From the stress of getting from Point A to Point B to all the nights spent away from the comforts of your own home, business travel can become a grind — especially when you are not fully loaded with the right travel gear and goodies. Fortunately, it’s that time of year when you can begin dropping not-so-subtle hints about which must-have travel accessories you’d like for the holidays.
So whether you have loved ones fishing for present ideas or have put your name at the top of your holiday shopping list, here are our top gift picks to help make your travel experience a much smoother journey.
Can’t hear me now?
Whether it’s to drone out an annoying conversation while you’re trying to get some shut-eye on an overnight flight or kill the sound of a blaring TV in the hotel room next door, every business traveler needs to invest in a good pair of noise-cancelling headphones. One of the best on the market is Bose’s QuietComfort 35 II, which retails for $349.95. What’s great about this latest model is that it has Google Assistant built right into the headphones, so you can play music, receive texts, manage your daily tasks and get answers — all by giving commands with your voice. Pair with the White Noise app for a sound sleep on the plane or in your bed away from home.
Sleep tight on your flight
Say goodbye to sleepless flights with Cabeau Evolution, a premium travel pillow that features high-quality memory foam that offers just the right combo of malleability and spring. Its raised sides and innovative design offer 360-degree support, so whether your head leans left, right or falls forward, you won’t wake up with a crick in your neck. It sells for $39.99 and, to help get you to dreamland even faster, earplugs are included.
Or for corporate travelers who get to stretch out in a flat-bed seat in first or business class, we recommend the soft, lightweight Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow ($19.95-$34.95). This rectangular, urethane foam-filled pillow packs to one-fifth its normal size and comes with a comfortable brushed polyester cover in a number of eye-catching colors and patterns.
A mask for sore eyes
While you don’t want to be getting coal in your stocking this holiday season, how about charcoal in your sleep mask? The Morihata Binchotan Charcoal Eye Mask, selling for $26, is infused with a premium activated charcoal powder native to Japan that naturally helps mitigate the appearance of tired, puffy eyes. It also purportedly promotes blood circulation, relieves eye pressure and helps reduce headaches. Oh, and of course it does its main job, too: blocking out the light so you can get a good flight’s rest.
Need a boost
There are so many devices and apps to help business travelers keep productive while on the road, but there is just a single item they need to keep them going full steam ahead: a fully charged battery. Enter Mophie, which manufactures a variety of fast-charging stations that will give your mobile phones and tablets more than a day’s worth of extra juice, so you can stay connected wherever your travels take you. And because Mophie stations and packs also can charge multiple gadgets at once and have enough power to charge your smartphone up to three times, you won’t be stuck with a dying device just after hailing an Uber to your hotel.
Snuggle buddy
Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend but cashmere is her best travel companion. And snuggling in a cashmere wrap once settled on the airplane quickly can erase any tensions from airport security check-in. One we think is totally splurge-worthy: White + Warren’s 100 percent cashmere travel wrap ($298). These gorgeous pieces can be worn in endless ways — as a shawl or blanket on the plane or as a scarf, snood or shrug in a chilly boardroom. Can’t decide which hue to choose from more than its dozen options? Let one of White + Warren’s stylists help you with the selection!
Knock your socks off
While they may not be as soft and luxurious as cashmere, compression socks may be your ultimate flight saver. Try Wanderlust Air Travel compression socks, which will prevent swelling and pain in your feet and legs. These medical-grade stockings ($24.95) feature extra-soft, impact-absorbing foot padding, and its high-quality combed cotton make them easy to put on and remove during takeoff and landing, so you literally can start your trip off on the right foot.
Saving face
There are so many good products on the market, but we suggest giving a try Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Cream ($48) on your next flight. Infused with ceramides to strengthen the skin’s natural protective barrier, the cream quenches dehydrated skin with time-release moisture for up to 26 hours and relieves irritated skin caused by environmental stress (like the dry air in the cabin). And because it comes in a 1.6-ounce bottle, it’s TSA-approved!
It is all in the bag
Remember when a piece of luggage was just a rollable box to cart your clothes? Well, that was so last decade. With the Bluesmart luggage system, which starts at $380 for the carry-on bag, you can track where your lost baggage was sent, charge up all your devices, weigh the bag to avoid baggage fees and lock it through an app on your smartphone. Now your grandma’s suitcase never could do all that!
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