This year, travel came back big time, with restrictions dropping and countries opening back up. As such, the frequent travelers in your life are likely back on their grind. Whether they globetrot for business, leisure, or adventure, frequent flyers will likely appreciate gifts that help support their wanderlust. And there’s a healthy selection of gear out there aimed at doing just that.
Here are some of our favorite travel gifts for the frequent flyers in your shopping list.
Charmking Compression Socks
Do travelers need compression socks? Not necessarily. However, if they want to avoid leg fatigue, blood clots, and fluid retention below the knees while they sit on that coach seat for long hours, nothing helps better than improving blood circulation in your legs and compression socks do a great job at that. This set gets you three pairs that run up just below the knees in various colors and patterns, so you can choose designs that suit your recipient’s personal style. It comes in two size options, by the way, so make sure to get the right one for whoever’s going to wear them.
Sleepy Ride
It’s not easy getting comfortable in coach. Those small seats and cramped space just don’t leave a lot of room to get yourself in a good position. However, there are things you can do make it just a little better. One of them is this foot hammock, which hooks around the tray table in front, giving you a place to put your feet up for a more relaxed sitting posture. Seriously, this should make sleeping in coach just a little bit easier and every little bit helps.
Welly First Aid Kit
Adventurous travelers can get into all sorts of scrapes, including physical ones. When that happens, a first aid kit like this will come in handy. Inside the tin container sits an assortment of medical emergency essentials, including flexible fabric bandages, triple antibiotic ointment, hydrocortisone ointment, wound prep pads, cleansing wipes, medical tape, and even a vial of ibuprofen.
LifeStraw Go 22oz
If your frequent traveler likes to explore the less-beaten path, then getting them this water filter bottle is a great way to ensure they can hydrate safely wherever they end up. After all, even water that’s perfectly potable for locals can contain microorganisms that are completely alien to your system and that can leave your body upset. Having one of these on hand eliminates that risk, making it a must-have for every traveler.
Malin + Goetz Essential Starter Kit
This set of travel-sized grooming essentials gives you a bod wash, shampoo, conditioner, face moisturizer, and body moisturizer all inside one-fluid-ounce tubes. The entire set comes in a zip bag pouch, so you just throw this in the luggage and take it out once you get to the hotel. According to the outfit, all formulations have been optimized to remove all sulfates, PEGs, and synthetic fragrances.
Twelve South AirFly
If you prefer listening to the in-flight entertainment using AirPods or other Bluetooth headphones, this little gadget makes that possible. Simply plug it into the 3.5mm slot of the seatback entertainment system and pair it with your wireless cans to enjoy the in-flight movies and shows using the same audio gear you use when listening to music on you phone. It’s equipped with Bluetooth 5.2, by the way, and can run for up to 20 hours between charges.
Aged & Ore Bottle Flight
For the traveler who likes to enjoy their favorite libations during flights, this TSA-compliant kit comes with four small bottles, each sized to hold 3oz of your spirits of choice, allowing you to board your flight with a decent 12oz supply. Each glass bottle get a silicone sleeve to keep it protected from the rigors of travel, with a cutout on one side allowing you to jot down a label, so you’ll know exactly what spirits are in each bottle. Any time you get a hankering for a drink, just pull it out of your carry-on and ask the flight attendant for a cup with some ice.
Travelrest Nest Ultimate Memory Foam Travel Pillow
We love the shape of this travel pillow, with its tall top edges and angled inner walls providing incredible support for your head and neck. Plus, the shape of the back allows it to lay flat against the chair’s headrest, ensuring you can find a perfectly relaxed position when trying to catch some sleep during the flight, while rubber grip dots keep your head from slipping on the pillow’s surface. What we love most about this, though, is its ability to collapse to around a quarter of the size, allowing it to fit in a small pouch that you can simply slip inside your carry-on.
Aeropress Go
While many places in the world have good coffee, there are places you will visit that may not have them readily accessible. That’s why every globetrotting coffee snob needs to make sure they have a way to make their own cup any time they need it. This portable coffee press can churn out a delicious 8oz serving of your coffee of choice using a rapid, total immersion brewing process, all while fitting inside a traveling case that pulls double duty as a coffee mug.
Paravel Fold-Up Bag
Having an extra bag is never a bad idea when traveling. It’s not uncommon to end up doing some unplanned shopping, especially for items that are not as readily available from wherever you’re from. This duffel is big enough to fit a weekend’s worth of clothing and gear, all while folding up into a flat pouch that can easily squeeze inside your luggage. Features include a recycled nylon construction, trolley handle sleeve (so you can put it on top of your suitcase), and optional embroidery, so you can personalize it for your recipient.
Cozysilk Mulberry Silk Sleeping Bag Liner
For travelers with a germaphobe streak, lying down on hotel bed sheets can feel like an unsavory adventure. This liner, which measures 41 x 87 inches, should help eliminate any concerns by going over the sheets, so you’re certain you’re sleeping on a clean, unspoiled surface, complete with a pillow pocket, since those pillows are probably just as questionable as the sheets. It’s made from 19 momme mulberry silk, so it’s extremely luxurious, too. Designed for travel, it bundles into a small pouch measuring just 6 x 9 inches, so it fits snugly inside any luggage.
Travel Wifi Sapphire 3
Sure, you can buy a local SIM to use with your phone for local LTE connectivity, but that would require taking out your own SIM that you may need for emergencies. This device has built-in LTE connectivity that’s compatible with wireless providers in 130 countries, giving you instant Wi-Fi hotspot for getting online in a jiffy. It supports up to 10 users at a time, with a battery that can keep it running 12 hours between charges. Do note, you only get 4GB of free global data preloaded, so frequent travelers who are heavy internet users will likely have to buy more credit.
Tumi Belden Zip Around Passport Case
This case makes a great wallet replacement when traveling, as it gives you a place for all the contents of your billfold, all while adding a handy passport holder. Sure, the size means you won’t be able to stash this inside a pants pocket like your usual wallet, but if you need a secure way to carry your passport at all times, this zippered leather case does it in classic style.
Pelican V525 Vault
Pelican took their rugged cases and turned them into relatively affordable luggage for this product, allowing you to enjoy that hardwearing protection in a rolling suitcase form factor. According to the outfit, it’s crushproof, dustproof, and water-resistant, making it a great gift for any traveler who’s had to deal with damaged luggage at any point. Is it a pretty as a Rimowa suitcase? Heck, no, but if your recipient likes rugged stuff that looks the part, it’s definitely a great way to go.
