Have serious plans to spend more time in an airplane seat in the next few months? Or just want to take a few spontaneous weekend road trips? Well, I hope you have wrinkle-release spray, a quick-dry towel with its own pouch, and a travel pillow that doubles as extra packing space. Don’t panic if you don’t — we found those and everything else you need for your upcoming travel adventures.
1. A pack of space-saving compression bags that do not require a vacuum or pump!! Just place your bulky coats and sweaters inside and roll the bag up tightly to release the air and save some major space in your carry-on.
Emma Lord / BuzzFeed
BuzzFeed Shopping writer Emma Lord says, “HELLO, I AM OBSESSED WITH THESE. Despite all the rave reviews I was definitely skeptical of space-saving bags that didn’t require a vacuum, and even as they were actively squishing my clothes into oblivion I still couldn’t quite believe it. I had easily two suitcases worth of clothes I wanted to pack for a three-week trip to London, and I managed to neatly pack the entirety of my wardrobe in one roller carry-on bag. Truly all I had to do was put my clothes in the bag, push them to the bottom, and then sit on it to get the air out before sealing it up. I had tons of extra bags and make a habit of taking them with me in case other people joining me on trips need them to be able to pack souvenirs on the way home. I’m never taking a long trip without these again — these are worth every damn penny.“
Promising review: “I travel monthly for work, usually gone for 4–5 days. Before these, I would have to check a bag. Dress shirts and pants, roll up nicely, and stay wrinkle-free. It’s tempting to want to over-stuff these, but if you’re packing golf shirts or clothes with ‘slippery’ fabric, they slide out of the top of the bag as you get close to the end. The clips take a minute to get used to, but after a couple of times zipping up the bags, it’s pretty easy.” —BigSkinny
Get a set of eight from Amazon for $17.28.
2. And a Stow-N-Go travel organizer — it’ll make you feel like you’re taking your closet with you wherever you go. It has three spacious shelves and a bottom zippered compartment that folds down into a super compact cube. Once you arrive at your hotel — just unfold it and hang it up! It’s as close as you’ll get to traveling with your own personal mini closet.
Plus, the zipper compartment at the bottom can be used for putting all your dirty clothes in so they don’t get mixed with clean items.
Promising review: “I just love it. I travel a lot. Now, I don’t have to hang anything up but my organizer. I can see what I pack and where everything is. Just love it. I can easily fit seven days’ worth of outfits and three pairs of shoes in a carry-on suitcase. Just great.” —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $27.99+ (available in two sizes and nine colors).
3. A set of Tide sink packs so you can easily hand-wash your clothes, meaning you can pack less and re-wear more! Simply fill your sink with warm water, add one sink pack, agitate and soak your items in the water, then rinse, dry, and be thankful for all the extra carry-on space.
Tide
Each pack comes with three packets. And, because they *are* liquid, they’ll easily slide into the side of your toiletries bag.
Promising review: “Game changer for travel! We were gone for two weeks, and I was able to wash all the clothes I had packed! Helped with using only a carry-on for the trip and kept my clothes fresh and clean! So easy to use and smelled nice! Will never travel without them again!” —Kristy
Get nine packs from Amazon for $8.49 (also available in packs of three and six).
4. A travel-sized Bounce wrinkle release spray, because who has time to iron while traveling?! There’s also no telling if that dusty hotel iron is actually going to work. All you have to do is spray, tug the fabric a few times, then smooth the wrinkles away with your hand. It’s also perfect for refreshing any clothes you plan to wear a few times during your trip, thanks to the fresh scent.
Promising review: “Hate dragging out the old hotel iron and board, so I just spray my wrinkled clothes with this, and viola! Takes the wrinkles out, and off I go — no wrestling while putting the iron and board away. I even have a small travel iron or use my hair styling irons if I want a better finish, but this usually does the job nicely.” —Audie
Get it from Amazon for $9.05.
5. A lightweight microfiber towel — it folds down into a super compact mesh carrying bag. Best of all, it dries super fast – no more hoping your wet towel doesn’t mildew in your duffel!! It also holds 5x its weight in water and is great at absorbing sweat, so this is a must-have for any hiking and camping adventures. Or if you’re one of those people who go to the gym on vacay. I do not relate to you, but I respect you.
6. A compact but jaw-droppingly spacious underseat roller bag that’s small enough to count as a personal item on most airlines. It has a padded laptop compartment and helpful pockets on the outside that are perfect for everything from AirPods to portable chargers, so this is about to become your travel BFF for any work trips. No more fighting for overhead space!
Promising review: “This is a great carry-on bag! It has numerous pockets and storage areas to keep everything organized. I’ve taken it on three trips to Europe this year, as well as a few domestic trips, and it fits well under most airline seats (unless the seat has a footrest). In those cases, it’s easy to fit it in the overhead compartment. On a couple of occasions when airlines requested that carry-on bags be checked at the gate, this bag was OK for me to carry onboard since it’s not too large (yet it holds a lot). In an emergency, I was able to fit 3 days of clothes, sweaters, a jacket, toiletries, shoes, and electronics in this bag because it’s so easy to organize it in numerous compartments. It wheels great, too. I’ve traveled a lot over the years, and this is the best carry-on bag I’ve found. I bought two of them!” —DM7233
Get it from Amazon for $59.99 (available in nine colors).
7. Or a spacious duffel you can unfold into a full garment bag so you can easily pack long dresses and suits to avoid wrinkles. There’s even an extra compartment for shoes, a separate laptop pocket, and other small pockets for various essentials. Everything will be perfectly in its place, and you’ll be the sharpest dressed person on vacay!
Promising review: “This garment bag is an exceptional value for the money. Well built, top quality materials, including ‘beefy’ zippers, should hold up well for airline travel. Minimal wrinkles, if any, in garments, and a cavernous bag for storing shoes and other items for a trip. Added bonus: it fits easily in the plane overhead storage and is similar in size to a standard roller bag. I highly recommend this product.” —Kindle Customer
Beauty Goodies is a small business that specializes in chic storage and travel accessories.
Get it from Amazon for $42.99+ (available in three colors).
8. Or!!! A travel backpack that opens like a carry-on and has enough space to fit a few days’ worth of clothes in its main compartment. You’ll also get special compartments for your laptop and a pair of shoes, and the front pocket is lined with waterproof material so you can keep wet items like towels or rain-soaked clothes in a separate spot.
Promising review: “I LOVE this backpack! The color is a perfect light cream, way cuter than other travel backpacks. I spent a week in Spain on my own, and this backpack truly fit everything I needed when I couldn’t bring my suitcase. The padding and support on the back and the straps made it so comfortable to carry, despite how full it was. The way the backpack is structured distributes the weight evenly and does not cause strain at all. The many compartments make it so easy to keep things organized and allow you to fit more things just when you think it’s full. I kept my clothes rolled up in the main compartment, my toiletries in the waterproof front compartment, and laptop and Kindle in the back. The bottom compartment was perfect for all my cables.” —Olivia
Get it from Amazon for $21.58+ (available in five sizes and dozens of styles).
9. A powdered SPF 30 sunscreen — it won’t replace your liquid sunscreen, but it’s amazing for touching up during a long day of galavanting in the sun (I am manifesting this for you!!!). It’s small enough to easily slip into your pocket or a small bag, and the brush applicator makes it a breeze to swipe on.
Brush On Block
This can be worn on its own or over makeup. It comes in a translucent shade that’s meant to work on all skin tones, and a shade called “a touch of tan” that adds a subtle bronze glow to light and medium skin tones.
Note: Powdered sunscreens are best used for touching up, not as a replacement for traditional sunscreen (read more from the Cleveland Clinic). If you’re looking for a good sunscreen to add to your routine, check out our roundup of the best tinted sunscreens.
Promising review: “I was skeptical about the coverage of this product, but I have been using it every single day since it arrived and have yet to get sunburnt even though I spend upwards of 6 hours a day in the sun during the work week. I have also tested it on the weekend in instances where I would normally wear some sort of cream sunscreen on my face, but this seems to work just as well. For folks having concerns about coverage issue, I understand. I have been applying it by going in many circles over my face and seem to be successful with no problems. I have extremely sensitive skin along with a number of allergies and this is the first sunscreen ever that doesn’t seem to break my face out at all. This will now be my go-to sunscreen for my face!” —Silver
Brush On Block is a small business specializing in SPF products.
Get it from Amazon for $36 (available in two shades).
10. A reusable gel lint roller, which is a major upgrade from the traditional sticky rolls that require approximately 10 sheets just to clean one shirt. Just pop open the cover and roll it over any garments that need a good sprucing up, then give it a quick rinse, and it’ll be ready to use again!
Promising review: “I travel frequently for work and keep this in my suitcase. Works great; I no longer carry a lint roller.” —Liza Przekop
Get it from Amazon for $7.99 (available in four colors and also in packs of two or four).
11. A set of travel bottles with pumps that’s extremely perfect for bringing your go-to shampoo and conditioner without wasting unnecessary space. They sit side by side in their own case so that a) they won’t get lonely 😢 and b) you won’t have to rummage around in your toiletry bag to find them.
Promising review: “It’s a little hard to fill, but if you have a small funnel already, it makes it a lot easier. They’re super easy to use and really convenient for packing. I use it for the gym, travel, and I also travel for work often, and it comes in handy there.” —Kelsey Jacobi
Get a set of two from Amazon for $7.99 (available in three colors).
12. A waterproof travel tech organizer so you can keep your charging cables detangled and easy to grab. It even has compartments large enough to store your portable charges, hard drives, AirPods, and the mouse jiggler you use to fool your boss into thinking you’re actually working during that work trip.
Promising review: “Excellent for travel! Nice to have a go-to individual pouch, especially for the chords. Husband travels for business, and this is a must, so if he’s in an airport or hotel, he can locate them easily, and they don’t get mixed with others.” —Brent Webb
Get it from Amazon for $8.96+ (available in three sizes and 27 colors).
13. A Trtl travel pillow if you need a little extra neck support. This one loops around you like a scarf and has support bands on the side to keep your head upright but still comfy. No more accidentally leaning on the person next to you!!!
Amazon
Promising review: “I love this TRTL!! I first used it on a trip from Seattle to Buenos Aires and will now always use it. It made it possible for me to be comfortable on that long flight. I found it to be the best neck support in how it holds up my neck in a comfortable natural way. I love how I can use it on either side of my neck and even in the front and back of my neck. I love how I can cover my face to just below my eyes if I want privacy. It is cozy, lightweight, durable, and packs easily, or I can wrap it around my carry bag handle for quick transport. I bought one for a friend who took it on a Seattle to New York flight, and she said it was a game changer for her as she was able to sleep for the first time while flying. Now I know that with my TRTL and Bose noise-canceling headphones, I can be cramped in a middle seat on a long flight and survive in relative comfort. Thank you, TRTL!!! I just bought another one for a gift for my daughter. It is a well-designed product!” —Amis Balcomb
Get it from Amazon for $59.99+ (available in four colors).
14. Or a travel pillow you can stuff with clothes to free up space in your carry-on! It’s designed to fit up to fit up to three days’ worth of outfits, and reviewers say it’s surprisingly comfortable. This might be the ultimate packing hack you didn’t know you needed.
Promising review: “I bought this looking to both save space and gain comfort for those long airplane rides. I was pleasantly surprised that they worked so well and fit so much into them while not sacrificing baggage space. I could fit at least a full day’s worth of clothes in it. Also works well if you have one of those backpacks with the attachment clip and loop system as you can use this as a strap to avoid purchasing another carry-on bag from airlines.” —Victor Tolentino
Tube is a small business that specializes in uniquely designed storage travel pillows.
Get it from Amazon for $23.98.
15. A 2-in-1 hair tool that curls and straightens, so no more flipping a coin to decide if your curling iron or flat iron will win the coveted space in your carry-on. It even comes with a helpful carrying case, so it’s basically begging to tag along on all your upcoming wedding season travels.
This features 100-240AC voltage, so it should work anywhere as long as you have a plug adapter. Also, please note that the travel case is not heat-resistant!
Promising review: “Don’t be fooled by the tiny price or size; this little baby is serious. If you are looking for a small travel option rather than lugging your big straightener and giant curling iron around the world, then I think you’ll love this. It performs really well, turning my frizzy wavy hair into a smooth and sleek style. The curling iron option also creates shiny, silky, lasting curls! It’s easy to transition between both. I also like the grippy handle and the fact that the curling iron clip is a different color than the straightening bars because that helps me see how I should be maneuvering it around. The voltage goes up to 240m, so you are good using it internationally without a converter (but you will need an adapter just to fit it into various foreign outlets). At this price, definitely give it a try and flaunt your tresses abroad.” —Christine
Get it from Amazon for $20.89+ (available in two colors).
16. A universal travel adapter you can use in over 160 countries — because nothing is more annoying than realizing you forgot to bring the right adapter. You can use it to charge up several devices at a time, so you can have your phone, power bank, laptop, and AirPods charging at once!
But remember that this is not a voltage converter!
Promising review: “I am a digital nomad, so I travel full-time around the world. I have a lot of devices to charge (laptop, Kindle, phone, backup battery, portable Wi-Fi device, camera, the list goes on). A lot of times, hostel bunks or hotel rooms only have one outlet, and with the previous adapter I was using, I had to charge one device at a time. I used to literally set my alarm to wake up in the middle of the night and switch devices so that I could get more than one device fully charged overnight. I did my research finally and settled on this one because it is universal and has four USB ports. What a GAME CHANGER. On my latest trip, I was able to charge all my devices at once, and it made traveling so much smoother. It seems well made and good quality, too. Definitely recommend to my digital nomad and traveling peers. Happy travels! :)” —Maggie A
Get it from Amazon for $15.99+ (available in two colors).
17. A jewelry organizer so you can bring your collection of rings, necklaces, and bracelets without them ending up in a tangled pile at the bottom of your bag. There’s even an earring grid and small pouches for hairpins and other random accessories, and it folds up into a super compact pouch for easy portability!
Promising review: “This is perfect for traveling. I got the smaller size because it looked like it held a good amount, and it does! I wear a decent amount of jewelry every day and like to have different pieces and it held everything I wanted to pack. It is also very cute and doesn’t take up much space at all. Love it.” —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in two sizes and eight colors and patterns).
18. A simple but oh-so-genius luggage strap — it’ll help you carry extra stuff that won’t fit in your carry-on. You can use it to attach your purse, backpack, neck pillow, or anything else you just don’t feel like carrying around.
Amazon
Promising reviews: “I used these straps during a recent trip to Europe for multiple purposes — attaching a jacket or sweater when the weather changed, attaching my backpack or purse to a chair in a restaurant, attaching my backpack to my carry-on in the airport. It’s great not to have to have a jacket around your neck or waist, this is much more comfortable to carry-on your backpack. And, using it for extra security when my bag was not on my person was a very effective secondary feature. Recommend!” —SAB
“Recently bought and brought on a girls’ trip to London after seeing it multiple times on BuzzFeed top travel lists. Holy crap, did it come in handy! Barely made it out of security before my friend’s baggage handle broke completely off. She thought she was going to have to lug her carry-on through the whole trip, but I used this item to fashion her a new handle so she could drag the bag behind her and utilize the wheels. It made the trip so much easier for her. Not exactly how I had planned to use the item on the trip, but I’m glad I had it so I could help her out, and it held up the whole trip despite rather rough use through the airports. Overall, great product, looks exactly as shown, very happy I bought it!” —Johanna
Get it from Amazon for $7.99+ (available in three colors and packs of two).
19. Merit’s The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick that’ll replace both your foundation and concealer, so it’s about to free up so much space from your liquid toiletry bag. You’ll be so glad you have this when you oversleep while on vacay — you can swipe it directly where you need it, and the sheer coverage helps it blend super quickly.
Merit Beauty
20. A pack of Neutrogena makeup remover towelettes so you can take the exact amount of makeup wipes you need instead of bringing an entire pouch or a bulky jar of cleaning balm. You can also bring one with you to refresh your skin while you’re gallivanting about.
21. An AirFly Pro wireless transmitter that’ll add Bluetooth capabilities to any device with a headphone jack — even the screens on an airplane! Now, you can watch a movie on your next flight without using those awful wired earbuds that get all tangled up in your tray table.
The standard edition allows you to connect one pair of headphones and lasts for 20+ hours on a single charge.
Promising review: “Worked beautifully on a recent eight-hour flight from New York City to Frankfurt! Really easy to pair with my Bose noise-canceling earbuds and charges quickly. The sound quality was excellent. I’m so excited about this product that I’m going to buy one for each of my family members!” —emily p murray
Get the standard model from Amazon for $34.97 (available in three colors: also available in a Pro version that allows you to connect two headphones and has longer battery life).
22. A pack of foldable hangers, because those three the hotel provides are simply never enough. They easily fold up so you can keep them in your luggage without taking up much space, then unfold to hold everything from dresses to suit jackets.
Promising review: “On a trip to Europe, I used these hangers to hang my laundry to dry. I even hung a pair of wet jeans (through the belt loops). I thought the hanger would break, but it held up fine! Hotels never supply enough hangers, so I will be bringing these along when I travel.” —debi
Get a pack of 12 from Amazon for $8.99 (also available in packs of 24 and 36).
23. A solid shampoo bar so you can ditch the bulky plastic bottles and go for a much more environmentally friendly and space-saving option. One bar is equivalent to three bottles of liquid shampoo, so you’ll reduce clutter in your luggage and maybe even save some coin. Just rub it directly on your hair and lather away! And if your hair gets dry and dull, you’ll be happy to know it has coconut oil to moisturize and vitamin C to add shine.
Promising review: “I was skeptical about a bar shampoo, but wanted something that would last and I could take on my frequent travels… This was the solution I was after, and I plan to use it even back home. A little goes a long way and leaves my hair feeling bouncy and refreshed. It also has a nice, clean scent that isn’t overpowering. Would purchase again.” —Jennifer G.
Get it from Amazon for $14 (available in 11 styles).
24. And a conditioner bar that lets you swipe some moisture directly on your hair without needing yet another bulky bottle. This is made with rice water protein to help add shine and moisture, so you won’t even miss your old liquid conditioner.
Amazon, Elizabeth Lilly / BuzzFeed
BuzzFeed Shopping editor Elizabeth (that’s her above) has traveled with this in her carry-on and loves it: “Here, I used hotel shampoo (it was pretty fancy, NGL), this conditioner bar, and my roommate’s Moroccan Oil curl cream. The bar is basically foolproof. You rub it directly on your wet hair after rinsing out your shampoo. I normally wash my naturally curly hair once or twice a week but on this trip was taking daily dips in the sea, so I washed my hair 5x over a week. Because of this, I let the conditioner sit for a few minutes, though you probably don’t need to do that if you’re washing your hair your usual amount on your trip. Each bar is supposed to last 200 washes and it might do a little less for me, but I know this’ll be good for many future trips!”
Promising review: This is incredible! It leaves my hair feeling soft, hydrated, and healthier with every use. I was skeptical about switching from a traditional liquid conditioner, but this bar exceeded my expectations. It’s compact, eco-friendly, and lasts longer than I expected.” —Niki Saigeon
Get it from Amazon for $13.99.
25. Or!! I Dew Care’s dry shampoo powder for the busy trips when you simply have no time for a full shampoo and conditioner routine. This one has a carry-on-friendly powder-puff applicator so you can apply it directly to roots (you know, the source of all your oily troubles), and it also adds some extra volume as you brush it through. It’s so easy to use, you’ll wonder how you ever dealt with those messy spray cans to begin with.
Check out a TikTok of the dry shampoo in action.
Promising review: “Will be buying again!! This is a fantastic product. I have incredibly thin hair that gets very oily very easily. This is the first product that I’ve tried that actually works! I am so very happy!” —Katie_0_Baker
Get it from Amazon for $11.69+ (available in brown, dark brown, blonde, and in multipacks and bundles).
26. A sleek pill case with 10 compartments so you can ditch the bulky bottles for something that’s way easier to slip in your pocket. You’ll also be the hero of your travel group when anybody has a sudden headache.
Amazon
Promising review: “Love love love these!!! I have a lot of medications that I have to travel with and some of them are very expensive or very important and I get so worried I will lose some. These hold so many pills and have labels for each and they are so easy to open and fill but they also stay closed and seal well!” —Britney
Get a pack of four from Amazon for $8.99+.
27. A mini personal care kit so you’ll be prepared for sudden annoying headaches, tomato sauce spills on your favorite white top, pesky blisters from walking so dang much, and plenty other emergencies that’ll make you shout, “I’m so glad I brought this!!!” You’ll feel like Mary Poppins walking around with all these essentials in your bag.
Anne Cate
The kit includes a hair tie, lip balm, two floss pics, a sewing kit, bandages, an emery board, two safety pins, two earring backs, a makeup wipe, two bobby pins, two mints, a deodorant wipe, a Shout wipe, a tampon, hand sanitizer, and Tylenol.
Promising review: “I’m heading to Rome this fall with my best friend and our husbands. I thought this would be the cutest little emergency case to bring along so I got each of us one. I am so excited to give it to her. She will love the Rome skyline and all the goodies inside.” —Jen
Anne Cate is a woman-owned small business based in Cleveland, Ohio, that handmakes minimalist keepsakes with a skyline from more than 100 cities and colleges around the world!
Get it from Anne Cate for $25 (available in dozens of skylines).
28. An electric travel toothbrush that takes up way less space than the one your dentist is always trying to convince you to buy. You’ll still get a nice vibrating effect and a helpful 2-minute timer, but it’s about the same size as a normal toothbrush!
Amazon
I’m obsessed with my Philips Sonicare electric toothbrush (and so is my dentist!), but it’s just way too bulky to stuff in my already over-stuffed carry-on when I’m traveling. I decided to try this out on a recent trip and was super impressed with how well it works. I love that it has a two-minute timer built in (with reminders to switch quadrants every 30 seconds), and it gives a nice, gentle vibration. For under $20, this is a great alternative to lugging around a bulky rechargeable toothbrush and way better than most flimsy travel toothbrushes.
Get it from Amazon for $19.98+ (available in six colors).
29. A digital luggage scale to prevent any overweight luggage fees from appearing in your future. This clips onto your luggage handle — just attach and lift up to see how much your suitcase, backpack, or any other bag weighs. It can weigh items up to 110 pounds, but hopefully, your luggage weighs way less than that.
You can also switch between pound and kilogram measurements.
Promising review: “This scale works and was accurate on four flights. The first flight was a test at 46 pounds, and Delta scales said it was 46 pounds. The next two flights were at 49 pounds, and both United and Delta found it to be 49 pounds. The bag on the 4th flight weighed 49 but the United scale found it to be 48 pounds. Four different airports and scales proved that this scale is a good, low-cost must-have item for air travel.” —Robert
Get it from Amazon for $8.90+ (available in four colors and also available as a two-pack).
30. An adjustable mini belted pack — it’s essentially the fanny pack’s more chic and sophisticated cousin, and it’s gone viral for rivaling a pricier alternative. It’s lightweight and easy to carry, so you can finally ditch your usual tote bag that inevitably turns into a bottomless pit of hotel card keys and loose change. Those will all fit in here — but now you can actually see them!!!
Promising review: “TikTok told me this compared to Lululemon, and it’s true, it is. Love this little bag! And the price — you can’t beat it.” —Jolie
BuzzFeed Shopping editor Elizabeth Lilly also owns this — she packed it as her only bag for a trip to busy trip to Iceland, and not only did it hold a ton and keep her hands free, but it easily fit around her waist over her outerwear.
Get it from Amazon for $12.98+ (available in 38 colors).
Why Trust BuzzFeed Shopping?
BuzzFeed Shopping is service journalism first: our writers and editors spend all day shopping so you don’t have to, vetting products, fact-checking brand claims, and surfacing what actually helps in real life. We center readers over revenue, recommend products with authenticity (using real experiences, not ad-speak), and reflect our diverse audience, inclusive of a variety of price points, people, and needs. We cut through fake deals, favor useful info over glossy fluff, and recommend both budget and splurge options with context so you can decide what’s right for you — and still have a little fun along the way.
The reviews used in this post have been edited for length and clarity.
