Gift Guide || Frequent Flyer

As I’ve been working to put together a few gift guides this year, it feels like I’m trying to re-invent the wheel at times. Since travel is a common topic here on the blog, I knew I wanted to create a gift guide for the Jet-Setter, but seeing as this is my sixth holiday season creating content for Bows & Sequins, I’ve actually already made two gift guides over the years for the frequent flier on your list! (Take a peek at those here & here!)

So rather than finding cute bag tags & passport covers, I figured I’d put together a list of my tried-and-true favorites, as well as a few items I’d love to find under the tree for my trips in the upcoming year. Hoping this helps you find a few gifts you know she (or he!) will love and actually use if they spend a lot of their life on a plane. (Like me!)

Cashmere Sweatpants  |  Canon Camera  |  Fitness Set  |  Black Bow Eye Mask  |  Pink Cashmere Eye Mask  |  Bon Voyage Passport Cover  |  European Menu Helper  |  Take Me Away Bag Tag  |  Caudalie Skincare Travel Set  |  Goyard Tote  |  Headphone Pouch  |  Multi-Country Converter  |  Apple Adapter Set  |  Cord & Charger Roll  |  Airplane Rescue Set  |  Travel Journal  |  Noise-Cancelling Headphones  |  External Charger  |  Hard-Sided Carry-On Luggage

1.  Hard-Sided Carry-On Luggage  |  Your luggage is the most important thing when you travel! I finally splurged on nice hard-sided, four-wheeled luggage two or three years ago and it’s been a friggen game changer. I try to carry-on whenever I can, so a 21″ or 22″ suitcase is my go-to and my recommendation if your guy/girl does, too! I currently have a Bric’s suitcase and get so many compliments on it. I couldn’t recommend it more! I fell in love with this green Tumi case when I was browsing though… It’s perfectly gender neutral if you’re buying for someone who might be sharing with a guy! (And it’s not black so it will be easy to find at baggage claim if they do have to check it!)

2.  External Charger  |  I rarely leave the house without this, let alone step foot in an airport or on a plane without it. The Mophie XL is the best one out there, TRUST. It holds EIGHT iPhone charges. Yes, you read that correctly. It charges your iPhone 8 times without having to be recharged. And I swear it charges your phone faster than through the wall, but I could just be delusional. (Likely, but I do think this is true!) I’ve had mine for YEARS. (Not the same one because I’ve lost a few of them, but hey.) Mine is an absolute brick because it’s old, but the new one is smaller, sleeker, and lighter! It’s only a matter of time until I upgrade.

3.  Noise-Cancelling Headphones  |  Crying babies, snorers, annoying talkers, obnoxious passengers… Need I say more? It’s so nice to be able to tune out the world around you sometimes and zone out to a movie, your music, an audiobook, or a podcast. I have these Around-the-Ear Bose Noise-Cancelling Headphones and absolutely love them!

4.  Roomy Tote  |  A lightweight, roomy tote is a must-have for me when I travel. I always use one of my Louis Vuitton totes or my Cuyana when I’m on the go! (I typically prefer the Cuyana because it holds more than my medium-sized LV totes and the material is more flexible, if that makes sense.) I’ve got a Goyard tote on my wish list though, so that’s why it’s in the collage. If you’re not looking to buy her a designer bag (😂), she will be more than thrilled to find a (monogrammed!) Cuyana tote when she opens your gift, trust. They make one with a zippered top, too! There are lots of colors to choose from and I can personally speak to the quality.. I’ve had mine for years!

5.  Headphone Pouch  |  Keeping my bag organized is so essential for me when I’m on the go. I can’t stand not being able to find things, especially when I have my hands full. Keeping my regular iPhone earbuds in a little pouch is a must… No cords flying around and getting tangled inside my bag! (I travel with both noise-cancelling headphones and these earbuds. I still take the earbuds for any work calls I might have to take and also use them if I have to keep an ear out for announcements at the airport.) A cord roll is also really nice to have for phone chargers, Mophie chargers, etc.

6.  Multi-Country Power Adapter/Converter  |  This certainly isn’t cute, but it’s a must-have! I have three of these that I travel with when I’m going internationally. I love how it converts for over 150 countries, so you never have to worry about which converter to bring. (Great for multi-country trips, too) It also has two USB plugs so you can charge two devices and still use the actual plug at the same time! (Really cuts down on how many converters you need… I could probably travel with two, but I just like to be safe incase one blows out.)

I’ll file this one under Number 6.5  |  If your guy or girl has an Apple laptop and travels a lot internationally, this Apple adapter kit has been such a game changer for me! It’s so nice to be able to switch out the charger and not have to worry about using a converter for my computer. (Somehow feels safer in terms of not frying my laptop, I don’t know why!)

7.  Menu Translation Helper  |  This set of menu books looks awesome! Apparently they’re just the size of a credit card, so super easy to carry around. (And less embarrassing to pull out at the table!) They’re sold as a set of three for France, Italy, and Spain.

8.  Cashmere Sweatpants  |  While I’m never one to wear sweatpants to the airport, I will change into comfy pants once I’m on the plane for an overnight or long-haul flight! I typically just wear this pair of lululemon tights (they are so comfy!), but who could say no to cashmere sweatpants?! A wish list item, for sure. I found another quasi affordable pair here, too.

9.  Eye Mask  |  It’s hard for me to fall asleep if it’s not dark, so an eye mask is a must for me on flights! And sometimes it’s kind of a necessity that forces me to shut my eyes to try to sleep. 😂 I absolutely love this giant bow eye mask and this pink cashmere eye mask.

10.  Fitness Set  |  Keeping up with workouts on the go is probably the hardest part of traveling. After traveling with Merritt, I actually purchased the BBG guides so I would have some ideas for circuit training when I’m on the go. This Flight 001 Fitness Kit looks really intriguing though! It has resistance bands, a jump rope, and a booklet with exercises all neatly placed in a little bag. Work travel instantly comes to my mind… This would be a great gift! Only $40, too.

11.  Small (but Mighty!) Camera  |  This shouldn’t be so far down the list! This little camera has transformed my travels, for sure. I carry a big Canon DSLR for most of my daytime exploration when I’m on a trip, but for dinners and nights out, this little camera is a lifesaver. It fits right into all of my smaller bags and clutches, takes *insane* video footage, has a flippable screen, and even has wifi so I can upload photos right to my phone. It’s definitely a splurge, but if you know someone looking for a great travel camera that won’t weigh them down, this is it!

12.  Travel Skincare Set  |  It can be hard to find your tried and true products in travel size. Caudalie is one of my favorite skincare brands and their beauty elixir is one of my in-flight necessities. This travel set is filled with little luxuries that would help me feel more at home on the go!

13.  Passport Cover  |  Passport cases might be pretty useless when it comes to functionality, but they sure do look cute! (All about that airport Instagram, you know? 😉) While you do have to take your passport out of the cover to cross the border, it helps me to keep any immigration documentation and my boarding pass handy. (Plus, it ‘bulks up’ your passport, which makes me personally less freaked out about losing it.) I finally got my Global Entry card and now it will fit nicely inside the passport cover, too. I’ve had a handful of passport covers over the years, but this Lizzie Fortunado one in the collage above is A DREAM! Perfect for all of the francophiles out there. (🙋🏼)

And last, but certainly not least, give the girl some Ambien before she takes off on a long-haul if you have a prescription. Just kidding. 😉 #butnotreally

One last little mention… I found this travel journal and it looks so cute! It’s an organizer to keep track of trip ideas, wish lists, and even has spots to store clippings and whatnot. It’s basically a personal bucket list!