When packing, there are things we all reach for: toiletries, clothes, shoes. But then there are also various travel accessories some of us would never leave home without. The small things we wouldn’t consider as essential as, say, our passports, but nonetheless make travel easier. Things that solve (or at least lessen) the little problems that pop up along the way—like sleeping in uncomfortable airplane seats, dealing with tangled cords, or reducing single-use plastic waste.
At AFAR, our staff has spent many hours searching for and testing travel accessories that help us along every leg of the journey—many of which are sustainably made, several from small businesses. This list reflects our tried-and-true favorites, the items that, now we’ve traveled with them, we never leave home without.
Whether you’re hopping on a plane to a far-flung destination, or taking a short road trip close to home, consider packing these essential travel accessories.
Courtesy of Matador
Matador Refillable Toothpaste Tubes
- Problem it solves: Buying single-use travel-size tubes
- Buy now: $10 for two, matadorequipment.com; containerstore.com
Sick of buying those tiny plastic tubes of toothpaste and tossing them after just a few uses, but don’t like the texture of chewable toothpaste tablets? Thankfully, travel gear brand Matador came up with a brilliant ecofriendly alternative. This set of reusable toothpaste tubes comes with a one-week capacity tube and a larger two-week capacity tube that can be filled (and refilled) infinitely with the Crest or Colgate you keep at home. Just remove the sliding clip at the back end, add toothpaste to the “max fill” line, fold at the “fold line” and replace the clip. The sliding clip can be a little finicky to use at first, but once you do it a few times, it gets much easier.
Courtesy of Amazon
Anker 3-in-1 737 Charger
- Problem it solves: Packing multiple charging bricks for your electronics
- Buy now: $80, anker.com; amazon.com
Whether you’re traveling or simply bringing your laptop to the local coffee shop, this charging brick from Anker has three ports—two USB-C and one USB-A. That means you can charge your computer, iPhone, and one more device all at the same time so you don’t have to pack multiple charging bricks.
Courtesy of Amazon
Carbon Monoxide Detector
- Problem it solves: Protect yourself from carbon monoxide poisoning while traveling
- Buy now: $23, amazon.com
Although many states require carbon monoxide detectors to be installed in private residences, not all hotels are required to have such safeguards in place. To be safe, pack a plug-in model with battery backup like the Kidde Carbon Monoxide Detector. It’s about the size of a (very thick) iPhone, so it doesn’t take up too much space in a carry-on. The Kidde emits four beeps in quick succession when it detects CO, while other carbon monoxide detectors may have verbal alerts. (A smoke alarm will sound different; it might have a three-beep pattern, for example.)
Courtesy of Trtl
Trtl Travel Pillow
- Problem it solves: Sleeping comfortably on planes, trains, and long car rides
- Buy now: $45 (was $50), trtltravel.com
Finding a travel pillow that actually works can be tricky, but several AFAR editors swear by the Trtl travel pillow. Any qualms about looking silly instantly disappear as soon as you use this ergonomically designed travel pillow (which keeps your head from bobbing around). “It feels a little strange putting it on the first time and sort of looks like a neck brace,” said Rosalie Tinelli, AFAR’s former senior audience development manager. “But who cares how it looks when you’re getting peaceful sleep on an airplane and waking up with zero neck stiffness?”
Available in a variety of colors, as well as a kids’ version (ages 8+), and an adjustable, more-breathable Trtl Pillow Plus, this travel pillow is easily one of our favorites.
Courtesy of Amazon
Travel Pill Case
- Problem it solves: Packing bulky bottles of over-the-counter medicine
- Buy now: $6, amazon.com; $22, mypillypal.com
Plenty of products go viral on TikTok, but these compact pill cases that act as a portable pharmacy are probably one of the most practical items to get millions of views on the video-sharing platform. Instead of packing a dopp kit with multiple bottles of Tylenol, Dramamine, and other over-the-counter meds, these space-saving pill cases let you decant them into eight small sections. Just be sure to label the sections so you tell your vitamins apart from your other meds.
Courtesy of Apple
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation)
- Problem it solves: Noisy public spaces
- Buy now: $200 (was $249), amazon.com
You may have already heard rave reviews of Apple’s AirPods Pro for everyday use, but they’re also fantastic travel headphones. These compact, cordless earbuds come with travel-friendly features like noise-cancellation, a 30-hour battery life, and flexible silicone tips that help the earbuds stay in your ear (and not, say, lost inside your airplane seat).
Courtesy of Eagle Creek
Eagle Creek Pack-It Packing Cubes
- Problem it solves: Staying organized on the go
- Buy now: Pack-It Starter Set, $41 (was $55), eaglecreek.com
If you’re not a packing cube convert yet, give it a go: The cubes really do keep the contents of your luggage neat, folded, and well organized. Although there are many options to choose from, several AFAR editors cite Eagle Creek’s popular Pack-It packing cube system as their go-to choice. The starter set comes with a garment folder, a medium-size cube, and a small cube. Added bonus: Eagle Creek designs its products to have minimal negative environmental impact by keeping them PVC free and incorporating recycled materials.
Courtesy of Twelve South
Twelve South AirFly Pro
- Problem it solves: Having to use wired headphones to watch airplane movies
- Buy now: $55, twelvesouth.com; amazon.com
It’s possible to use wireless headphones to watch movies on in-seat screens on airplanes with the Twelve South AirFly Pro wireless transmitter. It plugs into the headphone jack in airplane seats and sends audio signals via Bluetooth to your headphones. (It also works as an AUX IN adapter in a rental car.) It has a 16-hour battery life and is roughly the size of a matchbox.
Courtesy of Baggu
Baggu 3D Zip Set
- Problem it solves: Keeping your dirty shoes separate from everything else
- Buy now: $36 for three, baggu.com
If the thought of letting the crud on the soles of your shoes come into contact with your clean clothes, your toiletry bag, or even a hat inside your luggage makes you queasy, invest in travel shoe bags. The quickest fix—that you likely already have in your home—are plastic grocery bags or large Ziplocs. But there are a few sturdier and more sustainable options like the Baggu 3D Zip Set. Made from recycled ripstop nylon, this trio of zip pouches can fit a variety of items. But the medium and large pouches are perfectly sized for stashing flip-flops, flats, and even sneakers. (The small pouch is best for organizing toiletries or charging cords.)
Courtesy of Matador
Matador FlatPak Toiletry Bottle
- Problem it solves: Leaky, single-use travel containers for gels, liquids, and creams
- Buy now: $14 for one, $38 for three; matadorequipment.com
Rather than buy disposable, travel-size toiletries that might leak or explode in your bag, invest in good-quality reusable bottles for your lotions, shampoo, soap, and other liquids. For this, AFAR contributor Maggie Fuller recommends the Matador FlatPack toiletry bottles, which—despite the name—look more like little bags. These TSA-approved, three-ounce bottles are compact, leak-proof, and easy to squish into your toiletry bag.
Courtesy of This Is Ground
This is Ground Cord Taco
- Problem it solves: Tangled cords taking over your bag
- Buy now: $25 for three, etsy.com
Whether it’s headphones or chargers, we all travel with cords that all too easily tangle into knots or with each other and other small items in our bag. To keep them in order, AFAR editor at large Laura Dannen Redman recommends the Cord Tacos by This is Ground. Handmade in Los Angeles, these tiny leather “tacos” wrap around your cords and snap closed to keep them neat and coiled up on the go.
Courtesy of Asutra
Asutra Eye Pillow
- Problem it solves: Sleeping comfortably, wherever you are
- Buy now: $20, asutra.com; amazon.com
The Asutra Eye Pillow is ideal for when you’re trying to sleep on a plane or in a too-bright hotel room. It’s made with ultra-comfortable silk, it blocks out all light (so it won’t matter if your seatmate insists on reading the whole flight), and it’s filled with lavender and flax seeds, giving the effect of a calming weighted blanket for your face. You might want to wear this one every night—even when your PTO days have come to end.
Courtesy of Amazon
Vapur Anti-Bottle Water Bottle
- Problem it solves: Staying hydrated on the go
- Buy now: from $9, amazon.com
Packing a reusable water bottle to stay hydrated while reducing waste is a no brainer these days. For those of us who don’t need a bulky 32-ounce bottle taking up precious room in our carry-ons, the Vapur Anti-Bottle—a BPA-free plastic water pouch that can roll up into practically nothing when empty—is a must pack item.
Travel Tube Blanket
- Problem it solves: Cold airplanes, trains, or destinations
- Buy now: $64, etsy.com
Why pack a blanket and a scarf when you can have a blanket scarf? To keep warm on planes, dining outside, and everywhere in between, reach for one of the versatile blanket scarves by Seattle-based and women-owned Travel Tube Blankets. Made from a soft, stretchy knit fabric, the Classic Travel Tube Blanket can be worn like an infinity scarf when rolled up. Unraveled, it transforms into a 4.5-foot-long, tube-like blanket (kind of like a sleeping bag without the bottom seam) or a shawl to toss over your shoulders.
Courtesy of Aesop
Aesop Resurrection Rinse-Free Hand Mist
- Problem it solves: Germy public spaces
- Buy now: $13, nordstrom.com, aesop.com
Hand sanitizer has always been an essential travel accessory, but it is even more so following the COVID pandemic. Fortunately for travelers, Australian brand Aesop has a spray version of its popular Resurrection Rinse-Free Hand Wash. Featuring the same refreshing citrus scent, this alcohol-based sanitizer also contains aloe vera so your hands don’t dry out.
Courtesy of Snow Peak
Snow Peak Reusable Utensils
- Problem it solves: Relying on single-use plastic cutlery on the road
- Buy now: Titanium Fork and Spoon Set, $27, snowpeak.com; Wabuki Chopsticks, $50, snowpeak.com
Reusable utensils may not be the first thing you reach for when packing, but they can be surprisingly handy—for takeout, picnics, or eating an emergency pack of ramen in a hotel room after all the restaurants have shut for the night. “I always pack my Snow Peak cutlery set, while my husband takes their collapsible chopsticks, so we can skip the disposable utensils,” says Jessie Beck, AFAR’s associate director, SEO, product & video. Both come with a dedicated carrying case so you can keep your utensils separate from the rest of the things in your bag.
Courtesy of Amazon
Epicka Universal Travel Adapter
- Problem it solves: Charging electronics in other countries
- Buy now: $23, amazon.com
For international travel, a universal travel adapter is a must-have accessory. This compact one from Epicka comes with plugs that you can use in more than 150 countries, including the United States, Australia, England, and most of those in the EU. With an AC socket, four USB-A ports, and one USB-C port, it also lets you charge up to six devices at once—saving you the need for multiple adapters.
Courtesy of Blue Lagoon Iceland
BL+ the Cream
- Problem it solves: Dry airplane air wreaking havoc on your skin
- Buy now: $85, skincare.bluelagoon.com
Prevent feeling like a dried out husk on your next long flight by layering on an ultra rich face cream like the BL+ the Cream from Blue Lagoon Iceland. It’s made with microalgae and silica sourced from the same geothermal source as those famous blue pools. The travel-friendly 15-ml pot may be pricey—but a little goes a long way.
This article was originally published in 2021; it was updated on December 14, 2023, with new information.
Lyndsey Matthews
Lyndsey Matthews is the senior commerce editor at AFAR who covers travel gear, packing advice, and points and loyalty.
