Do you have a friend or family member that loves to travel? You just can't go wrong gifting them something they can use to keep them comfortable on their next flight. Everything on this list is used and loved by at least one member of our family and includes the perfect gifts for travellers in your life.
Our Recommended Gifts for Travellers that will Help them Pack
1. Travel Pro Maxlite
This is John's absolute favourite carry on. He regularly travels for work and has been using the same suitcase for over 8 years now. When we visited Switzerland on our first European family vacation, I bought several of the blue ones for the rest of us. You can pack an amazing amount of stuff in this and it matches the lower size requirements for carry on luggage by Canadian and most European airlines.
I wanted to try a hard side carry on when we started travelling again and visited Montenegro this year. I love my pink hardside TravelPro Maxlite Air. It has wonderful dividers inside and I tested it out. You can fit the same amount in each of the Maxlite and hardside Maxlite Air.
While we love the TravelPro carryon bags, I wanted to mention two others. The first is the Samsonite Omni. When I was looking for a hardside suitcase last year I did a lot of research and this made it as my second choice.
While I don't own the Level 8, it has incredible reviews and a strong following by travelling YouTubers. The only thing that I wasn't fond of was the front open spot as it did make the suitcase thicker than other hard side carry ons that I considered. If flying in the US where the requirements are a bit larger, this is a great option.
I love this bag!! I have two of them and they are my go-to personal bag when flying. It has several inner pockets, a water proof pouch and an outer sleeve to slide over the handle of your carryon.
I wasn't sure about this but I'm so glad I got it. It fits perfectly inside the Hycoo duffle bag and it makes it so much easier to find everything while squeezed into your airline seat.
Syd has this fanny pack in several colours. It looks amazing *many say its a Lulu dupe for the 'Everything' bag) and is super convenient for your passport, lip balm, medication, etc.
We rarely check bags en route to our destination but often, we will check one or more on the way home when the risk of missing luggage isn't so concerning. This light stretchy protector is great at keeping your carry on, or other luggage, clean and scratch free.
I only started using compressible packing cubes last year. I definitely should have started earlier! When using carry on only, it's makes it so much easier to fit more in your bag (just beware of weight if there is a limit!). Even if checking luggage, it's great for organizing clothing especially if you're moving around quite a bit on your trip.
This travel jewelry case is one of the best gifts for travellers that love to bring their jewelry on vacation. It has many compartments and keeps everything together and safe.
There is nothing worse than arriving at the airport and finding out your bags are too heavy. That's why the traveller in your life needs this luggage scale!
I'll be honest, I tend to overpack and I'm always at the absolute maximum weight for carry on or checked luggage (I've no idea how that always happens). But I always, without fail, weight the luggage before I leave the house. If I need to move things around, at least it isn't on the floor of the airport. I also bring it on vacation with me so I can weigh our bags on the way home.
With the way airlines are losing luggage, one of the best gifts for travellers in your life is the Apple Airtag. We always put on in our carry on just in case they gate check it. It's really nice to be able to ensure that it makes it to your final destination.
There are many different airtag cases available but I really like this one. It'll easily clip on to an interior zipper of your bag and, well, the pink one is pretty.
As with the airtag case above, there are many different options for luggage tags. These keep your name and address private to peeking eyes, they have a really secure strap and at the present $10cdn for three, they're almost the same price those at as Dollarama!
Gifts for Travellers to Help at the Airport
This cup holder is so cool! It just slides down over the handle of your carry on and will hold your coffee, water or Booster Juice. Parents will find it especially helpful when wrangling little ones in the airport.
Lucas was on a school trip in grade 8 and left his passport on the airplane at a stop over! Lesson learned. I control the kids' passports when travelling. I'll be honest, I've been using a ziploc bag but love this family passport holder. It holds 4 passports which is perfect for me to keep track of all the kids' passports plus my own.
Gifts for Travelers to Have a Cozy Flight
I love this mask! It keeps all the light out without touching your eyelids. It also has its own carry pouch which keeps it nice and clean.
The Cabeau Evolution S3 is one of the highest rated travel pillows. It is made of memory foam and folds up super small and has its own carry case.
Not everyone likes having a thick travel pillow around their neck. The Trtl neck support is great. It is thin and light but has enough support for overnight flights.
Airplane air is dry and Burts Bees is my favourite hand cream. This little pack has three festive scents.
Syd lives for the Vaceline Cocoa Butter Lip balm. She carries it everywhere including school, work and travel.
I find that airplanes get really chilly and I'm not a fan of airplane blankets. This pashmina scarf is so soft! And its huge so it's great for covering up on a flight. I've even used it on summer trips. When not using it can easily tie on to the handle of your carry on.
Whether you have a clotting issue like three of us, or not, it's a good idea to wear compression socks when travelling. These have the right amount of compression without being uncomfortable.
The traveller in your life will love the gift of a Columbia full zip fleece. Travel is all about wearing layers and I love this fleece for wearing on the plane and at our destination, even in summer during chilly summer evenings.
Travellers with long hair will love these hair elastics. They're great for keeping your hair out of your eyes while trying to nap on the flight or even for keeping a pack of cards together.
Airplanes can be loud and if you're trying to grab a nap or have a longer sleep on an overnight flight, the Loop ear plugs are a must!
This bag is so much better than a plastic zip bag! It will not only hold all your plugs and chargers, there's also space for your extra SD cards your laptop charger. It's so nice to just hand this to the kids when they're looking for something on the airplane!
I prefer paper books but my Dad swears by his Kindle Paperwhite. It's so light and easy to take with you on a flight and you can download oodles of books in advance.
29. Noise Cancelling Headphones
If you're looking for top of the line noise cancelling headphones, Sony and Beats will be your perfect choice. If you're looking for something a little lower in price, I have the Infurture headphones and really like them.
This mini power bank is super small but very powerful. It's small enough to throw in your fanny pack or even your wallet.
While larger than the mini power bank (above), this is one of the most amazing gifts for travellers in your family! And for everyone else too! This little charger can easily be plugged into any nearby outlet and it comes with built-in cables so it can charge any Apple or Android device on the go. Game changer!
32. Bluetooth Earphones
The Airfly Pro is the best thing to be introduced to airplane travel in ages. No longer is it necessary to dig around the house to find earbuds with a cord so that it can be used to watch movies on the airplane. Pair your cordless earbuds or headphones with the Airfly Pro and just plug this little bluetooth device into the airplane to enjoy the movie with your own cordless earbuds or headphones.
This tiny foldable cell phone stand is perfect for watching your favourite movie or television show on the road. Whether travelling by airplane or train, it can be set up on the meal tray. If travelling and one of your kiddos has a hockey game at home, pop it on the desk in your hotel room and stream the game. If you know anyone that travels with kids one of these phone/pad stands will be a fantastic gift!
Similar to the folding stand above, the flex flap has the additional bonus of being able to be shaped to adjust to your location. Want to hang it over the meal tray? Done! Want to hook it on to the seat pocket in front of you in the train? Done!
As I mentioned above, I love paper books. The lighting in airplanes is not strong enough to read comfortably, especially when flying at night. This little book light folds small enough to easily fit in your pocket. It's also great for reading in bed at home or at your hotel!
I love the Skyclip! It can be used on its own or attached to the top and bottom of a closed airplane tray for the perfect movie watching experience when on a flight without built in screens. Your loved one will LOVE this gift for travellers.
Every traveller needs a brush after an over night flight! Check out the Tangle Teezer. It's small, foldable and perfect for travel.
Did you find the perfect gift for the traveller in your life? Or maybe even for yourself? Let me know! I'd love to hear which of these would be your favourite gift!
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Ultimate Travel Gift Guide for Families and Young Children · November 28, 2023 at 10:41 pm
[…] Essential Gift Guide for Travellers […]