you don't end up conditioning your hair with body wash. The bottles are incredibly easy to fill because the openings are super wide and you can easily pour directly from the full size bottle.
Promising review: "I absolutely love this travel set!! First of all it looks great, clean, classic. Not only does it come with bottles and jars and spray bottles, it also comes with a spoon, a funnel, a cleaning brush and a page of labels. They thought of everything. The larger bottles for shampoo etc, are made of silicone, so you can squeeze the product out. My favorite thing about this set is the size. It fits into luggage so easily." —Funnymom
Get it from Amazon for $16.69.
8. And a travel size dry shampoo because anyone who has to suffer from hair that gets greasy after what seems like no more than 12 hours (*raises hand*) knows that doesn't just go away when you're traveling. Now you can actually bring it through TSA without them throwing it away. 🙌🏼
My hair gets greasy approximately 10 minutes after getting out of the shower…no, not really, but it does really only last one day before looking a little ~nasty.~ I know you're not supposed to wash it every day because that can exacerbate the issue, but on vacation I was having to since I didn't have any dry shampoo to get me between washes. Now that they have a travel size I'm all set and can keep my hair looking fresh for days!!
Promising review: "These are perfect for my carry on when I'm traveling for work. I wish more companies did travel size dry shampoo for us with greasier hair. These are great for those who fly often or need to throw one in your purse." —LC_JH
Get a four-pack variety set from Amazon for $23.95+ (available in two sizes).
9. A fleece blanket to keep you warm on the plane because the scratchy little one they hand out just isn't gonna cut it.
Yes you might be thinking "you hardly have room for everything, do you really need a blanket?!" The simple answer, yes. I always travel with a blanket because planes are cold and you never know what the blanket situation at the hotel is going to be. Most of the time I fly with someone for the first time they're looking at me like I'm a big weirdo, but 99.9% of the time they end up being super jealous that I came prepared.
Promising review: "If you prefer a very lightweight blanket, this will do the trick and keep you warm also. It does not shed or pill and washes very nicely. It asks that you dry it on air only which I did. I have ordered several so-called lightweight blankets but this one really is, and it really keeps you warm." —M's Mom
Get it from Amazon for $10.19+ (available in five sizes and 16 colors).
10. A vacuum-free space-saving compression bag perfect for overpackers (guilty 🙋♀️) who just cannot seem to narrow down their clothes selection even when the suitcase literally will not close. With these you can easily shrink down your clothes to a more manageable size…so now you can pack even more stuff LOL.
Ok, so I started packing and I wanted to bring two semi-bulky dresses (on top of all my other clothes) and let me tell you I was PANICKING…"there's no way this is all going to fit in a carry-on," boy was I wrong. I ordered these, started shoving my clothes inside, and used the pump and was absolutely *shocked* by how much air came out. I truly don't think I would've been able to take even half the clothes I did if it weren't for these things. I liked this design of bags better than others because it came with a small pump so I didn't have to worry about finding a vacuum or rolling them and wrinkling my clothes a ton. You can see in the picture above, I have three of these bags in my carry-on suitcase and there is still extra room!! Like seriously this never happens, even when I go away for like three days I have to basically sit on my suitcase to get it to close. This is genuinely one of the best purchases I've made lately, and I don't think I will ever travel without them again.
Promising reviews: "I bought these to store holiday pillows and throws for my photography business and I am IMPRESSED at how much these hold AND how much they compress! Now I want to vacuum seal all the things." —Jeff&Amanda
"Great! We used one for myself and one for my spouse's clothes. We took clothes for a month and these shrunk a 10” pile down to about 3-4 inches. Everything we needed (clothes wise) fit in our Honda CRV with room to spare. Love these bags. Hint: Lay clothes flat, we alternated every other shirt and pants to keep as flat as possible and filled in empty spots with socks and underwear. Worked great." —Jerry W.
Get them from Amazon for $29.69+ (available in five sizes and six quantities; pump included).
11. A couple of TSA-approved travel locks to keep your belongings safe and secure even when they're in the overhead bin or somewhere you might not be able to have eyes on them constantly. Just set your own code, weave it through, and you'll feel good knowing no one can get into your bag.
I wanted to have a way to keep my bags secure when I wasn't going to have my eye on them. I knew when we first arrived that our hotel room wouldn't be ready and we would have to leave our luggage in the main area, so I just wanted to feel confident that no random passerby could casually peruse the contents of my bags. These made me feel much more confident about leaving them so I could actually enjoy our first day of vacation.
Promising review: "Used these to protect valuable hiking and climbing gear during air travel. They were easy to use and locked quickly. Setting the combination was easy. The flexible cable made using these simple. Very sturdy." —RebDo
Get them from Amazon for $7.95+ (available in five quantities and five color variations).
12. A super-soft Trtl neck pillow designed to put an end to the head flop that can wake you from even the deepest sleep. The unique design comes up much higher than traditional neck pillows to help give you that extra support you've been needing.
I am a notorious vehicle sleeper — planes, trains, cars, you name it, I'm asleep almost immediately. And while I can sleep almost anywhere, it's not exactly the most sound sleep since I frequently wake up from the typical head bob situation. I also often end up with neck pain from not having proper support. I just tested this out for the first time and it truly changed the game. I actually felt like my head was supported in a comfortable position. I had some of the best travel sleep I've ever had with this!
Promising review: "Small and sturdy. Keeps your neck positioned up instead of lolling off to the side. You will wake up refreshed and not sore (in the neck anyways); airplane travel is stressful, but this little gem makes it bearable. Kudos to the creator! First time I actually slept comfortably on a plane. Other neck sleepers don’t compare." —Judy M.
Get it from Amazon for $59.99 (available in four colors).
13. An iPad with pre-downloaded shows in case the airplane options aren't your vibe. Plus this one is compatible with the Apple Pencil (1st gen only) so you can even draw up a nice picture while you're 36,000 feet up in the sky.
You never really know what you're going to get in terms of entertainment on a flight, so I always like to come prepared with my own shows downloaded in case I can't find anything that intrigues me. Plus I wasn't sure if some of the places we were going would have any TV shows in English, and since my husband and I like to fall asleep while watching a show, I knew this would be a backup option if we needed it.
Promising review: "This thing is like speedy Gonzalez let me tell ya. Great for reading my Harry Potter book collection too. Those folks at Apple really know what they’re doing when it comes to anything with a computer chip in it." —AmazonPrimeMan
Get it from Amazon for $399+ (available in two storage amounts, four colors, and with or without cellular compatibility).
14. A stick of Body Glide anti-chafing balm you can apply between your thighs, under your arms, or anywhere that one piece of clothing always seems to rub you the wrong way. There's nothing worse than pulling out that cute dress you've been dying to wear just to end up going back to the hotel to change after you start chafing. 😩
I'm not even gonna lie, half the time I won't even end up wearing a pair of shorts simply because I don't want to deal with the incredible discomfort that comes if they aren't long enough and my thighs start to chafe. This stick is amazing. It comes in a container similar to deodorant and you just rub it on anywhere that chafes. It easily glides on and keeps any area chafe free so you can wear whatever outfit you had planned without having to worry about painful red areas that make you want to end your day early.
Promising review: "I was in Arizona last week during a 100+ heat wave. I didn’t use it the first day and ended up with rubbed thighs due to rough seams on shorts and excessive heat. I then used this every day without additional rubbing rash. This stuff is awesome!!!! I will not leave home again on travel without it. It was not wet or tacky, just glides very nicely. It held up in 113-degree heat. Without it, it would have been a very different vacation. Thank you for making this product!!!!" —Jennifer
Get it from Amazon for $8.99+ (available in three sizes and two-packs).
15. A wrinkle releaser and fabric freshening spray that will remove those annoying wrinkles and creases with just a few sprays. It really is that simple. No more fumbling with the ironing board or wondering if your clothes are iron-proof — just spritz, shake it out a little, and watch the wrinkles disappear!
This stuff is sooo easy to use. I typically spray it the night before if I have already decided what I am going to wear, just to make sure it has enough time to dry. Even if you haven't planned in advance, you can always spray it right before putting it on and it still dries pretty quickly. It is so convenient for me to use, partially because I don't even own an iron, but also because you just give it a few spritzes and then your clothes end up looking fresh! Highly recommend this spray.
Promising review: "I've been using Downy Wrinkle Releaser for years and have turned SO many other people into users. Unless I need to iron to crease something, this is all I use! I've found most of the time I can just spray my garments while on a hanger and then shake the wrinkles out. Sometimes I need to lay the garment down and run my hand over it to smooth it out." —Callita Spade
Get a two-pack from Amazon for $7.99.
The reviews used in this post have been edited for length and clarity.