Really, you can just buy them flight credit. Maybe a train ticket. It might even be a prepaid card for a cross-country road trip or a down payment on a van for them to live in. There's different levels of traveler, but here I've found the best gifts for all types of travelers out there. These are the products that will make their life easier and their efforts more enjoyable.
Whether it's a guy who's into watches, your girlfriend itching to go to Paris, or any odd friend or family member—these are the ideas you couldn't think of yourself. I've broken it down by price, since that's most people's determining factor, and tried to cover all the bases. You can buy directly off this list or take it as inspiration. See a Brooks Brothers sweater but know they prefer a specific brand, maybe even a rival brand like J.Crew. This is not a be-all, end-all list. This is a place where I, a gift-giving expert, get those wheels turning. Dive in.
- Gifts Under $50
- Gifts Under $100
- Gifts Under $300
- Luxury Travel Gifts
Travel Gifts Under $50
Honestly, this is the sweet spot for a lot of travel gifts. There are plenty of nicer gifts on this list, and I encourage you to spend a little extra on those you love. But if you're talking about pure practicality, this is the price point for it. Silk eye masks, hand creams, and little tech organizers—it's the stuff they'll use every time they travel.
They can put on a silk eye mask and forget they're sitting all the way back in coach.
The best bag for carrying chargers, earbuds, cords, and every other tech thing. Period.
This little gadget will let them connect any Bluetooth headphones to the in-flight entertainment.
Packing cubes are silly, unless you're on a serious adventure. But I can't deny that anyone can make use of a large Yeti packing cube. Great for organizing, dirty laundry, or that wet swimsuit.
If they're a neck-pillow person, this one is the best on the market. And for the price, you can buy one for an entire family.
If a full tech organizer isn't their thing, these Leatherology cord wraps are a nice alternative for travel-cord management. Get them embossed for an extra touch.
I always have one of these accessible in my bag. Staring out the plane window or looking through a windshield puts you in a contemplative mood, and this is the best way to track valuable thoughts.
If they're staying at hotels worth anything, they'll have access to an iron or concierge. But if that's not in the budget, this two-in-one iron and steamer is a perfect travel companion.
For the Long-Haul Flyer
Nécessaire The Hand Cream
Anytime I've flown over an ocean or across the U.S. I come out dry and cracked all over. Nécessaire is the brand I use to combat that. The hand cream goes on hands, elbows, knees, toes, and, because I'm a man with a bad skin-care routine, sometimes under my eyes.
Travel Gifts Under $100
Under $100 can be a gray area. My suggestion here is to keep thinking about practicality but get off Amazon and start dipping into the nicer brands. Think a versatile Brooks Brothers sweater, a Therabody sleep mask with weird tech enhancements, or a solid perfume that won't knock out other passengers.
Another must-have I've covered at length. The Halfday bag looks a little like a gym bag, yes. But it's so functional that it won't matter.
There's a lot of hanging toiletry bags and Dopp kits out there, but I'd stand behind this Calpak one. First, the price is unbeatable. Second, the polyester ripstop is insanely durable. It's an incredible value.
For long-haul drives, polarized sunglasses are a must. Normally, if you want a pair that looks good, you have to shell out. But Sunski makes a decent-looking pair with polarized frames for an even $98.
Blocks out the sun and offers gentle, rhythmic vibrations to rock them to sleep, whether on a long-haul flight or a family road trip.
Slightly over $100 but not expensive enough to fit the next tier. This sweater looks great over a tee or a button-up, and it makes both a bit more classy. Great for those straight-off-the-flight meetings.
On a plane or in a car with friends, fragrance is a bit crazy. But if they're anything like me, going without it is even crazier. A solid perfume, like this unisex Orphéon from Diptyque, stays closer to the user.
If they have an iPhone, this is the best power bank on the market. MagSafe means you can charge while you scroll, and the little kickstand is lovely for in-flight use.
Your favorite shutterbug already has a travel setup. I'm sure of that. They might not, however, have a packing cube that's camera specific. In which case, this would be the perfect gift.
There's a nicer Tumi version of this bag further down the list, but this one does the same concept pretty well. Pack it away, then unfold it and load it up on the trip back home.
Travel Gifts Under $300
This is my favorite tier of gift. For under $300 you can find a lot really nice stuff, but it's a price point that tells someone "I care about you, and I spent accordingly." You can get conceptual with the perfect travel pants or my favorite road-trip cooler. Or you can keep it functional with an Away suitcase. A lot of lanes here.
In the mid-range suitcase game, no one can really beat Away. The product is too consistent, the brand too big to fail. If you can't get them a luxury suitcase, this'll do just fine.
For under $300, these are the travel headphones. The audio is decent, the noise cancellation is great, and they're pretty durable for what you're paying.
This backless Sabah slipper is our favorite plane shoe, and the regular slip-on is a top-tier driving shoe. No matter how they travel, one of these will work.
Tumi makes the best version of these packable tote bags. For the past two years, my girlfriend and I haven't gone on a trip without this thing.
Men shouldn't wear sweatpants on a plane. (And stretchy pants are the cousin to sweatpants.) Sorry if I sound like an asshole, but I'm not saying we need to wear suits. Just help your guy take a little more pride in his airport fit with some extremely comfortable Todd Snyder trousers.
For big and tall guys, Ralph Lauren makes the anti-sweatpant travel pant they should get. The elastic waistband on these is nice, but they can still be worn to a somewhat respectable dinner.
If they have any sort of skin-care or supplement routine, Cadence makes stackable, magnetic travel carriers for any small goods. The best-seller set is an easy gift, but if you know what they want, don't be afraid to build your own.
This is my preferred Dopp kit. In a sea of travel-hack products, the appeal here is simple. It's a high-quality leather toiletry case that will last them a lifetime. Can't beat it.
Having taken a million road trips, I can confidently say a Yeti Roadie 24 is the perfect road-trip cooler. Just the right size for a day of drinks, snacks, and sandwiches. Doesn't take up a ton of space either.
Luxury Travel Gifts
Nothing feels better than really shelling out for someone you love. If I bought any of these products for myself, I'd be happy. If I bought one for that guy who has everything or my wife and got to see them use it every time we travel, well, that would bring me actual joy. It's the holidays; be generous.
Part Kindle, part notebook, this is the perfect travel gadget.
A high-performance digital point-and-shoot will take their travel photography to the next level. Read why we love it here.
Yes, a Rimowa suitcase is worth every single cent. Read all about why we endorse it here.
If you've got a man who needs just a duffel, Filson still makes our favorite. It's a classic, no-nonsense piece of American menswear.
The best thing about this Gucci tote is that the canvas-and-leather construction is just about as durable as the super-masculine options I recommended above. This will be her personal item for the next couple decades.
We've been obsessed with Dyson's newest headphones. The metal ear caps, the soft micro-suede ear cups, the sturdy feel—it's all perfect. Add to that best-in-class noise cancellation and you've got the perfect pair of travel headphones.
This one is a bit out-there, but if they know how to play backgammon, it's a great gift. Kill time on a train or a layover with something that's not just a phone screen.
Hands down, far and away the best driving sunglasses you could get. The polarized lenses get rid of glare and eyestrain. The big aviator shape gives full coverage and a cool look and doesn't lean into Joe Biden cosplay, because there are no metal frames. Hell, they could even wear these in the airport.
Made in England and sold on Saville Row, the Bennett Winch S.C. Holdall is the pinnacle of the suit-carrier-slash-duffel-bag travel hack. It has beautiful canvas and sturdy hardware and was featured in No Time to Die, holding a much less Bond-y Tom Ford suit.
