These are the seven things we pack on every trip, no exceptions. The Apple AirPods Max 2 handle the flight. An Away hardside suitcase and a Lavoker case carry the luggage. The Fit + Fresh All The Things tote is the day bag. The Fujifilm X100VI and a GoPro Mission 1 with its point-and-shoot grip cover photos and video, and an iPad Air 13-inch keeps work and downtime on one screen. If you only buy one thing, make it the headphones.
Our picks at a glance
Best overall: Apple AirPods Max 2
Best for photos: Fujifilm X100VI
Best carry-on: Away hardside suitcase
Best day bag: Fit + Fresh All The Things tote
Best for video: GoPro Point-and-Shoot Grip for Mission 1
How The Boujist makes money
Some links on this page are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. That means if you buy through one of them, we get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Nobody paid to be on this list, and the commission never decides what makes the cut. It's just how we keep the lights on without taking comps.
Apple AirPods Max 2
These are the one thing we'd never travel without. The noise cancellation shuts out engine drone on long flights. Adaptive Audio adjusts to whatever's around you, so a loud gate area or a quiet hotel room both just work. Live Translation is a sneaky-good bonus abroad. They're a splurge, but they get used on every leg of every trip. The technology has gotten so much better on headphones, that it is probably time for an upgrade.
Away Hardside Suitcase
Away is our pick for the main bag. The hard shell holds up to baggage handlers, the interior compression system keeps things packed tight, and the lifetime warranty means a broken zipper isn't the end of the story. It sits in the mid-range on price, well under the luxury luggage brands. We love the hard-shell and smooth wheels.
Kid’s Scooter Suitcase
Lavoker makes hardshell luggage with an adjustable handlebar and multiple compartments, and it's a budget-friendly pick. Our kid’s love these for getting through the airport with ease.
Fit + Fresh All The Things Tote
This is the bag that does everything once we land. It's an oversized canvas tote rated to hold up to 50 pounds, with a zippered interior pocket and three deep side pockets. Beach towels, snacks, a camera, a jacket for the plane, it swallows all of it. Headed somewhere like Isla Holbox or the Florida Keys? This is your beach bag. It's also the cheapest thing on this list, so you can pack it full and not worry about being too precious.
Fujifilm X100VI
If you want photos that look better than your phone without carrying a full camera kit, this is it. The X100VI pairs a 40MP sensor with in-body stabilization and a fixed 23mm f/2 lens. It's small enough to live in a day bag. This listing is a bundle with a carrying case and cleaning kit, so you're set from day one. It's the priciest item here and the one we'd least want to give up after the headphones. We use this camera for most of our hotel photos.
GoPro Mission 1
The GoPro Mission is GoPro’s newest technology and what converted us from using our regular old iPhone video to the GoPro. The video looks cinematic and it’s waterproof. Worth the splurge is you’re taking lots of video.
Apple iPad Air 13-inch
One screen for everything. It handles email and editing on the road, and it doubles as the movie screen on the plane and in the hotel room. The 13-inch size is the sweet spot for watching and working without hauling a laptop.
How to choose your travel essentials
Start with what makes travel days hurt. For most people that's noise and fatigue on the plane, which is why the headphones come first. Next is luggage, because a bag that breaks mid-trip ruins everything after it. Cameras and tablets come last. They make a trip better, but you can travel without them.
On budget, the tote and the Lavoker sit at the low end. Away is mid-range. The AirPods, the iPad and the Fujifilm are the splurges, so buy those if you'll use them every trip, not just once a year.
When to buy
The best time to buy travel gear is during Amazon's big sale events, like Prime Day in summer and Black Friday into Cyber Monday. Apple products and cameras see their deepest cuts then. Buy at least two weeks before a trip, so there's time to return anything that doesn't work out.
FAQ
What are the most important travel must-haves?
Noise-canceling headphones and a durable carry-on. Those two make the biggest difference on travel days. Everything else is nice to have.
Are the AirPods Max 2 worth it for travel?
For frequent flyers, yes. The noise cancellation makes long flights far less tiring, and over-ear headphones are more comfortable for hours at a time than earbuds.
Is the Away suitcase carry-on approved?
Away's carry-on sizes are built to fit most US airline carry-on limits. International and budget airlines can be stricter, so check your airline's size rules before you fly.
Is the Fujifilm X100VI good for travel?
Yes. It's compact, it has a sharp fixed lens, and it fits in a day bag. It's a great step up from a phone without the bulk of a full camera system.
Does the GoPro grip work with any GoPro?
No. It's made only for the Mission 1 series: the Mission 1, Mission 1 Pro and Mission 1 M43 Pro.
When is the best time to buy travel gear on Amazon?
Prime Day and Black Friday through Cyber Monday usually bring the deepest discounts, especially on electronics.