Best gifts for travelers: must-have picks for the 2025 holidays
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The holiday season is drawing near and this is the time of year when travelers either need gift ideas or finally treat themselves to something useful. The goal is simple:
- Keep it practical and packable.
- Choose things that make travel easier, smoother, and a little more fun.
So I’ve refreshed last year’s best gifts for travelers list with the gear I relied on this year. I’ve also added a few items that I saw other travelers swear by during our tours.
Here’s the result: a new list of the best gifts for your favorite traveler this 2025 holiday season.
If you want the quick version, start with these picks.
Quick summary
Here are my picks for the best travel gifts for 2025 — below you’ll find full descriptions and real-world recommendations based on gear I used or saw this year.
| Gift | Best for |
|---|---|
| AirTags / Chipolo One Point | Knowing exactly where your luggage is at all times |
| Kindle Paperwhite | Travelers who love reading but pack light |
| Compression packing cubes | Making the most of every inch of packing space |
| GorillaPod Phone Tripod | Rock-steady smartphone shots for travel photos & videos |
| Collapsible Water Bottle | Day trips, walking tours, and packing light |
| Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones | Peaceful flights, even when the cabin isn’t |
Tech & gadgets for travelers
Smart, packable electronics that make travel easier. Use the links below to jump to each item’s full description.
AirTags (Apple) / Chipolo One Point (Android)
If you’ve ever waited at baggage claim wondering if your suitcase made the connection, a good tracking tag can save a lot of stress.
I keep one in my travel backpack, one in my daypack, and one tucked into my camera bag — and if I ever checked a suitcase, I’d slip one in there too. They take up almost no space and give you instant peace of mind.
Apple users will appreciate the seamless experience of AirTags. Android travelers get the same reliability from the Chipolo One Point, which pairs cleanly with Google’s Find My Device network.
Why travelers love it:
- Helps locate lost luggage
- Easy setup
- Long battery life
- Works seamlessly with iPhone
- Lightweight and discreet
Anker 20,000 mAh power bank
Travel days drain batteries fast. This Anker power bank charges phones, earbuds, and even tablets without taking up much space. It stays within airline regulations and has enough capacity to get you through long flights and back-to-back tours.
Why travelers love it:
- High-capacity charging
- Airline-safe size
- Reliable brand
- Fast-charging ports
- Great for long travel days
Kindle Paperwhite
A Kindle is one of the easiest ways to lighten your travel load. Instead of packing multiple books — or carrying a heavier, power-hungry tablet — the Paperwhite gives you an entire library that fits in a jacket pocket.
The adjustable lighting makes it great for flights, hotel evenings, and quiet mornings with coffee. And the battery lasts long enough that you won’t need to charge it every night.
Why travelers love it:
- Lightweight
- Great battery life
- Perfect for beach or pool
- Adjustable lighting
- Ideal for flights
Traveler essentials
Practical gear that solves real problems on the road (or in the air!). These quick links take you to each item’s details.
Compression packing cubes
Compression cubes turn packing into a simple, organized system. They’re great for fitting more into a carry-on or keeping outfits sorted on multi-stop trips.
They work so well that it’s easy to squeeze in more than you planned — and that can lead to a heavier bag. Saving space isn’t the same as saving weight, so keep an eye on your luggage before check-in.
Used smartly, they keep everything tidy and make unpacking at hotels a lot easier.
Why travelers love them:
- Great for trips with multiple stops
- Saves space in carry-on or checked bags
- Keeps clothes organized
- Helps separate outfits or clean/dirty laundry
- Makes unpacking quick
Collapsible water bottle
A collapsible water bottle is one of those small pieces of gear that quietly earns its place in your bag. It’s perfect for day trips, walking tours, long layovers, and destinations where tap water is clean and easy to refill. When it’s empty, it folds or rolls down so it doesn’t take up valuable space in your pack.
It’s lightweight, eco-friendly, and saves you from buying overpriced bottled water at airports or tourist hotspots.
Why travelers love it:
- Packs down small when empty
- Saves space in daypacks and carry-ons
- Eco-friendly and reusable
- Great for airports, tours, and long walks
- Lightweight and easy to clean
Travel cable organizer
Chargers and cables always seem to end up tangled at the bottom of a bag. A simple travel cable organizer fixes that right away. It keeps your phone charger, camera batteries, earbuds, and USB cords neatly sorted so you’re not digging around during a layover or in a dark hotel room.
It’s inexpensive, lightweight, and surprisingly useful — one of those small upgrades that makes travel a lot less chaotic.
Why travelers love it:
- Prevents cable tangles
- Easy to pack in a backpack or daypack
- Works for phones, cameras, earbuds, and power banks
- Makes gear easy to find
- Lightweight and budget-friendly
Sustainable travel gifts
Eco-friendly gear that reduces waste on the road. The links below lead to each item’s overview and why it matters.
Reusable shopping tote bag (ultra-packable)
A tiny, packable shopping tote is one of the most useful pieces of gear you can carry. It disappears into your daypack until you need extra space — whether that’s for groceries, a few souvenirs, or the extra layers you shed during a long walking tour. It saves you from buying disposable bags and comes in handy far more often than you’d expect.
Lightweight, eco-friendly, and always useful, it’s an easy gift that fits any traveler’s style.
Why travelers love it:
- Packs down to almost nothing
- Eco-friendly alternative to store bags
- Handy for groceries and markets
- Lightweight and durable
- Perfect for daypacks and carry-ons
Reusable silicone travel bottles
Silicone travel bottles are a big upgrade from the cheap plastic ones that crack, leak, or refuse to stop dripping after a flight. These bottles are durable, squeeze easily, and meet TSA requirements, so you can pack your favorite shampoo, conditioner, or lotion without relying on hotel minis. They’re also easier to clean and last much longer, which makes them better for the environment — and your luggage.
They’re simple, practical, and one of those small upgrades travelers appreciate every single trip.
Pro tip: If you’re flying through Europe or anywhere that requires liquids to be visible during security checks, pair these bottles with a clear, zippered packing cube like the one from Osprey. It keeps everything organized, meets airport rules, and makes the whole screening process much easier.
Why travelers love it:
- TSA-friendly
- Leak-resistant and durable
- Easy to fill and clean
- Reusable and eco-friendly
- Perfect for toiletries in carry-on bags
There’s more about sustainable and eco-friendly travel on Atlantic Destinations.
Photography gifts for travelers
Compact tools that help capture better travel photos and videos. Use the links to skip to each item’s details.
Joby GripTight GorillaPod
A GorillaPod is one of the easiest ways to get stable photos and videos while traveling, especially if you’re using your phone as your main camera. The flexible legs wrap around railings, fences, benches, and lamp posts — handy in places where a full tripod isn’t practical. It’s lightweight, compact, and lets you take sharper shots in low light or record hands-free video on walking tours.
It’s a small piece of gear that gives you a surprising amount of creative freedom on the road.
Why travelers love it:
- Flexible legs for uneven surfaces
- Small, lightweight, and packable
- Great for selfies, group shots, and time-lapses
- Perfect for hands-free video
- Works with most smartphones
Moment smartphone lens (wide or macro)
If your traveler loves taking photos with their phone, a Moment lens is one of the best upgrades you can give them. The wide-angle lens is fantastic for landscapes, architecture, and tight city streets where you just can’t step back far enough. The macro lens opens up a whole new world for detail shots — flowers, textures, food photography, even small souvenirs.
They’re small enough to slip into a pocket, and they make phone photos look noticeably better without carrying a full camera kit.
Why travelers love it:
- Professional-quality glass
- Compact and travel-friendly
- Wide lens is great for landscapes and architecture
- Macro lens is perfect for close-up details
- Ideal for travelers who rely on their phones for photography
Wireless lavaliere microphone
Good audio makes a bigger difference in travel videos than most people think.
I’ve tried several brands, and this DJI wireless microphone is my favorite because it connects easily and gives great quality sound, even when there’s background noise.
The single-transmitter version is perfect for solo travelers who film with their phones and want better sound without carrying bulky gear. Just clip it on, hit record, and you’re ready to go.
If you need more flexibility — like recording two people at once or having a charging case — there’s also a full kit available. It’s pricier, but it’s the version many creators eventually upgrade to.
Why travelers love it:
- Clean, reliable wireless audio
- Ultra-portable and lightweight
- Great for vlogging, city walks, and tours
- Easy to clip on and start recording
- Works with smartphones and DJI cameras
Keepsake & sentimental travel gifts
Meaningful items travelers love holding onto. These links take you directly to the descriptions.
Scratch-off world map
A scratch-off map is a fun way for travelers to keep track of the places they’ve visited. The compact size is easy to display in smaller spaces, and updating it after each trip becomes a little ritual of its own. It’s a visual reminder of past adventures and a gentle nudge toward future ones.
It’s the kind of gift that feels personal without being complicated — and it works for any type of traveler.
Why travelers love it:
- A creative way to track past trips
- Compact and easy to display
- Makes a thoughtful, personal gift
- Fun to update after every adventure
- Great conversation starter
Travel journal
A travel journal is a classic gift for anyone who likes to capture moments on paper. Whether it’s quick notes on a train, reflections after a full day of sightseeing, or sketches from a quiet café, a small journal becomes a meaningful keepsake long after the trip ends.
Leather-bound or minimalist, lined or blank — it’s one of those gifts that adapts to the traveler rather than the other way around.
Why travelers love it:
- A thoughtful way to capture memories
- Lightweight and easy to pack
- Works for notes, sketches, or daily reflections
- Becomes a meaningful keepsake
- Timeless gift for any style of traveler
Stocking stuffers for travelers (under $35)
Small, affordable gifts that deliver big usefulness. Use the quick links to jump to each pick.
- Waterproof phone pouch
- Lens-cleaning tissue pack
- Microfiber travel towel
- Portable digital luggage scale
- Cable ties & velcro organizers
Waterproof phone pouch (and it floats!)
A waterproof phone pouch is an inexpensive travel lifesaver. It keeps your phone dry during beach days, kayaking tours, boat rides, or sudden downpours, and still lets you use the touchscreen. Light, flat, and easy to pack — the kind of small gift that can prevent a big disaster.
Lens-cleaning tissue pack (for phone & camera lenses)
Travel means dust, fingerprints, and smudges — especially on phone lenses and camera glass. A small pack of single-use lens-cleaning tissues gives you a safe, dry way to wipe lenses clean without risking scratches or coating damage. They’re compact, inexpensive, and far safer than liquid cleaners or microfiber cloths that can pick up grit over time. A simple, thoughtful stocking stuffer for anyone who takes photos on the go.
Microfiber travel towel (ultra-packable)
A microfiber towel dries fast, rolls up tiny, and comes in handy more often than you’d think — hikes, day trips, beach stops, picnics, or even surprise spills. It’s lightweight, quick to dry, and always useful when you’re on the move.
Portable digital luggage scale
A small luggage scale takes the stress out of packing for the flight home. One quick bag check before leaving the hotel helps avoid surprise overweight fees at the airport. It’s accurate, lightweight, and something travelers tend to appreciate far more than they expect.
Velcro cable tie organizers
These little straps keep charging cables, earbuds, and camera cords from turning into a tangled mess at the bottom of a bag. They’re reusable, lightweight, and perfect for anyone traveling with multiple devices — which is pretty much all of us.
Splurge gifts for travelers
Premium upgrades that make travel smoother and more comfortable. The links below take you to each item’s breakdown.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones
Long flights are easier when you can shut out the cabin noise and settle into your own world. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones offer some of the best noise cancellation you can get, and they stay comfortable even during multi-hour stretches. Perfect for planes, trains, road trips, and anywhere you want a little peace — they turn chaotic travel into something much more bearable.
It’s a splurge, but it’s the kind of upgrade travelers use on every trip and appreciate from the first takeoff.
Osprey Farpoint (for men) / Fairview (for women) travel backpack
If you’re shopping for someone who prefers to travel light, the Osprey Farpoint (men’s fit) and Fairview (women’s fit) are two of the best carry-on-sized travel backpacks you can buy. They’re durable, comfortable, and designed for people who’d rather skip checked baggage and move freely from airports to trains to walking tours.
The 40L size works perfectly for long weekends, minimalist travelers, and anyone who likes the freedom of a single bag. With supportive straps, smart pocket layout, and Osprey’s excellent build quality, this is a gift that will last for years of trips.
It’s a premium pick, but it’s the kind of bag that quickly becomes someone’s go-to travel companion.
What’s so great about backpacks? Good thing you asked — I wrote a couple of stories on Atlantic Destinations about why backpacks are so popular and the best backpacks for air travel.
FAQ: answers to your travel gift questions
What’s a good inexpensive travel gift?
Anything small, useful, and packable. Reusable silicone bottles, cable organizers, waterproof phone pouches, and lens-cleaning tissues all fit the bill. These are the kinds of gifts travelers use constantly because they solve real problems on the road.
What’s a gift travelers will actually use?
The gear that shows up on every trip: compression packing cubes, AirTags or Chipolo trackers, a solid power bank, or a collapsible water bottle. These aren’t novelty items — they genuinely make travel smoother, lighter, and less stressful.
What tech gifts are worth buying?
Stick to gear that improves comfort or captures better memories. Noise-cancelling headphones, portable chargers, GorillaPod tripods, and wireless microphones are all reliable, high-value upgrades for modern travelers using their phones as travel cameras.
What’s the best small travel gift?
A digital luggage scale. It’s inexpensive, weighs almost nothing, and saves travelers from surprise fees at the airport. One quick check before leaving the hotel can prevent a lot of stress at check-in.
What’s a good sustainable travel gift?
Reusable silicone bottles, collapsible water bottles, and lightweight shopping totes are easy wins. They cut down on single-use plastics and make sustainable habits more convenient while travelling. Practicality is what makes eco-friendly gifts actually get used.
What gift works for travelers who already have everything?
Packing cubes or AirTags/Chipolo trackers. Even seasoned travelers rarely have too many of these, and they show up on practically every trip. They’re useful, lightweight, and never feel like duplicates — just smart additions to a travel routine.
What’s the best photography gift under $50?
A small smartphone tripod or a pack of high-quality lens-cleaning tissues. Both help travelers take sharper photos without carrying bulky gear. They’re inexpensive upgrades that make a noticeable difference when you’re shooting on the go.
What’s the best last-minute travel gift?
A digital gift card for flights, hotels, tours, or travel gear. It arrives instantly, doesn’t take up suitcase space, and lets your traveler choose exactly what they need for their next trip. Zero shipping, zero stress — perfect for last-minute gifting.
Conclusion: the best gifts for travelers are the ones they’ll use
If you want travel gifts that actually get used, stick with lightweight, packable items that make travel smoother — like tracking tags, power banks, compact photography tools, or noise-cancelling headphones. These work for any traveler and any trip.
Everything on this list is lightweight, packable, and proven in the real world. If one of these jumped out at you, you’ll find that the links above take you straight to the product so you can check today’s price and availability.
If your traveler is upgrading their gear this season, you can also take a look at my full review of the best travel backpacks. It’s a detailed breakdown of the bags that actually hold up on real trips — and what to look for before you buy.
Wishing you smooth travels — and maybe a new piece of gear in your carry-on.
Plan your trip with our favorite resources
- #1 online accommodations booking platform. Booking.com
- Global guided tours with reviews: Viator
- Find, compare, and rent cars: DiscoverCars
- Buy travel insurance: SafetyWing
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