50 Thoughtful Travel Gifts That Will Make Their Next Trip Smoother
Finding the best travel gift is all about striking the right balance: the entire point of a gift is to offer a gesture rooted in thoughtfulness and some sort of affection, but travelers are notoriously practical. You’ll want to pinpoint something that feels personal, yet is also worthy of taking up precious space in a traveler’s carry-on–a spot often reserved only for their time-worn essentials. Maybe that means a piece of gear they didn’t know they needed, or a small luxury that can make even the most mundane journeys feel indulgent, memorable, and that much more like a vacation. From clever gadgets to must-have beauty secrets, we’ve carefully curated 50 of the smartest, most practical, absolute best gifts for travelers, suitable for every globetrotter on your list.
For even more specific gift guides, check out all of our recommended gifts for travelers, which we’ve gathered here. Just be sure to keep an eye on the calendar–holiday season will be here before we know it, and shipping deadlines can pop up sooner than you’d think.
Cadence capsules have changed the game when it comes to bringing your own products with you—they are entirely leakproof, and are magnetized, making them easy to snap together to minimize the space they take up in your Dopp kit and the hotel shower.
Even the most frequent travelers struggle with jet lag. Enter: this tiny, highly portable device, which uses patented, NASA-backed science to emit a very specific wavelength of red light therapy (630nm, to be exact) which many travelers allege helps assuage jet lag. The 28-minute protocol is easy to use, and purports to help you regulate circadian rhythms and fall asleep faster. (Personally, I’ve been using this one for months, and I love it.)
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When it comes to luggage, Away is a solid choice—you can find this bag in the closets of many a Traveler editor. Treat the graduate, new traveler, or family member in need of a suitcase upgrade to this larger-than-average carry-on.
We could wax poetic about what our office has dubbed “the foot hammock,” but it all comes down to this: for those roughly 5'7" and under, it'll transform your in-flight economy experience. Sling it around your tray table and enjoy stretching out your legs (or curling up to sleep) throughout your next flight.
This chic set from Merit Beauty is a traveler's dream; it offers everything you need for a quick and easy five-minute makeup routine. The set includes a complexion stick, cream blush, a tinted lip oil, a blending brush, a highlighting balm, lengthening mascara, and a brow pomade.
An even simpler makeup routine: This four-piece Merit set, which comes with a perfecting complexion stick (a mix between a foundation and a concealer), cheek balm, sheer bronzer, and blending brush. It's the perfect stocking stuffer for travelers looking to try out new product or step up their routine without too much fuss.
A lightweight duffel bag is a must-have for weekend trips. The Mini Weekender from Béis is much easier to carry than its original size, but still offers enough room for a few outfits and a bottom compartment for a pair shoes.
This portable scanner lets you capture special images around any city and hold onto them forever. The wand-like device—which is about the size of a hair straightener—is nice and light, and lets you scan everything from graffiti art to cheeky fliers posted around the city.
Harvested from some of the oldest, most special olive trees in the world, Canaan Palestine partners with over 2,000 small family farms in the West Bank. The company also has a philanthropic effort, the Trees for Life Program, which distributes native trees and seeds to young family and women farmers across communities impacted by political challenges–so you can feel extra good about giving this extra virgin olive oil.
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Every organized traveler needs a good tech kit. We like Bellroy's for its many pockets and loops that will fit any size cord and offer a safe place to stash AirPods, portable chargers, and work-from-anywhere accessories like a mouse or Wi-Fi extender.
A good sleep mask is a travel essential for overnight flights. This one is made of memory foam and has raised sections over your eyeballs for added comfort, but lies flat around the nose and eyebrows to thoroughly block out light.
If a new travel backpack is what they need, go for this lightweight option from Away. A zippered laptop sleeve keeps tech secure, while a perfectly sized passport pocket keeps important documents organized.
Say goodbye to chaos reigning inside your luggage, because these packing cubes are the difference between haphazard packers and professional travelers. They’re made from 100% ocean-recycled fabrics, and renowned for their durability.
A comfy robe is always a winner in our book, and Parachute makes some of the best. This classic waffle robe will remind them of days spend luxuriating at the hotel spa.
There’s never a wrong time to gift someone one of Assouline’s gorgeous books, and this one, which offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into one of Italy’s most luxurious hotels, is sure to inspire some serious wanderlust.
For travelers who just can't find a neck pillow they like, consider gifting a travel-size pillow instead. This one comes with the absolute softest pillowcase (it's made of wood-based Tencel fabric), and is small enough to squish into a tote bag or backpack. It recently accompanied me on two 14+ hour flights, and I was very happy to have it with me.
Help out the overpacker in your life with this handy digital luggage scale—it'll keep them honest when it comes to what's in their suitcase. If they do need to rearrange items, better to do so from the comfort of a hotel room or Airbnb than in the baggage line.
This weekender bag from Herschel is a nice option for business travelers. It features a super-soft, fleece-lined compartment that keeps your laptop safe and protected. Inside, there's enough room for a few outfits and a Dopp kit.
If you are new around here, we’re big on traveling with skincare pads, and Dr. Dennis Gross makes some of the best out there. They work like magic to imbue dull airplane skin with a dewy glow–and they even come in varying degrees of strength to suit your skin’s needs.
L.L.Bean's Boat and Tote bag is a classic for a reason. It's versatile enough for day trips, coffee runs, and shopping around a new city.
Cult classic brand Nécessaire offers a giftable kit of mini-sized essentials that are perfect to slip through TSA in a carry-on. The brand’s clean formulation is gentle enough for sensitive skin types, and its fragrances (we recommend Eucalyptus) are subtle enough to never offend your seat mates on the plane.
Cuyana's System Tote is the ultimate everyday bag. It's great for city commutes or day trips when you need room for a laptop, wallet, and makeup bag. Plus, the gorgeous leather only gets better with age.
This Ralph Lauren set is a travel accessory you'll use again and again, especially when headed out on long flights for international travel. It comes with a large shawl that can be used as a blanket, a small pillow, and a soft eye mask—all made from cashmere.
We love a good fanny pack here at Traveler, and Patagonia's is ideal for any frequent hikers (or bikers) on your gift list. Given its size—it stuffs into its own small pocket when not in use—and light weight (3.5 ounces), it's great to throw into your suitcase to use on city trips, too.
This smart ring is a great gift for the routine-oriented traveler you know. It tracks key metrics that help you stay on top of your goals, like your sleep cycle, daily steps, and heart rate.
I'll always be team loungewear when it comes to in-flight attire. Get in on the tenniscore trend with this preppy crewneck from Friend + Folk, emblazoned with its Girls Gone Mild collection logo. Gift it to the bestie you'd happily couch rot with, no matter where in the world you may be.
A gua sha set is a great in-flight tool—not only does it help decrease puffiness, encourage lymphatic drainage, and relieve muscle tension, but the ritual of it can also be a nice distraction for nervous fliers, and a good way to wind your body down if you're on an overnight flight and trying to get some sleep.
Parallelle's Carry-On makeup bag keeps beauty products organized and secure. The standout feature here is the bag's foldable shape. After you unzip the bag, each side can be pulled down to lie flat, allowing you to easily see all of your products at once. It's designed to keep each product in an upright position, again making them easy to spot and reducing the risk of any spills.
Washable silk pajamas? Say no more. For the traveler who could use a little luxury in their life, Lunya's matching set—which we've raved about time and time again—will get plenty of use at home and on vacation.
Noise-canceling headphones can improve any journey, whether they're blocking out a snoring plane neighbor or immersing you in movie after movie on a long car ride. This popular option from Sony offers multi-device Bluetooth pairing, so you can connect to two devices at once and switch between them seamlessly.
For over two decades now, Louis Vuitton has been rolling out slim, cloth binded city guides curated by journalists, writers, and major figures in art and culture. Designer-minded friends with big travel plans ahead will appreciate an elevated roadmap to exploring cities like Marrakech, Reims, or Rio de Janeiro.
Created by a former New Yorker editor, All the Restaurants offers limited-edition, hand-drawn sketches of iconic restaurants in New York, London, Paris, and Napa Valley. Order one to commemorate a special meal with a loved one, or one you’re still dreaming of visiting together.
Now that we all walk around with high-quality cameras in our pocket, fewer of our photos actually make it to print. This pocket-size printer from Polaroid spits out vibrant 2"x3" photos, so you can instantly hand over that new family portrait to grandma or share physical photos with a travel companion.
For the friend who has started researching which cruise ships and hotels have pickleball courts, only the best gear bags will do. This nylon one from Tumi holds two paddles and a few balls, with room for a spare change of clothes or other accessories you want on hand. Like the brand's luggage, it's tricked out with helpful features—a key leash, an exterior slip pocket with a magnetic closure to hold your phone, and a hideaway hook to attach to a fence among them.
When it comes to working outside of your home, we all know how unstable Wi-Fi can be. Instead of struggling through Zoom meetings on an Airbnb’s outdated router or a hotel on a crowded line, invest in your own hotspot. This one has a better bandwidth than the one you find on your phone, lasts longer, and won't run down your phone battery.
This sound machine fits into the palm of a hand and weighs less than five ounces. It's perfect for travelers with small children or who find it hard to fall sleep in new environments. It has a rechargeable USB battery, features 10 different sounds, and has an easy-to-use timer setting.
This is the ideal stocking stuffer for the traveler who is always squirreling away shampoo and body wash minis from hotels. They'll be treated to a full swath of toiletries—face cleanser and moisturizer, body wash and lotion, shampoo, and conditioner—all with the delicious scents Malin + Goetz is known for.
Cozy, comfy, and every bit as soft and plush as you’d expect, these socks are special enough to feel like a thoughtful gift. They’re perfect to keep toes warm on long-haul flights, or for lounging around the house between trips.
Diptyque candles are always a welcome gift, but for something a little more unique, go for one of the brand's eau de parfums. This one was formulated to recreate the scent of a ’60s Parisian bar—the woody scent smells great spritzed around the home.
Curious about noctourism, the trend everyone’s talking about? Then check out this book from author Stephanie Vermilion, which documents some of the world’s most unforgettable–and often lesser-known–after dark activities. The aurora borealis is just the beginning.
FAQ:
What do you get someone who is always traveling?
Frequent travelers are probably well-stocked with the basics, so I'd recommend thinking outside the box. The next time they're filling you in on their travels, make a mental note of any pain points they mention—if they regularly fly in economy, maybe they could use a foot hammock. If they're heading somewhere for a long-term stay, send them a duplicate of something they love from home but likely left behind, like a warm robe or cozy pair of slippers.
What is the best way to gift travel?
Gift cards are the easiest option. For the travelers in your life who are keen on staying in a rental, Airbnb gift cards can be purchased in amounts from $25 up to $500, so you can chip in (or cover) their next stay. Calling rideshares while traveling can quickly add up; a gift card to Lyft or Uber helps relieve any back and forth over whether a car is worth it or not, making it a great gift for younger travelers heading out on group trips or gap years.
What are the best travel gifts for new travelers?
For new and aspiring jet-setters, consider the basics. A nice leather passport holder will be appreciated. If they're heading abroad, a universal travel adapter will come in handy, as will a phone case with a compartment to keep cards, cash, or an ID easily accessible.
This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date. Additional reporting by Madison Flager and Meaghan Kenny.
