17 Best Black Friday Deals on Essential Travel Gear (2024): Suitcases and Luggage

The holiday travel season is here. You may have dragged your suitcase out of the closet only to find that the wheels were broken or it wasn’t big enough to hold all the loot you were hoping for. (Or maybe you’re planning on flying in and out with just your toiletry kit and a t-shirt. In that case, good for you!) With Black Friday travel deals on carry-on suitcases, toiletry kits, and accessories, your flight will be a It will be easier. Make it as painless or even enjoyable as possible. Check out our gift guide for travelers to learn more. Also, be sure to check out our Black Friday Live Sales.

WIRED’s featured sale

suitcase sale

Best of multiple guides, Carry-on Baggage Away is currently offering 25% off everything sitewide. Away is the original direct-to-consumer travel company, drawing both design and marketing inspiration from iconic millennial brands like Warby Parker. Despite the company’s questionable business practices, several WIRED staffers still use the classic Away hard-shell carry-on (recommended by WIRED, 9/10) as their travel suitcase.

The basic Travel Pro soft-sided carry-on won’t make for the flashiest suitcase when passing through the airport. But there’s a reason why most flight attendants own this brand. You can get a huge return on your expenses. Our testers found the handle to be sturdy, the wheels to roll smoothly, and the weight to be just 5.4 pounds. It’s also just over $100.

The viral Beis carry bag is also one of our favorite suitcases. Not only is it a beautiful bag (reviewer Nena Farrell has a light blue slate bag), but it also has a lot of great features. Built-in weights! It’s a bag lock! Two organizer bags that match the color of the bag! Soft cushion on the handle that is gentle on your hands! Beis doesn’t have many sales, so this is a good time to buy.

Photo: Condition bag. Getty Images

At least one of you reading this will be traveling with kids. To avoid the hassle of queuing for checked baggage, we highly recommend that children bring their own carry-on baggage. In addition to being as durable and light as any carry-on I carry, the State Bag has kid-friendly features like fun prints and front pockets for organization. State Bags is currently having a 30% off sitewide sale with code BF24.

Aer’s carry-on bag is more expensive than some of our other picks, but we particularly liked it for a few reasons. The polycarbonate surface is less prone to stains than Monos and doesn’t have the same unevenness as Beis. It also has special Hinamoto metal ball bearings and wheel locks for smooth rotation, so it won’t slide all over the place when you need to put it on the shuttle. All Aer packages are 25% off through Cyber ​​Monday.

The wheels on this small carry-on suitcase come off, so you can just slip it under your seat as a personal item (although I flew with this suitcase on Alaska Airlines, and it fit without removing the wheels). It is important to point out here that this is the case). However, the rattling noise gets louder when you walk. If you don’t mind gritting your teeth, this little suitcase is surprisingly functional for the price.

Other bag sales

Photo: Gorak

This is one of my favorite backpacks (and one of my favorite reviews I’ve ever written). This legendary tactical backpack is the civilian version of the Special Forces medical pack, and it’s the backpack that WIRED reviewer Scott Gilbertson uses for everything but hiking. It will completely outlive him. If your daily commute includes smashing through plate glass windows or rappelling down buildings, this is the backpack for you.

San Francisco-based Aer is known for the durability and minimalist design of its travel bags, and the Aer Travel Pack 3 was named a top travel pack in our Best Carry-On Luggage Guide. It can be carried as a backpack or briefcase and features a technology organization pocket in front of a large compartment for clothes. The only downside is that the water bottle holder is oddly small and won’t fit most large water bottles, but I use a smaller, lighter half-size Nalgene when I fly, so this I don’t think it’s a problem.

Away not only makes our favorite carry-on suitcases, but they also make our favorite toiletry bags. WIRED critic Kat Melk says the store is sleek, well-constructed, unisex, and has an impressive amount of storage space for a reasonable countertop footprint. Pointed out. But while you’re here, why not consider Wandrd’s toiletry bags? You can find it on Amazon, which is also on sale. WIRED reviewer Julian Cioccatu points out that it’s made from Robic nylon with a thermoplastic urethane coating, making it weatherproof (not submersible) thanks to the zipper and coating.

Critic Nena Farrell also loves Calpak’s duffel bags as a weekender or a personal item to carry on top of a traveling suitcase. It’s also large enough to double as a hospital bag, perfect if you suddenly need emergency surgery (yes, sadly she tested it), and doubles as a gym bag.

accessories sale

Courtesy of Meta

I would argue that Ray-Ban Meta glasses are not only the best face computer, but also essential for travel. I love these things (maybe because I’ve been wearing Ray-Ban Wayfarers for almost 20 years). You can listen to podcasts while running. You can take a photo or video and send a text message to your spouse. You can check if the food cart is open. All possible without taking out your phone. What’s more, it also protects your eyes from light.

For crowded airports and long-haul flights, it’s time to upgrade your noise-cancelling headphones. No, you don’t need AirPods Max. Bose remains our top choice for high-quality noise cancellation (9/10, WIRED Recommended), and with up to 18 hours in immersive audio mode (or 24 hours without mode), Bose is among the toughest. It lasts well even for long trips. . Earphones are also on sale on Black Friday.

Photo: She’s a birdie. Amazon

This is a very simple and affordable personal safety alarm that you can clip to your keychain if you are a student or walking around alone. It’s like having a fire alarm in your pocket. Just pull the pin and a 130 decibel siren and flashing strobe lights will alert everyone nearby that something is happening.

This is our best flashlight overall. You’d be surprised how often a flashlight comes in handy when you’re traveling, whether it’s walking down a strange road or finding yourself in a situation where someone is about to hit you over the head. I also use a flashlight to search for things around the hotel room my kids are sleeping in, but it’s not very interesting.

Photo: Brenda Stolyer

The basic Kindle currently costs well under $100 and comes in a beautiful matcha green color. It’s not our absolute favorite Kindle (according to book reviewer Brenda Stolyar, it’s “Paperwhite > Everything”). However, when I travel, I absolutely need a Kindle. We once shared a cabin with some friends and there were 4 of them sitting at the counter. (And now I know you’re reading A Woman of Substance, which is totally fine.)

If you have an Apple product like an iPhone, AirPods, or Apple Watch, you need a portable 3-in-1 charger. We love almost all of Anker’s MagGo series, which delivers up to 15 watts of power to your iPhone or Qi2-certified device via an adjustable magnetic pad, so you can doomscroll while charging . There’s a second pad hidden in the back for your Airpods (or other wireless earbuds), and there’s also a foldable Apple Watch charger. Anker also includes a 5-foot USB-C cable and power adapter, all backed by a 2-year warranty.

Reviewer Boutayna Chokrane notes that the Theragun Mini 2 is just what weary travelers need to relieve back pain after a long day in the middle seat. It’s compatible with the Therabody app and also available in limited edition Getaway Collection colors: Polar Blue, Alpine Green, and Twilight Pink.