The holiday travel season is upon us. You may have dragged your suitcase out of the closet only to discover that a wheel is broken, or that it’s just not big enough for all the loot you’re expecting. (Or maybe you plan on popping in and out with only a toiletry kit and a T-shirt, in which case, good for you!) These Black Friday travel deals on carry-on suitcases, toiletry kits, and accessories will make your flights as painless as possible—or maybe even enjoyable! Check out our gift guide for travelers for more, and be sure to see our live Black Friday deals.
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Suitcase Deals
Photograph: Away
The best carry-on in multiple guides, Away is now offering 25 percent off everything sitewide. Away is the original direct-to-consumer travel company, taking both design and marketing inspiration from iconic millennial brands like Warby Parker. Despite the company’s questionable business practices, multiple WIRED staffers still use the classic Away hard-shell carry-on (9/10, WIRED Recommends) as their travel suitcase.
A basic Travelpro soft-sided carry-on isn’t going to be the flashiest suitcase when you’re going through the airport. But there’s a reason this is the brand that most flight attendants have—you get a tremendous amount of bang for your buck. Our tester found that the handle was sturdy, the wheels rolled smoothly, and it weighs a mere 5.4 pounds. It’s also only a hair above $100.
The viral Beis carry-on is also one of our favorite suitcases. Not only is it a beautiful bag (reviewer Nena Farrell has hers in the light blue Slate) but it also comes with a bunch of great features. A built-in weight! A bag lock! Two organizer bags that match the color of your bag! A soft cushion for your hand on the handle! Beis doesn’t often have sales, so this is a good time to buy.
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Photograph: State Bags; Getty Images
At least one of you reading this is going to be traveling with children in tow. I highly suggest you avoid the pain of the checked luggage line and get your kids their own carry-ons. In addition to being as sturdy and lighter than my own carry-on, the State bags have kid-friendly features, like fun prints and an organizational front pocket. State Bags is currently holding a sitewide sale with 30 percent off with the code BF24.
Aer’s carry-on is more expensive than some of our other picks, but I particularly liked it for a few reasons. The polycarbonate surface doesn’t pick up dirt as easily as the Monos, and it doesn’t have ridges like the Beis. It also has specialized Hinamoto metal ball bearings for smoother rolling, as well as wheel locks, so it doesn’t slide all over the place when you have to take it on a shuttle. All of Aer’s luggage is 25 percent off through Cyber Monday.
The wheels on this teeny, tiny carry-on suitcase pop off so you can simply slide it under your seat as a personal item (although I should note here that I flew with it on Alaska Airlines and it fit without me taking the wheels off). However, they are loud and rattle when you’re walking. If this doesn’t make you grit your teeth, this tiny suitcase is impressively functional for the price.
Other Bag Deals
Photograph: GORUCK
This is far and away one of my favorite backpacks (and one of my favorite reviews that I’ve written). This is a legendary tactical backpack that’s a civilian version of a Special Forces med-pack, and it’s WIRED reviewer Scott Gilbertson’s backpack for everything but hiking. It will fully outlive him. If your everyday commute also includes busting through a plate glass window and rappelling down a building, this is the backpack for you.
San Francisco-based Aer is known for its travel bags’ durability and minimalist designs, and the Aer Travel Pack 3 is our top travel pack pick in our guide to the Best Carry-on Luggage. You can carry it as either a backpack or a briefcase, and it has a tech-organizing pocket in front of the larger compartment for your clothes. The only downside is a weirdly small water bottle holder that won’t fit most larger water bottles, but I do not find this a problem, as I use a tiny, lightweight half-size Nalgene when I’m flying.
Not only does Away make our favorite carry-on suitcase, the company also makes our favorite toiletry bag. WIRED reviewer Kat Merck notes that it’s sleek, well-made, and unisex, and it holds an impressive amount of items for its reasonable countertop footprint. While we’re here, though, you might also want to consider Wandrd’s toiletry bag, which you can find on Amazon and which is also on sale. WIRED reviewer Julian Chokkattu notes that it’s made from Robic nylon with a thermoplastic urethane coating, and it’s weather-proof (not submersible), thanks to the zippers and coating.
Reviewer Nena Farrell also likes Calpak’s duffel bag as a weekender or personal item to tote on top of your rolling suitcase. It’s also big enough to be a great hospital bag if you suddenly need emergency surgery (yes, she tested that, sadly) and can also work as a gym bag.
Accessories Deals
Courtesy of Meta
Not only are the Ray-Ban Meta glasses the best face computer, I argue that they’re indispensable for travel. I freaking love these things (possibly because I’ve been wearing Ray-Ban Wayfarers for almost two decades). You can listen to podcasts on your run! You can take pictures and videos to text to your spouse! You can check if the food cart is open! All without taking out your phone. As a bonus, they also shade your eyes.
With crowded airports and long-haul flights, it’s time to upgrade your noise-canceling headphones. No, you don’t need a pair of the AirPods Max! Bose remains our top choice for high-quality noise cancellation (9/10, WIRED Recommends), and it has up to 18 hours of battery in Immersive Audio mode (or 24 without), which is long enough to last through the most brutal trip. The earbuds are also on Black Friday sale.
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Photograph: She’s Birdie; Amazon
This is a pretty simple, affordable personal safety alarm that you can clip onto your keychain if you’re a student or walking around alone. It’s like carrying a fire alarm in your pocket—just pull the pin and a 130-decibel siren and flashing strobe light makes sure that everyone in your vicinity is aware that something is going down.
This is our best flashlight overall and you would be surprised how often a flashlight comes in handy when you’re traveling, whether you’re walking down an unfamiliar street or find yourself in a situation where you might need to bean someone over the head. I also use a flashlight for finding things around a hotel room where kids are sleeping, but that’s much less exciting.
The base Kindle is now well under $100 and it comes in a beautiful matcha green! This is not our absolute favorite Kindle (“Paperwhite > everything”, according to our reviewer Brenda Stolyar). However, a Kindle is absolutely necessary when traveling; we once shared a cabin with some friends and four identical ones were sitting on the counter. (And now I know you’re reading A Woman of Substance and that’s totally fine.)
If you own Apple products, like an iPhone, AirPods, and an Apple Watch, then you need a portable 3-in-1 charger. We love pretty much everything from Anker’s MagGo line and this one delivers up to 15 watts to an iPhone or Qi2-certified device via an adjustable magnetic pad, so you can doomscroll while you charge. There’s a second pad tucked behind for Airpods (or other wireless earbuds), and a fold-out Apple Watch charger. Anker even includes a 5-foot USB-C cable and a wall adapter, all backed by a two-year warranty.
Reviewer Boutayna Chokrane notes that the Theragun Mini 2 is just what a weary traveler needs to ease that lower back pain after a long day in the middle seat. It’s compatible with the Therabody app and even comes in limited edition Getaway Collection colors—polar blue, alpine green, and twilight pink.
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