Best travel gift ideas for travelers (2022)
As the holidays are fast approaching, you might be wondering what you will be offering your loved ones this year. You might be aiming to start early to avoid rushing for your shopping list just before the holidays. I’ve put together my best travel gift ideas to finish off 2022 on a great note.
Whether you’re looking for some travel gift ideas for your friends or family members, you’ll probably find something great that they do not have yet or that they could really use on their next vacation.
I’ve put together a great list of different items, but also you’ll find different options depending on your budget! Whether they are campers, backpackers, vanlifers, or all-inclusive vacationers, there are great finds right here for them!
So without further ado, keep scrolling down for all my best travel gift ideas for the travelers in your life!
Travel organization gift ideas
Travel document organizer
Being organized while traveling is very important. Especially important documentation such as passports, credit cards, visas, reservations, and other important paperwork we carry when traveling.
Trying to find passports quickly when travelers are getting to customs can add some unnecessary stress. By having a small travel document organizer in the carry-on bag, your fellow travelers or even yourself will appreciate the easiness and the stress-free experience next time customs are nearby.
If you’ve seen friends or family members fussing around trying to find their documents quickly, this travel gift idea might just do the trick!
- Buy the Luna Passport Holder
- Buy the Zoppen multi-purpose Passport Holder
- Buy the family passport waterproof travel wallet
- Buy the leather passport holder
Luggage
If you have a higher budget, luggage is a great idea for a travel gift idea! A piece of luggage is somewhat underrated.
Good luggage is something that will last many years before needing to be changed. If the compartments inside the luggage are convenient too, that is an added bonus that can make the packing life SO much easier!
Packing might not be that important for some travelers, but I find that a suitcase with multiple pockets for different purposes will make my life easier on the road.
If your travelers already have a good suitcase, a cover might be another great gift idea. Why are you asking me? Well, for one, suitcases are not handled very gently at the airport. If your fellow traveler has a beautiful suitcase, adding a protective casing around it while traveling will prevent it from getting scratched. It will also help keep the suitcase for longer.
Packing cubes
Packing cubes have changed my life! If you’re looking for a travel gift idea to offer something very useful, this is probably it.
When packing a suitcase, packing cubes will come in handy for many reasons. You can have a cube for every different piece of clothing you are bringing. You can have one for shirts, one for pants, one for underwear, whatever you want to use them for you can.
Packing cubes will also be good to save some space inside the suitcase or backpack. I usually roll my clothes inside them and they can easily be arranged inside the suitcase as well.
I’ve used them in my luggage, on backpacking trips, I’ve also used them in my camper trailer to have it organized, and on weekend trips too. They can be used for many types of trips!
Carry-on bag
A good carry-on bag is just as important as the luggage itself. Here again, compartments are very useful to put away all the little things we like to carry on the plane with us.
Using packing cubes in a carry-on wouldn’t be very productive, as we are most of the time going to pack what we intend to use on the plane in our carry-on bag.
I like when my things are organized and I don’t have to go through the whole thing in order to find what I’m looking for.
A too-big carry-on isn’t necessarily necessary either. You’ll want to buy something that will easily fit under the seat in front of your traveler friend or family member you are gifting it.
The overhead bins can be useful but if you want to take something from your carry-on, you’ll have to get everyone in your row to stand up so you can find what you are looking for in the overhead bin.
If it can be stowed under the seat, you’ll have everything you need right there at your feet. These carry-on bags have many features, and many pockets in order to stow everything properly. Why not use this travel gift idea and get them the best one out there?
Clear TSA-approved bag
Going through security at the airport is necessary but isn’t always fun. Putting everything into bins, taking out the computers and Ipads depending in what country you’re in, removing your shoes. It can get frustrating sometimes.
Especially when it comes to liquids and the maximum amount you can bring with you. The airports usually provide liquid bags when you enter security in order for you to gather all your liquids in one place, but also to respect the maximum allowance.
These bags will eventually wear off and you’ll have all your liquids laying around the bag again.
With this little gadget, they’ll be fine wherever they go! It has the right size to respect the maximum allowance. They’ll just have to make sure the liquids going in are 100ml or less!
They are super resistant as well so they will last for a long time before needing to buy a new one. Another great thing about it is that it is clear, the same as the plastic bags provided at the airport. This way, security won’t even need to open it!
Toiletry bag
I might be biased because I love being organized so much but making your life easier while traveling is a must.
If you know that the person you are looking to gift something does not have a toiletry bag, this is a great travel gift idea to offer them.
Having a different packing compartment to stow your toiletries will prevent spillage all over your clothes. If a spill is to happen, you can’t really prevent it but limiting the damage inside the suitcase is great!
Not only that, but it will also be easier to find the toiletries in the luggage, as they will not be all over the place roaming free.
- Buy the hanging travel toiletry bag
- Buy the Large Cosmetic bag
- Buy the toiletry bag
- Buy the Hershel Supply Co. toiletry kit
Jewelry organizer
Are you looking for gifting a girlfriend, mother, or sister something travel related?
Jewelry tends to get tangled quite easily, especially necklaces. If you know they are always traveling with some jewelry, this can be a great idea to offer them.
They’ll be able to keep all the different jewelry together without getting mixed up with clothes or toiletries and it will also prevent them from getting tangled.
These cute little jewelry organizers barely take up any space inside the suitcase or even their carry-on bag!
Electronics organizer
Something else that always gets tangled is the cables for charging your electronics! Having an electronics organizer will prevent this but it will also make the person’s life easier when comes time to find those cables!
I don’t know about you, but my cables always seem to find the bottom of the bag all the time! What’s great about them is that you don’t only have to stow cables, you can stow everything electronic related.
Phone, laptop mouse, earphone splitter, stand for the phone to watch a movie. There are endless possibilities in which these electronic organizers can be handy for a traveler!
Travel gadgets & electronics gift ideas
Luggage scale
This one is a good travel gift idea for the over-packers out there! With the maximum weight allowances when flying, this can be an amazing gift so your friend or family member can go to the airport without stressing about the luggage’s weight.
Even if they have a scale at home, it will work in some way but the numbers on there won’t be exact as the suitcase is way larger than the scale itself and they will have to hold it in order for it to stay balanced on the scale.
This small luggage scale is compact and can easily be carried anywhere. It can be stowed away at home with all their travel-related items, or even just left in the suitcase once the trip is over so it’s ready for the next one!
They can even bring it with them on the trip, so once they are packing to leave, they are able to check the weight again.
UV toothbrush sanitizer
This is a bit of a luxury item. It is not very expensive but it isn’t a necessary item either. It’s a little extra they can bring with them.
The UV toothbrush sanitizer will kill 99% of harmful substances on the toothbrush. It is nice to use a clean toothbrush every single time. It will also take away the icky feeling of using a wet toothbrush.
As I said, it is not a necessary item to travel with but it can be a great gift idea for a frequent traveler that already has everything they need to travel. It’s a compact item that will not take up a lot of space in their toiletry bag and they’ll be able to enjoy a clean and fresh toothbrush every time!
Apple airtags
With all the fuss lately with lost luggage, airtags can be a great investment for your traveler friends if they don’t already have them.
You might be wondering what is an airtag exactly. They are a super easy way to keep track of a specific item. They will have to be used with an Apple product to use them as they will need the Find My app.
The Find My app can be used to find all your apple products. You could use the app to find your phone for example if you’ve lost it. It’s exactly the same thing with apple airtags.
They can basically insert an airtag in the checked luggage and know exactly where it is in real-time. So if they get to the airport, wait forever at the carrousel and their luggage doesn’t show up, they can easily know where their luggage is and it could help them and the airport staff to get it back quickly!
Portable travel charger
A travel charger can be another great travel gift idea. Especially to charge up small electronics such as an iPad or iPhone on the plane.
Nowadays, planes don’t all have TVs anymore. They will most likely have an app that you download in order to watch their entertainment.
If your devices are not completely charged, or end up using a lot of battery life to watch TV, you’ll need something to charge up.
Some airplanes do have built-in power sources where you can connect your device, but if it is not the case, a small portable charger will do the trick.
You can even use them to charge up at the hotel or on the go! The 3-in-1 charger right here is also great to charge multiple devices at once while you are traveling.
Solar charger
These solar chargers will be a lot more convenient for your camper friends out there or the adventurer that can go many days without staying in a hotel or even somewhere with electricity.
These solar chargers will allow them to charge up their electronics by using the power of the sun. This can be convenient for them especially if they don’t have access to electricity for a while. They can still be connected or use their electronics while enjoying peace and quiet.
Portable Bluetooth speaker
Who doesn’t enjoy a little bit of music? These small Bluetooth speakers can be great for entertainment. Being also waterproof, they will be able to carry them at the beach, the pool, when it’s raining, or even have a shower while listening to a great tune!
If they don’t already have a small portable Bluetooth speaker, it can be a great opportunity to buy one for them. It is compact so it doesn’t take up much space in a bag or even a purse, it’s waterproof and with Bluetooth capabilities, it’s easy to connect the speaker to a phone and listen to any playlist.
Noise-canceling headphones
Another great gift idea to offer a traveler is some great noise-canceling headphones. Noise-canceling headphones will tone down all the noise around them.
On the plane, for example, they will barely hear the sounds from the engine. While using normal headphones, you’ll still hear the sounds around you. This is why a good pair of noise-canceling headphones is a traveler’s dream come true!
Headphone splitter
This is a great idea for stocking stuffers! It’s a good accessory to carry anywhere. A headphone splitter is great when two people want to watch the same thing on the same device.
They’ll basically connect the splitter in the device and each person will then connect their headphones to the splitter.
This is great for couples but also families and children to share together.
Kindle
At first, I was reluctant to have a Kindle. I love the feeling of reading a real book and turning the pages. But I’ve got to say, now that I’ve made the switch, it does wonders for traveling with it!
The Kindle device is compact and barely takes up any space in a carry-on bag or purse. Books can use up a lot of space. I used to pack one book in my carry-on and two others in my suitcase in case I finished that one up. It will also add some weight to the suitcase.
You can also add as many books as you want to it. You can also buy some, while connected to WIFI if you go through all the books you had downloaded previously.
This travel gift idea is a bit more costly but it’s a great gift for heavy readers.
Universal travel adapter with USB
This is a must for international travelers. If you want to offer something useful for someone that is going on their first international trip or someone who has traveled but never needed an international travel adapter, this is the opportunity to get them something they will use.
There are different types of electric outlets depending what country they will be traveling to. This universal travel adapter covers over 150 countries.
This travel adapter will be ideal to plug in phones, laptops, and tablets.
If you want to be able to charge up your devices without having to buy a charging cable once you get there, this is the best option to use your cables. With the USB outlets, you don’t even have to bring your wall converter!
Travel essentials gift ideas
Turkish towel
These Turkish towels are perfect for the beach, the pool, the shower, or just using them as a blanket. They can be used for a variety of different purposes. These towels are super soft, fast drying, and absorbent as well.
They can be a great addition to a traveler that has it all. It will give them a bit of luxury while away. And, they will not be taking up much space in their luggage either.
Microfiber travel towel
These microfiber towels can be a great addition to a backpacker, camper, or any type of traveler really.
These super-fast drying towels will barely take up any space. They can easily be put in any luggage. They will be extremely useful if you are traveling to a hostel that doesn’t provide towels as they will dry so quickly, you’ll be able to put them almost instantly back into the backpack before leaving!
Filter water bottle
If you’re looking for a luxury item to gift a traveler, this is one idea for you. Water is always something to consider when you’re abroad. Not every country has potable water for you to drink from the tap. You might not just be used to their type of water either which could make you sick.
This water bottle is a good way to take extra precautions even when the water is potable. I still wouldn’t recommend drinking non-potable water with this bottle but potable water from the tap is fine.
This water bottle has a built-in UV water purifier and is also self-cleaning. It will neutralize the bacteria in the water inside. It’s easy to activate by pushing a button and will self-clean every two hours.
The battery life can go to a month without recharging it. It will easily be rechargeable with a USB.
Travel pill case
This travel pill case can be a great stocking stuffer gift idea. Instead of carrying plenty of pills or vitamin bottles with them when they travel, this can be a great alternative and save them plenty of space.
Travel keepsakes gift ideas
Travel tokens from Traveler Collective
It’s always nice to have a little souvenir from our travels. Some people like to buy something at their destination to add to their collection while others will buy postcards.
Every traveler probably has their own collection or keepsakes from all the travels that they have done around the world.
Another way to remember those travels is by collecting rings with all the countries they have been to. You can even add the date behind it so they can even know which year they’ve been there when looking back at them.
BUY some traveler’s collective rings
Travel scratch map
Another great keepsake is a travel scratch map. You can buy this great world map and every time they travel to a country, they can scratch it off. Every country visited will add some color to the map.
It’s another great souvenir that they can cherish and look back to.
travel gifts ideas for couples
A getaway
If you’re looking to offer a travel-related gift to a couple, a getaway is something they will appreciate. You don’t have to offer them round-trip airfare to somewhere across the globe to do that.
A getaway can be anything from a weekend getaway to a unique stay. It could also be a great night out!
Sometimes, we travel all over the world but forget about the beauty right beside us. It could be a great opportunity to offer them something that will make them rediscover their own backward!
If you know where their next vacation will be, you could buy them an excursion they can enjoy once they get there. Click below to find some inspiration or research somewhere they would like!
Head over to get your guide for inspiration
Gift ideas for frequent travelers
A yearly subscription for travel insurance
If your traveler buddies already have everything on this list and they travel enough to offer them a yearly subscription for travel insurance, this is something that will be greatly appreciated!
Travel insurance is very important while traveling because you never know what might happen. You always hope that nothing will go wrong but unfortunately, sometimes it doesn’t go that way.
You can buy travel insurance for a trip before you leave and pay a certain amount to get the protections you need.
Nowadays, you can buy yearly subscriptions. For someone traveling a lot, this can lower the prices paid for insurance in the long run. Instead of paying individually for every trip and having it add up quickly, you’ll be saving money with this subscription.
Gifting it to them, it’s something they won’t have to take care of before going on their trip either. One less thing to think about when planning their trip.
Head over to world nomad for travel insurance
So there you go! I hope this list of the best travel gift ideas to finish off 2022 will inspire you! Gifting during the Holidays isn’t about the amount of money but being meaningful in the gifts you offer.
These gift ideas can be useful and meaningful all at the same time. They are definitely items that will serve their purpose for every single trip your friends or family member will take.
I hope you all have some happy Holidays!
Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I earn a small commission if you make a purchase through these links. I would never recommend anything I don’t personally love and use!
Is all this Holiday shopping inspiring you to take a trip of your own? Find some inspiration right here and also plenty of tips to help you plan it out!
How to take a road trip on a budget
Planning an all-inclusive vacation with kids
Family packing guide for the Dominican republic
