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 digital luggage scale, so you won't have to guess if your bag is overweight only to suffer the embarrassment of having to empty your things in front of the entire airport. And then, trying your best to move your belongings around because paying that overweight baggage fee is way too expensive.
You can also switch between pound and kilogram measurements.
Promising reviews: "I cannot imagine how we would have managed a big international trip without this. It saved us so much stress and, I’m sure, surprise charges at the airport." —Potter Freak
"This scale works and was accurate on four flights. First flight was a test at 46 pounds, and Delta scales said it was 46 pounds. The next two flights were at 49 pounds, and both United and Delta found it to be 49 pounds. The bag on the fourth flight weighed 49, but the United scale found it to be 48 pounds. Four different airports and scales proved that this scale is a good, low-cost, must-have item for air travel." —Robert
Get it from Amazon for $9.39+ (available in four colors and also a two-pack).
2. A portable lock box, because it attaches securely around two beach chairs so you'll have a safe place to store your wallet, phone, and other items. You'll be able to actually enjoy your time at the beach or in the pool instead of worrying about your things.
BTW: you can also use this in your room to keep valuables protected.
Promising review: "This is a must-have for vacations. We took it to Atlantis in the Bahamas. It worked perfectly. Held our phones, room keys, etc while we were out enjoying the beach or pool. Just looped it to beach chair or table. Highly recommended." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $49.95+ (available in five colors).
3. Or, a waterproof pouch for anyone who never wants to be away from their phone. This can hang around your neck and will keep your cell safe from all those waves. And, you'll still be able to use the touchscreen, so you won't miss any opportunity to snap the perfect vacay pics. You can even slip in some money or your credit cards in here, too.
It's designed to fit any phone up to 100mm x 170mm (or about 3.9 inches x 6.7 inches). And not only will it keep your phone protected from water, but it will also keep sand and dirt out.
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 my phone, 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 $6.99+ (available in 14 colors and designs).
4. A water bottle cup holder adapter if you have a lot of road trips planned and your fave water bottle doesn't fit in your cup holder. You can just add this on top of your current cup holder and voila! — it will now be able to hold a bigger bottle so you can sip away as you drive to your destination. Um, just don't forget to keep track of rest stops on your journey, because you'll definitely need a bathroom break.
Wine and Whiskey Co is a small business creating clothes, phone cases, and car accessories!
Promising review: "I had to remove the foam wrap that was on it for it to fit in my cup holder, but now it works perfectly. No more having my water bottle in the seat next to me, rolling on the floor, or spilling 'cause I forgot to close it! Yay!" —sprocketnellie
Get it from Wine and Whiskey Co on Etsy for $12.99+ (also available in a three-, four-, or six-pack).
5. An inflatable wedge pillow that may look a little odd, but this comfy pillow will help you get the best sleep possible while traveling. It can also be used if you're not tired but don't feel like talking to the passenger next to you. You can just slip your phone inside so you can catch up on your fave show privately.
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 $24.99.
6. Or a Trtl neck pillow if you prefer sleeping while you're sitting up. This will keep your neck in place so you won't jerk awake when your head falls forward, inducing one of those annoying dreams when you feel like you're falling.
Promising review: "I had my doubts about this because it’s not a typical neck pillow. But thought because of its size, it would be easy to travel with. Turns out it is the best neck rest I’ve ever used. So simple and really supports your head and neck without any bulky pillow to carry along. I even lent it to my husband who can’t ever sleep on a plane and it worked like a charm. Highly recommend this." —C.
Get it from Amazon for $59.99 (available in five colors).
7. An external battery that can charge your phone up to three times, so you can make it through your road trip if you depend on your phone for GPS or if you like to listen to your fave podcast on long flights.
Promising review: "This is an amazing rapid power charger! It charges an iPad faster than plugging it into AC, even while using it! The size is very manageable — about the size of a deck of cards. I travel frequently, and I'm not always near a power source. I just make sure to charge the Anker each evening and then none of my devices will be without power during the day. I was so happy with it, I purchased two more — one for my husband and one for my sister who can't seem to remember to keep her devices charged." —Cathy K
Get it from Amazon for $25.99+ (available in four colors).
8. A roll-top dry bag, if you plan on spending a lot of time at the beach. This bag is made with waterproof and watertight nylon, so you can store your wet bathing suit in it without getting everything else in your beach bag soaked. You know what that means? You won't have to deal with damp items or that moldy odor that totally kills the vibe.
Promising review: "I bought this bag for a summer trip, and it exceeded my expectations. I had this with me when I was poolside, in the pool, on a catamaran, during water based excursions, and all items inside remained dry! This bag also works well for non water-based activities." —Deja C.
Get it from Dagne Dover for $25 (available in three colors).
9. AirFly, a wireless transmitter, that'll connect your AirPods (or any other wireless headphones) to the jack on your flight so you won't have to pay for those flimsy headphones that they charge extra for on some flights. Now, you can enjoy all the free entertainment you want.
It also comes with a USB-C charging cable, travel pouch, keychain holder, quick-start guide, and a manual.
Promising review: "Even with the news of Delta Air Lines adding bluetooth connectivity to IFE (on new Airbus neos for now), I honestly expect that to be flaky and would much rather trust something consistent like this. I wanted to note that I have successfully paired this with AirPods Pro 2 and find it to be fairly intuitive so far. It seems that once it has been paired, the AirFly with auto-connect to the AirPods when turned on, which will interrupt existing listening on the iPhone/Macbook. Playing audio on either of these Apple devices doesn't seem to interrupt AirFly, which is exactly the kind of functionality I expect. After I turn off the AirFly, I simply enter the iOS/Mac bluetooth menu to reconnect. So far, the handoff back and forth has been really smooth." —Ezeitouni
Get it from Amazon for $34.99+ (available in three styles).
10. A travel belt because you'll wonder how you managed without one for so long. This is designed to attach any bag to the top of your suitcase. You will no longer have to pull your suitcase and lug your carry-on over your shoulder at the same time. What I'm saying is, you'll have an extra hand to hold some iced coffee — you'll need some energy as you dash through the terminal to catch your flight.
The travel belt is adjustable to 38 inches so it will fit most bags.
Cincha Travel is a small Cali-based business started by a BIPOC couple that makes these adjustable straps from vegan leather. The brand also donates 100 airline miles for each purchase, which are used to reconnect separated migrant families.
Promising review: "Love this! I am constantly struggling between holding my jacket and two carry-ons. This is the perfect solution! I can’t wait to start using it when I’m back to regular business travel." —Allison
Get it from Cincha Travel for $39.99+ (available in 20 colors).
11. An international power converter, so you'll be able to plug in your electronics and devices in 150 countries! This is a must-have for any globetrotter. It has a 5-foot detachable power cable, four different sockets, and a built-in thermostat switch that'll automatically shut off in case of overheating, over-current, over-voltage, overcharging, or short-circuit.
Sokoo is a small business creating voltage converters, travel adapters, cooling fans and more.
Promising review: "I travel frequently both for work and pleasure and always find myself laughing around a bag full of power cords and converter depending on the country I am visiting. This useful tool has saved me at least 5 lbs worth of excess luggage (a multitude of extension cords, power connectors and external plugs) by consolidating the my connection needs into one tool. This power bank comes with two plugs (you can choose configuration based on the country specific outlets) and four USB plugs. The travel bag makes it convenient and keeps it organized. This is a great investment and value for the price." —LocalistGal
Get it from Amazon for $35.99.
12. A chic carry-on suitcase because you won't want to travel without it ever again. This genius, crush-proof suitcase has an ejectable portable battery, a hidden odor-proof laundry bag, and a compression system so you can fit a ton of stuff compactly in your bag.
Promising review: "I've been looking for a carry-on replacement for some time. My last carry-on was from 2007, so it was super old and not very good. Now that I have my July Carry On, I couldn't be more pleased. It's so good from functionality to style. I love the laundry bag — it's great that I don't have to remember to take my own separate laundry bag with me anymore — and the charging is so useful. The wheels are silent and smooth — so much so that on the slightest decline the bag will 100% roll away from you. The bumpers are a bit scratched after some use, but it's hardy/designed to protect what's inside, and I accept that there will be some of that happening on long-haul flights. I really enjoy the personalization as well — I had my name and a little frog etched on the top — so cute!" —Ameeka N.
Get it from July for $295 (available in 12 colors; plus you can add personalization for $50).
13. A rotating hands-free phone mount that you can attach to the tray table on your flight, an arm chair, your luggage handle, or basically any surface so you can catch up on your fave show anywhere, anytime. Hey, you're on vacay — boredom is not on the itinerary.
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 $12.97 (available in three colors and in a two-pack).