Best Gifts for Travelers + Frequent Flyers (they’ll actually use)

2026 Gifts For Travelers

It can be tough to come up with gifts for people who like to travel because those people usually don’t want much.

Our family travels extensively, and we have a lot of travel gift ideas. We know what we love and use and can recommend them to you. I have a lot of gift ideas for people who travel because I am one of them.

Frequent travelers don’t want a lot of “stuff.” At least we don’t. We only wanted to carry things that were really useful. Other than travel ideas (we could always use those!), we looked for things that made travel easier or more meaningful. The beautiful thing about travel is that the experience is the gift, but there are certainly some items that make travel easier and better.

These aren’t just the best gifts for world travelers; they work for weekend getaways, as well as longer adventures.

Here are some of the best travel gifts that we came up with for the holiday season, a birthday, or just because. In this guide to top gifts for travel, you’ll find unusual, unique, practical, and eco-friendly accessories and gifts for the traveler in your life.

I’ve added a few ideas at the end of my favorite travel gifts to enjoy at home.

Gifts For People Who Travel

If you want to quickly review the travel gift ideas, scroll to the end of the article for a table with photos, the name of the gift item, and its relative price.

Osprey Porter Travel Backpack Bag

Whether your traveler is into adventure travel or something a little more restrained, a travel backpack makes it easy to get on and off planes, trains, and automobiles. We love the Osprey Porter travel backpack, which comes in several sizes, including a carry-on size. Read my travel backpack reviews for more information on this and other travel packs. If you really want to impress someone with the gift of travel gear, this is the way to go. I think this is the best gift for world traveler, but it’s pricey. Keep reading for a more affordable version of the perfect gift for travelers. 

Buy the Osprey Porter on Amazon or purchase the Osprey Porter at REI and build up your dividend check.

Packing Cubes

Henry and I both use these and love them. I got them for my mom one year when I was looking for a gift for traveler woman since she is even more of a world traveler than I am. They make packing and organization a breeze. You can also fit more in your suitcase or backpack by compressing your clothes into one of the cubes. We each have different colors, which makes it easy to quickly identify whose is whose. Double zipper pulls make opening/closing simple and fast, and the mesh top panel allows us to see the contents without opening them. If you are looking for a travel gift for mom, travel gifts for her, or the best travel gifts for men, look no further.

Buy packing cubes on Amazon or purchase packing cubes at REI and build up your dividend check.

Wireless / Bluetooth Earbuds

You know when you are listening to something on your headphones while making dinner and the cord catches on a drawer and yanks them out of your ears? Or is that just me? With wireless earbuds, you don’t have to worry about that. This is one of the best business travel gifts, as well as a great accessory for any kind of travel because it makes things more convenient. And when people think you are listening to something, they are less likely to talk to you on the plane. These Bluetooth earbuds are waterproof and come in a charging case. They are compatible with a wireless charger, but you can plug them into a USB cord, too.  

We used to use Apple Air Pods in our family. They aren’t the cheapest gifts for traveling, but they are compatible with our iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks, and are sturdy and reliable. They are too big for my ears, though, and most of us use JBL wireless headphones because they are comfortable and have a little bit of noise-canceling technology.

You might also check out these wireless airbuds if you want something hands-free and compatible with Amazon’s Alexa. This could be the best gift for travelers who are techy and like to use Alexa at home. They also support access to Siri or Google Assistant.

Portable Bluetooth Speaker

Sometimes you want everyone to be able to listen to the same thing, in which case a lightweight, small Bluetooth speaker fits the bill. This is a great traveling gift for people who like to listen to audiobooks, Internet radio, or music on their phones. We listen to all of it!

My family uses the a Waterproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker. I know this is one of the great travel gifts because I received it myself. It even comes in “TravelingMel turquoise” or what they call “teal.” It’s waterproof, pretty bomber, and has decent sound quality. Apparently, you can connect a bunch of them to really create some sound.  

If you want the best, I recommend Bose SoundLink Revolve (Series II) Portable Bluetooth Speaker. It’s wireless, water-resistant, and has superior sound quality. These are all qualities that make Bose products good gifts for a traveler.  You get up to 13 hours from a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and the built-in microphone can take calls and access your device’s default voice assistant.

ExOfficio Underwear

We don’t usually talk about underwear here, but we do wear it (usually). The Ex Officio underwear is one of the best gifts for travelers because it’s easy to wash in a sink, roll dry in a towel, and wear again the next day. They are extremely quick drying, and the antimicrobial treatment reduces odor in the fabric. These undies are made of durable fabric, and the comfortable waistband won’t stretch out. They claim you only need two pairs for any trip – one to wear, one to wash. Less to pack, fewer trips to the Laundromat.

Henry has several pairs and loves them. But these aren’t just travel gifts for men; I got a few pairs and wore them daily in Europe. If nothing else, these underwear make for unique travel gifts. Buy men’s Ex Officio or women’s Ex Officio undies on Amazon.

You can get quick dry underwear at REI, which is what we’ve been doing in recent years.

Travel Scarf

A friend gave me one of these travel scarves and I liked it so much I got one for my mom. It keeps you cozy on the plane and looks good as you walk around your favorite city. Since there is a hidden pocket for credit cards, cash, a passport, and a phone, you don’t have to worry about bringing a purse or bag. Those of us who use our phones for travel photography don’t need to bring anything else. Your gift recipient will look less like a tourist and more like a local. This is one of my top travel gifts and what I consider the best travel gift for mom. After reading this guide to great gifts for travelers last year, a friend bought this scarf and lives in it — another endorsement for the hidden pocket scarf. There are lots of fun color options, too.

Compression Socks

Normally people aren’t too excited to receive socks for Christmas, but travel compression socks are different. One of the travel tips I give people is to wear these on travel days. When you are sitting on an airplane for hours, your circulation slows down, and you are at risk of developing blood clots. Wearing compression socks on a plane can increase circulation and reduce the risk of swelling or worse. I’ve been wearing compression socks on long flights and long drives, and I think it does make a difference in how I feel afterward. This is one of the best gifts for frequent travelers.

You can find compression socks for travel on Amazon or compression socks for travel at REI.

Hanging Toiletry Bag

I’ve had one of these Eagle Creek travel toiletry bags since 1997 and it is still going strong after heavy use. There have been years at a time when I have used this perfect travel gift daily. There are plenty of compartments to keep your toiletries organized, and the swivel hook means you can hang it in almost any bathroom. The new ones are made from 100% recycled fabrics and are machine washable.

REI also sells several brands of toiletry bags for travel.

Digital Luggage Scale

I don’t know about other people, but we sometimes come up against the weight limit of what we can pack in our checked luggage. Especially Henry, with all his camera gear and electronics. He keeps a luggage scale on hand to make sure his bags are within regulation.

This could be the best gift for traveler because it helps them save money. These digital luggage scales are lightweight and small, so you can throw one in your bag and use it before your return trip. They can weigh bags up to 110 pounds and are quite accurate.

Check out the Samsonite manual luggage scale if you prefer to go analog. It can weigh bags up to 80 pounds.

SteriPEN Water Purifier

The amount of plastic in the world puts me right over the edge of sanity. Watch the Story of Bottled Water, and you’ll see why. I refuse to buy water in a plastic bottle. Fortunately, I don’t have to, and neither do you. SteriPENs make great travel presents and gifts for the earth. The SteriPEN is magic. Well, it’s science, but you get the gist.

You stick the pen in your reusable water bottle for less than a minute, and the ultraviolet destroys over 99.9% of harmful bacteria, viruses, and protozoa, like Giardia and Cryptosporidium. It’s chemical-free and doesn’t alter the taste of the water like iodine does. I used one of these in Peru in the most suspicious-looking water (from a trough, I tell you!) and never got sick. We all used it in Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, and nary one of us suffered from water-related illness. I only wish we had these when we visited China in 1995. This is the traveler’s gift that is most likely to save a life. Or at least save someone from days in the bathroom.

You can find Steripen and other water purifiers at REI, too.

EcoVessel Reusable Water Bottle

A reusable water bottle is next on my list of gifts for someone traveling. You can invest in a stainless steel, double-walled reusable bottle since you no longer need to buy disposable water bottles (since you use that SteriPen now). I love this one from EcoVessel for several reasons:

• The incredible insulation keeps drinks cold for 40 hours and hot for 12 hours
• Your drink never touches plastic – not even on the inside of the lid
• It comes with a strainer that keeps tea leaves, fruit, and ice out of your mouth
• A silicone bumper on the base protects from dents
• A silicone lip makes it nicer to drink from
• EcoVessel gives 5% of all online purchases to a nonprofit, that you choose, at checkout.

ROPOT-Travel Portable Reverse Osmosis System

We use the ROPOT Travel Portable Reverse Osmosis System all the time at our house, where the water is so hard you can practically chew it — it takes out the chlorine taste completely and the water just tastes clean. That’s why it made this list: it’s the perfect gift for road trippers who stay in vacation rentals and never know what’s coming out of the tap.

There’s no installation and no plumbing — you just plug it in, fill the tank, press start, and pour. The compact countertop unit runs water through six stages of filtration, including a reverse osmosis membrane and a UV light, removing 99.9% of contaminants like lead, arsenic, PFAS, microplastics, bacteria, and pesticides. A real-time display shows you the water quality as it filters, an indicator light tells you when it’s time for a new filter, and it comes with a 20-ounce borosilicate glass bottle.

With its built-in stainless steel handle, it’s easy to carry from the kitchen counter to the car to the rental — and your favorite traveler can stop buying bottled water for good.

MOGICS Donut Travel Power Strip

This is another of our favorite gifts for people who travel a lot because it’s compact and super useful. If the travelers on your list are anything like us, they have a lot to plug in. Between laptops, iPads, Kindles, and phones, we need to juice up, and we need to fit a lot into our power bank. The MOGICS Donut Travel Power Strip is the best charger and adaptor we’ve seen. It fits five U.S. plugs and two USB cables, and it has a universal adapter that can be plugged in just about anywhere in the world.

The MOGICS Bagel Travel Power Strip has four universal sockets, a U.S. socket, and two USB ports. This is one of those really useful gifts for people who love to travel. These are great ideas for work travelers, as you would expect, but everybody travels with electronics these days, even family travelers.

Travel Cord Organizer

We travel with a lot of cords, so last year I gave my husband a travel cord roll. There are mesh pockets and elastics so you can keep all your tablet, phone, and computer cords organized and easy to access. You can even fit your wireless headphones and a few other accessories inside. This is one of the best gift ideas for travel and possibly the best gift for business travel.

Kindle Paperwhite E-Reader

I know you love the feel of “real books,” but for travelers, the Kindle makes so much sense. This is one of those great gifts for business travelers as well as leisure travelers. Each of the four of us has one, and we use them all the time. We can carry hundreds of books for a fraction of a pound’s weight. There is no glare, so you can read in the full sun, and since they have an adjustable light, you can read in the dark, too. This is especially nice when you are all in the same space and don’t want to have a light on. And they are now waterproof!

Another bennie is that the whole family can be reading the same book at the same time. Do yourself a favor and splurge for the one “without ads.” Then you can read books set in Croatia, books set in Italy, books set in Scotland, books set in Japan, books set in Alaska, or the best books to read while traveling.

RFID Blocking Neck Wallet and Passport Pouch & RFID Blocking Money Belt

If you are looking for the best travel gifts for her, travel gift ideas for him, or gifts for couples that travel, think money and passport protectors.

Henry and I both got RFID -blocking wallets for our trips, but we should have gotten wallets that hang around our necks or money belts. We discovered that when Henry was pickpocketed in the Paris Metro. The RFID-blocking technology safeguards your passport, credit cards, and personal information against identity theft. Apparently, people have scanners and can read your credit card information with their machines when walking past you. Whatever they put into the fabric blocks these machines, making this one of the best gifts for people who travel. And keeping your valuables under your clothes and attached to your body, makes them harder to steal.

Travel Pillow

I love using a travel pillow on airplanes, trains, buses, and cars (though not when I am driving). I’ve even used a travel pillow in airports or other terminals when I have a long layover. It saves you from that weird neck jerk that happens right when you start to doze off sitting up. The inflatable ones are nice because they pack up small so you don’t have to worry about carrying it around for the rest of your trip. This is another one of the gifts for frequent flyers that make flights so much more comfortable.

Travel Books

Sometimes travel related gifts are for people who like to travel but aren’t doing enough of it. Books provide both inspiration and (hopefully) a kick in the butt to get going. Books are also nice gifts for someone traveling abroad to keep them entertained on an airplane. I always appreciate this gift for travelers, especially when it’s an e-book I can read on my Kindle.

See my reviews of books set in Croatia, books set in Italy, books set in Scotland, books set in Japan, books set in Alaska, or the best books to read while traveling.

A trip gift I really like is Vagabonding. Rolf Potts shares stories of his travels and tells you how you can enjoy extended world travel. I read Turn Right at Machu Picchu before going to Peru. It was funny and informational. It’s always cool to read about places you are going. Another travelers gift I enjoyed was Tuscany and Umbria: The Collected Traveler. I read it while in Florence, Italy, and its articles, interviews, recipes, book recommendations, and quotes from writers, visitors, residents, and experts on the region gave us ideas of things to do and ways to experience Italy. There are Collected Traveler books for Paris and Istanbul as well.

While we mostly travel as a family or solo, I imagine it’s nice to travel with your spouse or significant other. One of my favorite gifts for couples who travel is inspiration. Books like Ultimate Journeys for Two: Extraordinary Destinations on Every Continent and Places for Passion: The 75 Most Romantic Destinations in the World have lots of romantic, sexy, adventurous travel ideas. It’s perfect for people who like to travel.

Travel Journals

It’s great to read about other people’s travels, but I bet the travelers on your gift list have some great stories of their own to tell. Travel journals are perfect gifts for people who travel a lot to record their adventures and memories. Both Henry and I kept a journal on our year abroad and I already like looking back on it. I only wish I had been a little more faithful about keeping it up to date. It might not appear as such at first glance, but this is one of the more useful gifts for travelers since we rarely remember all the details and places we swear we will never forget.

Travel Themed Gifts

There are gift ideas for someone going travelling and there are travel things for after the trip (or between trips). These are for the latter.

Scratch Off Map

This is such a cool travel gift one of my favorite gifts for travel lovers. Once we land somewhere somewhat permanently, I want to get one for myself. I know this is the perfect gift for our geography-loving son. The Scrape Off Map is just that. It’s a world map where you can scratch off the gold color like a lottery ticket, to reveal the colorful country you visited underneath. U.S. states and Canadian provinces can be scraped off individually. The map is such a beautiful and fun gift for frequent travelers because it reminds them of places they’ve been and might inspire them to want to “scratch off” more countries.

Wanderlust Pillow Cases

I think this is one of those perfect gifts for travelers. We saw these pillows at a hotel in Salt Lake City. I thought they were cute then and I’d love to get a few as unique travel gifts for her (or me!). The message and design on these pillow cases make you want to explore the world…or at least curl up with a good book about exploring the world. These make my list of top gifts for travelers.

World Jigsaw Puzzle

As an avid puzzler, I can attest that a puzzle is one of the best gifts for world travelers. When we are staying somewhere for a month, I often buy a puzzle and leave it set out for everyone to work. The same goes for when we are home. I used to like the 500-piece best, but now that my crazy-good son wants to get in on the puzzle action, we have to get 1000-piece puzzles or they are finished too quickly. I recommend getting a puzzle based on the gift recipient’s interest: a world map puzzle or somewhere specific. This one features Paris, this Dowdle puzzle (one of my favorite brands) pictures Barcelona, and this beauty shows a temple in Bali.

Hopefully, this gives you some great ideas for travel gifts that you can use when you make your list and when you check it twice.

What else would you add to a list of great gifts for travelers? How about birthday gifts for travelers?

More Gift Guides

Some of my bloggy friends have come up with gift guides you might find useful.

• Gifts for National Park Lovers — Yellowstone Trips (that’s me!)
• 50+ Best Gifts for Outdoorsy Kids — Born to be Adventurous
• 2021 Holiday Gift Guide for Outdoor Families — Play Outside Guide
• Best Camping Gift Ideas — Hiking in my Flip Flops

Here are some of my favorite gift guides for the season from past years.

• The Best Gifts For Skiers – Brave Ski Mom
• The Best Outdoor Gifts of 2018 | Editor’s Choice – Outdoor Families Magazine
• The Best Adventure-Inspired Gifts for Outdoorsy People – Hiking in my Flip Flops
• Ethical Gifts for the Outdoor Family (+ Giveaway) – Born to be Adventurous
• Gift Guide for Ski Families – Mountain Mom and Tots
• Meaningful Gifts You Actually Want to Give Your Children – Wike Baby
• Holiday Gift Guide for Lovers of the Outdoors – Play Outside Guide