11 Travel Accessories You Should Never Leave Home Without
These small essentials will make your trip easier.
There are so many travel accessories and gear that seem great on paper but honestly, will never leave your suitcase. After 12+ years of professionally testing and reviewing products across everything from weekend road trips and two-week international trips, I've figured out what’s actually worth bringing. Here are 11 travel accessories that I pack—every single time.
TL;DR: Essential travel accessories
Compression socks, especially for flights over 3 hours.
Headphones like the AirPods Pro.
Silk eye mask for flights and questionable hotel curtains.
The BAGGU Cloud Bag is my go-to carry on. Love the removable inner pouch.
Cadence toiletry capsules + GoToob bottles for shrinking toiletries.
Travel adaptor set, but only for international trips, obvs.
Anker MagGo power bank for charging on the go.
Water bottle. I use one by Snow Peak but use whatever you already own.
Bellroy passport cover. Protect that thing!
Bellroy Folio Mini wallet. It’s small, zippered, and perfect for travel.
Instant coffee like Verve or Waka — for emergency situation and 5am departures.
Bonus: the AirFly transmitter to connect AirPods to in-flight entertainment (in the increasingly rare chance the TV doesn’t have bluetooth connectivity).
Read on for the full reviews.
1. A good travel wallet
Recommended product: Folio Mini by bellyroy, $89
I spent a lot of time searching for the perfect travel wallet: something small, compact, stylish, and with a zip-up closure so I could still carry some coins—all for under $100. The Folio Mini wallet by Bellroy delivered on all of this in a timeless, and simple leather design. I’ve had it for years and it’s held up very well.
Shopping for a friend? Here are my favorite travel gifts.
2. Compression socks
Recommended products: I like bombas and comradsocks, which you can also find on amazon, from $32
Wearing compression socks when you fly helps reduce achy legs, risk of blood clots, and improves circulation. I always pack a pair for flights over 3 hours. There are several good brands on the market for compression socks, but I use the merino wool compression socks by Comrad. I like these specifically because of the merino wool material, which is a naturally odor-resistant and temperature regulating fabric. Bombas also makes a comparably good pair of compression socks, including versions with merino wool. All of these socks have a light compression, which is all most people need.
3. Headphones and Connector
Recommended Products: Apple Airpods (amazon.com // apple.com) and Airfly (amazon.com // apple.com)
Never travel without headphones. As an ultra-light packer, I prefer the Apple’s Airpod Pros. They’re pocket-sized and much more portable than an over-ear headphone, yet still have powerful noise cancellation. Although more airplanes have bluetooth connectivity on in-flight entertainment devices, I also like packing the Twelve South AirFly Pro Bluetooth Transmitter, just in case. It connects bluetooth headphones to any device with a headphone jack.
4. Eye mask
Recommended product: $26, brooklinen.com
From hotels with lots of random little lights to in-flight naps on the plane, a good eye mask is a must. I use one I bought from a local boutique in San Francisco called Kim + Ono, but I also like the silk eye mask by Brooklinen. I go for silk specifically because of its cooling properties. Plus it just feels luxe.
5. Small tote bag
Recommended product: The BAGGU small Cloud tote/carry-on $62 (baggu // amazon)
I love a good carry-on bag that doubles with functionality. For this, I always use a zippable tote bag. My favorite is the small cloud bag by BAGGU, which also has a removable inner pouch. I usually stash my in flight necessities in there, so I can store the pouch in my seatback pocket while in-flight for easy access.
6. Reusable toiletry bottles
Recommended products: small Cadence capsules (keepyourcadence.com) or GoToob (amazon // humangear.com // rei.com)
Want to pack light? Ditch the full sized toiletries and get small, travel-friendly reusable toiletry bottles. (Bonus: they’re more eco-friendly and save money in the long run). I’ve tested a lot of different ones on the market and my favorites are:
Originals by Cadence for anything under 0.56 ounces (i.e. face cleanser and lotion). To be totally honest, I don’t love their larger versions. I find them heavy and would much prefer…
The 1.7 ounce GoToob for shampoo and conditioner.
Matador’s refillable toothpaste tubes for toothpaste.
I always pull out my hand lotion, hand sanitizer, and ibuprofen from my toiletry kit and have it on-hand in my carry-on on travel days.
Looking for more travel gear recs? Read my review of my go-to travel backpack.
7. Travel adaptor
Recommended product: Ceptics International Worldwide Travel Plug Adapter 5 Piece Set $13, amazon.com
For international trips, a travel adaptor is a must. I prefer owning a set of adaptors, rather than a universal one, since it allows me to just toss in the one or two adaptors I’ll need for my trip and save a little space. There are many options out there but I use this affordable set by Ceptics International and it does the trick.
8. Power bank + chargers
Recommended product: Anker MagGo, $70, amazon
Our phones do a lot when we travel—boarding pass, in-flight entertainment, map, guidebook, and camera—so having a full battery is essential. For this, pack a lightweight portable charger. Anker is hands down the best brand on the market for them (yes, a little more expensive, but great quality). Since I mostly just charge my phone, I use the Anker MagGo series, which is powerful for its size and doubles as a phone stand.
9. Water bottle
Recommended product: Whatever you already have. I use one by Snow Peak $87, snowpeak.com
These days, a reusable water bottle is a must for any trip. We all likely own one (or many) already, so while I personally use the 500ml “milk bottle” water bottle by Japanese outdoor brand, Snow Peak, the best water bottle for your trip is going to be the you already have.
10. Passport cover
Recommended product: Cover by Smythson (from $220, smythson) or Bellroy (from $99, bellroy)
Passport covers may feel like a non-essential item but it’s really important to keep your passport from getting damaged by water spills, tears, and more. According to the U.S. State Department, your passport could be rejected or deemed unusable if it’s too damaged. I’ve been using a vintage purse I found at a flea market for the past decade or so (I love buying secondhand when I can!) but have heard great things about the passport covers by Bellroy (I generally love their products) and Smythson from fellow travel industry friends.
11. Instant coffee or tea
Recommended products: Verve (amazon // verve) and Waka (amazon // wakacoffee)
Instant coffee is the one thing I pack hoping I won't need. But when I do, I'm really glad it's there. We’re talking 5am departures, jet-lagged mornings, and hotels where the lobby coffee is nonexistent. I like Verve or Waka, which are pretty good for instant. Starbucks Via will also do.
This post was originally published in 2024 and is regularly updated to include current information. It was most recently updated on April 22, 2026.
