There are thousands of travel accessories out there. From checked luggage to carry-on bags, travel backpacks, neck pillows, toiletry bags, headphones, portable chargers and much more, there’s a lot to choose from. At CNN Underscored, our goal is to make the decision of what to get easier in order to help you travel better, smarter and more comfortably.
Today, we’re looking at the travel products that our readers can’t hit the road without. If you’re looking to boost your travel wardrobe before heading off on your 2023 summer vacation, consider one of these Underscored reader favorites.
Technology can make travel so much less stressful, including Apple AirTags. Our readers love adding these small devices to their checked baggage when traveling to keep track of where their belongings were at every stage of the journey. Ultimately, the peace of mind provided by the AirTags can make any travel experience that much better.
This compact wireless charger can charge your iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch at once, and it folds into a compact package that easily fits into any backpack. Better yet, it costs just $30 when you clip the on-page coupon.
Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 are a favorite among frequent travelers. They provide solid sound quality and excellent noise cancellation, all in a small package. This can make any flight more enjoyable when you’re listening to music or watching movies. You can buy AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C or Lightning charge ports.
There’s nothing worse than streaming your favorite TV shows or movies from a plane only for your hand to go numb from holding your phone. Not to mention a sore neck from looking down at your screen! This ingenious phone mount clips onto the tray table on the seat in front of you to provide hands-free viewing. Read our review of the phone mount here.
If you’re traveling with a good amount of electronics, the proper storage tools make the trip much easier. Our readers love this travel tech organizer from iMangoo because of its price tag — it’s just less than $10 when on sale — the variety of storage space and the fact that it comes in 10 colors to match the rest of your luggage.
Planning to travel abroad? An international travel adapter is essential for keeping your devices charged up while you’re on the road. Our readers loved this reasonably priced option, which works in more than 150 countries and has two USB-A ports.
This travel power adapter is perfect for anyone who regularly travels to Europe. It has three US-style power outlets, four USB-A ports and a single USB-C port. It also includes an adapter so you can use it with UK-style plugs.
As one of our favorite carry-on bags under $150, the Samsonite Freeform Spinner is great for casual travelers and road warriors alike. Its modern design both looks good and is very durable, so don’t worry if you have to check it. Plus, it’s expandable, so you can fit in any surprise accessories you buy on your next trip.
The Away Carry-On has a cult following for good reason. It’s an expertly crafted, durable piece of luggage that we dubbed the best overall hard-shell carry-on luggage in our testing. Not only are there plenty of colors available for every style, but it’s available at a reasonable price point.
If you’re seeking more space in your carry-on bag, Away’s The Bigger Carry-On is a solid option. Featuring all of the best components of the classic Away Carry-On, this version can hold more while still fitting in most airline overhead bins.
This bag holds a lot for a carry-on bag. In fact, its 42-liter volume is among the maximum that’s allowed inside the cabin. Readers love, too, that it’s got an ejectable battery that will keep your devices charged on the go.
Our pick for the best budget checked suitcase offers loads of storage in a stylish frame and seven color options. We love this suitcase for its smooth-rolling wheels, high capacity and light weight when empty, meaning you can pack more inside without nearing your airline’s weight limit.
Best selling travel backpacks and bags
This viral travel backpack costs less than $50 and truly does it all. It has a ton of internal pockets for organization, and can fit a weekend’s worth of clothes and a laptop with room to spare. Buy one before your next short trip and you might be able to skip bringing a carry-on bag altogether.
This travel backpack is not only available at a reasonable price point, but it’s got all of the storage you’ll need for a trip, whether you’re traveling for business or leisure. It can hold everything from laptops to tablets, and offers compartments for small accessories like passports and charging devices you’ll take with you on the go.
The July Carry-All Backpack is a showstopper. Not only does it have space to store everything you’ll need to carry with you — including space to store a 16-inch laptop — but it doesn’t sacrifice on style. Available in three colors, it’s one of our favorite travel backpacks.
This travel backpack is perfect for both overnight trips and for carrying on a plane with all of your must-have essentials in reach. We love its simple design and useful features, such as room to store a laptop, water bottle pockets, padded shoulder straps and much more. While we love that it’s stylish, it could be a bit more comfortable. Read our full review here.
This travel backpack from the pros at Monos is also an Underscored reader favorite thanks to its variety of organizational features. It can be used from the airport to your day-to-day commute. Its exterior is made of a water-resistant nylon twill with vegan leather details. Not only can it fit a 15-inch laptop, but it’s also got a trolley sleeve to easily slip over your favorite carry-on bag.
Weekender bags are a staple in any traveler’s wardrobe. This one from Beis is a favorite, as it’s priced at just more than $100 and offers a great amount of storage, including a zippered bottom compartment for storing your shoes and other travel essentials away from your clothes.
We love a crossbody bag for travel. This versatile option from Travelon can go straight from the airport to touring a new destination. It’s got plenty of organizational features to keep all of your travel credit cards and other essentials in place, and it also comes with RFID-blocking technology.
This travel duffel bag doubles as a weekender bag, offering space to store clothes and other essentials for a quick getaway. At just over $20, it won’t break the bank, and you don’t have to sacrifice style, either — it’s available in 42 colors and designs.
These budget-friendly packing cubes from Hotor ended up being some of our favorites. This set of six has enough variety to help you pack all your necessities efficiently, maximizing the space in your carry-on or checked bag. Plus, they cost just $13 on Amazon.
Looking for more packing cubes than the standard set of six? This eight-pack means you’ll get more space to store all of your travel essentials on every trip. At a price that won’t break the bank, this is a quality set to boost your organization.
Packing cubes are a must-have for travelers. Our readers loved this set of six bags from Veken. The set is reasonably priced at around $20, and you’ll get an extra-large cube, large cube, medium cube, small cube, laundry bag and a travel shoe bag to keep your dirty shoes away from your clean clothes.
Underscored readers loved this set of packing cubes from eBags. Included, you’ll get one large cube, one medium cube, one small cube. If you’re an even more minimal packer, you can also grab packing cubes in a slim option for a better fit. Available in six different color options, each of the cubes features a mesh top for easy viewing.
This packable puffer jacket from Amazon Essentials packs down small enough to fit into a backpack or carry-on bag. Plus, it has a water-resistant polyester shell and is very affordable at under $40.
For travelers, a quality pair of travel pants with enough pockets is crucial for storing all of your must-have items in close reach. This pair from Lands’ End is available in regular, petite and tall sizes and they each feature five pockets. In addition to their supreme storage capacity, they’re also made of a sweat-wicking material to keep you comfortable whether you’re on a long-haul flight or touring a new city.
Underscored readers know the importance of selecting the right travel shoes before heading off on any adventure. These Original Low-Cut options are great for travelers of all kinds and can take you from a day of exploring to dinner on the town. They’re made of water-resistant premium leather and are built to last for many vacations to come.
Our pick for the best sleep mask overall is a favorite among our readers, too — and for good reason. It’s got a nose wire and side covers that help to block out any and all light so you can catch some sleep on any long-haul flight.
This is our pick for the best travel pillow overall; in fact, we’ve dubbed it the “Goldilocks of travel pillows.” Readers love it, too, for its firm support and portability. The memory foam interior collapses to half its size, making it a great pick for easy transport.
This neck pillow is our pick for the best splurge option out there thanks to its full 360-degree support. We love that it can fit around any neck thanks to its Velcro strap, and it’s an extra great option because it compresses to 60% of its size for easy transport. Read our full review here.
These bottle covers slip over the top of your toiletries, preventing leaks when in your checked bag. This could mean the difference between arriving with clean clothes or clothes soaked in hair conditioner or other liquids, so we think it’s worth the price.
We love these modular, magnetic and leak-proof containers, and our readers do, too! The TSA-compliant, 100% leak-proof, customizable Cadence Capsules are a perfect option for transporting your liquids, gels, creams and more.
This dual-purpose passport and vaccine card holder will keep some of your most important travel documents safe while you’re in transit. Not only will it keep your things in one place, but it will protect your personal information with its RFID-blocking technology.
Leak-proof bottles are essential when you travel. After all, who wants to end up at their destination with a mess of shampoo and moisturizer all over their clothes? CNN Underscored readers loved this four-pack of silicone leak-proof bottles, which are available in fun color sets to match your luggage.
Whether you’re traveling solo or with your family in tow, this drink caddy is perfect for keeping your hands free. It can fit both drinks and phones, as well as any other travel essentials, right on the handle of your suitcase. Read our review of the caddy here.
This small but effective portable door lock can help you sleep with the peace of mind of knowing that no one can get in your room. Regardless of whether you’re staying at a hotel or a vacation home rental, this simple-to-use tool can fit on most doors that are hinged and swing inwards. Setting it up is easy and it’s lightweight enough to fit in your carry-on bag. Plus, it comes with its own travel pouch so it doesn’t get lost.
Traveling with a digital luggage scale is essential. They’re small and take up little space, but they can save you a lot of money — and stress — when it comes to avoiding overweight baggage fees. Our readers loved this option from Freetoo, which is available for just $11 when you clip the on-page coupon.
Keep your luggage protected while remaining TSA-compliant with these travel luggage locks. The set of four means you’ll have enough for each of your bags, or for each member of the family. For just under $20 when you clip the on-page coupon, the peace of mind you’ll get from knowing your belongings are protected with these locks is worth it.
Underscored readers aren’t the only fans of this travel jewelry case. In fact, it made the list of Oprah’s favorite things of 2022. Not only does it have all of the space you need to store your favorite jewelry, but its plush velvet exterior comes in nine stylish colors.
Trust us, travel shoe bags are essential. They’re a simple packing tool, as they’ll keep the dirt and grime on your shoes away from your clothes. This set of 12 is transparent, so you’ll be able to see which pair of shoes is in each bag when you get to your destination.
Looking for a travel credit card? Find out which cards CNN Underscored chose as our best travel credit cards currently available.