It’s not always easy to find the best travel gifts, because travelers often want to live in the moment and collect memories. Therefore, the best travel gifts will be exactly that:
As a seasoned traveler, here are the best travel gifts I’ve received (and thoroughly enjoyed) or wish I’d received. Don’t forget to also check out the Milesopedia team’s favorite travel accessories for more ideas, or our selection of products on our Amazon page.
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 are now the gadgets of the moment that travelers love to have. A good combination for the best travel gifts would be to pair these AirTags with a beautiful 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 storage cubes. They can be useful for saving space on the way home; compressed dirty laundry will make 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 are a compact power bar and extension cord, a universal adapter and a portable charger; a fully charged battery will always make your trip more enjoyable! For people who love to read, a favorite for me is the Kindle Paperwhite, which gives the impression of 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 particularly enjoyed receiving a Kidco PeaPod and a portable chair. The Kidco PeaPod is a tent that folds and slips easily into my hand luggage. Thanks to it, I’ve never had to worry about the availability of cribs when I’m out and about.
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 favorite travel gifts, as we aim never to check a piece of luggage.
Whenever I’m on vacation, I like to take photos and write about my experiences in journals. Indeed, reading about my adventures and browsing through my physical photo albums is a wonderful way to bring back those wonderful memories and emotions. These are the best travel gifts, because you’ll be able to relive them countless times.
Over the years, I have found my favorite pens, namely the FriXion erasable pens; I love writing in ink (because pencils are messy) and being able to make corrections without scribbling in my journal. Additionally, 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 traveling 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. TheInstax instant camera andInstax 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 pretty Umbra cord frame and alternate them from time to time. Don’t forget to buy extra film!
If most people take photos with their phones while traveling, 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 would argue that a GoPro Hero 12 would make a better travel gift than a DJI Mini 3 drone, but that depends on who you want to please. While the GoPro Hero 12 is best suited to adrenaline and water sports enthusiasts, I’d prefer to receive a DJI Mini 3 drone to capture breathtaking landscapes on my travels.
While all travelers 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 superb scratch-off map of the world and, to this day, I still love recording my progress on it. There are many 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 love to look at my world map decor and travel-themed decorations. You can find all kinds of wall decorations and canvases here.
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 you’re planning a trip, Ulysses guides are always a great gift; they’re filled with beautiful images and inspiring information for your next getaway. In our household, there’s always one on our coffee table, just in case we need a little daily mental escape.
As for new parents, the best travel gift for their future travels would be BBJetLag‘s Parent Traveler’s Guide. This book contains everything you need to know about planning a trip with little ones.
Before traveling, 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. It includes notebooks, luggage tags, refrigerator magnets, coffee mugs, fabric keychains, and cute tote bags.
Some people like to give away lottery tickets; if you’re thinking of doing so, we have a better idea for the traveler in your life: Passport to a Dream raffle tickets! All proceeds go to Opération Enfant Soleil.
The winner of the first ticket drawn will win the ‘Grand Prize’ worth $172,000 in travel credits, including:
The Grand Prize winner can choose between a $112, 000 prize or $25,000 in cash!
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.
Certain Aeroplan Elite members can offer a Aeroplan status pass to a friend for a travel reservation.
If this person often flies, this will be one of the best travel gifts you can give them, as they’ll benefit from many interesting advantages such as:
When you offer a Status Pass, the person does not have to travel with you to enjoy all these benefits. The Status Pass is a benefit you can choose if you are a 50K member or more.
You might also consideroffering a NEXUS membership, as this will help bypass the queues at security checks and customs. Although it’s a bit difficult to get an appointment to finalize the registration, it’s still possible to get across the border with this 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 theNational 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!
Finally, whether your loved one needs help setting up their itinerary or earning/using points on their next trip, a mentoring session with one of Milesopedia’s experts is one of the best travel gifts you can give. With our vast experience, we can certainly help them improve their travels in more ways than one.
The best travel gifts can be hard to find, as travelers 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!
In fact, if you buy Amazon gift cards in grocery stores with an American Express Cobalt card, you’ll earn 5X the points, rather than 1X by paying directly with your card!
The benefits of the sea for your morale are well proven. Airline tickets as a gift are rarely a bad idea! Our travel guide for a long weekend in Miami will give you tips on how to plan this wonderful surprise.
If this person likes to travel light by plane, a quality piece of carry-on luggage is sure to be appreciated, as well as compression bags to be able to pack as much as possible.
An external battery for laptop and phone would be an ideal gift for long sea trips. And a practical waterproof backpack to avoid unpleasant surprises.
Knowing the person’s tastes can help you choose the perfect gift. Personalize it and offer them an experience that will remain engraved in their memory.
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