34 editor-approved travel essentials | CNN Underscored

The Briggs & Riley Essential 22-inch Two-Wheel Expandable Carry-On has become my ultimate travel companion with its mix of quality, practicality and style. Features like the expandable compression system and trifold garment keeper give me ample packing space while maintaining a sleek profile. The innovative CX one-touch system makes for easy expansion and compression. Plus, the patented Outsider handle optimizes interior space and reduces wrinkles. — Kyle Olsen, editor, travel

Sticker shock aside, this hard-shell carry-on bag has been a staple in my travel wardrobe for years. And, it will continue to keep a spot in my arsenal for years to come. That’s largely because Rimowa bags are built with quality at the top of mind and are built to last. The outside is made of a durable aluminum material complete with a set of TSA-approved locks and some of the smoothest 360-degree spinner wheels I’ve ever used on a piece of luggage. — Emily McNutt, former senior travel editor

Although pricey, this luxurious carry-on bag from Sterling Pacific is my new go-to for short trips (think under five days). It’s made almost entirely out of leather and aluminum so it looks stunning and can withstand serious travel. I love the retro-inspired design and can confidently say it’s the most aesthetically pleasing suitcase I’ve ever seen. It has a relatively small 35-liter capacity, but the wide-open interior compartment and compression straps let you maximize space. — Andrew Kunesh, senior editor, travel and money

Away’s suitcases have a cult following for a reason: They are really good. I’m a big fan of the Large checked luggage for longer trips when I need to bring a lot of clothes. As you can imagine, there’s plenty of space inside to arrange packing cubes for an organized packing experience. With nearly 100 liters of packing capacity, I’ve been able to pack for trips of up to 12 days in this single suitcase. Though, if you’re strategic about your packing, you could probably fit clothing for up to 14 days or more. — Emily McNutt, former senior travel editor

The Cabana See-All Vanity Case is a great solution for organizing and transporting your small essentials. Though originally designed to carry toiletries, I use mine to carry charging cables. The transparent view panel is great for quickly locating items without too much rummaging, and the durable EcoCraft Canvas is made from recycled materials. I also love the leather top handle, which is ideal for stowing it in my carry-on or setting it out in my hotel room. — Kyle Olsen, editor, travel

Harber London makes excellent leather products, from backpacks to wallets and other accessories. Its Tech Dopp Kit is one of my favorite pieces of travel gear right now because it keeps all my cables and chargers organized on the go. And while it’s pricey, it’s crafted from genuine leather, which looks (and smells) great. — Andrew Kunesh, senior editor, travel and money

There are a ton of travel toiletry bags out there, and many of them are built to serve different purposes. Want one that can hang when you arrive at your destination? There are bags for that. This toiletry bag, however, is pretty straightforward, and that’s the reason I love to carry it. I appreciate that it’s made of a water-resistant material for those never-ending puddles on the sink, it features a fully-enclosed zipper and it’s got the right amount of storage space inside and out. — Emily McNutt, former senior travel editor

Having The Everywhere Zip Backpack for a month, it’s become my go-to travel [backpack] with its versatility, durability and style, all in one package. It’s made from water-resistant nylon, and there’s also a breathable mesh back panel for added comfort. Its full wraparound zip opening provides easy access to the spacious main compartment, while interior and exterior pockets are great for organizing essentials. — Kyle Olsen, editor, travel

The bag you’ve seen all over TikTok and Instagram is remarkable. Its lightweight and durable design effortlessly accommodates an extensive wardrobe, thanks to its clever, foldable garment-to-duffel feature and innovative shoe compartments that maximize space. Plus, its water-resistant exterior has saved me (and my clothes) in a handful of surprise rainstorms. — Kyle Olsen, editor, travel

This weekender bag has revolutionized how I pack for shorter trips. Seriously, it’s that good. While it looks like a standard weekender bag from the outside, the interior storage system makes packing for a multiday trip a breeze. With a massive 50-liter capacity, there’s enough room in the bag to pack for up to a one-week trip (if you don’t overpack!) and features interior storage space for the likes of a laptop and more. I also love that I can use packing cubes with the July Carry All Weekender Plus and that it has sturdy handles and a shoulder strap for easy carrying. — Emily McNutt, former senior travel editor

My favorite travel gear is versatile, allowing me to use it from day to night and from the airport to exploring a new destination. The Lo & Sons Waverley 2 ticks that box and, in my opinion, is the ultimate travel purse. It can be worn four different ways: as a crossbody bag, as a belt bag, as a shoulder bag or as a wristlet. While it’s not the biggest bag, I find that it fits all my essentials for the day, from a portable charger to my travel wallet. By bringing just this one purse, I can save a ton of room in my suitcase when packing for a trip. — Emily McNutt, former senior travel editor

Up until about five years ago, I was firmly anti-packing cube; I just didn’t see the need to use them. But when my parents gifted me a set of Away The Insider Packing Cubes for my birthday, my opinion on packing cubes changed, and now I don’t travel without them. They’re perfect for keeping me organized and taking up less space in my suitcase than if I were to pack without them. And ultimately, for me, staying organized while traveling makes any journey more enjoyable. — Emily McNutt, former senior travel editor

This power strip accompanies me on every trip to Europe (or anywhere else that uses a European power socket). It takes a single European power outlet and gives you three US-style plugs, four USB-A ports and a USB-C port. Because of this, I can charge just about everything I bring with me. Just know that it’s only a power adapter — not a converter — so make sure the devices you plug in work at higher voltages. — Andrew Kunesh, senior editor, travel and money

For international travel, there’s no single device that’s more important to me than a travel adapter. I’ve carried my Saunorch adapter with me for more than five years and love it for its variety of ports and ability to work in more than 150 countries. You’ll get one USB-C port, three USB ports and one universal AC socket — enough power to charge up to five devices at once. I’ve used it on my travels to charge the likes of my phone, laptop, portable charger and AirPods at once overnight. — Emily McNutt, former senior travel editor

A good portable battery is essential for keeping your devices charged on the road. There are endless options available with different price points, battery capacities and other features. This battery bank from Iniu is budget-friendly and packs 10,000mAh, which is more than enough to keep my iPhone charged on long trips. It’s accompanied me on dozens of trips around the world. — Andrew Kunesh, senior editor, travel and money

This TSA-approved power bank has USB-A and USB-C ports, so you can charge two devices simultaneously. Its integrated PD 3.0 PPS technology promises safe high-speed charging for almost all USB-A and USB-C devices. Plus, it doubles as a power bank for quick battery boosts. — Kyle Olsen, travel products editor

I have the privilege of being able to work remotely, so my work laptop is always in my travel backpack. But when the work day ends, I like having a separate device to browse the web, respond to personal emails and run digital errands. That’s my iPad Pro. Paired with the Magic Keyboard, it provides most of the functionality I need from a regular laptop at a fraction of the size. I have the M1 version, but it was just updated with an ultra-fast M4 chip. — Andrew Kunesh, senior editor, travel and money

It’s hard to imagine a flight without my AirPods Pro. The sound quality and noise cancellation are excellent for in-ear headphones, and they’re small enough to fit in my pocket. I also love how they work seamlessly with my Apple products and charge via USB-C (like my laptop and iPad), which means I can carry one fewer cable on the road. — Andrew Kunesh, senior editor, travel and money

What I describe as the best noise-canceling headphones I’ve used, the Beoplay HX headphones are great both on the road and when working from home. With superior sound quality driven by custom 40mm drivers, they provide a rich listening experience on the go. Plus, its active noise canceling works great, battery life is superb at 35 hours and they charge via USB-C which keeps cables to a minimum. — Kyle Olsen, editor, travel

The iPhone 15 Pro Max combines strength with lightweight construction, and I use it everywhere I go. To me, the main draw to upgrade was the camera — which features multiple focal lengths and a 48MP main camera — and it’s what I use daily to capture travel memories. — Kyle Olsen, editor, travel

If you’re like me, music makes just about any travel scenario better. Whether I want to play some tunes while I’m getting ready for dinner or lounging on a beach, I want something that can play my favorite music with better quality than my phone. Enter, the Sony XB13. For a long time, this small but mighty device was our pick for the best portable Bluetooth speaker for travel (it’s since been replaced by the next-generation XB100), as it offers a long battery life and crisp sound. But my favorite part? It’s so compact that it takes up little space in my carry-on bag. — Emily McNutt, former senior travel editor

I swear by the Twelve South AirFly. It’s truly a game-changing device if you fly regularly. Pair your favorite Bluetooth headphones with the device and then plug it into the in-flight entertainment system to seamlessly transmit the sound to your favorite headset. I love that it comes with its own carrying pouch and takes up almost no space in my bag, plus it can last for up to 16 hours on a single charge. — Emily McNutt, former senior travel editor

The Suri Sustainable Electric Toothbrush is my new favorite travel toothbrush. Boasting a powerful sonic technology with 33,000 vibrations per minute, it ensures a thorough and effective cleaning experience. I also love its battery life; it can be used for a whopping 40 days on a single charge. — Kyle Olsen, editor, travel

I love bringing vacation home with me, and the luxury of Frette Slippers is hard to beat. Found at some of Marriott’s most iconic properties, including the Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Dubai and The Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice, they’re made from sumptuous velour and feel plush while remaining delightfully lightweight and breathable. Plus, they’re small enough to easily fit in my carry-on. — Kyle Olsen, editor, travel

Traveling a lot means spending hours in the air, and with that comes finding a way to stay entertained. For me, that means downloading my favorite films and TV shows onto my phone and then streaming them while I’m airborne. This pocket-sized phone mount that you can pick up for less than $15 takes the pain (literally) out of streaming while in flight, as it can clamp onto the seat in front of you for comfortable, hands-free viewing. — Emily McNutt, former senior travel editor

This simple device has saved me thousands of dollars on overweight baggage fees. I’m the first to admit that I tend to overpack, which can often lead to heavier luggage. And at a time when airlines are charging upwards of $75 for overweight bags, you don’t want to fall victim. So, I always carry my digital luggage scale with me. While I find that it’s not perfect, it gives me the right idea within a few ounces of how much my bag weighs. Too heavy? I’ll rearrange my stuff at home before being forced to do it at the airport. — Emily McNutt, former senior travel editor

Anything that can make travel easier I’m generally in favor of trying out. So when I tested this cup holder, I was hooked. At less than $20, it’s the perfect solution for carrying some of my loose items — think phone, passport, drinks and chargers — through the airport so I can keep my hands free for towing my luggage. When not in use, I love that it can be folded flat to fit in most laptop sleeves, taking up almost no space at all. — Emily McNutt, former senior travel editor

I’m quite fortunate that I can sleep rather well while on planes. That said, I still appreciate the aid of a good travel pillow, and I’m a big fan of the Ostrichpillow Go Neck pillow. Not only is it firm thanks to its memory foam material and 360-degree support but it also travels well in an included pouch and can be condensed to 60% of its size. I also love how incredibly soft the material is, and the sleeve is removable and washable so it stays clean from use to use. — Emily McNutt, former senior travel editor

What more aesthetically pleasing way is there to transport your liquids and gels, really? I love my set of six Cadence Capsules because not only are they effective in that they’re leakproof, magnetic and they look so cute but they’re also entirely customizable so you can create your set exactly how you want. Mix and match colors, Tile labels and sizes to create your perfect set. — Emily McNutt, former senior travel editor

Lounge access can completely change any travel day — think access to food, drinks, spa services, gyms and more right from the airport. Having a Priority Pass Select membership grants me access to more than 1,300 airport lounges around the world, and it can truly be a lifesaver. There are many credit cards that will give you a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership as a benefit of being a card holder, but you can also elect to purchase a membership directly. Trust me, once you start going to airport lounges before your flight, you won’t want to go back. — Emily McNutt, former senior travel editor

A good night’s sleep is imperative when it comes to beating jet lag and waking up refreshed and ready for a full day of touring. Unfortunately, loud neighbors, construction noise outside your window and paper-thin walls can be hard to predict. Because of that, I always carry at least a couple of pairs of Mack’s Earplugs with me to drown out any unwanted noise. While they work great in hotels, I also use them on planes when I want to get some sleep without hearing loud neighboring conversations and the constant hum of plane engines. — Emily McNutt, former senior travel editor

I value staying hydrated while I’m traveling, and my favorite water bottle helps me to do just that. I go through airport security with it empty and then fill it up once I’ve passed through. The Ocean Bottle features double-walled stainless steel vacuum insulation to keep my drinks cold at all points of the travel journey — and it doesn’t sweat. Plus, for each Ocean Bottle purchase, the company pays for 1,000 ocean-bound plastic bottles to be collected before they reach our seas. — Emily McNutt, former senior travel editor

I love this travel wallet from Shinola and take it on every trip with me. It’s small enough to slip into a pocket when I’m traveling bag-free, but likewise, it can be easily tucked away in a travel purse without taking up too much room. It has four dedicated credit card and ID slots as well as a center slot that I find perfect for the likes of transit cards, insurance cards, business cards and more. — Emily McNutt, former senior travel editor