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 in-flight phone mount so even if your seat isn't equipped with a screen, you can sit back, relax, and enjoy a show (without trying in vain to awkwardly balance your phone on your tray table).
Promising review: "I bought this nifty gadget about six months ago 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 $12.97 (available in three colors).
2. A Trtl neck pillow to help you and your plane neighbor avoid a most dreaded fate: you nodding off onto their shoulder.
Ciera Velarde: "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).
3. A Monos carry-on roller bag — simply put, the nicest carry-on I've ever used! Its wheels never stick and the handle never wiggles, the finishings feel luxe, and it just looks slick. Especially since I typically vow to never check a bag if it can be avoided, I think it's well worth the splurge-worthy price.
4. A twistable memory foam pillow so you can get your head and neck in juuuuust the right spot to squeeze in a little nap on your next road trip, train ride, or flight.
Promising review: "Most travel neck pillows make me feel completely overwhelmed, and this is especially great for those with shorter necks. It gives you control and once you get the positioning that you prefer, it is really comfortable and provides the right support in the right places. Also, (and this was a selling point in the beginning,) having used this on several long-haul flights, I loved that after each trip, I could easily unzip the cover and throw it in the wash." —ltny
Get it from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in six colors).
5. A pair of quick-dry water shoes for anyone whose only hangup about heading out on a tropical getaway is being skeeved out by their feet touching the bottom of the ocean. A little separation will let you relax.
Promising review: "Buy these, you will love them! I love to walk barefoot on the beach but isn't always the wisest decision. I read so many positive reviews and thought why not. I got my first pair and fell in love with them. I don't have to wear my sandals and leave them at the bottom of the steps. I can walk on the pavement to the beach and across the parking lot. I loved them so much that I bought a pair for my husband, sister, friend and an extra pair for me. My husband was very skeptical and he loved them too. I would absolutely recommend theses." —Lauren A. Eason
Get it from Amazon for $9.88+ (available in seven sizes and 44 colors).
6. A waterproof pouch to allow you to keep your phone, cards, and even passport with you *while* you swim, thanks to its lanyard attachment.
It also comes with a lanyard so you can wear it around your neck.
Promising review: "This product is incredible. I purchased to use while in Key West for an iPhone 6, iPhone 6 plus, and Galaxy S6 Edge and it fits perfectly for each phone (but a little more snug with the iPhone 6 plus). It is completely waterproof and takes great photos and video through the case but you have to press record prior to submerging the case underwater. My family went snorkeling and kept the case with the phone inside submerged almost the entire time and had no issues with leakage. My family and I got stopped numerous times being asked where we purchased this product. Perfect even if just on the beach and you do not want to get sand or sunscreen on your phone and want to still take photos/text/browse the internet while on the beach. I will be purchasing this for everyone in my family as it has become a travel must-have! I highly recommend this product." —Jennifer Roman
Get it from Amazon for $6.99+ (available in 14 colors).
7. A set of decibel-reducing noise-cancelling earplugs because during travel you inevitably encounter chatty fellow passengers, crying babies, city noise, and more. Best to be able to block out the world whenever you need to.
Rachel Dunkel: "I've had these earplugs for years, and the fact that I haven't lost them is both a miracle and a testament to how much I love them. I see a lot of live music and love to go dancing, and I always bring these with me to keep my ears safe!"
Promising review: "These are genius little earplugs. After a transcontinental flight across the US and various shorter flights of two to four hours over the last six months, I can say that these little plugs are the most comfortable I have ever found. They're even more comfortable than foamies. These plugs dull necessary sound less than foamies, so I hear better without all the noise. My ears are comfortable the entire flight. I've never seen anything better, and I’ve been flying for 50 years." –Oldma
Get them from Amazon for $28.95.
8. A mini white-noise machine if you're visiting a city and need to block out the loud city livin' happening outside of your window in order to slumber.
Promising review: "I travel a lot for work and need some kind of noise to cover up sounds from the hallway in hotels. This little device is the best one I've found. I've found one of the sound options that sounds just like an AC unit that puts me to sleep in an instant. And no worries that the hotel AC stops running in the middle of the night as they usually do and you wake up to a silent room and can't go back to sleep. The sounds on this little guy are the best ones I've heard. Buy this for travel and you won't be sorry!" —KJ
Get it from Amazon for $34.99 (available in two colors).
9. An anti-blister balm so your feet stay in tip-top shape even as you hop, skip, and jump all around the exciting city you're visiting for the first time.
Promising review: "This stuff is amazing! I wore heels that always give me blisters for eight hours, and I didn't get a single one when using this balm. It really worked! I plan on getting it again and again. I always have it in my bag at work just in case. I did find it necessary to reapply if I took my shoes off and put them on again." —Donna
Get it from Amazon for $8.99.
10. An AirFly Pro wireless transmitter that allows you to connect your Bluetooth headphones to the airplane audio jack. Not being literally tethered to the seat in front of you and covered in wires while you attempt to relax is gonna be a small but mighty improvement to the flying experience.
You can even pair two sets of headphones at once to the AirFly!
Promising review: "Ever since I purchased my wireless Bose earbuds, I always hated having to use another set when I was on an airplane with the seat-back entertainment system. I tried many different models to connect the system to my Bluetooth headsets until I came across this one, and it is amazing! It seamlessly connects to my headset, very clear and reliable audio, and it takes the stress away from having to carry several headsets! Thank you!!!" —Ryan Malloy
Get it from Amazon for $54.99.
11. A luggage-mounted cup caddy because chances are your hands are gonna be full no matter where or how you're traveling. No need to forego the tasty bev with this handy dandy invention around.
Promising review: "So handy. We travel all the time, and this is perfect for holding drinks while we are at the airport. Love it." —Bruce V. Hartley
Get it from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in 24 colors/patterns).
12. A rechargeable handheld fan that's a no-brainer for trips to hot locations, and also for days spent at amusement parks. A Mickey-shaped ice cream bar will taste even better with a handheld breeze blowing on your face.
Ciera Velarde: "I bought this to take on a summer trip to Disney World and let me tell you — it's the only way I survived!! Every day got well into the 90s, but I kept this pointed at my face whenever I wasn't soaking up air conditioning. I was seriously impressed with how powerful it was and how I instantly felt less sweaty. The charge lasts about a day if you use it sparingly (or a few hours of continuous use), so make sure to charge it nightly if you're on a trip. The fan has three speed settings, and it folds so you can prop it up on a table."
Promising review: "I have ZERO complaints!!! My sister got married outdoors and I decided I needed a fan as I sweat a lot. Suffice to say I LOVE IT! I was cool the entire time in the sun, it has a handle and is not too big which makes it easy to tag along any- and everywhere. You won’t regret this purchase." —DIONNE HOOK
Get it from Amazon for $15.99+ (available in eight colors).
13. A set of six Cadence containers — each with a leak-proof lid and a label — so you can stash any toiletry essentials in your purse for easy access just in case. Better yet, they're magnetized and stick together, making them easier to find in a messy bag.
Cadence is an AAPI woman-owned small business that was founded by Steph Hon as a way to eliminate single-use travel-sized plastics. The containers are made from recycled ocean-bound plastic.
My co-worker Abby Kass has these and loves them! Here's what she has to say about them: "I recently got a set of four of these, and, wow, I love them so much. I used them on a six-day trip recently, and they were perfect. I customized the label so I knew which one was my shampoo vs. conditioner and did a general label for any other things I wanted to bring along. They do hold a surprising amount. According to the brand, they hold approximately one to two weeks of skincare products, more than two weeks' worth of serum, two to three days' worth of haircare, and more than 15 tablets (for medicine and such). And while two to three days worth of haircare might not seem like enough, I found it held more than that for me, but I also don't wash my hair every single day. They were small enough to slip right into my toiletries bag and go through TSA with no problem. The container was easy to open in the shower (even with wet hands), and I had no leakage from them (like I did from my face wash bottle that will not be making the trip with me next time. SMH). These are an incredibly useful tool anyone who travels will want in their luggage."
Get a set of six from Cadence for $76 (available in seven colors).
14. A contoured sleep mask that will majorly come in handy if you're sensitive to light and find yourself needing to snooze on a plane (or anywhere, really). Best of all, it won't smoosh your little eyes, so you can stay comfy and hopefully fall asleep even faster.
Promising review: "I’ve been using this mask for over a week now, and I must say that it’s the best mask I’ve ever used yet. I have used a sleep mask every night for... probably the last nine years, and it’s the most comfortable one I’ve ever used. I love the strap. No Velcro to get caught in your hair! It’s got adjustable wide elastic that is soft and comfortable. Not the stiff stuff! The mask has nice memory foam in it which cushions your face when sleeping on your side. It has nice deep eye pockets so there is never any pressure on your eyes or eyelashes, which I love. Overall, this is the best mask I’ve ever had. It’s made so well; I feel pampered in it." —DePlume
Get it from Amazon for $21.99+ (available in seven colors).
15. A pair of SeaBands to target an acupressure point on your wrist in order to help reduce nausea. According to reviewers they're worth trying whether you suffer car sickness, sea sickness, or any other travel tummy ailment.
The band applies pressure on the P6 acupressure point that is said to help relieve nausea and vomiting.
Promising review: "I wished I tried this a long time ago. I used it on a 13 hour drive. Once at Disney World, I wore them for every ride, and it was the first time I did not get nausea or sick. I was amazed. This is a must-have if you get car sick or can’t ride rides at an amusement park." —Mimi145
Get a pair from Amazon for $8.42.
16. A portable safe that can help assuage some of your worry when it comes to traveling with valuables, especially solo. Equipped with a four-digit code and a cable to affix it to a secure spot, hopefully this'll allow you to feel comfortable enough to take a dip in the pool or ocean while leaving your essentials behind.
Promising review: "This safe has become a MUST have on all our vacations. We no longer travel without it. We put two iPhones, cash, and car keys in this little safe, locked it to a beach cabana, threw a towel over it and took off for a hour of snorkeling. Never once worried about our belongings. We now use several of these as room safes AND as 'hide a key' lockboxes outside our vacation condo for teens who come and go throughout the day. They are invaluable!" —KeepIT Reel
Get it from Amazon for $23.98.
17. A hanging toiletry bag you can put on the back of a door and roll down instead of spreading every single item out on a hotel counter. Honestly groundbreaking.
Promising review: "Seriously?! Do you see how much this holds?! Full shampoo bottles, face washes, hair brush...everything I could need or want to bring, FITS IN THIS ONE BAG! And it’s so cute! Feels like great quality too — all the hardware came with protective wraps to keep from scratching and the zippers feel very hardy. The hook at the top is also VERY WELL-SECURED to the bag, it’s double stitched to the top panel and almost feels like seatbelt material. And I love the extra pockets and netting inside. I would absolutely recommend this!" —mahea_c
Get it from Amazon for $22.99+ (available in six colors).
18. A Hairbrella so your walking-forward vacation (and planned glam hairstyle for your night out after tourist-ing) can go on even if you face a serious downpour.
Hairbrella is a Black-owned small business that has been creating fashionable hats that protect hair from all kinds of weather since 2016.
Promising review: "If you have natural hair that you wear in a silk press…you need the Hairbrella! If you have natural hair that you wear curly…you need the Hairbrella! If you have relaxed hair…you need the Hairbrella! Basically after losing my umbrella and resorting to the dreaded grocery bag over my head…I found Hairbrella on Amazon and I bought one for myself and two other relatives. We chose not to chemically straighten our hair, so humid or rainy days can be a choice to return to our beautiful curls if an umbrella is not handy. So imagine our excitement to find a stylish, lined waterproof rain bonnet that won’t have me looking crazy with a grocery bag on my head as I enter buildings. Buy this….You won’t be disappointed!" —Sherry
Get it from Amazon for $44 (available in eight colors).
19. A waterproof Kindle Paperwhite with a built-in adjustable light that lets you access *tons* of books wherever you may roam, even poolside.
Promising review: "I will start by saying this is my fifth Kindle, so I’ve been using Kindles for many years. I can honestly say this is now my favorite ever. Loving the larger screen. I never noticed much difference from my previous Kindle editions before until this one. More text fitting into the larger screen is great for larger fonts. Also love the faster page turns. This was something I noticed immediately after turning it on. The Kindle just works faster on page turns and this makes a big difference for me. The screen color is great. As you can see the color of the new Kindle 11th generation seems less white. At first I thought I would not like this, but I find this color is easier on my eyes. You can also adjust the automatic warmth color. I love this so much especially when I’m reading at night. USB-C charging is fast. I can’t tell on the battery life yet but it charges a lot faster than my previous Kindles." —Lorena Frith
Get it from Amazon for $139.99 (available with or without ads, two storage sizes, and three colors).
Check out our full review of the Kindle Paperwhite here.
20. A portable charger so you're never left without access to sweet, sweet Google Maps during your travels.
Promising review: "This is honestly the nicest power bank I’ve ever owned. Its design is stunning, the tiny texture provides a nice feeling holding it, and it’s one of the quicker 20,000 mAh chargers (receiving and delivering power). I love that it accepts USB-C charging and that it has two out ports. I bought it because I love attending music festivals and needed the extra battery life, which this is perfect for!" –Andrew
Get it from Amazon for $47.65+ (available in two colors).
21. A combination travel blanket/pillow/poncho because I'm pretty sure there's literally no worse feeling than being too cold on a flight and being stuck with only a paper thin airplane blanket, if anything. Save yourself!
P.S. It's also machine washable!
Promising review: "I purchased this for my 13-hour flight and would highly recommend it. The blankets provided by airlines are usually reused and made of itchy fabric. They also tend to slide off while I'm sleeping and fall to the floor several times, making them unsanitary to use. This Travelrest blanket has a slit that you put your head through. It rests on your back shoulders and stays on until you take it off. There's a front pouch that you can put your valuables in... this was very useful. Without this, I used to put my passport, wallet, phone, etc in the seat pocket in front of me...which is risky since the stuff can fall out of those pockets (very easy to lose/forget things). Also very lightweight and soft." —sartra
Get it from Amazon for $29.95+ (available in two sizes and two colors).
22. A Calpak Luka Duffel which is far and away my favorite travel duffel. I did three weeks in Europe with *just* this bad boy and it handled beautifully. Its best quality? It's the exact dimensions needed to count as an under-seat "personal item" on a plane, which is a game-changer for booking cheap flights and traveling light.
23. A six-port USB charger that plugs right into the wall and will allow you to charge any and all devices that need it in one fell swoop.
Seriously though — why aren't there more outlets in hotel rooms?! Something I'll never understand.
Promising review: "This is a great product! I travel frequently, and I am always challenged with the number of USB ports I can get with the number of outlets available (and where) in hotel rooms. With this product, the number of ports problem goes away, and what's great is that it extends the charger interface out from behind a bed or nightstand, or other inconvenient receptacle location, up onto a work surface for easy access. As far as power, I have had an Asus transformer, two iPads, HTC one M8, and two iPhones connected to it at the same time, charging for hours with no heat on the device whatsoever. It works great at home too. I have always had good luck with Anker products, good quality." —bishop
Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (available in two colors).
24. A seat cushion for anyone whose legs, back, and bum have a hard time when they're seated for a long time, rendering road trips a thing of the past. Try this out to see if it can get ya back on the road listening to Bruce Springsteen and drinking a fountain Coke again.
Promising review: "This cushion is wonderful! I ordered two of these, one for me and one for my husband, before taking a long trip in our motorhome. I've been using mine almost daily for a month now and it truly takes away my low back pain while sitting on it. My main purpose was to use it while traveling, now I take it any place that I'll be sitting on hard surfaces or for extended periods. Some said it didn't fit them properly or raised them up too high, I have no complaints, only praise! My husband likes his as well. Says it gives him more support and comfort while driving." —Pat F
Get it from Amazon for $39.95 (available in three colors).
25. Some laundry soap sheets that'll save you a mid-trip stop at the convenience store if you're planning on doing some laundry during your explorations. Washing your drawers in a hotel sink is a true traveller's right of passage.
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 it from Amazon for $9.95.
26. A charger organizer for keeping your chargers, headphones, and other random cords safe from becoming nothing more than an impossible ball of knots.
Mister Crafter is a small business that creates handmade, personalizable travel products, wallets, and accessories made from 100% top-quality genuine cowhide leather.
Promising review: "I bought this for my husband before a trip and he loved it! The quality and durability were obvious the moment I took it out of the box. Definitely recommend this company and product." —Maureen Murphy-Weiss
Get it from Mister Crafter on Etsy for $39.80+ (originally $56.96+; available in two sizes and two colors; personalization also available).
27. A travel adapter and voltage converter so you're never faced with an outlet you can't use — a horrifying fact every international traveller encounters at least once and vows "never again."
There are also four USB ports. It converts 220/240V to 110/120V.
Promising review: "Worked perfectly on a recent trip to England and France. I used it to power a Macbook Air, a Windows laptop, two iPhones, and two portable chargers. I like the design of the case. The form factor is so much sleeker than most of the other travel transformers available. One thing I didn't realize when I ordered it (because I was in a hurry and didn't read the specs thoroughly) is that this device has a fan to dissipate heat from stepping down the voltage. While the fan is not extremely loud, neither is it silent. I found it a pleasant source of white noise that actually helped me sleep at night, but you might not." —Lake Mist
Get it from Amazon for $39.98.
The reviews in this post have been edited for length and clarity.