40 Of The Best Travel Gifts Under $20

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1 The Best Travel Gifts Under $20

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Are you looking for the perfect gift ideas for someone who loves to travel? Whether there’s a trip planned to Croatia, New York City, or anywhere else in the world, there’s always room for a few gifts geared for their travels from a loved one.

As a traveler myself, it’s hard to think of anything better than giving one of your favorite people a thoughtful gift you know they’ll use and love.

This list of some of the best travel gifts under $20 makes for great last-minute stocking stuffers or holiday gifts. From luggage tags to travel mugs, I hope these ideas inspire you to give a thoughtful present to someone you love.

The Best Travel Gifts Under $20

Quick Note: For the most up-to-date information on these travel accessories under $20, click on the product’s image to check it out.

Portable Bluetooth Speaker

Portable speakers are a must-have item when traveling. They’re small enough to fit into any bag or backpack but still sound amazing. The Dosmix Wireless Stereo looks like a retro radio but delivers modern, high-quality sound. It has a built-in microphone to take calls while listening to music and a 2-3 hours per charge battery life.

Fold Up Travel Duffel

There are many options out there for duffels, backpacks, and messenger bags. But if you want something that folds down to be as compact as possible, then look no further than this foldable travel duffel. You can store everything inside, plus it’s made to fit the personal item size requirement for strict airlines.

Travel Documents Holder

These days, carrying essential travel documents means more than just a passport. Now, we have COVID vaccination records, Global Entry IDs, and other papers we need on hand. This personalized travel documents holder has slots for all of your important documents, including your passport.

Crossbody Phone Purse

Crossbody purses are a classic accessory for women everywhere. And with a crossbody purse, you don’t have to worry about where your phone ends up. This particular purse features a specific slot that fits all major phone models, so you never have to worry about misplacing your cell.

Tile Mate

Similar to the slightly pricer Apple AirTags (which is a great gift for friends moving overseas,) a Tile Mate is a simple way to track an item’s location. With this Tile Mate, you can attach it to your keys or anywhere else you’d usually worry about losing. Once paired with your smartphone, you can see exactly where your belongings are at all times.

Anker Power Bank

A portable power bank is one of the most essential travel accessories under $20 I carry around. My Anker power bank is easy to use, durable and can recharge my phone several times on a single charge.

Portable Mini Humidifier

If your friend becomes dehydrated easily, a portable mini humidifier is the answer. This mini humidifier has two different use modes, an automatic shut-off and soft light for nighttime use. Keep the air they’re breathing in hydrated!

Passport Holder

Part passport holder and personalized leather wallet, its high-quality and sleek design make this a great travel gift under $20 for the men in your life.

Bamboo Cutlery Set

One of my favorite zero-waste travel essentials is reusable cutlery. This set includes a complete set of utensils, as well as chopsticks and a straw–it’ll last years if cared for properly.

Packing Cubes

Packing cubes are a great way to organize your clothing before packing them away. This set comes with six individual compartments that make it easier to find what you’re looking for.

Personalized Luggage Tags

A personalized luggage tag makes for a great gift idea for anyone who travels frequently. The tag comes attached to a keychain and has a place to write their name inside, just in case their bag doesn’t arrive at their destination.

Essential Oil Diffuser

If your giftee loves essential oils, give them a travel-sized essential oil diffuser! They’re such an easy way to add some scent into any room without having to spend a fortune on scented candles or lotions.

Universal Waterproof Cellphone Pouch

This is one of those great travel gifts under 20 for anyone who likes to keep their cell phone safe and dry while out and about. This pouch fits pretty much every standard-size phone and is made of durable clear material, so it is still functional without needing to take it out.

Pour Over Coffee Travel Mug

This is an excellent gift for coffee lovers, and it’s also a perfect way to make sure that your favorite beverage stays hot or cold as long as possible! The Pour Over Coffee Travel Mug holds up to 12 ounces of liquid, so you can enjoy your morning cup of joe without worrying about spillage. It comes with a lid and a straw, making it easy to drink from while traveling.

Travel Pillow

If your traveler has trouble sleeping on planes, then they’ll love using their new travel “pillow.” This neck wrap comes with a soft microfiber cover and helps support the neck to get some good sleep in the air. Plus, it folds down very small. It’s machine washable and available in six different colors.

Quick Dry Mircofiber Towel

I have a few of these in different colors, and they are great for travelers to have on hand. They dry quickly, are very soft, and don’t take up much room, which means there’s almost always room in their luggage for it to fit.

Electronics Travel Organizer

This is so helpful when traveling! If you have someone in your life who is constantly losing important charging cords or adapters, this is the gift for them. There are enough slots and pockets to perfectly organize all of the charging cords for the precious electronics we can’t leave home without!

Mini Wireless Bluetooth Receiver

A wireless Bluetooth receiver turns a wired headphone port into one that will work with wireless headphones. Think–using your AirPods on an airplane! Since so many people exclusively use wireless headphones now, this little inexpensive gift will come in handy more often than you think!

Reusable Fabric Tote Bag with Wheels

If someone in your life loves to travel but doesn’t want to carry around their bag, then they need a tote bag like this one. This fabric tote is spacious enough for a large grocery haul, and if it’s too heavy, it also has wheels!

The Original Portable Door Lock

Another one of my favorite self-defense products is a portable door lock. This thin mechanism can be thrown into any travel bag and is extremely effective at locking any standard door from the inside, so no one unwanted can get inside.

Need more inspiration? Check out my guides on the best travel essentials for women, zero-waste travel essentials, and great gifts for friends going abroad!

TSA-approved Luggage Locks

These TSA-approved luggage locks are perfect for keeping your valuables safe while traveling. You can choose between a key lock, combination lock, padlock, and even a cable lock.

Sabre Self-Defense Kit

Maintaining my personal safety is one of the most important elements of traveling. Sabre is one of the most reputable companies for self-defense products, with very affordable options. Their compact kit is a combined red pepper spray and a stun gun with a built-in flashlight.

Set Your Own Combination Portable Safe

With this portable safe, belongings can stay safe anywhere. Simply attach the MasterLock safe to any fixed object with a strong cable to keep your valuables safe. The lockbox is waterproof and surrounded on the inside with a thick foam.

Travel Journal

In addition to writing them here on The Purposely Lost, I love writing down my travel adventures. This is a great idea if you know your traveler really enjoys journaling. Everyone needs a place to write down ideas and thoughts while traveling, and a beautiful notebook is a great way to do just that.

Travel Clean Kit

Since the Covid-19 epidemic, frequent travelers have been more aware of the microorganisms and viruses they’re exposed to when in public. Each Travel Clean Kit comes with a single-use seat cover, face mask, sanitizing antiseptic wipes, and shoe coverings, making it a lightweight present that will prepare your friend for congested travel surroundings.

Custom Vintage Map Print

If they’re a history buff at heart, print them a vintage map of their favorite place! Whether it’s their hometown, a favorite city, or somewhere else, a custom map in a vintage style will be an awesome gift under $20 for any traveler.

USB Multiport Charging Station

This is a great gift for anyone who travels often and needs to charge multiple devices at once. This one has ten USB ports! Never again will they have to make the hard decision of which device to charge.

Travel Yoga Mat

If your favorite traveler loves fitness, then you should consider getting them a travel yoga mat. Where traditional yoga mats are bulky and hard to fold, these travel yoga mats are lightweight, compact, and designed to fold flat. I’ve had a few of these over the years, and they’re great for traveling.

Travel Tripod

Travelers need to be able to capture every moment of their trip. Whether they’re taking photos or videos, having a sturdy tripod is essential to capturing a great shot, especially if traveling alone and they want to be in their pictures. This travel tripod is lightweight and folds up small enough to fit in a standard day bag.

Poster-sized Travel Photo Print

Travelers bring back more than just their memories–they also bring home a ton of pictures. Especially if they’re proud of their photography, surprise your giftee with a poster-sized print of one of their beautiful travel shots. If you want to go the extra mile, I have a whole guide to creating a travel photo book with Mixbook, a company that makes high-quality poster prints, photo books, and personalized photo home decor.

Mini Flashlight

For those times when you need to find your way around at night, a mini flashlight is a lifesaver. It’s small and easy to carry around but still packs a big punch.

Emergency Travel Kit

Everyone should have an emergency kit on hand when they travel. This kit includes items like water purification tablets, first aid kits, batteries, and fire starters. These are all things you may not think of until you’re actually stranded somewhere without access to basic supplies.

Steamfast Mini Steam Iron

Honestly, a wrinkle-release spray will only take your clothes so far. When it comes to wrinkles, there’s no replacement for ironing. With so many options out there for travel irons, steam irons tend to get overlooked. But, they’re perfect for packing into your suitcase because they don’t take up much space. The Steamfast Mini has it all right there in its name–it’s a steam iron and will eliminate wrinkles in clothes fast!

Digital Luggage Scale

Did you know that there are handheld digital luggage scales? This is definitely one of the best travel gifts under $20 for a frequent flyer. I bring mine everywhere I travel, and it’s been a lifesaver in avoiding any unwanted overweight baggage fee by knowing the weight of my luggage before letting it through security.

Jewelry Organizer

Sometimes, the best travel accessories are the accessories! Just because someone is traveling doesn’t mean they don’t want to mix and match their jewelry favorites. A jewelry organizer makes sure everything stays together while keeping it safe from damage. This is the one I use when I’m abroad, and it’s excellent for my needs.

Lyndsay

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