The 60 Best Gifts for Travelers
The best travel gifts are practical yet ever so slightly luxurious. The aim is to buy the globe-trotter in your life something they’ve long coveted yet delayed purchasing for themselves because they’ve been busy saving up for their next trip. For example, a sensory-deprivation airplane pillow for long-haul fliers, the world’s smallest Bananagrams set, or a powerful yet packable charging brick they’ll wonder how they ever lived without. For all the suggestions below, I’ve personally tested these products myself and cross-checked them with fellow Strategist staffers, flight attendants, travel agents, and other credit-card-point-accruing experts. Some more ideas include a Patagonia backpack that’s perfectly sized to slide under a plane seat, an electric toothbrush that can go a month without needing to be recharged, and melatonin powder that actually tastes good and will help them snooze through an economy-class red-eye.
It’s gifting season here at the Strategist, so please do check out the rest of our guides, including the best gifts under $50, the best gifts for husbands, and the best tech gifts that’ll make their lives easier. If you’re looking for more gift ideas for frequent travelers specifically, it’s also worth checking out my “Strategist Travel 100” grid of the most useful products for all sorts of trips.
For the traveler who already tried the Trtl
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Coop Sleep Goods AirJustable Travel Neck Pillow
If our best overall travel pillow didn’t work for them, I also like this squishier option from Coop. A hidden hand-pump button adjusts it to your desired thickness.
For the traveler who avoids paying for hotel laundry service
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Strategist junior writer Bella Druckman likes to throw one of these perfumed pouches into her suitcase to keep everything smelling fresh.
For the traveler who fears getting sick while taking PTO
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A nourishing sanitizer gel that won’t trigger Purell pandemic flashbacks.
For the traveler with a flexible definition of “work from home”
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This portable internet puck will let them join Zoom meetings from 140 countries.
For the traveler who never works from home
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If they’re frequently flying between cities for meetings, here’s a sleek laptop backpack that can slip over the handle of their carry-on luggage. It’s a favorite of model and frequent traveler Taylor Hill.
For the traveler who always suggests a day hike
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Mystery Ranch makes the best packable backpack, with comfortable padded straps and a water-bottle holder. The whole thing folds into a lightweight rectangular pouch.
For the traveler who always suggests a three-day hike
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Stategist associate editor Jeremy Rellosa has backpacked everywhere from Patagonia to Nepal and swears by his LifeStraw to keep him hydrated. You can fill it up from any stream or pond, and the filter inside cleans out pollutants.
For the traveler who prefers indoor activities
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So much better than travel Scrabble.
For the traveler who has blackout curtains at home
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Feel free to write in the card that Sabrina Carpenter wears the same sleep mask when she’s resting between tour stops.
For the traveler with a checkered TSA history
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If they’ve had their liquids and gels confiscated a few too many times, it’s time to start using refillable travel containers.
For the traveler who can’t be bothered to refill things
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Jessica Wright of Bon Traveler purchases this Kyoto travel kit on a yearly basis. “I can take it off the shelf and have everything I need,” she explains. “It all fits in this small, flat case. When I’m really traveling light, I just bring the set and don’t fuss.”
For the traveler with lost-luggage paranoia
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Knog’s luggage locator works like an AirTag but will attach more easily to the handle of their bag.
For the traveler with shampoo-leak paranoia
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A water-resistant toiletries bag that packs flat and comes in many appealing colors.
For the traveler who just booked their honeymoon
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Free all those once-in-a-lifetime trip photos from their phone.
For the traveler who just booked a big family trip
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A monogrammable bag that’ll last for generations and is ideal for traveling with kids.
Read more:What Luggage Should I Buy for My Kids?
For the traveler who has yet to find their perfect personal-item bag
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Writer Erika Veurink says they need look no further than this one, which is “comically large” yet somehow still slides underneath the seat on every flight. There’s also a discreet luggage sleeve on the back so they can more easily balance the bag on top of their carry-on.
For the traveler who just uses their purse
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Now they can strap it to their suitcase for easy airport maneuvering.
For the traveler who prefers an underseat backpack
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A zip-around backpack that opens up like a suitcase and is ideal for traveling personal-item-only.
For the traveler with a tightly curated airport playlist
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Bose makes noise-canceling headphones so good they’ll have to take them off to hear any cabin announcements.
For the traveler who doesn’t mind watching Dune: Part Two on a tiny screen
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This life-changing adapter will wirelessly connect any Bluetooth headphones to the plane’s entertainment system. Save them from watching a Christopher Nolan movie while wearing tinny airline earbuds they probably had to pay extra for.
For the traveler who doesn’t want to pack yet another device
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JBL’s earbuds connect directly to in-flight entertainment systems without having to use an AirFly.
For the traveler who wants to pack every conceivable device
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Strategist senior writer Michael Zhao says this tiny brick — barely bigger than an AirPods Pro case — can charge laptops as well as phones, tablets, and cameras. And it comes with adapters for different outlets around the world.
For the traveler who just watches shows on their phone
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A bendy foam phone stand that weighs practically nothing and can be contorted into any shape.
For the traveler who just watches the flight map in silence
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Loop’s Quiet series earplugs will let them raw dog in peace. You can personalize the case with a message or your gift recipient’s name.
For the traveler with an ambitious beach reading list
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They may be delusional, but you can still try to save them some luggage weight.
For the traveler who would rather read magazines or comics
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Kobo Libra Colour
Our tech writer Jordan McMahon recommends a Kobo for people who prefer to see colors on their e-reader screen but still desire better battery life than an iPad has.
For the traveler who is more into crosswords
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Remembering to download them before a flight is a pain, so here’s a paperback-size, Will Shortz–approved compendium.
For the traveler whose skin-care routine never takes a vacation
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Skinsheet Cleansing Coins - Pack of 12
Writer Natalie So says these packable cleansing cloths, which expand when you put them in water, are compact and easy to throw into a toiletry kit. “There are other less expensive brands that make similar products,” she adds, “but these are particularly sturdy and large.”
For the traveler whose makeup routine never takes a vacation
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Strategist writer Kitty Guo says this teeny tower of highlighter, concealer, eyeshadow, and cheek color saves her from having to pack a bunch of full-size products.
For the traveler who takes red-eye flights to save $30
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Moon Juice’s sleep-inducing single-serve melatonin and magnesium drink mixes taste much better than the tablets they buy in bulk from CVS.
For the traveler who keeps forgetting their toothbrush
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They can keep this colorful kit in their suitcase so it’s always ready to go. Highly recommended for design-minded people who are also fussy about their bristles.
For the traveler who keeps forgetting their electric toothbrush
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I’ve tried many different electric toothbrushes, and this USB-C one is the most convenient for travel. It can vibrate away for a full month without the need to recharge and has an unusually slim case.
For the traveler who brings home liquid souvenirs
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Whether they’re headed to Portugal or the Napa Valley, a VinGardeValise case is the best way to transport precious bottles. The foam inserts are removable so they can still pack some clothing into it.
For the traveler who vacations off-season
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Most “travel umbrellas” are not travel size. But Davek’s mini can literally be stashed anywhere and comes with a lifetime free repair or replacement guarantee.
Read more:I Keep This Mini-Umbrella on My Person at All Times
For the traveler who vacations during peak season
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JisuLife Handheld Fan Life8
The fan that kept writer Annachiara Barretto-Grignoli cool on 101-degree days in Milan.
For the traveler who’s getting into packing cubes
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Upgrade them to a compression set from Thule and their suitcase will be even more organized.
Read more:The Very Best Packing Cubes
For the traveler who’s getting over packing cubes
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If they’re sick of having to unpack then repack their cubes, Solgaard’s carry-on closet offers an ingenious solution.
For the traveler going on their first big overseas trip …
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A modular backpack designed for monthslong adventures, with a detachable top that can be used as a cross-body sling.
… and is about to get really sick of hostels
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If they’re staying in budget accommodations, they’ll need their own towel. This is one of the only microfiber ones I’ve tried that doesn’t feel sort of crispy against the skin. Plus, there are loads of cute colors and designs to choose from.
For the traveler who loves their Away suitcase
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Away The Train Case
Get them this matching miniature one in a limited-edition color.
For the traveler who loves their Rimowa suitcase
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Get them a new set of tires so they can show off even more.
For the traveler who likes to sample the local takeout options
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A pair of collapsible chopsticks from Snow Peak that’ll make even airport food taste better.
For the traveler who likes to shop at the local market
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Peak Design’s packable tote is more structured than most and, crucially, features a zipper.
For the traveler who still demands comfort in economy class
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Bombas makes our favorite compression socks, and its gripper slippers are much cozier than those flimsy hotel ones.
For the traveler going straight to a meeting from the airport
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A miniature Kiehl’s treatment to wake up their complexion a bit.
Read more:The Best, Most Surprising Travel Minis
For the traveler who misses their local café when they’re away
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Osulloc Jeju Matcha Milk Tea - 10 Sticks
These single-serve packets don’t require a whisk.
For the traveler who misses their Moccamaster when they’re away
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This, the world’s smallest collapsible dripper, is a staple among coffee-loving bikepackers.
For the traveler who just needs their caffeine as quickly as possible
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They need only squeeze this (surprisingly artisanal-tasting) bean paste into hot water and stir.
For the traveler who’s taking their yearly shopping trip to Japan
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Samsonite’s miniature luggage scale is highly accurate and simple to use. And unlike the no-brand electronic ones that proliferate on Amazon, it doesn’t require batteries.
For the traveler who’s going sloth-spotting in South America
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Nocs makes lightweight and very backpack-friendly binoculars that are coated in silicone and don’t need to be kept in a bulky case.
For the traveler who’s going ocean swimming in Hawaii
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A floating phone case so they can take photos (and even respond to texts) while snorkeling.
For the traveler who just bought a Eurail pass
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Mark Smith, founder of legendary online rail-travel guide The Man From Seat 61, has been using his convertible Eagle Creek duffel for the past 15 years. It can either be worn as a backpack (useful when encountering train-station stairs) or rolled along on its two sturdy recessed wheels.
For the traveler with six destination weddings lined up for next year
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Conair’s travel steamer has the useful feature of working with 120-volt U.S. outlets and the 220-volt outlets that are more common worldwide. Strategist writer Erin Schwartz says it heats up in about 36 seconds and emits a fine, gauzy hiss of steam that unwrinkled a pair of wool pants easily.
For the traveler who was pickpocketed last time they went to Paris
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Topologie’s customizable bags look cool and keep essentials close. Just note that you have to purchase the strap separately.
For the traveler flying to Australia
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Pluto Pod 2.0
Anybody with a long-haul economy-class flight coming up would be grateful to try out the latest in travel-pillow tech, and that would be the futuristic Pluto Pod, which is basically a portable sensory-deprivation chamber.
For the traveler with a Contax
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Everyone’s taking a film camera abroad these days, but airport scanners can ruin those precious (and expensive) Portra prints. This lead-lined case will protect up to nine rolls of 35-mm. film from X-ray damage.
For the traveler with a smartphone addiction
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Camp Snap’s screen-free digital camera will help them unplug while still creating images they can look back on later.
For the traveler with a smartphone addiction they have no intention of giving up
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Fair enough — get them an ultraslim charger so they don’t have to go back to the hotel for more power.
For the traveler who takes the MTA to JFK
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There’s nothing wrong with taking the subway to the airport, but they still might appreciate this treat.
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The Strategist is designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read about here. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
