The Travel Essentials Our Editors Loved Most This Year
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Our editors' favorite travel essentials of 2024 were a bit of a mixed bag: Supportive neck pillows, cozy cashmere sweaters, and wireless headphones all made their way into our purchasing history. And while we've raved about our favorite gear along the way—sharing our go-to in-flight accessories, comfortable walking shoes, and even loungewear sets—we decided to take a look back at everything we traveled with this past year and narrow down our list of our must-haves. It's clear that comfort, style, and practicality were at the top of our list when upgrading our travel gear this year. Below, our editors' favorite travel essentials that make long-haul flights, cross-country road trips, and expeditions at sea a little bit better and a lot more comfortable. One thing’s for sure: We won’t be traveling without these items next year.
Uniqlo Cashmere Sweater
When my luggage got stuck en route to Paris this fall, I spent 2.5 days with just my tote bag and the clothes on my back—quickly, I learned which of my travel “essentials” were really essential. I was eternally grateful that my toiletry bag was with me; same with my glasses and chargers; and my Uniqlo cashmere sweater, which I only stuffed into my personal item at the last minute because my hard-shell suitcase was already shut. It became a new part of my new uniform. I have it in black, so it still looks fresh after many years of toting it around the world, and it’s so soft—I ended up wearing it to sleep one night since, well, I didn’t have any PJs with me. This sweater was easy to slink around the streets of Paris in, but also looked dressed up when I had to make the same outfit work for a nice dinner as well. It made me realize that, if I had to travel with just one outfit for multiple days, I could do it—and without a doubt, I’d settle on an all-black look made up of pants, a tee, and this reliable sweater. —Megan Spurrell, associate director, articles
Mingtong travel adapter
If you often travel internationally like me, or like to jump between a few different countries on the same trip, this universal adaptor makes it easy to use any outlet you come across. On a recent trip where I hopped between Scotland, France, England, and Switzerland, it was especially convenient to only carry around one adaptor that could switch between the different plug shapes and voltages. It also has slots for USB and USB-C ports so you can charge everything from the latest iPhone to your laptop to your earbuds. —Jamie Spain, travel bookings editor
Trtl travel pillow
If you know me you know I am such a baby about losing sleep and despise arriving at a new place jet lagged. I was first lent a Trtl neck pillow by a family member who travels to and from Europe frequently and now I take it with me on every flight. You’re guaranteed solid sleep when you’re strapped into this thing—even in an economy middle seat. It’s not super cushy like a typical U-shaped travel neck pillow so it doesn’t look particularly comfortable, but the rigid siding actually supports your neck so it doesn’t bob back and forth or cramp up. I’ve used it on transatlantic red-eyes and cross-country flights from New York City to LA and simply won’t shut up about how well it works. —Hannah Towey, associate editor
Tiger Balm Extra Strength ointment
There’s likely a healthy dose of childhood nostalgia at play in this testimony, but I really do believe that Tiger Balm, “works where it hurts” (not medical advice). I usually break out the jar when I’m dealing with jet lag or a migraine. Dabbing a bit on my temples cuts the tension band around my head, and I find the balm’s aromatic mix of menthol and camphor very soothing. It’s like a no-maintenance ice pack I can take with me everywhere. —Kat Chen, editorial assistant, destinations
Parallelle The Carry-On makeup bag
No matter where I’m headed, whether it’s a two-week trip through Italy or an overnight stay at a friend’s house, I’m always going to pack a small bag with some beauty essentials. And this year, I finally discovered a makeup bag that has kicked all my old pouches and cases to the curb: the Parallelle Carry-On makeup bag. Its standout feature is its foldable shape. After you unzip the bag, each side can be pulled down to lie flat, allowing you to easily see all of your products at once. It's designed to keep each product secure in an upright position, making them easy to spot and reducing the risk of any spills. It’s available in three different sizes (small, medium, and large), but I find the medium to be best for most travel. It has so many pockets, with room for larger products like foundation, setting spray, and pressed powder; as well as small elastic pockets for makeup brushes, lip liners, and mascara. There's a place for everything—and I mean everything. My makeup products have never been more organized, secure, and easy to reach. —Meaghan Kenny, commerce editor
Lo & Sons Aoyama bag
Behold, my go-to travel purse. This crossbody meets shoulder bag is the perfect hybrid for trips when you only want to bring one purse (which, for me, is most of them). During the day, or while in transit, I’ll pack it full of everything I might need—sunglasses, wallet, keys, hand sanitizer and lotion, my phone, a small charger, Kindle, etc—and wear it across my body using the longer strap. Then at night, or in more formal situations, I’ll remove some of my odds and ends, take off the long strap, and clip it into a shoulder bag. For all but my most outdoorsy trips, it’s the perfect wear all day bag that looks good with any outfit.—Madison Flager, senior commerce editor
Dagne Dover Arlo Neoprene tech organizer
I’m embarrassed to say I only bought my first tech organizer this past year–despite long being incapable of keeping up with my cords and cable. This Dagne Dover organizer has saved me from myself on recent trips. It’s the perfect size; it’s waterproof; and it even swaps out as a makeup bag when needed. In fact, as of two months ago, I have purchased virtually two of every cable and cord I need and kept this packed with one set, ready to be popped into my duffel at a moment’s notice. Also, I have the larger version but there’s a compact option that’s almost too cute to resist—plus, these come in six (yes, six) colors. Perfect for you to play matchy-matchy with your Dagne Dover caryall. —Arati Menon, Global Digital Director
Bose Ultra Open earbuds
These little earbuds are actually very new to me, but I already feel like I couldn’t be without them. While I love noise-canceling over-ear headphones (the Bose QuietComfort design are my favorite), I don’t find them great for travel; they’re a little big and bulky, and the shape makes sleeping on a plane much more difficult. That’s why I took the plunge with these earbuds, and I can’t see myself looking back. They’re comfortable enough for long-haul flights (and the battery is strong enough to last), while the noise cancelation allows me to retreat into my own world, even in the most chaotic of travel scenarios. Best of all, they slip into any bag or pocket easily, so I can always reach for them if I need some silence. —Abigail Malbon, global audience development manager
Tamagotchi Original
While I’ve got all practical needs down when I travel—keeping hydrated, bringing snacks, resetting my sleep schedule—sometimes what makes or breaks a trip is how stressed or anxious I’m feeling. Bringing something small, escapist, and not on my phone like this Tamagotchi has been surprisingly transformative. I think of it as the original fidget toy, and it’s really made wait times on the phone, in lines, and between events fly by. —K.C
Moleskine classic pocket notebook
Every time I find myself on a new adventure, I buy a small, pocket-size notebook to recount details of future endeavors—from streets to songs and even conversations to remember. A new color option every so often time presents an exciting fresh slate (I am currently stuck on the red one). Not to mention Moleskine minis are just a comforting classic—the perfect travel buddy. I've used it to remember a particular street I wouldn't have otherwise, and to kickstart a dumb little game of Hangman at a bar with new friends. It’s definitely a tradition that forces me to get away from my iPhone and stay in the present moment—counting the colors! —Jessica Chapel, commerce writer
Dagne Dover Hunter Neoprene toiletry bag
Whether it’s my toothbrush or moisturizer, I love to keep all of my toiletry items in one place. This Dagne Dover toiletry bag holds everything I need it to without taking up too much space in my suitcase. The bag also keeps my apartment from becoming cluttered with products when I’m at home. –Erik Buckingham, commerce producer
Camkory FHD 1080P
Like most social trend waves set by nostalgia-seekers, the return of digital cameras hit a few years ago—this time, all for the aesthetic. And packing up to leave New York for a soul-searching stint abroad with my dearest friend, we, together, thought, what better time? With little expectations due to its affordability, we purchased this 32GB Camkory digital camera from Amazon (in pink, of course), installed the SD card, and it soon became one of the most treasured travel companions to capture our rendezvous across Europe.—J.C
This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date. Additional reporting by Paris Wilson and Meaghan Kenny.
