The 12 Travel Items You Should Be Packing in 2026
Aka my MVPs of my 2025 travels.
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I traveled for work a grand total of 28 times in 2025, with assignments and press trips taking me to Hawaii, Alaska, Montana, Switzerland, Turks and Caicos, Colorado, and St. Kitts and Nevis, plus a handful of other destinations I’ve been lucky enough to write about.
With an average of 2.33 trips a month, I lived out of a suitcase for a good chunk of the year—and I spent a decent amount of time packing and unpacking. The frequency of travel, while exhausting, allowed me the opportunity to pinpoint the items that I turned to again and again, as well as the pieces that streamlined my packing process. Like the suitcase I always rely on. The packing cubes and pouches that help me stay organized. The sweater that always gets tossed in my tote bag.
Below, my 12 packing MVPS of 2025.
1. Away Bigger Carry-on
Unless I was traveling somewhere for a week or longer, I brought along my trusty Away Bigger Carry-on. I’m a staunch proponent of a hardshell suitcase—you’ll never catch me with softside luggage—and this is the type of suitcase you’ll use forever. Plus, it’s as roomy as carry-on suitcases come.
2. Compression packing cubes
I mostly use my compression cubes when I’m traveling somewhere cold—Scotland, Switzerland, Wyoming, etc. The dual-zipper technology keeps the bulkiest of pieces (like sweaters and down jackets) more compact and gives me a bit more space to pack other items.
3. Travel wrap
This travel wrap was a Q3 purchase, and it’s since become an essential part of my airplane uniform. I also recently read that traditional Chinese medicine suggests keeping your neck warm on a drafty plane to stay healthy, and this certainly does the trick.
4. Oversized button-down
I’ve written about my love of an oversized button-down several times over the last year. I wear a now sold-out white version of this Ralph Lauren style, and I can confidently say it’s joined me on at least 90% of my 2025 travels. It’s casual enough to be worn for a travel day, but it’s incredibly easy to dress up with jewelry and a bright lip color for dinner at an upscale hotel.
5. Drawstring linen pants
These Banana Republic linen pants—so many good colors!— are similar to an old J.Crew pair I wore all summer long. They’re more elevated than leggings or sweaters, and I like to pair mine with a matching T-shirt or sweater. (A monochromatic look is my secret to looking presentable after a red-eye flight or long travel day.)
6. Travel pouches
This was the year I became obsessed with using travel pouches. I carry two or three in my personal item bag on every trip. One for snacks—I’m gluten-free, so traveling with my own food is crucial—one for cords and chargers, and one for important documents and items (like my passport, wallet, and local currency).
7. Sunglasses lens cleaner
It’s not completely necessary, but I realized I was traveling way too often in sunglasses smeared with my fingerprints. This little portable lens cleaner was an easy solution.
