53 Best Travel Gifts for Every Globetrotter on Your List
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When it comes to choosing the best travel gifts, there are many routes to take: You can get your go-to vacation companion something practical that they'll reach for every time they take out their carry-on. Or, you can gift something to encourage them to start planning their next trip (and hopefully invite you along). There are also gifts that bring travel to them, making the space between adventures feel a bit more like a vacation, and experience gifts to make their next trip even more exciting. No matter the occasion, or the traveler, we've rounded up over 50 travel gift ideas from brands we love, so you can find something for each person on your list.
For even more specific gift guides, be sure to check out all our recommended gifts for travelers, which we've gathered for you here. And keep an eye on the calendar—the sooner the better if you're shipping presents straight to a giftee, or mailing to yourself to wrap. Standard free shipping deadlines end as early as December 13 for delivery by Christmas, so aim to order by that date if you're hoping to avoid shipping costs.
Need some more inspo? Check out Traveler's Amazon Storefront for even more of our favorite travel gifts.
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 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. Most airlines sell gift cards too; or, if you're rolling in points, consider transferring some to a friend or family member in lieu of a physical present. (For more inspiration, consult this list of the best presents our travel editors have ever received.)
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; this one from Mark & Graham can be personalized with your giftee's initials. 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.
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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.
For the friend who has started researching which hotels and cruise ships 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.
Upgrade your giftee's makeup kit with this gorgeous leather roll-up case from Cuyana. An Allure Best of Beauty winner, it has loops to hold four brushes (and a flip cover to keep powders from getting all over the place), a slip pocket, a slim zippered pocket, and a detachable zipper pouch. It's an especially great gift for beauty lovers with one of Cuyana's System or Easy Zip totes, as the removable pouch snaps right into those bags.
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.
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.
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.
A nice gift for the runner in your life, Brooks's new sneaker comes recommended by travel writer and marathon runner Rachel Chang. She describes it as “the ideal hybrid of my other top picks: the comfort and cushion of Lululemon’s Blissfeel with the stability and support of Hoka Clifton, plus the durability and dependability of Brooks Adrenaline. That, to me, is a winning combo.”
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.
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 21 different sounds, and has an easy-to-use timer setting.
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.
Socks have a reputation as a boring gift option, but for travelers, these ones are an actually thoughtful pick. Comrad is known for bringing comfort and style to the world of compression socks, which are designed to help regulate swelling and keep the blood pumping through the legs. They're perfect for long flights, road trips, or just walking around sightseeing.
When you're headed down to the hotel lobby or grabbing a coffee near your Airbnb, you don't need a huge tote bag, just a small purse that holds the essentials. This quilted micro pouch is so fun and chic, while being practical enough to hold your phone, cards, and a lip balm.
Traveler readers went wild for Allbirds' first running shoe when it debuted in 2020, and again when a higher-ankle version was released last year. Share the wealth of comfortable kicks this holiday season—they come in nearly a dozen colors, are lightweight and pack down well, and look sufficiently non-sporty enough to wear throughout a trip, not just while exercising. (For those who live in cold-weather climates, the newer Wool Dasher Mizzles are a good option, too.)
For the traveler who doesn't know where to go next, this National Geographic book will give them plenty of inspiration across Europe, Asia, North America, and more. It is filled with 36- to 72-hour weekend guides to places around the world, with itineraries meant to tack onto existing trips or use as a weekend getaway from home (tags let readers know what hub the destination is within six hours of). Inside, you'll find ideas for beachy escapes, nature parks, food and wine-focused trips, even pet-friendly vacations. Also mixed in: helpful insights like wheelchair-friendly beaches to visit in the US.
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.
Ostrichpillow makes a whole bunch of nap-friendly designs, but we're partial to the classic Go Neck pillow for long-haul flights or lengthy road trips. It is made with a supportive (and compressive) memory foam, and has a Velcro close for an easily adjustable fit. Plus, it comes with a carrying case.
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.
Travelers who are also regulars at Sephora or Ulta will appreciate this cool makeup bag: Instead of having to dump out all your products to find what you're looking for, the bag opens up by way of drawstrings, and can be laid out as a circle on any surface, allowing every product to be on display.
Written by Traveler contributor Alia Akkam, Behind the Bar takes readers to 50 iconic hotel bars around the world, offering recipes and historical tidbits from each. Perfect for the consummate host in your friend group, they'll have a good time recreating classics and discovering new cocktails from home.
A real text I got from a friend after writing about this Béis weekender: “BÉIS CONVERT FOREVER. You did not oversell this. Truly a miracle.” It has plenty of room inside for clothes, accessories, and toiletries, and a bottom compartment for shoes, dirty clothes, or anything else you want to keep separate.
These toiletry travel bottles have changed the game when it comes to bringing your own products with you—they are entirely leak-proof, and are magnetized, making them snap together to minimize they space they take up in your Dopp kit and the hotel shower.
This is a niche gift, but there's someone on your list who will absolutely love it. Nixon's insulated beverage sling fits six cans at once; they can bring it along to picnics, camping trips, tailgates, or hikes to keep drinks cold and avoid the clunkiness of a tote bag or backpack.
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.
Ahead of the holidays, Dagne Dover released a new slate of items in its eco-friendlier collection. The Seoul Dopp kit, much like the rest of the collection, is made from 100 percent recycled polyester while the interior is made from a spill-proof recycled poly lining.
Trying to make it out of the house as a new parent can be stressful to stay the least. The Wilder Bundle, designed by Traveler contributor Jordi Lippe-McGraw, can fit everything you need and more. On the exterior, we see a full-size backpack, but its included attachments—a mini backpack, wristlet, and insulated lunchbox—easily snap off to lighten your load when you don't need them, or to be used separately.
Country music star Chris Stapleton recently collaborated with Filson on the Traveller collection that features both clothing and travel gear. One of the standout pieces is the rereleased archived duffel. The Traveller Outfitter Bag is one of Stapleton’s favorites and we understand why: It has an adjustable shoulder strap, a large main compartment for a few days' worth of clothing, and a comfortable leather grip handle. The leather on the handle won’t transfer any color and with each wear, the leather gets softer.
Perfect for the skincare routine queens on your list, these eye masks blend the expertise of Aman and 111Skin. A set comes with eight Nourishing Gold Algae Eye Masks to hydrate and brighten the under-eye area. They’ll come in handy after long-haul flights, or just the post-holiday drive home.
Oui The People has been bringing some heat to the skincare world, with formulas that produce an unmatched glow. The brand's holy trinity includes the new Clean Slate body wash, Cheat Sheet body exfoliant, and Featherweight body oil. The trio work together to achieve visibly smoother, brighter, and more hydrated skin.
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.
Amazon’s best-selling, waterproof Kindle Paperwhite is perfect for bookworm travelers—its battery lasts for weeks, it can hold more than 2,000 e-books, and the adjustable warm lighting emulates actual book pages.
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.
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The denim duffel travel bag is Shinola Detroit's spin on an American classic. It's made from American denim and reimagines the brand's traditional cotton duffel with a more elevated flare. Accompanied by a striped band, you can carry it as a crossbody, over the shoulder, or opt to tuck the strap in and use the elegant arched handles.
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.
Sometimes, the best gifts are the most practical. This pocket-size Bluetooth transmitter lets you watch in-flight entertainment with your AirPods, or any other cordless headphone you may use. Never stress about forgetting that second pair of earbuds again.
An eye mask is a light sleeper's travel essential, and Nodpod took things up a notch by creating a weighted version. Best for long-haul flights where you'll be in a lay-flat seat, or to use in bed—the mask can be secured with its pull-through slit, but is best used simply draped over your eyes—it adds a bit of weight to your eyes, promoting a deeper, more restful sleep.
You're either a journal person or you're not, but if you are, you know you can never have too many notebooks on hand. This pretty Papier pad will be a welcome addition to the stack, and is customizable: choose lined, plain, or dotted sheets, and either a hard or soft cover.
A re-imagination of Mansur Gavriel's popular Lady Bag, the Soft Lady Bag was released to celebrate the original's five-year anniversary. It's softer and slouchier than its predecessor, meaning it'll pack down better in your suitcase. With room for daily essentials (a phone, wallet, keys, earphones, and even an iPad) and interior compartments to keep you organized, it's a polished crossbody you'll use for years to come.
Paravel's packing cubes—which helped turn Traveler editor Lale Arikoglu into a more organized packer—are a practical gift any traveler will appreciate. They now come in a set of four, with two small cubes, a medium, and a large; for an extra touch, have them personalized with your giftee's initials.
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.
Another great coffee table book, Atlas Obscura's new tome is made for travelers who plan their trips around food. Inside, readers will find a guide to food experiences around the world, with chapters on every continent (including Antarctica!), as well as features on foodies like Tom Carvel, events like the Chicago World Fair, and “how to try it” tips. Just a few noteworthy inclusions: Jeju Island's free-diving sea women in South Korea, the world's largest edible mushroom in Zambia, and the great fruitcake toss in Colorado.
There is no shortage of subscription boxes out there, but we're particularly fond of the edible ones. Bokksu, a Japanese snack service that recently launched an online Asian grocery store, sends recipients an assortment of sweet and savory snacks, candies, and teas on a monthly basis, sourced from small, family-run businesses in Japan.
