The 8 best travel essentials that will make your trip a breeze, according to a professional product tester

I have two personal item non-negotiables for air-travel. It must be roomy enough to hold everything I need (especially as an avid over-packer), and must easily fit under the seat on my flight. The Calpak Luka Duffel is one of the few bags I’ve reviewed over the years that passed both tests with flying colors.

After noticing the hype surrounding the Calpak Luka Duffel, I was prepared to reduce it to an overhyped but underperforming TikTok find. So, when I learned, first-hand, that the quality matched the hysteria, I was pleasantly surprised.

The best way I could describe this bag is “deceptively spacious.” I fully packed it for use as my personal item on an international flight and was surprised by my findings.

Not only did it fit everything from my over-ear headphones case, iPad, Kindle and toiletry bag to a medium-sized packing cube filled with a change of clothes and a water bottle, but it slid under the seat with no struggle whatsoever — while fully packed.

What impressed me even more is the extra room that was left after all of those contents neatly stacked inside the roomy main compartment with ease.

As far as under-seat-storage-approved personal item bags go, this one gets an A+. For its overall grade, though, it loses a few marks for its easily scuffed polyester fabric and slightly flimsy structural build.

All in all, though, this bag is worth the investment and just became my first-pick for the best personal item bag for worry-free air travel.

I’ve been testing luggage for many, many years. From affordable and viral pieces to premium and more obscure options, I’ve reviewed my fair share of suitcases.

After all of that research and first-hand trialing, I’ve found that the Carl Friedrik Carry-On X is the best roller carry-on bags money can buy.

This hardsided suitcase has been my dedicated carry-on for over three years now and hasn’t failed me once. It has a luxe, understated design that’s both chic and timeless and a zipperless frame that makes overstuffing it much easier than risking popping a main zipper.

What makes it a standout, though, is its integrated front pocket that has built-in organization for storing a laptop, notebook, travel documents and more. It’s so spacious that I even stored a pair of sandals in there while returning from my honeymoon, and it still fit overhead with no issues.

Best of all, when the front pocket was both stuffed and empty, this carry-on passed the overhead bin storage test on several flights across major airlines like JetBlue, Delta and United.

If you’re looking for a reliable investment carry-on that you’ll only have to buy once, this one is a tested and reviewed masterpiece that checks all of the boxes.

Herschel has a reputation of being a trusted and affordable bag brand. In fact, the classic Herschel Novel Recycled Nylon Duffle was my very first weekender bag as a college freshman many, many years ago. So, curious to see how the brand’s grown, I recently tested its Novel Duffle Tech bag and was impressed after just my first use.

To start, it has more room than the original duffle (45L to the original’s 43L). It also has a more thoughtful design, complete with a trolley sleeve for easy luggage pairing, and a fleece-lined laptop sleeve to keep your device scratch free.

I also found several other compartments for easy organization and packing. The element that made shoppers initially fall in love with Herschel’s affordable duffle bags, however, still remains: the dedicated shoe storage compartment.

This time, however, it’s roomier than ever and even has an additional internal pocket for storing your socks.

While it’s definitely a worthy purchase, the Herschel Novel Duffle Tech does have a couple drawbacks. The polyester material doesn’t have that premium feel that many shoppers seek in their travel gear. In certain areas, it can feel a bit thin and unrefined.

However, all in all, given this bag’s price, overall design functionality and roominess, it comes highly recommended from me, especially for those who need a budget-friendly bag that holds quite a lot.

Being organized before arriving at airport security is the secret to a mostly calm traveling experience. When you think about it, it’s just about half the battle.

This leather passport wallet never leaves my personal item bag and has been one of my travel staples for over four years. It has a compartment and slot for just about everything you’ll need before and after you’ve taken off.

From a dedicated travel document slot that securely holds your boarding pass in place to four card slots for storing your ID or credit cards, there’s more space in here than you’ll probably even need.

There’s also a slot for cash and another for safely storing and securing your passport for easy access.

This passport wallet’s most impressive feature, though, is its included pen that’s made of a mix of steel and aluminum. It comes housed in its own slot at the center of the wallet and never falls out thanks to its magnetic pull. When you’re ready to use it to fill out immigration forms, for example, just pull a bit and it will automatically release.

Unlike most other travel wallets I’ve used over the years, this one is incredibly substantial and feels weighty in-hand. So, you know you’re getting a quality product that will only get better with time.

There are a few portable chargers I frequent for travel use, and which one I grab all depends on the duration of my flight. For short flights (four hours or less), this palm-sized Statik portable charger is the one I reach for most.

It fits in any pocket in my tech pouch or personal item bag (and even my pocket), and has a travel-friendly design that’s made for easy portable use.

Where this power bank stands out, though, is in its interchangeable magnetic connectors. It comes with three that allow you to charge some of today’s most commonly used devices like a smartphone (both Apple and Android), tablet, and even headphones and some cameras.

Since this portable charger is compact and slim, I’ve also been able to use my phone while the Statik Snap-N-Charge was connected to the device. And if you’re known for dropping your phone, rest assured that the rotating heads of each connector disconnects when your phone drops, is yanked or pulled.

While this may not be the most powerful portable charger I’ve used, it’s certainly one of the most affordable, efficient and travel-friendly.

If you’re anything like me, you have a huge fear of your luggage being lost, especially if you’re traveling internationally. So, when Apple debuted its popular AirTag tracking device, I felt like it was made with slightly anxious travelers like myself in mind.

Every time I travel (and I mean every single time), I toss one of these in my checked luggage. After I hand it over to the agents at bag drop, I’m able to instantly track it directly from the “Find My” app on my iPhone, in real time.

Another plus: When I’m waiting for my luggage to come out at baggage claim, the app shows me that it’s made it to my destination, and I can even see when it’s getting closer to me.

This tiny gadget is one of my most prizes travel possessions and I recommend everyone get one, just to give them some peace of mind during what’s inevitably already a stressful situation.

Falling asleep on planes has been difficult for me for as long as I can remember. While I easily drown the sound of crying babies and the plane’s screaming engine with a pair of high-quality over-ear headphones, the real problem lies in my physical discomfort, especially from the shoulders up.

So, when I got my hands on the Ostrichpillow Go Neck Travel Pillow, I figured it couldn’t possibly make things worse. After using it on a flight from New York to San Francisco, I became a believer.

It supported my head, neck and chin, all at once, allowing me to sleep sitting upright with ease — something I was never able to do before this. That was all made possible thanks to its unique asymmetrical shape that contours to the natural lines of the face and neck.

Also, its memory foam fill mimicked the feeling of sleeping on a cozy hotel bed pillow. It contoured to my face and chin so easily. If you couldn’t tell, I’m still shocked it was that comfy.

The cover housing the memory foam fill is also machine-washable, so when you get home from your flight, just toss it in the wash and it’ll be as good as new.

Skincare-obsessed travelers to the front, please! I promise — this is a safe space. For years, I’ve overstuffed the same two or three toiletry bags with my favorite travel-size must-haves to the point that the zippers struggled to close.

So, when I got my hands on the Monos Metro Hanging Toiletry Case, I was relieved since it not only gave me more space to store my products more efficiently (and even pack a few extras), but it had this unique hanging function that allowed me to easily see and access my products while staying at a hotel or any bathroom away from home.

The bag has a loop that unsnaps from the back of the case and extends, allowing you to hang it from a hook in a bathroom or hotel room.

While hanging, the bag expands to reveal two roomy mesh compartments which allow you to see what you’ve packed.

Behind the top compartment is one more main zippered pocket that’s deep enough to store full-size products. But, keep in mind that if you do decide to go this route, you should toss this toiletry case in your checked luggage to abide by TSA’s “3.4-ounces or less” liquids guidelines.