The Best Travel Gifts

For starters, noise-canceling headphones are one of the best travel gifts, because you never know if the airline will give you a free pair or if there will be a crying baby next to you. After trying out several, the Bose QuietComfort Wireless Noise comes out on top.

After the lost luggage saga, AirTags have become must-have gadgets that travellers love to carry. A great combo for the best travel gifts is to pair these AirTags with a stylish suitcase like Monos.

Then there are storage cubes to keep everything organized, a dry bag to keep things dry on kayak trips or days at the beach, and handy soap sheets.

There are also laundry detergent sheets, which are perfect for people who like to travel light!

Compression bags are another alternative to packing cubes. They can help save space on the way back; compressing dirty laundry will free up room for souvenirs!

I also like to have a small portable scale with me so I don’t have to struggle at the airport when my bag is close to the weight limit.

In addition to the standard packing cubes, this funny packing bag is one of the best travel gifts, as it will make people smile.

Shampoo bars and quick-drying microfibre towels are also very useful, as I only travel with carry-on luggage.

When it comes to electronics, the best travel gifts include a compact power bar and extension cord, a universal adapter, and a portable charger. Having a fully charged battery will always make your trip more enjoyable! For those who love to read, my top pick is the Kindle Paperwhite, which truly feels like reading a real book.

Likewise, a portable, waterproof Bluetooth speaker is very useful, whether you want to listen to music on the beach or on the terrace of your Maldivian waterfront villa.

As a mom, I especially appreciated receiving a Kidco PeaPod and a portable chair. The Kidco PeaPod is a tent that folds up and easily fits into my carry-on luggage. Thanks to it, I never had to worry about the availability of cribs while travelling.

Similarly, the portable chair was perfect for the many picnics we went on and when we couldn’t find a high chair. The Baby Jogger stroller we received is also one of our favourite travel gifts, as we aim never to check a piece of luggage.

Whenever I’m on vacation, I love taking photos and writing about my experiences in journals. In fact, reading about all the adventures I’ve had and flipping through my physical photo albums is a wonderful way to relive those cherished memories and emotions. These are some of the best travel gifts, because you can relive them countless times.

Over the years, I’ve found my favourite pens: FriXion erasable pens. I love being able to write in ink (since pencils can be messy) and make corrections without scribbling in my journal. Plus, the ink is refillable.

I also like to keep ticket stubs, boarding passes and so on. That’s why a keepsake box can be a good idea; I have one for paper souvenirs and another for little trinkets like key rings and magnets that aren’t on my fridge.

The travelling artist will no doubt love the watercolor painting set and sketchbook; they don’t take up much space and are light enough to carry around the world.

Finally, the most obvious and easiest way to remember your travels is to take photos. The Instax instant camera and Instax printer are among the best travel gifts I’ve ever received, because they allow you to take old-fashioned photos in this digital age.

I have both and although the Instax Printer is more convenient because you can print your photos when you get home, the quality is better when you take the photo directly with the Instax Instant Camera.

I hang my Instax photos on this nice Umbra cord frame and I switch them out from time to time. Don’t forget to get some extra film!

If most people take photos with their phones while travelling, you can also offer them a phone upgrade; if you do, don’t forget to check out current points promotions and go through a shopping portal!

As far as the camera is concerned, a lightweight camera such as the Fujifilm X-T4 Mirrorless Camera will be one of the best travel gifts for the budding photographer.

What’s more, a Gorilla Pod is a great addition to any photographer’s camera or non-camera bag; this tripod can also work with phones.

Then, if you want to go further, a DJI Mini 3 drone will certainly be appreciated by those who love landscape photography!

Some might say that a GoPro Hero 12 makes a better travel gift than a DJI Mini 3 drone, but it really depends on the person you’re shopping for. While the GoPro Hero 12 is better suited for adrenaline seekers and water sports enthusiasts, I would personally prefer to receive a DJI Mini 3 drone to capture stunning landscapes during my travels.

While all travellers prefer to explore rather than stay in one place, the best travel gifts are those that will inspire them and help them pursue their dream until it becomes a reality.

At the start of my travels, I received a beautiful scratch-off world map, and to this day, I still love tracking my progress on it. There are many different sizes to choose from.

A cork globe or cork map on which you can pin your past and future travels are also excellent options.

On my office wall, I like to look at my world map decor and my travel-themed decorations. You can find all sorts of wall decor and canvases there.

What’s more, airline amenity kits make excellent travel gifts for AvGeeks and people who love branded items; I use my beloved SWISS First Class kit as a pencil case!

When you’re at home, you can also read about places you’ve never heard of; it’s one of the best travel gifts, and you can do it with one of Lonely Planet’s many inspirational books.

When planning a trip, Ulysse travel guides always make a great gift. They’re filled with beautiful images and inspiring information for your next getaway. In our home, there’s always one on our coffee table in case we need a little mental escape during the day.

For new parents, the best travel gift for their upcoming trips would be the BBJetLag Parents’ Travel Guide. This book is packed with everything you need to know for planning a trip with little ones.

Before travelling, I also like to refresh my language skills or learn new ones. The ideal gift for photo enthusiasts would be books to improve their skills while waiting for their next trip, or an online learning course with Babbel.

Finally, aviation enthusiasts will also appreciate the Air France 90th Anniversary Collection.

From experience, the best travel gift you can give is the trip itself. If you can afford it, the simple act of offering a trip will make that person happy.

You might also consider giving a NEXUS membership, as it allows travellers to skip the lines at security and customs. Although it can be a bit challenging to book an appointment to complete the registration, it’s still possible to cross the border with that person.

Another way to offer travel benefits is with a secondary credit card. For example, my husband sometimes travels without me. The only way for him to be covered by the National Bank World Elite Mastercard^® travel insurance, which is excellent, was to get him a secondary card. While it’s a great gift, don’t forget that you’re responsible for their expenses!

The best travel gifts can be hard to find, as travellers usually just dream about their next vacation. But, from experience, they need lots of little things here and there to make their trip more comfortable.

Then, when they’re home, globetrotters enjoy the little things to keep working towards their next travel goal. We hope this article has given you lots of ideas.

And don’t forget that, since most of these items can be purchased on Amazon, the most cost-effective strategy is to use gift cards to pay for your purchases!

Indeed, if you buy Amazon gift cards at participating grocery stores with the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card, you can earn up to 5 Scene+ points per dollar, rather than 1 point by paying directly with your card (depending on the spending category and purchase location).