Harrying a process as it can be, travel can be made an actual pleasure once you devise a system for everything. From the no-fuss carry-on to the multipurpose travel shoes to the game-changing packing organizers, we found all the essentials for maximizing your travel experience.
The Best Rolling Luggage
Finding the perfect piece of rolling luggage can be a Herculean task, so we reached out to six of the savviest travelers we know for their favorites. We even threw in two we liked ourselves.
Read more about the best rolling luggage.
The Best Weekend Travel Bags
The bag you bring for a quick weekend trip shouldn’t just be a day bag or suitcase, but something in between. We talked to more than a dozen seasoned travelers to discover the very best duffles and backpacks for a three-day trip.
Read more about the best weekend travel bags.
The Best Travel Organizers
Any big project can be made easier when you break it down into smaller parts — same goes with packing. Be the Marie Kondo of travel with these organizers: Bring only what gives you joy.
Read more about the best travel organizers.
The Best Travel Shoes for Him and Her
Great travel shoes shouldn’t just get you through TSA — you should be able to wear them sightseeing, hanging around the lobby, or padding downstairs for breakfast. Two Strategist editors break down the best for him and her.
Read more about the best travel shoes for men and women.
The Best Skincare Products for the Flight
Airplanes are notorious for doing a number on your skin. We found a few products that will keep it hydrated for flights that take you halfway across the world.
Read more about the best skincare products for flying.
The Best Tote Bag (a.k.a. ‘personal item’)
You never want to futz around too much with unnecessary compartments with your in-flight “personal item,” and Strategist editor Alexis Swerdloff found the best tote bag for travel. Note: It has an all-important zipper.
Read more about the best tote bag for travel.
The Best Eye Mask for Sleeping on the Flight
This little eye mask turns a plane cabin into a dark cave. Infinitely better than the things the flight attendants will be handing you for free.
The Best Travel Headphones
Your earbuds for traveling needn’t be noise-canceling or the greatest-headphones-you’ve-ever-used. Vulture senior editor Jesse David Fox found a cheap and portable pair he swears by.
Read more about the best travel headphones.
The Best Travel Pillow
So small that it’s essentially a padded scarf, this travel pillow made with hypoallergenic fleece holds your head almost completely upright. You can even place it beneath your chin to keep your head from drooping.
Read more about the best travel pillow.
The Best Earplugs for Travel
Cup of Jo’s Joanna Godard can’t stand certain sounds, so she’s taken to wearing these inexpensive earphones around the office and (yes) on planes. Unlike other earplugs, these let you have a conversation — they only block ambient noise.
Read more about the best earplugs for travel.
The Best Travel Adapter
The best travel adapter not only works in 150 different countries but also locks into itself like a puzzle.
Read more about the best travel adapter.
The Best Travel Steamer
Whether you’re headed to a wedding upstate or to an Easter brunch, you’re likely not going to be bringing a full-size iron with you while traveling. Arrive primped and pressed with this travel steamer one fashion stylist swears by.
Read more about the best travel steamer.
The Best Cleansing Wipes for the Plane
Facial-cleansing wipes are a carry-on essential, according to Cut associate beauty editor Ashley Weatherford — these from Cleanse are the best.
Read more about the best cleansing wipes for the plane.
The Best Lip Balm for Travel
New York Magazine design editor Wendy Goodman swears by this VitaminWater-themed lip balm, which she learned about from a photographer friend. She’s been hooked ever since.
Read more about the best lip balm for travel.
The Best Travel Phone Charger
There are few things that can make a person more anxious than being on the go when their phone’s about to die. Vulture editorial director Neil Janowitz found a keychain with a built-in USB to charge your phone.
Read more about the best travel phone charger.
The Best Travel Cocktail Kit
As great as flight attendants are, they’re not cocktail magicians (even in first class). When your flight is delayed for the umpteenth time, you’ll be happy to have brought a (TSA-approved) carry-on kit for making old-fashioneds right at your seat.
Read more about the best travel cocktail kit.
The Best Toy to Cure Airport Boredom
Lightweight and easy to learn, the Chinese equivalent of Hacky Sack is the travel game that’ll keep you occupied no matter how long your flight’s delayed.
Read more about the best toy for airport boredom.
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