27 PRODUCTS THAT MAKE TRAVELING SO COMFORTABLE YOU'LL BELIEVE IT REALLY IS ABOUT THE JOURNEY, NOT THE DESTINATION
1. A Lugabug travel seat — this game-changing "chair" can attach to a carry-on suitcase so your tiny toddler isn't dragging their feet past every Cinnabon in the airport on the way to your gate. There are...so many Cinnabons.
It's recommended for kids two and up and can hold up to 50 pounds.
Promising review: "I purchased and used this for a two-week trip to Europe with my 4.5-year-old. It was an absolute dream! My daughter no longer uses a stroller but gets restless in long lines and struggles with those mad dashes to catch a train or connecting flight. I looked at the cool ride-along suitcases for kids. But they just added another piece of luggage with little storage. This device was not only much cheaper than those suitcases, but it was more practical for us. I was skeptical, so I ordered it early enough to try it at home. I highly recommend this so you really have a chance to get it adjusted to fit your kids well. We were able to pack just one large suitcase with our items combined. The device fits easily in the front pocket when we weren't using it. It was an absolute dream and eliminated so much travel stress. Durable, comfortable, and worth every penny. 100% satisfied!" —Dawn
Get it from Amazon for $39.99.
2. A cotton eye mask you can use when the child in the window seat won't stop playing eye-spy, despite the fact that the sun is shining right into your eyes *and* the fact that the only thing they've seen over the last two hours is, get this, clouds.
Promising review: "I have had this eye mask for almost two years. I use it every night, and it is still as good as the day I bought it. The mask itself is extremely soft and very comfortable. It is multi-layered so that when you put it on it really blocks out all light. The nose wire is a game-changer; it is comfortable and effective in really sealing in the darkness around the eyes. It also makes it so that you can still have that seal without the mask being too tight/there being too much pressure on the eyes. The elastic band is high quality, thick but not soft, and it has not stretched out in the time I have had it. The band is adjustable too, which is awesome. Overall, I feel like this mask has all of the components to give you a perfect, very comfortable fit. I have machine-washed and -dried it countless times over the time I have had this mask and it has held up extremely well. No pilling, shrinking, or stretching. 5/5 would definitely recommend. You will not regret buying this mask!" —Espinosa
Get it from Amazon for $8.48 (available in two colors).
3. A pair of compression socks — they're gonna have you swelling with gratitude when you realize your legs aren't swelling when you reach altitude.
Read more about compression socks and long flights at Cleveland Clinic.
My colleague wrote a full review all about why pregnant, athletic, and traveling people swear by these socks.
Promising review: "I have been traveling almost every week for business for the past six years and about five years in I realized my legs would often hurt after some longer flights. I am 29 years old was very worried about having pains in my leg already. I was told by my physician to try to wear compression socks while flying.
After using this product for many months and wearing them on a few international flight, I have to say this is definitely worth the money! They are very comfortable and do not feel too suffocating while on longer flights. I have worn them upwards of 24 hours without a problem or need to want to remove them.This did help tremendously with my leg pain after flights and I highly recommend this product to anyone that is looking for a good pair of compression socks!" —Lopa Desai
Get them from Amazon for $7.66+ (available in 18 colors and three sizes).
4. A pair of Bose QuietComfort Wireless Bluetooth Headphones that'll let you turn on your tunes and tune out the mouth sounds of the overzealous snacker you're sitting beside.
Promising review: "These new Bose headphones are seriously impressive! The noise cancellation is like wearing your own little bubble of peace – whether you're in a noisy office or plane. And the battery life? It's so good! I've used them for hours without needing to charge, which is awesome for traveling. But let's keep it simple: the sound quality rocks. It's clear, it's crisp, and it's just plain awesome. Plus, they're super comfy to wear for long periods, which is a big plus! Overall, if you want headphones that make the world quieter and keep going forever, these headphones are totally worth it, 10/10." —Stephen Gangemi
Get them from Amazon for $249 (available in four colors).
5. A compact trash bin sure to save your upholstery from suckers, soda bottles, and all the other sticky substances your kids sneak into the car on your family vacation. Despite what your child thinks...cupholders are not, in fact, tiny trash cans.
This 1.85-gallon trashcan has adjustable straps and a waterproof interior, and it's leakproof!
Promising review: "This is a very convenient addition to my car and fits perfectly without being in the way of passengers in the second row seating area. I highly recommend. Fits easily in vehicles that have a center armrest in the front passenger seating area. Universal fit." —Paula D. Thomas
Get it from Amazon for $8.39+ (available in two sizes).
6. Dramamine can ease your mind (and your stomach) if you get queasy just thinking about all the twists and turns traveling can take. Plus, this formula won't make you too tired to enjoy the ride!
Promising review: "I was SUPER stoked when they made a less drowsy version! The original put me out! I get motion sick sooo easy even when driving and it slows me down to the point I can’t drive the hour to see family and hour away. With this formula It helps calm my stomach, my mind, and my anxiety while helping me stay awake and happy on my trips! Will recommend to anyone! A lot of my friends take it!" —Autumn Williams
Get eight tablets from Amazon for $3.97.
7. A clear TSA-approved toiletry bag that'll make your scandalous liquids easily visible and accessible at security.
Promising review: "This bag held surprisingly more than expected. I put tiny travel jars for my skincare creams and other small toiletries in it with room to spare. I definitely feel like it was easier to pack and was also easy to grab out of my bag for security. It feels sturdy with nice, thick vinyl. The double zipper moved easily, and I was pleased that it opened completely for ease of getting the items I needed out of it." —Mrs M Tate
Get it from Amazon for $13.99+ (available in 11 colors).
8. A pack of homeopathic jet-lag pills — they may keep you from sleeping through your vacation, no matter how late your red-eye is.
Each pack has 32 pills.
Promising review: "My husband and I have used this product now for five years for multiple trips overseas and these really work. How do we know? We've forgotten to use them on a couple of legs and there has been a night/day difference in our energy levels. We use precisely as directed, setting timers on our phone when possible to remember the doses. On a few occasions we've slept through the timer, so missed the timing of a couple of doses, and we've been fine. Our last trip to Australia was 34 hours door-to-door on the outbound. We would have been a complete wreck without these. As it was, we arrived late morning, remained awake and lively (enough) through dinner, and then got a good night's sleep. The next day we felt as good as new. For the years before I used this, I would need to sleep for a few days after a leg like that. We never travel without this now. I highly recommend this product." —motokat
Get a pack of 32 from Amazon for $14.89.
9. A packing check list you can look at while on the road — keeping you confident that everything you need is packed up and on vacation with you. Don't stress, your shampoo is safe in your suitcase!
Promising review: "I hate making lists trying to figure out what I need, and this is PERFECT for trying to figure that out. It has a lot more on the checklist than I would ever take on a trip, but it does accommodate for every kind of trip, from a simple vacation across state lines to a business trip, to a wedding halfway around the world. I'm pretty pleased!" —Alyssa Kauffman
Get it from Amazon for $7+ (available in three styles).
10. A pack of shoe bags for keeping your potentially stinky shoes from touching your perfectly pressed clothes while packing up. The thought of smelling like a shoebox while on your trip would make any anxious person extra uncomfortable — I'm speaking from experience here.
Promising review: "I use these to store my shoes when I pack them in my luggage. Then when I have dirty clothes, I also use the bags to keep them away from my clean clothes. These bags are sturdy, clear, and the pull ties are long if you need to hang them from somewhere." —Ava
Get a set of 12 from Amazon for $15.99.
11. A stick-on shade to block the sun's bright rays and *hopefully* make nap time easier in the back seat. A road trip sans toddler temper tantrums is about as comfortable as things get. Ask any parent!
12. A memory foam cushion for keeping your rear in gear on particularly long drives. Keep your tush happy and comfortable through every bump in the road!
Promising review: "I bought this cushion in preparation for a transatlantic flight to Europe. It did not disappoint. Over 5,000 miles one way and my back and buttocks were still comfortable. Who knew that one layer of memory foam in the right shape could make so much difference! I thought the cushion was a little pricey but I am glad I made the investment. I have used it in my car as well. The only down side I have noted is that sometimes depending on the seat you are using it on...it may apply more pressure on the backs of your legs than was comfortable for me. I coped with this in the car by tilting the car seat a little to ease the pressure and on the plane by scooting the cushion forward just a little. All in all, this was a great buy. If you use it for air travel; remember to wear your compression socks." —TXNonni
Get it from Amazon for $25.20+ (available in three styles).
13. A foot hammock to help you hang in there when you're feeling de-feet-ed by a particularly long flight or train ride.
You're about to have a real ~leg up~ when it comes to traveling in comfort.
Promising review: "Fabulous product. I had no idea this existed. This literally saved my legs going from San Francisco to Zurich in economy class. I’m just under 5' tall and I struggle with my legs as my feet don’t reach the floor without having to slouch. This was the best product and I wasn’t restless, numb or constantly shifting my legs to get comfortable. I would recommend for anyone who struggles for leg comfort (regardless of height) on flights." —Mama Gootsie
Get it from Amazon for $14.95.
14. A flight flap that's moldable, durable, and basically as thin as a piece of paper. This can hold everything from a Kindle to an iPhone — keeping your electronics perfectly in place.
Promising review: "This is the ultimate must-have for long plane rides. It's moldable so you can literally make it fit ANYWHERE! It is also strong and when you're done, you can easily just flatten it back out and toss it in your bag. It doesn't weigh anything and it's only about as thick as a thin piece of cardboard so it can live in a purse, backpack, or even be used as a big bookmark. I love this things. Now I just have to find out how many folds it's good for!" —Kasey Cassone
Get it from Amazon for $10.99+ (available in five styles).
15. A passport wallet sure to help those of us who have a habit of losing passports and important papers the minute we book a flight. Use this and give yourself some peace of mind when you travel – all of your papers are *finally* in one organized place.
Promising review: "I absolutely love this wallet. This holds everything I need in one place (boarding pass, passport, ID, credit cards, money, checked baggage tickets, receipts, etc.) without looking bulky. It's just amazing! I definitely recommend to anyone who travels a lot." —Anthony Luu
Get it from Amazon for $13.99+ (available in 31 colors).
16. A pair of TSLA leggings that'll feel super comfortable, and NOT be see-through. So go ahead, bend down and shove your luggage under the seat in front of you without worrying about showing off your undies.
Promising review: "I never take the time to write reviews and I order off Amazon all the time. I am a Lululemon fanatic and particularly love the Align pant (which retails for $85+) but can't afford or rationalize buying tons of them. I'm always on the hunt for a good yoga pant and I found these the other day and ordered them in size small, and these remind me of the Align pant so much! They are cut almost identical, but the fabric is a little stiffer. This isn't a bad thing; the Align pant is almost too buttery soft and it pills and gets caught on everything. There is slight compression with these and mine aren't see-through (even when squatting). I love love love these and am going to order several more. I actually kinda want to cry thinking about how much money I wasted on the pants at when these are an excellent substitute for a fraction of the cost." —Ariel Parker
Get them from Amazon for $9.97+ (available in sizes XS–XXL and in 43 colors).
17. An inflatable wedge pillow to give you some personal space (albeit, minimal) and help you sleep soundly even when you're stuck in the middle seat.
18. A travel Poo-Pourri that's small, subtle, and ready to save you from feeling down in the ~dumps~ when you really need to use the airplane toilet and know there's a line of people outside who are trying to not think about why you're taking so long.
19. A Burt's Bees travel pack with just about everything your skin is gonna need on your next flight (hand lotion, body lotion, lip balm, and a foot cream). That recirculated air is gonna try and do a number on your skin, but you're gonna be ready!
Promising review: "This is great for a gifting with a $10 limit. I would never have tried these products if I didn't receive this as a gift and I'm really glad I got the chance to try it. Now I'm purchasing this for a holiday gift exchange this year. The foot cream works wonders on the heels. It has a thick consistency and it's a bit greasy, so it may be hard to put on, but it'll be worth it in the end for those baby soft heels. I just put socks on for 15 minutes while I wait for my skin to absorb it. The lotion and chapstick are also great to have for travel, in the office, or in your purse." —Kerrrns
Get it from Amazon for $14.53.
20. And a snail jelly face mask that uses actual snail secretion filtrates to help repair your skin and ~emphasize its natural radiance~ — this'll feel luxurious no matter how sluggish you're feeling on your next flight.
Promising review: "This mask cleared up years of acne scarring, leaving me with soft, bright beautiful skin. It also reduced the amount of acne I had overall from a bunch of new acne each day to virtually done." —Amazon Customer
Get a pack of 10 from Amazon for $21.95.
21. A set of decibel-reducing noise-canceling earplugs — these are gonna be great if you still wanna hear the overhead announcements but would rather not be stuck drowning in white noise the entire flight.
Promising review: "These are genius little ear plugs. After a transcontinental flight across the US and various shorter flights of two to four hours over the last six months, I can say that these little plugs are the most comfortable I have ever found. They're even more comfortable than foamies. These plugs dull necessary sound less than foamies, so I hear better without all the noise. My ears are comfortable the entire flight. I've never seen anything better, and I’ve been flying for 50 years." –Oldma
Get them from Amazon for $28.95+ (available in four colors).
22. A small charger sure to give you peace of mind when you couldn't get a direct flight and have to basically use the blueprints of each airport to find your gate at every layover.
Promising review: "I bought the PowerCore initially for an international trip and used it multiple times a day for seven days in a row. This can fit into your pocket! Whenever my phone got to 50% or so, I would top it off. I was able to do this at least twice a day without even getting the PowerCore to 50% itself. This really made my traveling much easier. I was able to explore the country and not worry about finding a place to charge, so walking 7.5 miles in a single day did not involve a single stop into a Starbucks to charge my phone." —J Wall
Get it from Amazon for $16.98.
23. A bottle of melatonin sleep gummies for travelers who have high anxiety up in the air and would far rather be dreaming than dreading upcoming turbulence.
Promising review: "This is the best melatonin I have ever used. I think it's the combination of the ingredients that sends me into a peaceful sleep.
Take two of these on an airplane and you can actually get some rest on long-haul flights!" —J. D. Hammer
Get a bottle of 50 from Amazon for $12.88.
24. An essential oil roll-on stick made with peppermint, spearmint, and lavender essential oils. You can apply this on your neck and pressure points when the fellow snoring beside you isn't the *only* pain in the neck you experience during your flight.
Read more about aromatherapy and stress and tension at Johns Hopkins.
Promising review: "My wife has chronic migraines, nearly every day. This migraine headache stick roll-on is the first thing she grabs when her migraines strike her. She has found it to be one of the most effective relievers she has and relies on it almost daily. I am reordering now because she literally doesn't want to be without it. Only this time I'm purchasing two of them so that she can have one at home and one in her purse. If you have headaches and need relief, you should give it a try." —Denny L.
Get it from Amazon for $12.95.
25. An anti-nausea pack with 14 pressure point pads and a pair of wristbands that just might save you from ralphing up your complementary in-flight meal.
Read more about acupressure and nausea at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Promising review: "I love that these came with patches and wrist bands. I wanted to try both but didn't want to spend a bunch of money for them not to work. I took these on a recent trip where I spent more than 24 hours on a plane and also rode up and down mountains on dirt paths that masquerade as roads. The patches smell a little weird at first, but they are easy to use and I found they worked – even after having them on for about 24 hours and hitting bad turbulence. I was skeptical of the bands, but they worked! After wearing them for a while, my hands felt a little funny and I took them off. Both the patches and the bands helped me ward off motion sickness." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $6.99+ (available in two pack sizes).
26.A Kindle Paperwhite you can easily keep in your bag, letting you read dozens of novels without bulky books taking up luggage space.
27. And finally, a tin of perky mints with a strong taste that'll distract stressed out travelers, freshen your breath, and keep you in ~mint~ condition the entire time you travel.
Promising review: "We love these little tins of mints and the awesome artwork on them. They are perfect to give to friends and family as a little fun treat as there are tin designs to suit everyone – It won’t be difficult to find the right tin to fit whomever you are giving them to! The price is very reasonable and everyone I have bought them for has been so delighted with them." —Janis Totham-Davies
Get it from Amazon for $5.95.
Time to fly off on your next adventure!