We Take 80 Trips a Year—These Are the Under-$50 Travel Accessories We Recommend

We completely understand that spending money on something you're just going to use while traveling can be a bit of a deterrent, but having the right travel accessories for trips can make a huge difference in your comfort level, which us Who What Wear editors can confirm. Collectively, we took 80 trips last year and acquired many wonderfully useful travel accessories along the way. And because we also don't want to spend an arm and a leg on travel accessories, the accessories we're recommending below are all under $50.
From the coziest socks to wear on your journey to the most space-saving makeup bag on the market (and everything you could need in between), these are the 18 under-$50 accessories us jet-setting editors swear by. They're guaranteed to make that tedious trip to the airport significantly more enjoyable. Trust us.
Noise-Canceling Headphones
"I find it really difficult to fall asleep on flights, but one of the few things that actually helps is my trusty pair of noise canceling headphones. You don't even realize how loud flights are until you start using them. My pair is super old from Bose, but this affordable Amazon find seems to have the reviews to back it up."
Wipes
"Given that we're in flu season, my favorite travel companions are undoubtedly my antibacterial hand wipes. They're perfect for cleaning your hands if you can't get to a bathroom or cleaning your phone every so often (because, yes, it gets dirty). Keep a pack in your bag at all times and you won't regret it."
Packing Cubes
"Packing cubes are life. Raise your hand if you're someone whose suitcase becomes a jumbled mess within 24 hours of landing at your destination. I know I am, and now I know packing cubes help tremendously with this. I'd say my suitcase stays about 50% more organized for the duration of a trip with them. Our editors had been urging me to get them for years, and I'm not sure what took me so long, because now I won't travel without them!"
Reusable Water Bottle
"Last year, I got into the habit of trying to bring a reusable water bottle to the airport but found many terminals still don't offer a filtered water station. Lame. Also, maybe I'm overthinking, but I do wonder how often they change the filter on those and if people are touching the lips of their water bottles to the filter. Now I sidestep all that with a water bottle that comes with its own filtration system. Sink water tastes just as good as bottled water with this handy bottle by my side."
Pouch
Socks
Scarf
Makeup-Remover Wipes
Sneakers
Tube Socks
Sleep Mask
Cute Socks
Blanket Scarf
Travel Case
Hair Brush
Cosmetics Bag
Portable Charger
Scrunchie
Next up, the three items travelers always pack but never wear.

Allyson is a senior editor for Who What Wear. She joined the company in 2014 as co-founder Katherine Power's executive assistant and over the years has written hundreds of stories for Who What Wear. Prior to her career in fashion, Allyson worked in the entertainment industry at companies such as Sony Pictures Television. Allyson is now based in Raleigh, North Carolina, and is originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She holds a BFA in theater arts. Her path to fashion may not have been linear, but based on the number of fashion magazines she collected as a child and young adult, it was meant to be.
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