Why You Can Trust CNET Best Travel Gifts for Jetsetters in 2024
Buying a gift for a frequent flyer? Here's what they need -- and what they'll love.
- Self-taught tinkerer, informal IT and gadget consultant to friends and family (with several self-built gaming PCs under his belt)
If you're looking for a gift for the frequent traveler in your life, the good news is that there's a wide assortment of options to choose from. Whether their preferred mode of travel is by plane, train or car, they'll appreciate gifts that are specifically designed to make their journey easier and more comfortable. From headphones to a lightweight, collapsible water bottle or a comfy travel pillow, these travel essentials will make your loved one's journey less stressful. Check out our list of the best travel gifts for road warriors and business travelers below.
And if you're looking for tech gadgets to make their journey smoother, be sure to check out our favorite travel tech gifts, too.
A backpack to put it all in
Before we talk about the stuff you'll want to carry on your travels, let's figure out a place to put it all. From small foldable backpacks to bigger carry-ons, there's a lot of options for every style of travel.
We've checked out a lot of laptop bags and backpacks, but this Nomatic backpack is our current favorite and is perfect for travel essentials. Smaller than a suitcase or carry-on luggage yet still spacious, this lightweight backpack can your store laptop, along with everything else you might possibly need for your weekend getaway or daily commute, including a water bottle, travel pillow, books, clothing and more. There's a separate compartment at the front for organizing cables, power adapters and other accessories. And the fold-down laptop compartment at the back makes it easy to quickly go through the TSA security line.
Looking for something a little less pricey and light enough to throw in your carryon? The Navigator Collapsible Backpack by Nomatic is a collapsible bag that can easily fit in any bag. It can hold everything you'd need for a long day trip and includes a laptop sleeve, tamper-resistant zippers as well as two water bottle pockets. I've had this backpack for two years and always bring it on hiking trips to carry my camera, water and change of clothes.
Looking for a cheap backpack for a beach day or quick hike? This Tomule backpack is foldable, lightweight and water resistant, making it the perfect addition to every trip! Better yet, it's only $24.
A water bottle
Water bottles are a must-have for globe-trotters, especially on long flights, which can leave you incredibly dehydrated. Plenty of alternatives to single-use plastic bottles are available, from the standard Hydro Flask bottle to an ultra-packable collapsible bottle -- but the more lightweight, the better.
This collapsible water bottle (or, really, plastic pouch) from Platypus holds 2 liters of liquids (that's about how much water you should drink each day, especially if you're active) and since it's plastic, it weighs only 1.3 ounces when empty.
It's the perfect collapsible bottle for travelers, campers and anyone who's tight on storage space. This Platy comes with a screw-on top by default, but you can always pair the spout with different Platypus soft bottle caps and straws.
Noise-canceling headphones
Whether you're listening to audio on a phone, tablet or computer, you'll love the feeling of freedom that wireless headphones deliver -- especially if you're in the cramped confines of a coach-class airline seat. To keep out the drone of an airline's engine noise, you'll want either noise-isolating in-ear headphones (with a tight fit in your ear canal) or a full-size over-ear model. Preferences vary, but the in-ear models are smaller and travel better -- though the bigger ones deliver some sound quality enhancements. All in all, they make for perfect travel gifts for men, women, kids and just about anyone.
The AirPods Pro 2 deliver excellent sound and performance for their size, offering better sound, active noise canceling and battery life than their predecessor -- perfect for traveling on a noisy airplane. If your loved one is still hanging onto older earbuds, CNET's Lexy Savvides says they're definitely worth the upgrade -- they've become her "go-to buds."
Maybe you own an Android phone. Or maybe you actually prefer headphones that aren't white. Either way, the JBL Live Pro 2 are worth checking out. These earbuds have a unique pill-shaped design, resulting in supreme comfort and good noise canceling and call quality.
They're not cheap, but Sony has perfected its active noise-canceling game with the WH-1000XM5 over-the-ear headphones. They feature superb sound and call quality, and offer superior comfort during long flights. And they're perfect for in-flight entertainment if the person next to you just wants a good night's sleep.
A wireless speaker
If you want to listen to some tunes (or podcasts) while you're in your hotel room, don't settle for your phone's tiny built-in speaker. Plenty of wireless speakers are now available for as little as $40 to $50 -- and many are even water-resistant.
This tiny Bluetooth speaker is a great travel companion because it's small, lightweight, thin and has great battery life. It's waterproof too, and the durable braided loop lets you hang it nearly anywhere, including the shower. It also comes in about a dozen colors, so you can seek out a design that matches your personality (or that of the person you're gifting it to).
If you want sound that's beefier, the Bose SoundLink Flex is a great gift. This speaker is relatively, measuring just 7.9 inches wide, but delivers a lot of oomph for its size. We rated it the best-sounding wireless speaker for its relatively compact size. It's the perfect gift to buy for the audio-loving traveler in your life.
A pillow to rest your head
Nothing is worse than a bobbing head that slides onto your neighbor's shoulder. Packing a travel pillow or neck pillow will keep you comfortable during your trip, particularly if you're intent on getting a decent night's sleep.
We're big fans of the Trtle travel pillow, which really looks more like a scarf and is amazing for neck support. It's lightweight, takes up very little packing space and will keep you sleeping upright so that you don't nod off onto the person next to you. Pro tip: You can cover your mouth with the part of the fleece that's supposed to go under your chin -- so no one sees your gaping or drooling mouth when you're asleep.
Other Products
One of the most important aspects of traveling is to never forget the little things. Remembering to pack clothes and a passport can be easy, but so many things often get left behind. Below are some items that typically get forgotten when packing but are absolutely essential for every trip.
I spent all of June backpacking Europe and came prepared for London with a UK adapter but failed to realize that not all of Europe used the same one (beginner's mistake). Luckily, my friend brought a universal adapter with her and saved both of our phone's lives. The Epicka Universal Travel Adapter has four USB slots and the ability to adapt to several countries' outlets.
No one is immune to spilling red wine on a white shirt or getting pasta sauce all over their pants. When emergencies like these happen, hope is not lost for your clothes. The Tide to Go stain remover truly does get almost any stain off of your clothing making it an absolute travel necessity. I personally always bring a wipe in my purse, one in my backpack and one in my toiletry bag. For only $9, you can save almost any piece of clothing with just a few dabs of your Tide wipe.
I'll be the first to admit that I loathed fanny packs prior to actually traveling. I remember walking around New York City and making fun of tourists clutching their fanny packs. Well, this Lululemon belt bag changed all that. It's the best way to carry all your valuables in one place. When roaming city streets or going on long hikes, this belt bag makes it easy to hold your passport, phone, headphones and wallet without lugging around a backpack that may be prone to pickpocketing.
A hanging toiletry bag allows you to pack all creams, shampoos, conditioners and miscellaneous items you may need. Having a compact toiletry bag that easily fits in any suitcase is an absolute necessity for any avid traveller.
Doing laundry while on a trip can be a hassle. First you have to find a local laundromat if your accommodation doesn't offer any laundry services, then you have to buy detergent and everything else you may need to do a load of wash. The Hex Detergent Travel Kit includes five different detergents that conveniently fit into any size bag. I wish I had this kit when I was washing my clothes in a hostel bathroom sink!