easy travel technology

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Newsletters
• Sweepstakes

We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation.

• Travel Products
• Tech Essentials

The 22 Best Travel Tech Essentials of 2024

Here’s all the gear you need to make your travel experience better from tablets to headphones.

In This Article

• Our Top Picks
• Tips for Buying

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why Trust T+L

Travel + Leisure / Alli Waataja

We live in a technologically advanced society, and that means we usually bring some sort of gadget with us wherever we go, even if it’s just a phone. Some provide entertainment — like tablets, eReaders, and headphones — while others can make journeys more convenient or comfortable instead (such as luggage trackers, folding keyboards, and portable sound machines). To help you discover what your packing list could be missing, we've compiled a list of our favorite tech-related items whether you’re traveling for fun or business.

Best eReader

Amazon kindle paperwhite.

It has a 10-week battery life.

You need to pay a fee to get rid of the ad-supported lock screen.

One of the biggest players in the eReader game, the Kindle Paperwhite hits all the marks when it comes to features you need in a digital book. It has a 6.8-inch glare-free display screen with adjustable warm lighting for reading in the dark (say, on a plane at night), with a monumental battery life of 10 weeks and storage capabilities up to 16 GB. It's also water-resistant for poolside reading. And, don't forget to pair your Kindle with a protective case .

Best Earbuds

Bose quietcomfort earbuds ii.

The highly effective active noise cancellation technology drowns out annoying ambient sounds.

Our testers noticed inconsistent battery life after six months of use.

When we tested these Bose earbuds, we were impressed by a number of features, including effective active noise cancellation (ANC) technology, quick Bluetooth connectivity, and a lightweight fit. We also love that each pair comes with three sets of rubber earpieces, each a different size to accommodate multiple ear shapes and sizes. And, as for sound quality, Bose can't be beat, whether you're listening to music or taking a call. Though the headphones are pricey, we think these features make them worth the cost.

Best On-ear Headphones

Apple airpods max.

The ANC works particularly well for phone calls or Zoom meetings.

The only way to turn them off is by putting them in their carrying case.

These days, it's not good enough for a pair of headphones to simply deliver good sound — it needs to block sound, too. The Apple AirPods Max Wireless Over-ear Headphones do the trick with their ANC technology, which we found to be top-notch in tests. We also loved the intuitive nature, which can quickly and easily be controlled by buttons on the earpiece. But the one flaw here is that to turn them off, you must put the headphones in their carrying case. We'd appreciate a simple power button next time!

Best Power Bank

Tg90° portable charger.

It's the size of a credit card and has built-in cords.

It only holds approximately 1.5 full charges for most phones.

Portable charges come in all shapes and sizes, but if it's portability and convenience you seek, your best bet is to purchase this handy little device. Roughly the size of a credit card (albeit thicker) and weighing just 4.32 ounces, the TG90° Portable Charger is easy to toss in your bag or in your pocket. At 6000mAh, it holds less than two full charges for most phones, but it works perfectly when you need some juice in a pinch. Best of all, it has built-in Lightning and USB-C cords attached, so you don't need to waste space with extra cords.

Best Adapter

Epicka universal travel adapter.

It has six ports for maximum charging capabilities.

It's only an adapter, not a converter, so it can't handle high-energy tools like hair dryers.

A travel adapter is a must-have tool for all international travelers, since socket shapes vary in different parts of the world, making it possible to work from anywhere . This one by Epicka is our tester favorite — it can be used in more than 150 countries, making it a practical all-in-one device. It has an impressive six ports for chagrin: four USB-A, one USB-C, and 1 AC socket. So no matter what type of charger you're using, you'll be able to plug it into this adapter. As a bonus, it comes in four colors so you don't have to choose the standard black of so many tech items.

Best Wi-Fi Hotspot

Netgear nighthawk m6 pro.

It's unlocked, so you can use it on most major cell networks.

It's very expensive for occasional use only.

Portable Wi-Fi hotspots can be useful when you're traveling somewhere without a guaranteed internet connection, but do note that you'll usually need cell service to operate them. NETGEAR's Nighthawk M6 Pro is unlocked, so you can use it on any major cell network by adding a SIM card — and it taps into both 5G and the new Wi-Fi 6E to offer the highest speeds possible. You can also use a wired connection if you happen to have an ethernet cable.

Best Luggage Tracker

Eufy smarttrack link.

It's less expensive than an AirTag.

It isn't Android-compatible.

Apple AirTags might seem to run the show, but in our tests , we preferred Eufy's SmartTrack Link. For one thing, it's cheaper than an AirTag. And for another, it still works with the Find My app on iPhone just like an AirTag. Simply activate the device with the app, then put it in your checked suitcase, and you'll be able to track your bags as they make their journey through the airport and into your plane's cargo hold.

Best Projector

Nebula by anker solar portable projector.

It's compact yet still offers high-quality images and sound.

The power cord is quite short.

No, you probably won't need a portable projector on every trip you take. But if you're heading to a beach house or in a cabin in the woods, it could be a fun way to have a family movie night — particularly if your vacation rental lacks a big TV. If you're using your projector outdoors , note that we found this device to have a 3-hour battery life, which should work for most movies. Otherwise, you'll want to bring an extension cord to plug it in, as its built-in cord is just two feet long.

Best Smart Sunglasses

Ray-ban meta headliner.

You can't beat the video, photo, and audio quality.

The battery life isn't the best among smart glasses.

We've always been fans of Ray-ban sunglasses, but these smart glasses take the game to the next level. Within these frames, which have a slightly different shape than Ray-ban's classic Wayfarer, is a 12-megapixel camera with an ultra-wide lens to capture photos and videos that you can upload onto other devices like digital picture frames — and you can even live stream directly to Facebook or Instagram. There are five built-in microphones to capture audio, whether that's during a video recording or a phone call for extra-clear sound. The audio output quality is excellent, too, for both music and calls.

Best Digital Notebook

Rocketbook core.

You can scan a QR code to save your entries in an app.

It takes some getting used to a digital notebook rather than a traditional one.

Digital notebooks might not have the nostalgia factor of a traditional notebook, but they are pretty handy if you do a lot of journaling or doodling while you're traveling. This way, you won't have to lug around multiple notebooks on a months-long adventure! With Rocketbook Core, you can write or draw on the pages of the notebook with a Pilot pen , then scan a QR code to upload to an app. Once you're ready to start fresh, you can just wipe down each page with a slightly damp microfiber cloth (included). This is the full-size model, but there's also a mini size available if you'd prefer something more travel-friendly.

Best Laptop

Apple macbook air 13.6” laptop.

If you need to work on the road, this is lightweight yet reasonably powerful.

The base model only has 8GB of RAM.

If you're an Apple person, the newest MacBook Air is the best device for travelers. It has the ultra-fast M2 processing chip which is 1.4 times faster than the previous model, the M1. And, as an Air, it's lighter than the standard MacBook or MacBook Pro models which is always helpful when traveling. However, what we really love about the newest MacBook Air is that it's returned to a magnetic charging port, so you don't have to worry about accidentally ripping out your charging cable or pulling down a laptop if you trip over the cord.

Best Tablet

Apple 10.9 inch ipad (9th generation).

Since it's not the newest model, it's usually on sale.

It's best for entertainment rather than intense productivity.

Some planes aren't equipped with built-in in-flight entertainment systems, which means you should probably bring a tablet on your next trip . We're partial to the Apple iPad, specifically, not the latest model for one simple reason: it's usually on sale. Unless you plan on working from your iPad, in which case you'd probably want to upgrade to something more powerful or even a laptop, this one will do just fine for things like watching movies and shows. It'll still work for other tasks where a screen larger than a phone comes in handy, like sending email, making notes, and even taking photos.

Best DSLR Camera

Sony alpha 7r v.

It takes both excellent stills and video, thanks to its 61 megapixels and 8K video quality.

Lenses must be purchased separately.

For those seriously interested in photography and videography, you can't go wrong with the Sony Alpha 7R V. Ultimately, it has extremely high-quality imagery and video that works on a professional level. We're also impressed with its smart features, including fast Wi-Fi, real-time auto video tracking, and accurate subject recognition. And, for travelers, it's fairly lightweight for a DSLR, and it has a long battery life. Just know that it’s on the more expensive side if you’re just dabbling and the price does not include any lenses.

Best Point-and-shoot Camera

Sony rx100 iii 20.1 mp premium compact digital camera.

It's highly portable.

It's pricey for a point-and-shoot, though it does offer superior quality.

For more casual travel photographers, a point-and-shoot camera like the Sony RX100 III is an easier-to-use, more-travel-friendly option than a DSLR with much higher quality than a smartphone. It's still a smart camera, with built-in WiFi, a touch screen, and continuous autofocus to use in video mode, but it's far smaller and more lightweight than a DSLR. One feature we particularly like is its zoom — the built-in Leica lens has a 24–720-millimeter zoom range.

Best Portable Speaker

Ultimate ears wonderboom 3.

It offers bold sound for such a compact size.

It can be tricky to connect with other Wonderboom speakers (for surround sound).

Headphones are great for solo listening, but if you're with a group, you're going to need a portable speaker. We love the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3, first and foremost, for the small size and loud, crisp sound, but, second, for its waterproof and dustproof nature. That means it's perfectly fine to take this on a more rugged journey into the woods or to a beach party, or toss it in a backpack without concern. If you want to amplify the noise, you can connect it to multiple Wonderboom speakers, though we found the process a little bit complicated.

Best Portable Monitor

Asus zenscreen go 15.6" ips lcd fhd monitor.

It has a 3.5-hour battery life.

It's portable, but heavier than other portable monitors.

Nothing beats a multi-screen set-up in your office, but bringing multiple screens on the go isn't realistically feasible. Or is it? Enter: the portable monitor. ASUS ZenScreen is a 15.6-inch screen with an adjustable kickstand that can easily be set up as a second monitor with its included adapters. Or you can use it as a larger screen to stream from your phone, thanks to wireless mirroring capabilities with Apple, Android, and Google. Perhaps most impressively, it can run on battery power alone for up to 3.5 hours.

Best Folding Keyboard

Samsers foldable bluetooth keyboard.

It can be used for various devices, including your phone.

The included stand is only designed for phones, not tablets.

For people who have to type lengthy emails, articles, or notes during their travels, sometimes the touchscreen keyboard of your phone or tablet doesn't cut it. If you'd like to leave your laptop behind but still have full typing capabilities, you'll want to pack this foldable Bluetooth keyboard . It's super compact, lightweight, and long-lasting (up to 40 hours of use on a single charge), but it unfurls to a full keyboard size.

Best Mini Photo Printer

Canon selphy square qx10 compact photo printer.

The photos are printed with a peel-off adhesive backing.

You can only print square photos.

Turn any camera into an instant camera with this portable photo printer. The Canon Selphy QX10 prints images on 2.7 x 2.7, adhesive-backed photo paper, making it easy to stick them into a notebook or onto a wall. If you download the Canon Selphy app, available on both iPhone and Android, you can even create multi-photo layouts and add effects, filters, and stickers to your images before printing.

Best Portable Sound Machine

Babelio white noise machine.

It's truly pocket-sized — and cheap!

You can't add your own sounds, as they're all pre-programmed.

Can't sleep without white noise? Bring this teensy portable sound machine with you on your next trip. There are 15 sound options on the device, which rain from white and pink ambient sounds to natural sounds like waves and rain. The battery will last the whole night (charged by a USB-C port), or you can set a timer for 30 or 60 minutes to automatically shut the sound machine off.

Best Headphone Adapter

Twelve south airfly pro.

It connects wireless headphones to in-flight entertainment systems.

Sometimes there's a slight lag in the audio.

While many headphone-wearers have cut cords and opted for wireless earbuds or headphones, in-flight entertainment systems on planes are still largely wired (though cabins are slowly debuting wireless audio capabilities!). Not only are they wired, but they're only compatible with a traditional 3.5-millimeter headphone jack. Fortunately, there's AirFly, a device that transmits audio from that jack to your wireless headphones via Bluetooth. It has up to 20 hours of battery life, which pretty much covers every flight in the world.

Best Tech Organizer

Bagsmart cable organizer bag.

There are multiple loops and pouches for cables, as well as pockets for memory cards.

It's not particularly small, so if you only have a few items to store, you might want to pick a more petite model.

Cords tend to get tangled in transit, so keep all your chargers nice and tidy with a tech organizer . This one has a variety of pouches and loops that can be used to keep your cords separate, as well as pockets for other small tech gizmos, like a Lightning to USB adapter or lightning to audio jack adapter. There's a spot for everything in this organizer, which makes it a touch bulky. You can always opt for a smaller version if you don't think you'll fill this one.

Best Laptop Backpack

Solo re:define backpack.

It has a compact silhouette but a sneakily large interior.

We noticed a zipper fraying after four months of use.

If you're traveling with a laptop, you'll definitely want some sort of bag or carrying case to store it in. Because laptops can be fairly heavy — or at least feel heavy after lugging them around all day — we recommend a laptop backpack. In our tests , we ranked Solo's Re:Define Laptop Backpack quite highly, praising it for its slim look yet surprisingly spacious interior. Then, of course, there's a padded laptop pocket that can fit devices up to 15.6 inches in size. With its sleek look, we think the bag is great for both students and commuters, but it'll also fare well on leisure trips, too.

Tips for Buying Travel Tech Essentials

Prioritize convenience, entertainment, or both.

Typically, travel tech essentials should either make things more convenient as you travel, or provide entertainment on a long day or during downtime at your destination. Of course, exact purposes vary but, before deciding to buy (or pack) any travel tech items, consider their portability as well as how much use you’ll get out of each pick as space is often limited on the go. If you're shopping for others — say a host or hostess gift — consider what will be the most functional for the way they travel.

Plan for your organizational needs

Remember that you're going to have to store your travel tech somewhere so have an organizational plan in mind for the items you plan to bring. You can do this with bags with numerous pockets, such as easy-access ones where you can stash things you might need to take out frequently, such as your passport or headphones. Or you can store important items in smaller bags that go into bigger ones such as a cord organizer or travel pouch .

Consider your mode of transportation, your destination, and your itinerary. Are you packing essentials for a road trip , or taking a plane or train? If you have limited space, you may want to watch movies on your phone with a pair of earbuds. If you plan on taking long train rides or red-eye flights, on-ear, noise-canceling headphones may be an item you’ll want to leave space for in your bag. If you’re traveling for long periods and plan to work, a laptop or tablet and portable keyboard can come in handy, and if you know you’ll have a bunch of travel tech items, having some sort of organizer or a backpack with ample pockets will be key.

It's advisable to avoid bringing delicate and heavy items — the hardier and more lightweight, the better. Plus, remember that not all items can be taken on the road, specifically on planes. Lithium batteries and portable power banks, for example, cannot be stored in checked bags and must be brought with you in the cabin.

When flying, travelers commonly appreciate bringing headphones, headphone adapters, and portable entertainment like a tablet loaded with shows or movies or an eReader.

Why Trust Travel + Leisure

T+L contributor Stefanie Waldek is a freelance travel writer with a decade of experience. She flies 200,000 miles a year and spends months in remote destinations like Antarctica and the Arctic. so being fully prepared with tech essentials is part of her travel routine. For this article, she evaluated various pieces of travel tech to enhance a traveler's journey, taking into account personal experience, T+L tester insights, and customer reviews.

Love a great deal? Sign up for our T+L Recommends newsletter and we’ll send you our favorite travel products each week.

Related Articles

6 Tech Innovations Transforming the Travel Industry

Shahzad Masood

August 29, 2024

Traveling has always been about exploration and discovery, the tech revolution adds new dimensions to our adventures.

Imagine booking your summer holiday with just a few taps on your screen, receiving personalized offers that seem to have been designed expressly for you, and even checking out your destination without leaving your couch.

From smart devices that bestow easy travel to intelligent tools that make the travel experience more interactive, technology influences our tours around the world. Fasten your seatbelt as we explore six amazing tech innovations that are not only changing the world of tourism, but making your trips that much more pleasurable, time-saving, and memorable.

Want to know how technology will make traveling a more thrilling experience? Let’s get going!

What Is the Role of Technology in Transforming the Tourism Industry?

Technology is one of those huge factors transforming the tourism industry into an easy, personalized, and more enjoyable experience.

Technology can help enable these traveling individuals to quickly book their flights or hotels, receive recommendations based on their interests, or even virtually explore destinations they might travel to.

Intelligently designed tools, such as AI chatbots that handle bookings 24/7 and IoT devices in hotels that personalize experiences, are revolutionizing travel. Virtual reality offers a glimpse into journeys, while blockchain ensures secure transactions.

Another technological innovation is the eSIM technology that enhances seamless activation of local data plans, eliminating the need for physical SIM cards, and ensuring smooth connectivity for travelers. It is found that France ranks 6th in terms of people’s interest in using eSIMs.

Moreover, ESIM technology will make life even easier for travelers eliminating the need for physical SIMs, further enhancing their travel experience.

If you’re traveling to Paris, take advantage of eSIM France that allows for easy activation of local data plans, enhancing connectivity without the need for physical SIM cards.

Technological Developments in the Travel Industry

1. advanced ai and machine learning applications.

AI and machine learning have started to make travel personalized and operations seamless. Shortly, AI algorithms will analyze huge data on users, including past behaviors and preferences, to include in giving highly relevant travel suggestions, almost magical.

This would drive up personalization, boosting bookings and increasing revenues manifold for travel companies. Artificial Intelligence-powered chatbots and virtual assistants also revolutionize customer service efficiently, handling a large share of routine inquiries.

They reduce frustration with long wait times and thus customer service costs. Moreover, predictive analytics are usually referred to as a crystal ball for the travel industry because, through machine learning, one can forecast travel trends and consumer behavior very accurately. This helps airlines and hotels identify key strategies to optimize for yielding increased revenue.

2. Blockchain Technology for Secure Transactions

Blockchain lets the travel marketplace introduce levels of security and transparency in transactions unimaginable, hence solving some very old problems of trust and fraud issues.

Smart contracts on the blockchain are changing bookings as they make sure both parties adhere to pre-agreed terms without intermediaries, hence drastically reducing fraud cases and making it a lot easier.

Decentralized traveling platforms cut out the middleman for travelers, affording them more control and potentially lower costs by reducing commission fees than one might find on a traditional platform. These decentralized applications bring more transparency and trust to the industry.

Finally, in a world where data breaches are more normal, blockchain provides a very real solution in security that reduces the possibility of personal data breaches and attracts more consumers willing to pay more for a service that will protect their data privacy.

3. Internet of Things (IoT) for Enhanced Travel Experiences

From intelligent transportation systems to intelligent hotel rooms, IoT is making travel interconnected.

IoT accommodations transform into high-tech havens where everything in the guest’s stay is personalized and controlled by the click of a button, greatly enhancing guest satisfaction and operational efficiencies through automated check-ins and smart room controls.

In transportation, IoT is enhancing connectivity throughout the journey-from airport travel to rental cars by reducing flight delays and cancellations, while improving passenger satisfaction with real-time tracking and communication.

Wearable technologies are also key enablers for travelers, featuring contactless payment, luggage tracking, and health monitoring, among other features that add to safer and more convenient travels.

4. Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) Enhancements

In 2024, the AR and VR industry is expected to bring in $40.4 billion in revenue . AR and VR are changing the way people fundamentally interact with travel, collapsing the inhibitions between physical and digital experiences into immersive previews that enhance exploration.

Virtual Reality changes the way people explore and choose destinations through a “ try-before-you-buy ” experience of places like never before, and this goes a long way in improving booking-to-visitation conversion rates and increasing spending on travel experiences.

By making the smartphone into an almost infinitely useful travel tool, augmented reality is showing us realities about the real world that was always there but could not be seen before, thereby enabling increased traveler satisfaction and spending.

More importantly, AR and VR have transformed travel marketing into an interactive and exciting time with content that lures caravans of prospective travelers—and, at many times, a price premium billed to travel packages using these breakthrough technologies.

5. Autonomous Vehicles and Drones in Travel

Self-driving cars and drones will revolutionize transportation and service delivery for the travel industry.

An autonomous car will make road travel safer by reducing traffic crashes and, in general, land journeys more efficient and accessible, perhaps affordable in innovative ways, making ride-sharing economies possible.

Meanwhile, drones bring into the picture very new exciting possibilities: aerial tours to make unique travel experiences and delivery services for amenities and items forgotten, while keeping hotel guests satisfied due to swift service.

With continued enhancements in these technologies , careful attention by the industry also has to be given to sometimes complex regulatory landscapes, to ensure safety and compliance. It addresses public concerns relating to the reliability and safety of autonomous vehicles and drones.

6. Integration of Big Data for Optimized Travel Solutions

Big Data is causing a revolution in the travel industry by making it more definitive in decision-making and delivering personalized services.

For instance, with the help of dynamic pricing and demand management, travel providers can regulate ticket prices and automobile rentals based on real-time demand changes. This will increase revenue and improve the occupancy rates of hotels.

Big data helps tourism companies make their campaigns more targeted, respecting precise audience segments and hence increasing their conversion rates while decreasing their acquisition costs.

Secondly, it boosts operational efficiency through streamlining processes and optimizes resource allocation, such as fuel cost reductions in airlines and improving customer satisfaction scores in hotels by efficiently managing the staff.

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)

• Does eSIM drain the battery?

No, ESIM technology does not drain the batteries more than what a physical SIM card would do. It works just the same and shouldn’t be hitting the battery life at all.

• What do you mean by travel technology? Travel technology is the application of digital tools and innovations aimed at enhancing or smoothing out the travel experience. These include everything from booking systems and mobile applications to AI, IoT, and VR advancements that go into making traveling easier, more efficient, and more enjoyable.
• How are AR and VR technologies impacting the travel booking process? By enabling consumers to visually visit places and access interactive information, AR and VR technologies enhance travel booking by increasing confidence and decision-making.

Ready to Take a Tour With These Innovations?

The travel industry is about to enter a technological renaissance. From AI-powered personalization to blockchain-secured transactions, from IoT-connected experiences to immersive AR/VR previews, and autonomous transportation to data-driven optimizations, the aforementioned six innovations are not only improving travel but also rewriting its core again.

Looking ahead, it will indeed be those players in the travel industry that can successfully integrate such technologies into seamless, personal, and memorable travel experiences. Our journey of travel tech innovation is nowhere near being done, it’s only just getting underway.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

most recent

What Is Eau de Toilette? Understanding Its Light Fragrance

ENTERTAINMENT

Rengoku 2: epic fantasy action on psp.

Uncategorized

Conrad fisher transformation: from top student to troubled soul.

Hyein 2: South Korean Singer’s Journey from Child Model to Star

Andre A. Hakkak: Financial Titan and Visionary Leader

APPS & SOFTWARE

Appfordown applications: the ultimate app management tool.

[email protected]

© COPYRIGHT 2023, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | PROUDLY HOSTED BY crispme

About us Disclaimer

• Credit cards
• View all credit cards
• Banking guide
• Loans guide
• Insurance guide
• Personal finance
• View all personal finance
• Small business
• Small business guide
• View all taxes

You’re our first priority. Every time.

We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. And while our site doesn’t feature every company or financial product available on the market, we’re proud that the guidance we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are objective, independent, straightforward — and free.

So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. Here is a list of our partners .

6 Ways Travel Technology Is Improving Your Trip

Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are from our advertising partners who compensate us when you take certain actions on our website or click to take an action on their website. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

Table of Contents

1. Apps for booking hotels — and picking your room

2. smart devices as digital room keys, 3. the rise of virtual queues, 4. delivery apps to replace room service, 5. robotic and app-powered food delivery in airports, 6. the growth of app-powered car rentals.

These days, travel and technology go hand-in-hand. Many of these technological advancements were spurred by early pandemic pressure for contactless payments, food service and more. For example, between February and March 2020 alone, Mastercard saw the number of contactless payments at grocery stores grow twice as fast as non-contactless transactions. Meanwhile, the number of active restaurants on the Uber Eats food delivery app grew by over 75% between Dec. 31, 2019, and Dec. 31, 2020.

Technology is seeping into travel in a way that most travelers are finding enormously beneficial. Whether shortening queues, helping travelers save money or eliminating the need to get within six feet of others, here are some of the top travel technology evolutions to know about.

Most large hotel chains have long had free apps with features like booking and live chat, but many recently got big-time improvements.

Hilton launched a feature in June 2021 that lets you book and instantly confirm connecting rooms on its app and website, which has proven especially helpful for groups.

Its app also can display a map of the hotel and allow you to select your exact room of choice, whether it’s the peaceful room farthest from the elevator or the one nearby for easy access.

The Hilton app can be used to unlock rooms at many U.S. properties so you never need to go to the front desk to retrieve a physical key card. (Photo courtesy of Hilton)

Some apps serve as a digital front desk, which then allows you to use your smartphone and smartwatch as digital keys. For example, digital keys in Hyatt’s mobile app use Bluetooth technology to let you unlock your hotel room with your phone at more than 600 hotels worldwide.

Hyatt made things even easier for Apple users in December 2021 by becoming the first hotel brand to offer room keys in Apple Wallet. At certain Hyatt hotels, you no longer need to open the Hyatt app; instead you can tap your iPhone or Apple Watch to unlock rooms.

Over at Hilton, which has offered digital keys to some degree since 2015, last year saw a huge update in Digital Key Share, which allows more than one guest to have digital access. The feature is currently available at about 80% of Hilton’s hotels worldwide.

(Photo courtesy of Disney)

In January, Clear 2021, a private biometric screening company that lets paying members bypass certain security lines at busy areas including stadiums and airports, announced that it had acquired another company designed to reduce wait times — Whyline. The acquisition could allow Clear to improve virtual queues for processes like checking vaccine status or accessing airport lounges.

» Learn more: Is Clear worth the cost?

Meanwhile, Disney rolled out a feature in its U.S. theme park apps in October 2021 called Genie, which is intended to help vacationers better plan their day. By analyzing current lines and crowds, it can suggest more efficient itineraries.

Food delivery apps have been disrupting room service lately by delivering food from around town — and eliminating the need to pay $10 for a bowl of room service cereal.

Hotels are leaning into the idea of letting other companies handle it . For example, Hyatt launched a pilot program with snack delivery service Gopuff in 2021 to deliver prepackaged and hot meals to rooms at select Hyatt Place locations. Hyatt says the program has been successful, and has since grown to more properties nationwide.

(Photo courtesy of AtYourGate)

Speaking of food delivery, the days of waiting in long airport restaurant lines might be gone. Apps like AtYourGate allow you to order, pay and pick up food from participating airport restaurants.

More recently, AtYourGate is testing services where you don’t even need to physically grab your food. Instead, robots bring it to you. A pilot program that launched in September has robots roaming around Los Angeles International Airport, bringing food directly to your gate.

The rental car industry has sometimes been brutal to travelers, but peer-to-peer car-sharing alternatives are expanding, providing consumers with more choices.

Getaround cars can be booked on an hourly basis, and there’s no need to meet up with the owner to exchange keys. Cars are booked and unlocked through an app. Getaround expanded to Hawaii at the end of 2021, marking the 10th state that Getaround added to its portfolio in 2021 and the 22nd state in its history.

» Learn more: Rental car alternatives you might not know about

This article was written by NerdWallet and was originally published by The Associated Press.

on Chase's website

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5%-5% Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Up to $300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options

75,000 Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel.

Begin with just an email and password - no hidden steps. After logging in, simply complete your company profile.

34 Cool Travel Gadgets for Flights and Road Trips This Holiday

Consider these useful picks to solve your travel blues.

Our product picks are editor-tested, expert-approved. We may earn a commission through links on our site. Why Trust Us?

TRAVEL GADGETS are a blessing and a curse. In the worst way, travel gadgets—and especially electronics—can be total duds, which can in turn wreak havoc on our peaceful travel routine and become nothing more than dead weight in our luggage . But when travel gadgets operate at their very best, they are life-saving devices that make traveling a less burdensome and more pleasurable.

The Travel Gadget Everyone Should Get

Incharge 6-in-1 portable keychain charger cable.

Best Old School Gadget

Brunton tag-along 9045 chill compass.

Best Travel Adapter

Newvanga universal travel adapter, all in one plug adapter with usb c.

The best travel gadgets and electronics should highlight an inefficiency in your travel routine and help solve the problem. A travel gadget should provide high functionality, comfort (or both) while also being considerate of space. If your travel gadget does not have any of these qualities, then it's going to be hard to make a case they're worth bringing along for the ride.

Read more: Best Gadgets of 2023

Companies are constantly trying to come up with new gadgets to improve the travel experience, but the only way of knowing which ones actually work is by vetting them in person or conducting thorough research. Lucky for you, we took the time to bring together a list of worthy travel gadgets that could help improve your travel experience by leaps and bounds. Ahead, the very best travel gadgets and travel electronics, curated with all types of travelers in mind.

2024 Tech Awards | Best Duffel Bags | Best Carry-On Luggage | Best MagSafe Wallets | Best Macbook Accessories | Best Travel Bags | Best AirTag Wallets | Best Travel Pants | Best T-Shirts | Best Backpacks

Power is everything when traveling, and a lot of times our chargers can take up tons of space. The inCharge is the size of a small keychain and has six different charging input and output combinations to provide power to your phone, headphones, e-reader, smartwatch , and more. For quick reference, the inCharge has these specific ports: an input USB-C, an output USB-C, a USB-A, and an output lightning plus micro USB.

Never under estimate old-school instruments. This portable gadget comes with a compass and a thermometer to always let you know about your environment. It's super portable (barely 3 inches by 2 inches) and will tie on any bag for easy access. Oh, and it's also made with recycled materials.

There are a zillion travel adapters out there. Our favorite is this three-in-one device that operates as a an outlet adapter, USB-C adapter, and a surge protector.

Gold Lion Gear Aluminum Carabiner with Lock

A carabiner with a locking function is a great gadget for keeping your items together—and for helping decrease the chances of theft. This pack of five here is our go-to for locking carabiners. Keep one or two on your backpack or travel duffel at all times.

Jisulife Portable Neck Fan, Hands Free Bladeless Fan

News flash: it's always summer in some part of the world. This portable AC fan is a lifesaver when traveling to warm climates. Throw this baby around your neck and enjoy three different gears of air flow directly to your head and neck.

Winchy Portable Door Lock Home Security Door Locker Hotel

Door locks aren't a necessary gadget when traveling, but they do pose value in giving travelers peace of mind. This compact one here is easy to store away. And when in use, all you have to do is place the end of it in your door latch, shut the door, and then fold out the sides and tighten the bolt down.

Amazon Kindle Scribe (16 GB)

An e-reader is a no brainer for travels, but Kindle's new Scribe throws in the ability to operate as a digital notebook. You can annotate your favorite book paragraphs and then open up your free pages for some travel journalling.

Musicozy Sleep Headphones Bluetooth 5.2 Headband

A pair of sleep headphones can help give you that added push to get you into a deep slumber. Throw these on whenever you need to drown out any background noise during your travels.

Aukura 2 Slot Hard Watch Travel Case

Sometimes more than one watch is needed for a trip. This hard case will hold up to two watches and protect them when getting from point A to point B.

Read more: Best Watch Boxes

Cool Material Lock Pick Training Kit

This lock pick kit is very James Bond-esque in the way that it prepares your for the unpredictable. Will you ever actually need to pop open a lock? Probably not. But wouldn't it be cool to use your travels as a time to learn an interesting skill? Absolutely.

Field Notes Expedition Edition 3-Pack

For the ol' fashioned travel writer, a pack of weatherproof notebooks is in store. This three-pack from Field Notes is printed with waterproof and tearproof Yupo synthetic paper, so you won't have to worry about a little rain ruining your travel log.

County Comm Titanium UGM Tritium Keychain Cage

Ever heard of a tactical glowstick? Well you're looking at one. This keychain gadget is made of grade four titanium and comes tritium tubes that will glow up in the dark—thus, allowing you to spot your keys or other items easily at night.

Alpaka Gear Zip Pouch Pro

Compact, functional, and tough as nails, the Zip Pouch Pro is an easy side kick to turn to for travels. It's made from a strong and waterproof X-Pac material and features two zippered compartments and three external pockets for storage. Use it to hold cash, cards, keys multi-tools, pens, you name it.

Twelve South AirFly Pro

The AirFly allows your AirPods or headphones to be used to watch movies on your plane's in-flight entertainment center. We like the pro version of the AirFly, as it allows up to two people to connect to the same in-flight screen and watch at the same time. No more having to use the corded headphones that are passed out.

Groove Life Groove Belt

Making sure you look presentable while traveling is a subtle style move that will make you feel good and leave a positive impression on others. Ditch the pajamas and aim for a comfortable casual look. For keeping your pants in place, the Groove Belt is your best friend. It's wildly comfortable and simple to clip on and off, and it stretches enough to provide movement in all ranges of motion.

MATEIN Electronics Travel Organizer

There are a zillion electronic organizers out there, and really you can't go wrong with most of them. Our favorite, however, is this simple water-resistant pouch from MATEIN that has over 5,000 five-star reviews on Amazon. It's got enough space to hold all your charging cords, as well as a space for small e-readers or small tablets. Best of all is the fact it's less than $25.

Read more: Best Travel Backpacks

INIU Portable Small Power Bank USB C in/Output

Portable chargers are a must for every traveler, but traveling with a clunker is no fun. This super-portable power bank packs enough juice for full charge to your phone (10000mAh) and will slip into a small pocket for easy storage.

Pluto POD Travel Pillow

If you think all travel pillows are the same, think again. The Pluto POD acts almost like a sensory deprivation mask that works to block out sound and light with smart design notes like a slide-down eye mask and a deep hood. This travel pillow is perfect for promoting relaxation in the air and on the road.

LifeStraw Go 650 ml Water Filter Bottle - 22 fl. oz.

The LifeStraw Go is like any other refillable water bottle , except for the fact it's got a near-perfect filter built into, you guessed it, the straw. The LifeStraw can protect against a whopping 99.999999% of bacteria and 99.999% of parasites, making it a safe option for drinking water that comes from sinks and water foundations, and even some outdoor streams and rivers.

Kodak Luma 150 Ultra Mini Pocket Pico Projector

It's better to think of using this mini pocket projector at the hotel to watch your favorite shows or films, but in the rare chance you get stuck in a flight delay the projector can also be useful in helping entertain your kids. Regardless if you're a parent or not, this is an entertainment option that's fun for everyone.

The 7 Best Vacations For Your Body

12 Top Luggage Brands You Can Find on Amazon

The Perfect Luggage for Avoiding Airport Chaos

13 Best Carry-On Backpacks for Stress-Free Travel

7 Travel Hair Dryers, Vetted by Grooming Editors

No One Was Prepared for the Diarrhea Plane

7 Rules of On-The-Road Fitness

You Need These TikTok-Famous Amazon Travel Hacks

These Are The 10 Best Travel Pillows of 2024

Where to Work Out in Texas

The 12 Best Nude Beaches in the World

25 Transformative Trips Every Guy Should Take

• English (UK)
• English (CA)
• Deutsch (DE)
• Deutsch (CH)

10 Most impactful travel technology companies in 2024

1. travelperk.

• Headquarters: Barcelona, Spain
• Other office locations: London, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Berlin, Chicago, Boston, Miami
• Number of employees: 1,200
• Funding: Raised a total of US $513 million

Ready to revolutionize your business travel management? Simply book a demo and we'll show you how.

2. getyourguide.

• Headquarters: Berlin, Germany
• Other office locations: 18 global offices, including Vienna, Bangkok, New York  City, Dubai, and more
• Number of employees: 700+
• Funding: Raised a total of US $878 million over 11 rounds

3. Tripadvisor

• Headquarters: Needham, Massachusetts, United States of America
• Other office locations: 18 global offices, including New York City, London, Milan, Seoul, Sydney, Tokyo, and more 
• Number of employees: 2,845
• Funding: Raised a total of US $303.3 million over 5 rounds

4. Booking.com

• Headquarters: Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Other office locations: Manchester, Tel Aviv, Singapore, New York, Shanghai
• Number of employees: 23,600

5. Hotel Engine

• Headquarters: Denver, Colorado, USA
• Other office locations: Glendale, Colorado
• Number of employees: 500+
• Funding: Raised a total of US $81 million over 2 rounds

6. Lighthouse (formerly OTA Insight)

• Headquarters: London, UK
• Other office locations: Singapore, Ghent, Berlin, London, Dallas, Denver, Sydney
• Funding: Raised a total of US $115 million over 6 rounds
• Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States of America
• Other office locations: Los Angeles, New York City, Berlin, Paris, and more
• Number of employees: 6,907
• Funding: Raised a total of US $6.4 billion over 30 rounds

8. Blablacar

• Headquarters: Paris, France
• Other office locations: Madrid, Warsaw, Kyiv, São Paulo
• Number of employees: 600
• Funding: Raised a total of US $565 million over 11 rounds

9. Timeshifter

• Headquarters: Water Mill, New York, USA
• Other office locations: Southampton, New York, USA
• Number of employees: 11-20
• Funding: Raised a total of US $4.9 million over 3 rounds
• Other office locations: Prague, Beijing, London, New York
• Number of employees: 300
• Funding: Raised a total of US $480 million over 8 rounds

Travel tech makes booking travel easy

Simplify your business travel management. Once and for all.

Make business travel simpler. Forever.

• See our platform in action . Trusted by thousands of companies worldwide, TravelPerk makes business travel simpler to manage with more flexibility, full control of spending with easy reporting, and options to offset your carbon footprint.
• Find hundreds of resources on all things business travel, from tips on traveling more sustainably, to advice on setting up a business travel policy, and managing your expenses. Our latest e-books and blog posts have you covered.
• Never miss another update. Stay in touch with us on social for the latest product releases, upcoming events, and articles fresh off the press.

Top 14 European trade shows in 2024 & beyond

5 best business travel management companies in San Francisco

6 best business travel management companies in Los Angeles

• Business Travel Management
• Offset Carbon Footprint
• Flexible travel
• Corporate Travel Resources
• Corporate Travel Glossary
• For Travel Managers
• For Finance Teams
• For Travelers
• Thoughts from TravelPerk
• Careers Hiring
• User Reviews
• Integrations
• Privacy Center
• Help Center
• Privacy Policy
• Cookies Policy
• Modern Slavery Act | Statement
• Supplier Code of Conduct

• Shop Now: Amazon Labor Day Tech Sale
• Get These 12 Student Discounts!

The Best Tech to Travel With in 2024

These won't stop a delayed flight, but they could make any travel situation a little easier to handle

• University of Colorado at Denver
• Colorado State University
• Digital Cameras & Photography

So, you’re off on your next adventure! We travel frequently, nationally and internationally, so we know that the right bit of technology can make things easier, whether business or travel, a city trip, or somewhere in the wilderness. Check out our favorite communication, entertainment, and convenience options as you make your travel plans this year.

Travel Adapter

If you’re traveling internationally, including areas like Canada, Russia, Asia, Central America, South America, and the Middle East, don’t forget to bring the JOOMFEEN Travel Adapter to plug in your appliances and charge your devices easily. It’s compatible with many iOS and Android devices, and you can charge up to three simultaneously. Advanced features include built-in fuse protection, safety shutters, and an LED power indicator.

It’s super versatile.

The price is right.

Forgetting to bring this handy device on foreign trips!

Wireless Headphones

Bose Corporation

Get the best of both worlds, quiet and sound, with Bose QuietComfort 35 (Series II) Wireless Headphones. Turn them on to dim the noise around you, or use the Alexa-enabled feature to play music or news or interact with other aspects of your Alexa account. The headphones work hands-free, so you can use your voice to control functions like volume. You get up to 20 hours of wireless use from one charge.

It's a great combination of comfort plus classic Bose sound quality.

Excellent noise cancellation.

The price may be prohibitive for some.

Luggage Tracker

Traveling can be stressful, and anything you can do to gain peace of mind makes your trip that much better. The LugLoc luggage locator lets you place a device in your bag and track it using a simple app. You’ll always know where your bag is and will get a notification when it arrives in the baggage claim area. You’ll also get pinged if you move too far away from your bag once you’ve collected it. Apple’s AirTags are another alternative if you are in the Apple ecosystem.

Worldwide coverage.

Doesn't interfere with other baggage items.

You have to purchase a separate subscription to use the service.

Hannes Eichinger / EyeEm / Getty Images

Naturally, you’ll want to bring some combination of phone, laptop, and tablet, depending on how and why you’ll travel.

If traveling for business, you may need your laptop for work during the day and your tablet for entertainment while you relax in your hotel room. Going somewhere fun? Leave the laptop at home and stick with your phone to help you communicate, get around, and find information, and your tablet for reading or watching movies between activities.

Be sure to include chargers and other accessories for each of these items as well!

Each device can serve many functions.

Most devices are light enough to carry without trouble.

Too many devices can be hard to keep track of. 

Wireless Charger

You know the scenario: you’re out all day having a great time on your trip but probably using many apps to help you communicate, coordinate your activities, and get around. So you end up using way more juice on your phone than usual and may even be at zero when you need it most.

Wireless chargers solve that problem by providing a charging source anywhere you are.

It’s compatible with many phone models.

It can charge a typical phone around three times on one charge.

Though small, it may be clunky to carry around.

Portable Entertainment

Turn your hotel room into a personal entertainment center with a Roku Streaming Stick. Whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure, you can have access to your shows from all your favorite streaming sources or take the opportunity to watch something new.

You only need to log into your services (such as Netflix) the first time you use them on the device. 

Enhanced voice remote provides easy operation.

Did we mention you can watch all your favorite shows?

It may not work with all hotel TVs. 

World Clock

Magellan's

A world traveler needs a world clock or, even better, a World Time Alarm Clock. This nifty device lets you view the time in 18 cities worldwide and includes a calendar, temperature, and timer. You can choose from five languages and set an alarm (there's even a snooze function). The device also serves as a flashlight, taking regular AAA batteries.

It’s lightweight, so it’s easy to carry around.

You can also rest it on bottom knobs to use as a bedside clock.

For time zones that aren't included, you’ll have to do a little math to get the time right.

Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day

• Have Tech, Will Travel
• Top 5 Social Travel Sites
• How to Find and Use Internet Cafes
• What Is Mobility as a Service?
• How to Use Google Flights
• 17 Best Travel Gadgets for Long Flights
• Traveling Out of Country? Everything to Know About International Power Adapters
• 8 Tips for Traveling and Flying With Your Laptop
• Tips to Pack Your Camera Safely for Travel
• How to Charge Your Phone or Laptop on a Plane
• The 13 Best Staycation Tech Tips
• The 9 Best Free Online Photography Classes of 2024
• Google Flights: How to Book a Plane Ticket
• 6 Best Ways to Track a Flight Online
• How to Use a Mobile Boarding Pass
• How to Get Wireless Internet Access in a Hotel

A Guide to Traveling with Technology

This is a guest post by travel tech guru Dave Dean of Too Many Adapters , a site devoted to technology for travelers. In this post, Dave breaks down the pros and cons of traveling with certain technology.

Wondering what to take on the road when it comes to electronics? You’re not the only one. Long gone are the days where a cassette player and film camera were the height of travel gadgetry. Walking into a hostel common room now, you’d be forgiven for thinking you had accidentally stumbled into the local electronics store. You’re likely to be surrounded by laptops and tablets, smartphones and DSLRs, and more softly glowing Apple logos than you can shake a stick at.

Often unsure of what they really need, people end up carrying a lot more tech gear on the road than they should. After several years of travel and working online though, I’ve figured out what works, what doesn’t, and what you really need.

In this post, I’ll outline the best travel gear you’ll need to help you make the most out of your next trip abroad.

Table of Contents

Mobile Phones

Miscellaneous.

I use mine to work from the road, so I went for something relatively powerful, but for more typical use, a thin and light laptop like an Ultrabook (e.g.,  Dell XPS 15 ) or a Macbook Air can provide everything you need at a lower weight and (potentially) cost.

Things that matter include:

• Size – Nothing larger than a 13” screen or that weighs much over 1kg, and less is definitely better. Consider the size and weight of the power adapter too. Those things can be huge!
• Strength – Something made well that won’t fall to pieces the first time it gets knocked in your bag. Get a protective sleeve to prevent scratches and cushion minor bumps, and read the reviews of its durability.
• Battery life  – Five or six hours is the minimum, 8+ is much better if you plan to take long overnight buses or trains.
• Storage space – Don’t skimp on the amount of storage you have. 128GB really is the minimum, and more is much better. All those photos and downloaded movies take up more space than you think!
• SD card slot – It’s not an absolute must, but having an SD card slot built into your laptop is very handy. Assuming your camera uses SD cards (most do), an built-in card reader makes copying your pictures super easy. All you do is insert the card and transfer!
• Cost – The less you spend, the more money you have to spend at the bar, right? Not to mention the computer will be cheaper to insure and replace and less of a target for theft. Don’t spend much over $1,000.

While either of those will do the job for a traveler, the best value for money at the moment is in the Android range. A Samsung Galaxy A8 would be my recommendation.

There’s a lot to be said for choosing a tablet if your main use is consumption (i.e., reading web pages, books, and emails, or watching movies) rather than creation (writing, editing video, etc.). Again, choose one with plenty of storage (either built-in or via microSD card).

To back up your photos, both Apple and Android devices let you plug in an external SD card reader , so pick one of those up as well.

If you have absolutely no other choice, you can also use the camera on your tablet to get that must-have shot. Just be aware you’ll look rather silly doing so .

I have a Samsung Galaxy . I made sure to buy the unlocked version of my phone, meaning that I can use a pre-paid SIM card anywhere in the world and take advantage of much cheaper calling and data rates. Your mobile company at home will charge incredibly high rates if you use your normal number overseas, making roaming calls and data prohibitively expensive for most travelers .

Switching to a local cell company when you arrive in a country can save you a small fortune. I personally know people who accidentally left data enabled when on vacation for a week and came home to a bill of several thousand dollars. If you can’t unlock your phone and absolutely have to use it while traveling, at least turn the data connection off to lessen the pain.

I use dozens of travel apps, but three of the best are:

• Skype or Zoom : As a general rule, all of my international calls take place via Skype over Wi-Fi or 3G. It’s quick and easy, and buying a few bucks’ worth of SkypeCredit means I can call any phone in the world for hours. Zoom is another great option as well.
• TripIt : I’ve tried all sorts of ways to keep track of travel bookings, but TripIt is the easiest. Many confirmation emails can simply be forwarded to add them to your list, and it doesn’t take long to manually add the others. With the Pro version, I even get notified of timetable changes and delays. Having every detail at my fingertips has saved me more than once at airport check-ins and bus stations around the world.
• Google Translate : With Google Translate, you can download offline language packs to help you communicate while you’re abroad — even if you don’t have data/Wi-Fi. It’s invaluable (especially in an emergency) so make sure to download the languages you need before you go.

It’s incredibly small and light, more so than even a little paperback, and can store hundreds of books, travel guides, and whatever else I might need. I picked up the Kindle Paperwhite 3G , which costs more than the Wi-Fi-only version, but the ability to download new books from anywhere with cell phone coverage is invaluable.

Many e-readers now include web browsers and the ability to download apps, making them more of a cross between a tablet and an e-reader. These versions usually aren’t as great to read on though as there is much more screen glare.

I considered a tablet instead of an e-reader, but for reading on the road there was really no contest. The Kindle is cheaper, smaller, and lighter. The battery life is measured in weeks rather than hours, the screen is so much better in sunlight, and I can happily lie on the beach without worrying about it.

Thanks to a cheap case I bought off eBay, it looks like a plain notebook if I need to pull it out on the street to check directions. There’s no way I’d even think of doing that with any tablet. I’d be far too much of a target.

I copy photos to my laptop each night, then use Crashplan to do the rest. For a few bucks a month it automatically manages backups to both online storage and a portable hard drive that I keep in my pack, all without me having to think about it.

Before splashing out on that subscription I backed everything up manually but found that I was forgetting to do it too often for my liking.

Although I use a Seagate portable drive and it works fine, I’d be looking at the rugged Transcend version if I were buying a new one.

For the small amount of hassle involved, the peace of mind is more than worth it. Don’t risk losing all of your digital memories!

Other than the chargers and cables that always seem to tie themselves in knots overnight, the only other gadget I put in my pack are a universal power adapter and a small power bar . That way, I can safely charge my devices all at the same time.

They take up very little room in my bag yet are worth their weight in gold every time I get to a dorm room with one power socket for the 12 people staying in it. I plug all of my devices into the power bar, connect it to the wall socket via my universal adapter, and I’m done. Easy peasy.

Choosing the right gear to travel with doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Making a few smart choices and limiting yourself to what you truly need will give you all of the benefits that technology can bring while avoiding most of the downsides. Spend a bit of time and money getting it right before you leave — trust me, it will save an awful lot of frustration once you’re out there on the road.

Dave is one half of the team at Too Many Adapters , a site devoted to technology for travelers. A geek as long as he can remember, he worked in IT around the world for 15 years, combining his love of all things nerdy with an overwhelming travel addiction. You can also find him talking about the life of a long-term traveler at What’s Dave Doing?  

Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner . It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld . If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

• SafetyWing (best for everyone)
• InsureMyTrip (for those 70 and over)
• Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage)

Want to Travel for Free? Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation — all without any extra spending. Check out my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get started and see the latest best deals.

Need Help Finding Activities for Your Trip? Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more.

Got a comment on this article? Join the conversation on Facebook , Instagram , or Twitter and share your thoughts!

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase. I recommend only products and companies I use and the income goes to keeping the site community supported and ad free.

Related Posts

GET YOUR  FREE TRAVEL STARTER KIT

Enter your email and get planning cheatsheets including a step by step checklist, packing list, tips cheat sheet, and more so you can plan like a pro!

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Tech Hacks to Make Traveling Right Now Less of a Headache

The travel industry is recovering from the pandemic, but messily. These apps and tips can help us navigate the chaos and maximize our comfort.

By Brian X. Chen

Brian X. Chen has been The Times’s personal tech columnist since 2015.

Anyone who has gone on a trip in the last year probably has a horror story. Canceled flights have abounded. Customer service wait times with airlines can be hours long . In some places, the costs of rental cars and plane tickets have become astronomical.

Many of the economic problems birthed by the coronavirus pandemic — including high gas prices and burnout-induced resignations — have hit the travel industry especially hard, just as people have resumed taking trips and leaving home for vacations.

So nearly three years into Covid-19, travelers still need to take a modified approach to planning their getaways. That’s where these tech hacks come in. When the virus was more deadly, trip planning mostly involved doing online research to see where we were allowed to go and what was required. Now using tech can help make travel less chaotic and more comfortable, and assist in avoiding customer service snafus.

The most important timesaving tech travel tip right now is to avoid apps and websites that book through a third party, even though they can save you money. That’s because if something goes wrong with your flight or hotel room, a middleman is yet another party to deal with, which could lead to even more hours wasted on hold.

“If you book through a travel agency, you’re asking for trouble,” said Brian Kelly, the founder of the The Points Guy blog. “Go direct. The more people you put in the way, the more complicated things get.”

Here are some of the most useful tech tools that travel experts and I are using at this “new normal” stage of the pandemic to make our excursions more pleasant, including apps to monitor flight changes and find the best seats.

Travel Hacks for Smoother, Cheaper Flights

In an era of sky-high inflation when everyone is trying to save a buck, it’s still possible to score a good deal on a plane ticket without booking through a third-party agency. The key is to use services that track each airline’s ticket costs and set up alerts for price drops.

Mr. Kelly’s tool of choice for scoring cheap airfare is Google Flights . With this web tool, he plugs in travel dates and destinations and then toggles on the option to track prices and receive email updates as soon as the airfare plummets. Then he buys the tickets directly through the airline.

The next step is to maximize comfort on the plane by getting the best cheap seats. For that, there’s SeatGuru , a web tool that lets travelers plug in their flight number to review an aircraft’s detailed seating chart. It highlights information about the seats, including those with extra legroom, and those with limited recline or overhead storage, which is more detail than the basic diagram that airlines show.

After booking, the last step is to monitor the status of the flight — a crucial step because cancellations and delays have become so common. Web tools like FlightAware and Flightradar24 give up-to-date information on an aircraft’s precise location and insights into an airline’s track record for on-time arrivals and delays.

A bonus tip: Lounges can get very crowded nowadays, so when Mr. Kelly arrives at the airport, he uses the app LoungeBuddy to look up the ones he can slip into easily.

Tech to Stay Organized

In the early stages of the pandemic, travelers had to peruse travel and tourism websites to learn about the thicket of coronavirus restrictions and requirements for their destination. Now there’s a shortcut.

Henry Harteveldt, the founder of Atmosphere Research Group, a travel analysis firm in San Francisco, uses JoinSherpa.com , a web tool that pulls up the travel requirements for departures and returns. If you’re flying to Chile from San Francisco, for example, the site loads a list of all the health documents and quarantine requirements to enter the country, as well as the documents needed to get back into the United States.

Juggling travel documents and itineraries can still be a hassle because we have to carry more information than we used to. I use several tools to keep my itinerary and health documents tidy.

My favorite for organizing itineraries is TripIt . It can scan your inbox for itineraries, hotel bookings and car rental reservations, and then compile that information into an all-in-one itinerary presented as a neat timeline.

Here’s how TripIt fits into my planning. I have a separate email account just for trip itineraries. After booking a flight, a car rental or a hotel, I forward the confirmation emails to that email account. Then TripIt automatically scans that inbox and updates my timelines.

For health documents , I always carry two digital forms of my vaccine records just in case there’s confusion. The first is the digital QR code provided by California’s Department of Public Health, which I store in my phone’s wallet app. The other is a photograph of the physical vaccine card, which I save inside a notes app to make it easy to find later.

Keeping Track of Luggage

Airport staffing shortages and surging demand for air travel have driven a spike in incidents of lost luggage . That makes wireless trackers, like Tile and Apple’s AirTag , especially useful. These are miniature beacons that can be slipped into a piece of luggage and, in the event that a bag or suitcase is lost, the Tile or Find My app on a smartphone can be opened to pull up the tracker’s approximate location on a map.

Even if your luggage isn’t lost, a tracker can offer peace of mind. Mr. Kelly said that when he recently traveled through Europe, his AirTag told him precisely where his bag was when he arrived in Paris.

Yes to Hotel Apps

To manage hotel reservations, just make sure to download the hotel’s app, if it has one. That’s especially important now because many large brands let you check in via the app, and the sooner you do, the sooner your room will be ready.

Don’t skip this step. If you forget to check in and you show up many hours late because of a flight delay, the hotel may give away your reservation, Mr. Kelly said.

Brian X. Chen is the lead consumer technology writer for The Times. He reviews products and writes Tech Fix , a column about solving tech-related problems. Before joining The Times in 2011, he reported on Apple and the wireless industry for Wired. More about Brian X. Chen

Tech Fix: Solving Your Tech Problems

Make Your Smartphone Last Longer: Google and Samsung used to update smartphone software for only three years, but the new number is seven. Here’s why the change is happening .

Will A.I. Voice Assistants Take Off?: Meta, Google and others are driving a renaissance  for voice assistants, but people have found the technology uncool for more than a decade.

Switching From iPhone to Android: Even if you manage to ditch your iPhone, Apple’s hooks are still there .

Trying Meta’s Smart Glasses: What happens when a columnist and a reporter use A.I. Ray-Bans to scan groceries, monuments and zoo animals? Hilarity, wonder and lots of mistakes ensued .

Ditch Your Wallet: Using your phone as a digital wallet is attainable , but it requires preparation and some compromise.

Get Daily Travel Tips & Deals!

By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use .

Travel Tech: 7 Simple Hacks to Make Your Trip Better

Ed Hewitt started traveling with his family at the age of 10 and has since visited dozens of countries on six continents. He wrote for IndependentTraveler.com for more than 20 years, producing hundreds of columns on travel and offering his expertise on radio and television. He is now a regular contributor to SmarterTravel.

An avid surfer and rower, Ed has written about and photographed rowing competitions around the world, including the last five Olympic Games.

He's passing his love of travel on to the next generation; his 10-year-old son has flown some 200,000 miles already.

Travel Smarter! Sign up for our free newsletter.

Our increasing reliance on technology — and especially internet-connected technology — has been a tremendous boon to travelers. The benefits and conveniences offered by fingertip access to travel guides, reviews, banking, reservation information, flight updates and more make it seem sometimes like the internet was created to serve travelers.

But traveling with more and more tech devices has created a host of new challenges for globetrotters, from protecting your personal information to simply keeping everything powered up and running.

You can find all kinds of products dedicated to solving those problems for you — device-charging suites, accessories to accessories, apps upon apps upon apps — but I’m always reluctant to solve the problem of stuff not working on the road by taking along even more stuff. It seems like the travel tech equivalent of putting bad money after good.

Over time I have come up with a few easy hacks to help with many of these problems. For the purposes of this article, I had a few criteria for inclusion:

1. A low “packing footprint” — no one wants too much stuff when traveling

2. Solves an actual problem travelers encounter frequently, not a made-up problem

3. Can help on any kind of trip, from a visit to the grandparents to a long international journey

So here are my low- and mid-tech hacks to solve the high-tech dilemmas we all face in the world of modern travel.

1. A Miniature Power Strip

Keeping stuff charged may be the most confounding and anxiety-causing task of modern travel; sometimes it seems there aren’t enough outlets in the world. Having your own mini-power strip can guarantee you (and others) stay charged up when it counts.

In older hotels, outlets can be scarce and/or difficult to get to. It wasn’t too long ago that the typical hotel room needed maybe three outlets: one for the TV, one for a bedside light and one in the bathroom for a razor or hair dryer. In most such rooms, every outlet is either in use or impossible to reach without moving a large piece of furniture.

Today it isn’t unusual to have three or four things plugged in, even when traveling alone; I almost always have a laptop, a smartphone and a camera battery charger, and sometimes a tablet as well. Add family to the mix, and the number soars — suddenly you’re unplugging the TV or trying to charge water-sensitive gadgets in the bathroom.

A mini-power strip can solve the problem very easily. Even if you have to pull out the bed a little, at least you are forced to do so only once. Plug everything in, done.

A mini-power strip can also come in handy at the airport, where competition for outlets can be intense. Even at airports where charging kiosks have been installed, walking up to a kiosk with only your device and a sad expression might prompt mercy from another traveler whose device is almost charged — but walking up with a mini-power strip that you can both share makes it a lot easier for him or her to take pity on you.

Here is a compact travel power strip that also has USB ports for charging mobile devices; pretty clever, and a very low packing footprint.

2. Adapters

As an add-on hack to the outlet problem mentioned above, these simple adapters can come through for you if you are staying in older buildings that do not have three-prong outlets. For example, Senior Editor Sarah Schlichter ran into this issue at a small motel in Maine, where she could not plug in a laptop with a grounding prong. One of these simple, small and cheap adapters is a good solution.

International adapters have also become far more clever than the bag of individual plugs folks used to pack — and lose, and buy again, and pack, and lose, and buy again. An all-in-one adapter like this one from Travel Smart can help you plug in pretty much anywhere on the planet.

3. Sealable Plastic Bags

Speaking of waterproofing, there is a truly easy way to protect your non-water-resistant tablet/smartphone/camera/other device: put it in a sealable plastic bag. These come in all sizes, from sandwich bags perfect for a smartphone to very large ones that can contain a tablet or even DSLR camera.

This really works. A serious runner I know uses his iPhone to track his marathon training not by purchasing an expensive waterproof case, but simply by putting it in a small sandwich bag, sealing it and taking off. A few weeks back he was playing with his kids and fell into the pool with the bagged phone still in his pocket. When he got out, it was the only dry thing on him.

The packing footprint of a few plastic bags is almost zero, and you can save yourself a lot of headaches by having them around.

4. A Way to Cover Your Digital Tracks

Nearly every internet connection you’re likely to use on the road is public; the warning “this connection is unsecured and others may see your information” is a staple of the travel experience. I won’t go into all the details of public internet connections (you can read more about that in 11 Ways to Prevent Identity Theft While Traveling ) but suffice it to say that pretty much anyone who really wants to see what you are doing can do so.

There are numerous ways to protect yourself, however, including the following options:

Authentic8.com HotspotShield.com PrivateinternetAccess.com SurfEasy.com

5. Cloud Storage

The 21st century has created a new breed of “digital souvenir” that requires almost as much careful tending as the old kind that you used to wrap and pack safely for your trip home. A cloud storage site — such as Google Drive, Dropbox or a service like Evernote — offers you a place to upload your vacation photos, videos, photos of your parking spot, scans of documents and more.

Having a place to send all of this data for safekeeping can keep your device’s hard drive from filling up, but it’s not just about storage space; if your device is lost, stolen or broken, you will be glad to have a backup. So when you have a chance (best when on a Wi-Fi connection so you don’t incur massive data charges), upload all your stuff onto a cloud storage site so you have it when you get home.

6. An Email to Yourself with Critical Information

While the cloud is great for backing up or offloading large amounts of data, it’s overkill for a few lines of info you need to access quickly and frequently — so an email to yourself is the perfect solution. Since storing passport numbers, frequent flier numbers, reservation numbers and local contact info on your laptop or smartphone leaves you vulnerable to anyone who gets their hands on the device, you will want an easily accessible but somewhat secure and remote place to store these.

One of the easiest ways to have quick access to important numbers and information while traveling is to send it to yourself in an email. Then when you need it, you can log in and retrieve the information. In some cases this might entail some expensive data charges, but if the situation warrants it, it is a small price to pay. You can even do this with a photo of your passport, which offers some hard evidence as to your passport number, citizenship, etc.

Email is not 100 percent secure, but compared to many of your options, it is as close as it gets. A simple trick to “encrypt” your information would be to write it out in a non-intuitive format, so you might type out credit card number 4170-1234-5678-9101 as follows:

4170 S Main St. 1234 W 125th St. 5678 N Thunder Rd. 9101 Exile St.

You get the idea — let the 10-year-old in you come up with a cool code.

And remember always to log out of your email accounts while traveling; you don’t need to make this stuff easy on the bad guys.

7. A Simple, Lowly Pen

Talk about a low-tech solution with a small packing footprint, whew — but think about how many times you might have to write something down as you travel. When your phone dies, or you want to jot down someone’s email address, or you need to leave a note, a pen is invaluable.

The perfect example? Filling out customs forms. On a smartphone- and iPad-infested flight back from Amsterdam this year, tens of thousands of dollars of tech did nothing to help the countless passengers who were clamoring for a pen during the descent — or the flight attendants who were rolling their eyes as they tried to shuttle pens up and down the aisles.

A pen, a pen, my smartphone for a pen!

If you have any other tech hacks that meet the criteria above, let us know in the comments below.

You May Also Like 12 Best Travel Gadgets for Any Trip Survey Says: Travel Makes Us Happier Twitter Accounts to Follow on Every Trip How to Pack Efficiently: 8 Products That Can Help The Carry-On Challenge: How to Pack Light Every Time

We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

Top Fares From

Don't see a fare you like? View all flight deals from your city.

Today's top travel deals.

Brought to you by ShermansTravel

Germany: 8-Night Christmas Markets Tour w/Daily...

TripCompanion Tours

Poconos: 2-Nt, All-Incl. Stay at Upscale...

ResortsAndLodges.com

10-Night Mediterranean Cruise From Barcelona to...

Norwegian Cruise Line

Trending on SmarterTravel

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Newsletters
• Inspiration

Seeing the World Without a Smart Phone: How Technology Has Changed Solo Travel

Solo travel is easier than ever. But have gadgets stolen the charm of discovery?

Alexander Spatari / Getty Images

We're dedicating our April features to all things solo travel. Whether it’s a soul-searching hike, a decompressing beach trip, or an invigorating urban getaway, tackling the world as a solo traveler has become safer, easier, and more empowering. Dive into this month's features to learn strategies for making friends while solo and the ways technology has changed the solo travel experience, then get lost in inspiring stories of bus journeys through Africa , a voyage to Mount Fuji , a social experiment in South Korea , and a solo bikepacking birthday celebration .

In May 2005, fresh out of college, I hopped on a plane to London for my first solo trip, a two-week tour of the United Kingdom, Belgium, and France. There I was, out on my own, feeling mature and worldly—and seriously jetlagged.

This is probably why, when I exited the London Underground and realized I had gotten off a stop early, I did not do the intelligent thing and get back on the train. Instead, I peered at my map (ripped from the pages of a guidebook) and the street signs, desperately trying to figure out where I was and how to get to my hostel, very aware that I was alone and lost in a foreign country.

If only I had access to Google Maps.

Even though it was less than twenty years ago, how I navigated and communicated on that trip sounds like it came straight out of the Stone Age. Cell phones were rare. Digital cameras were bulky and expensive. Internet cafes were still a thing.

Those of a certain age who have traveled solo have undoubtedly had experiences like mine, where lack of technology has left them feeling lost, vulnerable, or just disappointed. But today's solo travelers are experiencing the world in a completely different way. Rapid technological advances in the last few decades have changed every aspect of our lives, but they have particularly impacted the way travelers can navigate the world alone.

How I navigated and communicated on that trip sounds like it came straight out of the Stone Age. Cell phones were rare. Digital cameras were bulky and expensive. Internet cafes were still a thing.

Today, maps are interactive and have real-time GPS. Restaurant and sightseeing recommendations are just a few keyboard taps away. You can pretend to text on your phone, so that weirdo who keeps hitting on you gets the hint. When you're ready to unwind, you can listen to music or fire up Netflix.

Keeping in touch with people back home is easier than ever. I can video chat with my husband across an ocean, a fact that still blows my mind when I think back to that 2005 trip when I used internet cafes and a prepaid phone card to keep in touch with my parents and assure them that, no, their only child had not met an untimely end. And on a business trip to London in February 2020, I felt safe wandering around the city by myself knowing that, should I stop communicating, my husband could use location tracking across the ocean to find out where I was.

Many solo travelers agree. Kaeshi Chai, a Gen X visual artist who’s been solo traveling for thirty years, said technology provides the peace of mind that comes with knowing she can easily use her phone to source directions or call someone. "Help is just a phone call away,” says Chai, who notes that smartphones remove the hassle of having to deal with getting foreign coins for the nearest payphone.

The advances have also been enormously helpful in making female solo travelers find comfort in exploring alone. “A huge part of solo travel as a woman is safety," said Gabby Beckford, a 26-year-old content creator at Packs Light . “Feeling safe and feeling not alone is important to women especially.” Beckford says that the proliferation of blogs and articles about solo traveling have also contributed to women feeling more confident taking trips by themselves.

But for all the good that comes with the ubiquity and ease of our gadgets, there are downsides. While travelers could once forget about their regular lives and be unreachable when they went on vacation, today's constant connection makes it harder than ever to leave concerns about home or even work behind.

This is especially true when solo travel is part of your job. Kevin Garcia, a 43-year-old full-time musician, says he likes being able to respond to work emails during downtime at the airport, but that constant contact is a double-edged sword. “It is sometimes a little bit hard to power down and leave the phone for however long you want to turn off,” he said. “If you don’t set boundaries for yourself, it can add to that stress level.”

Likewise, Lisa Martens, a millennial freelance writer and digital nomad, says setting parameters when you’re working as you travel is essential. "I definitely have to draw clear boundaries, but I have gotten better at that,” she said. “I am not always reachable, and I do this on purpose. The downsides of constant contact on the internet have actually caused me to be more assertive and more protective of my time, so I'm not mad about it."

While travelers could once forget about their regular lives and be unreachable when they went on vacation, today's constant connection makes it harder than ever to leave concerns about home or even work behind.

Social media has also exploded in popularity over the last two decades, changing the way we learn about travel and experience the destinations we’re at. Where vacation photos were once relegated to slideshows and photo albums days or weeks after the trip ended, now people can instantaneously upload their pics to followers around the world with the click of a button. Social media also makes it easier to find and keep up with fellow travelers you meet on your journeys, maybe just out of politeness or curiosity, or maybe to build a lifelong friendship.

But while social media is a great medium for discovering new places and people, it’s easy to slip into seeing a destination through your camera. How much can you really enjoy a museum or restaurant when you’re constantly thinking of what angle to take a picture from to post on the 'gram? How many “secret” beaches or special restaurants have been overrun with tourists once people started posting jealousy-inspiring shots of them?

“Because of the desire to post on social media, I see people traveling to see things rather than experience things,” says Janice Waugh, a Baby Boomer travel writer and publisher of Solo Traveler . “It's important to forget about reporting on a trip and live the trip fully.”

Ever since smartphones became commonplace, my solo trips have been meticulously planned out, complete with pins on Google Maps, restaurant recommendations from the internet, and places other people have posted about on social media. But sometimes part of the fun of a trip is taking a wrong turn and stumbling on a cute little bistro or tiny shop off the beaten path, or feeling a sense of triumph overcoming a language barrier.

What do we lose when we become tethered to our technology when we travel alone? What discoveries do we miss out on when our phones dictate our itineraries, or because we’re too busy rushing to the next picturesque spot to take photos? How many times have we missed making connections with people because all of our questions are answered on the internet?

“Technology has taken a little of the charm away from discovery and figuring stuff out,” says Garcia. “There’s no sense of that kind of accomplishment when you can figure it out on your phone.”

Technology is here to stay, in travel and everywhere else, but on my next solo trip, I’m going to make an effort to keep my phone in my purse, let myself wander off the beaten path, and embrace discovering the unknown.

Related Articles

More related articles.

National Geographic content straight to your inbox—sign up for our popular newsletters here

• INTELLIGENT TRAVEL

The Travel Tech of the Future

It’s no secret: Technology is changing the way we explore the world, and our relationship with it.

Here’s Traveler magazine’s take on ten new developments that are   making it easier for travelers to see more of our extraordinary planet, with a softer ecological impact:

1. Liquid Gold:   Inventor   Dean Kamen ’s ingenious   Slingshot water purifier   could be the answer to bringing clean water to some of the 738 million people in the world who don’t have it—and to travelers whose use of it puts an extra burden on developing areas.

2. The Big Picture:   One-shot, 360° photo technology will change how we document our travels. New or in-development omnidirectional cameras by   Ricoh   and   Giroptic   capture, with one click, panoramic images that smartphone cameras can’t yet record. The next generation? Affordable omni­directional video cameras.

3. Twist for the Wrist:   The Pebble smartwatch , which syncs via Bluetooth to smartphones and displays texts, tweets, caller ID, and other bits of information, is paving the way for wearable computing. The watch can be customized with downloadable watch faces and Internet apps, including ones to control your music or track your running pace and distance. An Apple iWatch is reportedly in the works, too.

4. Hail Yes!:   Controversial in some cities, e-hailing apps are on the move.   Taxi Magic   provides reliable tracking,   Sidecar   takes on ride-sharing, and   WOW Taxi   has the first platform for booking wheelchair-ready cabs in Manhattan. That’s no mean feat in a city of 13,000 taxis—only 233 of which handle wheelchairs.

5. Spectacular Spectacles:   With the potential to change the way we travel, access information, and experience destinations, Google Glass now takes the form of augmented-reality eyewear that projects data (addresses, e-mails, images) in a small LCD, visible only to the wearer; this technology will eventually translate to contact lenses. Looking backward, Past View augmented-reality video goggles show images of long-gone structures as you tour a city (currently available in Seville, Spain).

6. Stick It to Me:   Utah-based Chamtech Enterprises has developed a Wi-Fi sticker for laptops and cellphones. The bandwidth-enhancer is loaded with thousands of nanoparticles that are capable of boosting a device’s signal strength.

7. Dig It?:   Scientists such as   National Geographic Explorer   Albert Yu-Min Lin   use satellite imagery and infrared scans to search for buried pyramids in Egypt or Genghis Khan’s tomb in Mongolia without invasive digging. What they find may be our next travel hot spot.

8. Cash Out:   Mobile-commerce apps such as Square ,   which works in tandem with a credit card reader, simplify transactions, turning smartphones into a tool for buying, selling, or receiving receipts. If transactional kinks get fixed, digital peer-to-peer currencies like bitcoin could let you bypass banks entirely.

9. Fast Pass:   Your next passport could be your smartphone. Apple and other tech giants are developing traveler-focused systems that could replace a paper passport with a digital one, which would store personal identification data, boarding passes, and reservations. Fingerprint immigration checkpoints in Singapore have already proven that biometrics are the secret to hassle-free arrival.

10. Share Economy:   Campinmygarden.com lists yards where travelers can pitch a tent. Spinlister.com helps visitors rent bikes from locals for as little as ten dollars a day. Emerging apps ParkatmyHouse and Park Circa offer parking spots at homes and businesses.

• Nat Geo Expeditions

George W. Stone   is an editor at large at   National Geographic Traveler   magazine.  

Do you know about a tech development that’s changing the way we travel? Share your insider intel with the Intelligent Travel community by leaving a comment.

> Related:  

• 13 Big Questions on the Future of Travel  
• Three Clutch Travel Apps

Become a subscriber and support our award-winning editorial features, videos, photography, and much more.

For as little as $2/mo.

Related Topics

• PHOTOGRAPHY
• EXPLORATION

You May Also Like

How to make travel more accessible to the blind

The future of rail travel in the UK looks bleak. Here's why.

Exploring the UK's wild isles: 5 of the best new nature travel books

How new technology transformed the American workforce

These are the best travel photos of 2022

• Environment
• Paid Content

History & Culture

• History & Culture
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Your US State Privacy Rights
• Children's Online Privacy Policy
• Interest-Based Ads
• About Nielsen Measurement
• Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
• Nat Geo Home
• Attend a Live Event
• Book a Trip
• Inspire Your Kids
• Shop Nat Geo
• Visit the D.C. Museum
• Learn About Our Impact
• Support Our Mission
• Advertise With Us
• Customer Service
• Renew Subscription
• Manage Your Subscription
• Work at Nat Geo
• Sign Up for Our Newsletters
• Contribute to Protect the Planet

Copyright © 1996-2015 National Geographic Society Copyright © 2015-2024 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All rights reserved

This is the new tech travel etiquette. Don’t travel without it.

Millions of Americans are about to travel over the long holiday weekend. Follow these tips to make the journey more bearable for everyone.

The stress of travel rarely brings out our best.

But seat-back screens, a carefully cultivated Spotify collection and other techie travel niceties can help take the edge off. The catch? Remembering that the way you and your family use your tech affects other people, too.

We know that’s probably the last thing on your mind as you prepare for a long, possibly sweltering schlep. To help, here’s a brief guide on the tech etiquette you — and the people around you — ought to keep in mind while in transit.

Brush up on the new tech etiquette

Don’t hog the power outlets.

If you’re lucky, you’ll find some open power outlets near your airport gate, or mounted low between the seats on an upcoming flight. These are a huge help for keeping your gadgets charged in transit, but please resist the urge to leave your stuff plugged in indefinitely.

There is one exception: If you travel with power outlet splitters — decent ones usually cost less than $20, and they’re a huge help at conferences and trade shows — then more people can plug in at once. Your fellow travelers will no doubt appreciate your generosity and consideration.

Mind your screen’s brightness

Few things are as annoying as someone watching a flashy movie on a screen at full brightness while you’re trying to get some shut-eye. (This is doubly true on red-eye flights, where people are often fighting for every moment of sleep they can get.)

If you like to settle into your seat with a film — or if you’re prone to falling asleep while watching something — do everyone a favor and dial down the brightness first. Be mindful of that light whether you’re watching something on a seat-back display, a laptop, or a tablet propped up in the dining car.

Oh, and consider your audience when deciding what to watch. You of course have the right to watch whatever you want, but if your seat is surrounded by children, “The Silence of the Lambs” may freak out the tiny screen-peepers around you.

The rules of flying like a decent human

Headphones are a must — even for kids

On nearly every flight I’ve been on this year, I’ve been within earshot of a child watching “ Peppa Pig” or “Bluey” on a tablet with the volume dialed up. The first time it happened, I grinned — the kid was cute! But it was less charming the 14th time. Don’t be the parent who lets this happen.

There’s no consensus on how young is too young for headphone use, but it’s easy to find headphones meant for toddlers. You still need to be careful with those kid-friendly cans, though: The World Health Organization recommends that children avoid listening at volumes higher than 75 decibels — about as loud as a normal vacuum cleaner — for more than 40 hours a week.

Here’s a rule of thumb: Your child sitting next to you should still be able to hear you talking to them over a movie and the din of the cabin. If they can’t, turn down the volume. In fact, if they’re young enough, they may not need to hear anything — lots of parents have told me they just turn off audio entirely.

And if you’re, say, older than 12 and still prefer to watch video out loud on planes, trains and automobiles? No excuses: Be considerate, put on headphones, and let everyone else relax a little, too.

Turn off any scheduled alarms

Here’s another one to file under: Don’t ruin red-eyes. You may rely on your smartphone to wake up in the morning, but not everyone keeps the same schedule as you. (Those schedules get a little funky when you cross time zones, anyway.) Be sure to turn off any upcoming alarms — or, if you absolutely need them, set them to vibrate only.

Here’s how to do it:

On iPhones:

• Open the Clock app and tap Alarms.
• Find the alarm you would like to change, and tap it.
• Tap Sound, scroll all the way down, then select the option labeled “None.”
• Scroll back up to the “Haptics” option, tap it and choose the vibration pattern for your alarm.

On Android phones:

• Open your Clock app and tap Alarm.
• Find the alarm you would like to change and tap it.
• Make sure the Vibrate option is enabled, then tap the alarm icon or Sound option.
• Select “No sound” or “silent” — the exact name will depend on your phone’s make.

Not everyone wants to cameo in your content

It’s not hard to see why the post-travel reunion video has become such a social media mainstay — “Love, Actually” had it right when the holiday classic said “love is everywhere” at airports.

We’re not telling you to avoid chronicling those moments, but remember: Not everyone in an arrival hall will be as keen to make an appearance in your photos and videos as the folks you’re trying to capture. Do your best to keep innocent passengers out of your rendezvous videos.

Help Desk: Making tech work for you

Help Desk is a destination built for readers looking to better understand and take control of the technology used in everyday life.

Take control: Sign up for The Tech Friend newsletter to get straight talk and advice on how to make your tech a force for good.

Tech tips to make your life easier: 10 tips and tricks to customize iOS 16 | 5 tips to make your gadget batteries last longer | How to get back control of a hacked social media account | How to avoid falling for and spreading misinformation online

Data and Privacy: A guide to every privacy setting you should change now . We have gone through the settings for the most popular (and problematic) services to give you recommendations. Google | Amazon | Facebook | Venmo | Apple | Android

Ask a question: Send the Help Desk your personal technology questions .

• POWER CHAIRS COVERED BY MEDICARE
• MOBILITY SCOOTERS COVERED BY MEDICARE
• POWER WHEELCHAIR OVERVIEW
• VIEW ALL JAZZY POWER CHAIR MODELS
• LIGHTWEIGHT ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIRS
• TRAVEL WHEELCHAIRS
• FOLDING POWER WHEELCHAIRS
• HEAVY DUTY POWER WHEELCHAIRS
• BARIATRIC POWER WHEELCHAIRS
• ELEVATING POWER WHEELCHAIRS
• HIGHT WEIGHT CAPACITY POWER WHEELCHAIRS
• POWER WHEELCHAIR ACCESSORIES
• VIEW ALL GO GO TRAVEL MOBILITY MODELS
• 3-WHEEL TRAVEL SCOOTERS
• 4-WHEEL TRAVEL SCOOTERS
• GO GO TRAVEL MOBILITY ACCESSORIES
• REPLACEMENT KEYS
• MOBILITY SCOOTERS OVERVIEW
• VIEW ALL PRIDE MOBILITY SCOOTER MODELS
• 3-WHEEL MOBILITY SCOOTERS
• 4-WHEEL MOBILITY SCOOTERS
• HEAVY DUTY MOBILITY SCOOTERS
• FOLDING MOBILITY SCOOTERS
• SCOOTER ACCESSORIES
• BAJA MOBILITY
• POWER LIFT RECLINERS OVERVIEW
• VIEW ALL POWER LIFT RECLINER MODELS
• 2-POSITION LIFT CHAIRS
• 3-POSITION LIFT CHAIRS
• INFINITE POSITION LIFT CHAIRS
• LIFT CHAIRS WITH HEAT & MASSAGE
• HIGH WEIGHT CAPACITY LIFT CHAIRS
• LIFT CHAIR FABRICS
• LIFT CHAIR ACCESSORIES
• --> LOS ANGELES EXPO MARCH 15-17, 2024 JAZZY POWER CHAIRS --> -->
• --> NEW YORK METRO EXPO MAY 3-5, 2024 JAZZY POWER CHAIRS --> -->
• --> CHICAGO EXPO JUNE 21-23, 2024 JAZZY POWER CHAIRS --> -->
• --> HOUSTON EXPO AUGUST 2-4, 2024 JAZZY POWER CHAIRS --> -->
• PHOENIX EXPO SEPTEMBER 6-8, 2024 JAZZY POWER CHAIRS -->
• FORT LAUDERDALE EXPO OCTOBER 18-20, 2024 JAZZY POWER CHAIRS -->
• DALLAS EXPO DECEMBER 6-8, 2024 JAZZY POWER CHAIRS -->
• WHERE TO BUY

Go Go ® Carbon

• Specifications
• Accessories
• Testing Standards & Warranty

Go Go ® Carbon Brochure Pride Mobility Scooters Catalog

Go Go ® Carbon Owner's Manual Scooter Consumer Safety Guide

Harnessing the power of its full carbon fiber frame, the Go Go® Carbon offers exceptional portability in a four-wheel scooter. It weighs just 35 pounds without its (lithium) battery, folds down in seconds for convenient transport and storage, and can be towed like luggage through airports and other environments.

Where to Buy Locally

This product is not a medical device and is not intended to assist, treat, diagnose, or alleviate any medical condition or disability.

It's All in the Name.

With the Go Go® Carbon, the name says it all. This scooter harnesses the true power of carbon fiber, with its frame composed entirely of the material. It’s extremely strong yet remarkably lightweight, weighing just 35 pounds without the battery. That means it’s easier for you to pick up and go, travel the world, and create new memories with friends and family.

Exceptional Portability.

The Go Go Carbon folds in a jiff – simply pull the handle on the base to bring the front and back of the scooter together. It’ll lock into a folded position, and from here, you can conveniently store the unit, or tow it from behind. And not to worry – it unfolds just as easily.

The Future of Travel Mobility.

The future of travel mobility is lighter, more portable, and loaded with such premium features. Are you ready to embrace what’s possible? Find a Pride Mobility dealer near you and experience the Go Go Carbon for yourself.

Go Go ® Carbon Features:

• Folds down in just seconds and can be towed like luggage
• Weighs just 35 pounds without the battery
• Full carbon fiber frame, rims, and tiller
• NFC ignition provides extra security
• Vibrant color display on console that displays clear information
• 300-lb. weight capacity
• Top speed of up to 3.7 mph
• Ground clearance of 1.5”
• Range of up to 10 miles per battery charge
• Powered by an airline compliant** lithium battery
• Removable seat back and base for easy cleaning
• Telescoping tiller
• LED lighting for enhanced visibility
• Available in Black color