To crib a line from William Morris, the 19th-century British designer, you should never give a gift that you do not know to be beautiful or believe to be useful. Thankfully, Afar’s favorite travel gifts not only combine substance and style but also include another important element of gift-giving: good value. From a tasty airplane cocktail to a beautiful book to inspire your next adventure, here are 38 travel gift ideas that cost under $100 each.
Buy a luggage tag that’s smarter than the others.
Courtesy of Satechi
1. Satechi FindAll Luggage Tag
Buy now: $45, satechi.net
Luggage tags allow you to provide contact info in case bags get lost, and they can even help you discern your suitcase from others’. But this tag—available in black, sand, or rose vegan leather—is extra handy because it has a built-in tracker. Using Apple Find My technology, it helps locate lost, stolen, or delayed bags. The battery life lasts eight months.
Making quality joe on the go is easy with this portable coffee maker.
Courtesy of AeroPress
2. AeroPress Go Travel Coffee Press
Buy now: $50, aeropress.com
All you need to make quality espresso while on the move is an AeroPress Go, finely ground coffee, and hot water. You can also make a quick cold-brew coffee with the AeroPress, as long as you remember to stir the grounds and cold water together for a full minute before pressing. At 11.5 ounces, it’s perfectly packable, and it comes with a travel filter holder that fits 25 paper microfilters.
Because we can’t expect flight attendants to be a mixologist on top of all their other very important duties
Courtesy of Hail M Cocktails
3. Cocktail Travel Infusions
Buy now: $22, hailmcocktails.com
Looking like tea bags, these cocktail infusions can instantly upgrade anything you might get off an airplane bar cart. By steeping the bags, you can add the flavor of a Moscow mule to a simple order of vodka or an old-fashioned to a glass of whiskey. Made with ingredients like ginger, lime, orange peel, and bitter-soaked botanics, the bags are designed to infuse the flavors into the alcohol after a few minutes of “steeping.” After all, flight attendants are too busy to be mixologists, too. And a tea bag is more lightweight and TSA compliant than a cocktail in a flask.
This dopp kit opens up wide so you don’t have to dig for your toiletries.
Courtesy of Bellroy
4. Bellroy Toiletry Kit Plus
Buy now: from $69, bellroy.com
This toiletry kit has a smart zippered design that allows you to open the bag wide and easily grab items. It can be wiped clean and has ample storage space, including a separate compartment for your toothbrush.
Beautifully designed infographs and images inspire you to book your next flight.
Courtesy of Moon Travel Guides
5. Moon Travel Guide’s Wanderlust
Buy now: $45, moontravelguides.com
This gorgeous coffee table book is sure to deliver the promise of its title on any page. The lens is wide, covering well-known bucket-list destinations like Patagonia and the Gobi Desert, but also zooms into the details of spontaneous moments, like steaming street food or colorful tuk-tuks. Get swept away in images of lantern-lit festivals and castles in the clouds, and notice the book plant seeds of thought about where to go next.
The Béis Mini Weekender Bag is a perfect grab-and-go bag for any adventure.
Courtesy of Béis
6. Béis Mini Weekender Bag
Buy now: $98, beistravel.com
The Béis Mini Weekender can be used as an in-flight personal item or an overnight bag, with room for a laptop, toiletry pouch, and a spare outfit. Plus, it has a separate shoe compartment to keep dirty footwear far from clean clothes. The bag is available in nine stylish shades, including olive green and maple brown.
These socks were designed for flights but could carry you through all your travels.
Courtesy of 2XU
7. 2XU Flight Compression Socks
Buy now: $35, 2xu.com
Feet swelling on long-haul flights is real, and if you’d rather avoid puffy ankles or the discomfort of a slightly tighter shoe, compression socks are a wise choice. The 2XU Flight Compression Socks add just the right amount of pressure to reduce swelling without being overly restrictive. The black material pairs with most clothes, and they look like normal tall socks. Yet the effect is immediately noticeable during the flight—even if you put them on after the swelling has already started—and upon landing, and again when you remove the socks. They also help to relieve tired legs after a long day of walking, especially if worn overnight.
Get this travel journal for the writers in your life.
Courtesy of Papier
8. Papier Travel Journal
Buy now: $38, papier.com
This hardback travel journal has 192 pages of prompts, games, a packing guide, and room to document up to six journeys—including space for notes on transport, accommodations, budgets, packing lists, and itineraries. (It really comes in handy when you’re trying to give your friends recommendations later.) The journal also has an illustrated world map to color in as you reach more countries. Go analog!
9. Aesop Arrival Travel Kit
Buy now: $49, aesop.com
Add some luxury to your loved one’s toiletry bag with Aesop’s Arrival Travel Kit, which includes four travel-size bottles of the Aussie brand’s fan-favorite shampoo and conditioner, geranium leaf body cleanser, and rind concentrate body balm, which has an invigorating citrus scent.
Coziness is key for the winter.
Courtesy of Bombas
10. Bombas Gripper Slippers
Buy now: $50, women’s, bombas.com; men’s, bombas.com
Nobody wants to pack a full pair of slippers when they travel, but cold feet can put a damper on a cozy cabin getaway. Regular socks may suffice in a pinch, but this pair of slippers comes with special grippy bottoms to prevent slipping and sliding. Also available in youth, toddler, and baby sizes, starting from $22.
Don’t worry about your personal item sliding off your roller bag ever again.
Courtesy of Cincha
11. Cincha Travel Belt
Buy now: $40, cinchatravel.com
These colorful belts allow travelers to secure any type of personal item to a suitcase handle so it doesn’t get lost while maneuvering through the airport. Here’s how it works: Simply slip the elastic loop of the belt over the handle of your carry-on and snap its buckle around the front of your personal item. It’s made with vegan leather accents and is adjustable to 45 inches to accommodate even the most overstuffed tote bag. Plus, for every belt sold, Cincha donates 100 airline miles to Miles4Migrants to help reconnect migrant families.
This French-designed cooking kit brings a touch of elegance to any picnic.
Courtesy of Opinel
12. Opinel Nomad Cooking Kit
Buy now: $100, opinel-us.com
Family-run French company Opinel, which dates back to 1890, is focused on craftsmanship. “At home, I love their paring and chef’s knives; on the road, it’s hard to beat their packable Nomad cooking kit, which comprises a knife, bottle opener, peeler, mini cutting board, and cleaning cloth that doubles as a carrying pouch,” says deputy editor Katherine LaGrave. “It’s perfect for picnics—plastic, be gone!”
The Freefly16 packable backpack stuffs into a tiny carry sack.
Courtesy of Matador
13. Matador Freefly16 Packable Backpack
Buy now: $80, matadorup.com
With reusable toiletry bottles, packable beach blankets, and a padded laptop case in its lineup, Matador makes some of the most durable travel accessories out there. This backpack—designed to perform in wet conditions (it’s water resistant, not waterproof) and weighing less than half a pound—is no different. It also comes with a thin hip strap for better weight distribution (a rarity for packs of this size and weight), a water bottle cage (one on each side), and a spacious external pocket for stashing anything you need to reach quickly. Bonus: It packs down into its own dedicated stuff sack, so you can easily toss it into your luggage and have a quality hiking or walking-about-town daypack on hand when you arrive at your destination. “Overall, I love this bag’s packability, weight, and additional features like the hip strap,” says Jessie Beck, Afar’s associate director of SEO, product & video. “I’ve used it on at least a dozen trips, and it’s proven to be durable and sturdy.”
This travel-size first aid tin can be refilled and reused.
Courtesy of Welly
14. Welly Quick Fix First Aid Kit
Buy now: $8, getwelly.com
For cuts, scrapes, bruises, and other mini-emergencies, Welly’s Quick Fix First Aid Kit is a portable tin filled with fabric bandages in two sizes and three packets each of antibiotic ointment and single-use hand sanitizer. It is a great stocking stuffer.
This beanie and glove set for kids made Oprah’s Favorite Things list in 2023.
Courtesy of Amazon
15. Roq Innovation Headlightz Kids LED Beanie and Glove Set
Buy now: $36, roq-innovation.com
Great for après-ski s’mores or a post-sunset family snowshoe hike, these beanie-and-glove sets made Oprah’s 2023 Favorite Things List. The coolest feature is the beanie’s built-in rechargeable LED headlamp, which can be adjusted to three different brightness levels (including an emergency blue and red strobe). You may recognize Roq Innovation founder Raquel Graham from her successful stint on Shark Tank, and you can tell she’s a mom from the gear’s design: never itchy or bulky, with the Headlightz series available in five vibrant colors (purple, orange, blue, green, red) that look like candy.
The cream’s main ingredients, beeswax and olive oil, were used in ancient Egyptian cosmetics.
Courtesy of Egyptian Magic
16. Egyptian Magic Face Cream
Buy now: $25, egyptianmagic.com
Bringing skincare on trips is a must, but going through a five-step process on an airplane—when thirsty skin arguably needs it the most—is a nuisance. Egyptian Magic simplifies the process with a one-step cream that’s simple, all-natural, and packed with nourishing ingredients like beeswax and olive oil. It’s thick, so a little goes a long way—and (unlike the controversial peanut butter) is not considered a liquid by TSA.
17. CalPak Car Organizer
Buy now: $108, calpak.com
A road trip essential, CalPak’s Car Organizer is equipped with three compartments to keep clothing, snacks, and games organized. The container can go in the backseat or in the trunk and has handles for easy transportation to and from the car. We love the limited-edition colorways, including a snazzy cheetah print and a cute daisy pattern.
The Rumpl NanoLoft travel blanket packs down to the same size as a water bottle.
Courtesy of Rumpl
18. Rumpl NanoLoft Travel Blanket
Buy now: from $90, rumpl.com
Know someone booked on a red-eye? The Rumpl NanoLoft Travel Blanket is the closest you can get to bringing a sleeping bag on an airplane—minus the bulk. When stuffed into its carry sack, the puffy blanket is the size of a Nalgene water bottle and weighs 0.7 pounds. Use its “Cape Clip,” a simple loop and clasp on two corners, to secure the blanket loosely around your neck so it doesn’t slip off your shoulders while you’re sleeping. This also means you’re free to use your hands to sip tiny bottles of airplane wine or adjust your seat-back movie screen without sacrificing coziness.
Sometimes while exploring, you need a place to sit that’s not the ground or sidewalk.
Courtesy of Decathlon
19. Decathlon Quechua MH500 Compact Camp Chair
Buy now: $70, decathlon.com
Whether lounging in a city park or taking a break on an outdoor adventure, sometimes you need a seat. Weighing 2.4 pounds and supporting up to 242 pounds, this is one of the lightest and sturdiest options in this price range. The simple design makes it easy to set up by unfolding the bars and attaching the seat material, which hugs your bottom and invites you to lean back as much as you want. The whole thing packs into a zippered carrying case that’s easy to sling over a shoulder or throw into a backpack.
This waterproof duffel from Rains comes in the metallic blue seen here, as well as in black, gray, and pink.
Courtesy of Rains
20. Rains Hilo Weekend Bag Small
Buy now: $110, us.rains.com
The highly water-resistant Rains Hilo Weekend Bag Small can fit overnight essentials into its 4.8 gallons of storage space. It’s also got a detachable shoulder strap and comfortable webbed carrying handles.
These TSA-approved reusable toiletry bottles come with built-in labels so you never confuse body lotion for conditioner.
Photo by Hannah Rosa Lewis-Lopes
21. Ries Essential Travel Bottles
Buy now: $18, ries-ries.com
Cut back on plastic waste by trading those tiny, disposable toiletry bottles of shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and sunscreen for reusable travel-size containers. The 1.7-ounce or 3.4-ounce bottles from Ries, a Black woman–owned brand, get the job done well. Afar’s former newsletter editor Maliah West recommends the brand’s Mini Duo Starter Set ($30), which comes with a pair of 1.7-ounce bottles equipped with a locking system to ensure a spill-free experience.
Create your own island oasis whenever you come across two trees.
Courtesy of the North Face
22. The North Face Wawona Hammock
Buy now: $75, thenorthface.com
If you, too, get jealous when you see someone suspended between two trees, book in hand and glorious nature in the background, note that this 1.54-pound hammock from North Face is easily packable and a cinch to deploy in forests or on beaches. Setup involves wrapping the straps around two trees (which can be varying distances from each other, thanks to the adjustability of the design) and clipping the ends of the hammock to one of the rungs in the strap with the attached carabiner. Who’s jealous now?
The subtitle says it all: “Istanbul to Kathmandu and the Making of a Travel Writer.”
Courtesy of Hachette Book Group
23. Rick Steves’ On the Hippie Trail
Buy now: $30, hachettebookgroup.com
When Rick Steves started traveling and writing about his journeys in the 1970s, he had no idea how big his adventures would get. Today a major brand with guidebooks, a TV series, and a website, Rick Steves has become a trusted name in travel—and now he’s captured a personal, pivotal time in a new memoir, already a New York Times bestseller. Recounting adventures from jumping off a moving train to dealing with leeches, On the Hippie Trail is the story of his postcollege trip from Istanbul to Kathmandu, which instilled in him a philosophy for globe-trotting that has inspired others for decades.
The Go Pouch Set comes in a variety of fun colors and patterns.
Courtesy of Baggu
24. Baggu Go Pouch Set
Buy now: $40, baggu.com
This set of three all-purpose pouches is essential for keeping your bag interiors organized. The small one is perfect for stashing your keys, AirPods, and lip balm, while the medium makes a great toiletry bag. The large is big enough to use as a packing cube for clothes. New patterns are released frequently, and the current lineup includes Fancy Animals, Hello Kitty and Friends, Night Orchard, and Japanese Produce.
This clever device allows you to watch movies on airplanes with wireless headphones.
Courtesy of Twelve South
25. Twelve South Airfly Pro
Buy now: $55, twelvesouth.com
Yes, it’s possible to use wireless headphones to watch movies on in-seat screens on airplanes, as long as you’ve got the Twelve South AirFly Pro wireless transmitter. Just plug it into your seat’s headphone jack and send audio signals via Bluetooth to up to two pairs of headphones. It has a 25-hour battery life and is roughly the size of a matchbox—plus it also works as an AUX IN adapter in a rental car.
A little dab goes a long way.
Courtesy of Blue Lagoon Iceland
26. BL+ The Cream
Buy now: from $85, us.skincare.bluelagoon.com
Prevent the havoc that recirculated plane air can wreak on your skin by layering on an ultrarich face cream like BL+ the Cream from Blue Lagoon Iceland, made with microalgae and silica from the same geothermal source as those famous blue pools. The travel-friendly 0.5-ounce pot may be pricey—but a little goes a long way. It’s a luxurious gift.
Dogs deserve holiday gifts too!
Courtesy of Springer Pets
27. Springer Classic Dog Travel Bottle
Buy now: $25, springerpets.com
If your favorite travel companion is your pet, you’ll want to invest in this ingenious water bottle, which was featured on Shark Tank. Made from BPA-free plastic, it’s a drip-free way to keep them hydrated without having to pack a separate bowl for your flight or road trip. The 22-ounce bottle has a built-in bowl on top: Squeeze to fill the vessel with water and let your dog drink, then release to allow the water to drain back into the bottle section below. Also available in mini (15 ounce), flip (20 ounce), and growler (44 ounce) sizes, all have attached carabiners for easy carrying.
The labels on top of Cadence Capsules are magnetic and can be customized, so you’ll never lose track of what’s inside.
Courtesy of Cadence
28. Cadence Capsules
Buy now: from $5, keepyourcadence.com
Made from recycled ocean-bound plastic, these capsules from AAPI-owned brand Cadence help eliminate the need to buy miniatures of your favorite travel toiletries. Simply dispense up to 2.75 ounces of your favorite face wash or moisturizer into each capsule from the larger bottle you keep at home. They’re seriously leak-proof, too. Sold in sets or individually in three sizes, each hexagonal capsule—available in soothing hues like lavender and eucalyptus—magnetically attaches to the others, so you can build a honeycomb.
This portable flashlight for kids is solar powered.
Courtesy of Studio Olafur Eliasson
29. Little Sun Original Solar Lamp
Buy now: $26, shop.undp.org
Designed by Icelandic Danish artist Olafur Eliasson, this portable, flower-shaped solar lamp can be used as a nightlight or worn around the neck as a flashlight. Little Sun is on a mission to provide clean energy solutions to places without electricity, and the company uses proceeds from sales to fund donations. Since its founding in 2012, Little Sun has distributed more than 1.6 million of its products to places like sub-Saharan Africa.
Packing is way easier with these compression cubes.
Courtesy of Thule
30. Thule Compression Packing Cubes
Buy now: $54, thule.com
Once you try packing cubes, you’ll be hard-pressed to go back. Some of our favorites are from Thule, made with Bluesign-approved ripstop nylon that is water-repellent and ultradurable and manufactured with minimal impact on the environment. A set of double YKK zippers allows you to close the cube and then zip it even tighter to eliminate extra air and reduce bulk.
This quarter-size gift will prevent headaches over lost bags in the future.
Courtesy of Apple
31. Apple AirTag
Buy now: $29, apple.com
Travelers who are staunchly Team Checked Bag need an Apple AirTag tucked into their stockings. The Bluetooth tracking device is the size of a quarter and can be stowed away in luggage and tracked through Apple’s Find My network—just like the iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods are. Lost bags will (mostly) be a thing of the past.
The Trtl Travel Pillow is also available in a smaller size for kids.
Courtesy of Trtl
32. Trtl Travel Pillow
Buy now: $55, trtltravel.com
Can you put a price on a good night’s sleep on an airplane? Yes, if you pick up a Trtl. Ergonomically designed to prop your head up using a lightweight padded frame wrapped in fleece, this invention provides neck support without the bulk of a traditional travel pillow. Any qualms about looking silly instantly disappear after waking from your first restful in-flight snooze.
Those earbuds can get mighty dirty out on the road.
Courtesy of Kikkerland
33. Kikkerland Earbud Cleaning Kit
Buy now: $13, kikkerland.com
This travel-size tin is equipped with everything needed to give earbuds a well-deserved deep clean—including soft bristle brushes, cleaning swabs, a spray bottle, and cleansing wipes. It all packs away into a well-designed container that’s about the size of an Altoids tin.
Each travel-size bottle has 200 mg of caffeine to get you through any early-morning flight.
Courtesy of Explorer Cold Brew
34. Explorer Cold Brew Travel-Size Bottles
Buy now: from $75, explorercoldbrew.com
Between bitter beans and suspect water, the coffee served on airplanes is never satisfying. Thankfully, LGBTQ-owned Explorer Cold Brew scaled down its bottles of single-origin cold brew coffee concentrate to a travel-friendly two ounces, selling them in gift packs of 12 (or you can go all out with a 192-bottle option). To enjoy delicious java at 30,000 feet, simply mix a two-ounce bottle of the concentrate with water or milk over ice and enjoy. Plus, for every box purchased, Explorer Cold Brew funds clean water access for someone in need through Charity: Water for an entire month.
This bag has a Mary Poppins–like capacity and can fit a day’s worth of essentials, including your wallet, keys, phone, earbuds, and a book.
Courtesy of Uniqlo
35. Uniqlo Round Mini Shoulder Bag
Buy now: $25, uniqlo.com
Uniqlo’s popular Round Mini Shoulder Bag appears on travelers everywhere from London to New York to Tokyo. It’s a popular pick for good reason: The bag is made with a dirt-resistant nylon fabric, fits daily essentials without being too big, and can be worn on the shoulder or as a crossbody. Choose from neutral beige or black as well as bright yellow, purple, or pink.
Have your favorite travel quotes made into a cherished piece of jewelry.
Courtesy of Chocolate & Steel
36. Chocolate & Steel Travel Quote Necklaces
Buy now: from $54, chocolateandsteel.com
Los Angeles–based artist Christine Street handcrafts these sleek quote pendants in gold or silver using recycled metals and donating a portion of the earnings to a rotating roster of environmental and human-rights nonprofits. She’s got a range of phrases to choose from that tap into the myriad inspirational reasons we travelers travel, from “The mountains are calling and I must go,” by John Muir, to “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing,” by Helen Keller. She’ll also do custom quotes and can add tiny charms or ethically sourced gemstones. Afar’s editorial director Billie Cohen is a fan and has a necklace stamped with Hunter S. Thompson’s line “Buy the ticket, take the ride.” That, she says, “is something I’ve repeated to myself ever since I was a teenager who suffered panic attacks when I got too far from home. Now I wear it every time I travel.”
Itzy Ritzy bags are an eco-friendly way to carry snacks, toiletries, and small other items you need to pack.
Courtesy of Itzy Ritzy
37. Itzy Ritzy Travel Happens Reusable Sealed Wet Bag
Buy now: $19, itzyritzy.com
“I angled for this reusable, sealable wet bag at a white elephant gift swap one holiday season, and it’s pretty much become the most-used travel gift that I have ever gotten (or stolen),” says Cohen. Its exterior is cotton, and the inside is lined with a thick BPA-free plastic, making it not only waterproof but also easy to clean. Throw toiletries or wet clothes in it, use it as a snack bag, or stow your wallet and tech inside at the beach or when it rains. The bag comes in a bunch of cute patterns and has a snappable strap so you can hang it on a towel bar or a beach chair. If it gets dirty, just toss it in the wash and let it air dry.
There is nothing that will give you new life after a long day of travel like a sweet scented scrub.
Courtesy of Soft Services
38. Soft Services Buffing Bar
Buy now: $33, softservices.com
Time to level up your soap game: These buffing bars from Brooklyn company Soft Services slough a day of travel away thanks to superfine sanding crystals. Bonus: They smell incredible. “My favorite scent is the Debaser, a crossover with Brooklyn-based perfumery D.S. & Durga that has notes of fig and tonka,” says Afar’s deputy editor Katherine LaGrave.
This story was originally published in 2021. It was most recently updated on November 11, 2025, to include current information. Nicholas DeRenzo and Danielle Hallock contributed reporting to this article.
