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Black Friday and Cyber Monday aren’t just about getting a (discounted) head start on holiday shopping.
For me, they’re also my favorite days to snag the best deals on travel gear and lifestyle items. It’s when I stock up on things I’ve been eyeing and grab a few extras of my everyday travel staples, like AirTags, whenever they drop in price.
To save you the search, I rounded up the best deals on travel and lifestyle gear that’ll elevate your time at home and on the road.
Be sure to check out the complete list, and you’ll even find my favorite ways to maximize holiday shopping at the end.
Related: 14 top flight and hotel deals for Black Friday, Cyber Monday
AirPods 4
AirPods are, in my opinion, the single best travel earbuds.
The two models travelers should consider are the AirPods Pro 3 and the AirPods 4 with noise cancellation. The former pack a few more features and a more comfortable in-ear fit, but this year, Amazon is bringing significant savings to the AirPods 4.
They’re down to $99.99 (from $179). AirPods Pro 3 are also on sale for $219.99 (from $249), but I’d say buy both. Try them for a few days and return the ones you don’t like.
AirTags
If there’s one thing you’ll see me repeat over and over again (including in my interview with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy), it’s that you can never have enough AirTags.
Amazon’s got a nice sale on the four-pack. They’re regularly $99, but buy them today for just $64.98.
AirFly
After you purchase AirPods (as recommended above), you need to pick up an AirFly to connect them to the seatback screen.
AirFly is a dongle that bridges Bluetooth headphones to seatback TVs (as well as to treadmills and any other audio jack that doesn’t support Bluetooth).
Every traveler needs one in their bag. The AirFly SE is on a 35% off Black Friday deal. Grab yours today for just $25.99.
International travel adapter
One of my favorite international travel adapters is on sale and is well worth picking up.
Even if you don’t have upcoming long-haul flights, I still recommend bringing an international adapter on every trip. That’s because you can use them to keep your plug from falling out of loose airplane outlets.
The Anker Nano travel adapter ($19.99) is one of the best international adapters, but a close runner-up (with a few more charging ports in a slightly bulkier package) is the EPICKA Pulse power adapter ($23.74).
Portable charger
It’s time to upgrade your portable charger game. Charging tech has gotten better over the years, and I prefer not having to carry multiple power bricks for all my devices.
Those who want to charge laptops should consider the Anker laptop power bank ($87.99), but if you’re looking for a super portable option with built-in charging cables, pick up the Charmast portable charger for $18.99.
Packing cubes
If you caught my video with Sec. Duffy, you may have seen me sing the praises of packing cubes.
Fun fact: it wasn’t until my daughter was born that I realized the importance of packing cubes for organizing everything we carry.
Now, I swear by them. And I love using the ones from Away. They’re on sale for $36 and come in a bunch of colors.
Tumi luggage
Every traveler has their one go-to suitcase brand. Mine is Tumi.
I’ve been using their bags for 15 years, and despite taking more than 100 flights a year, I’ve only gone through two Tumi carry-ons since then.
Yes, they’re not cheap, but you can get 20% off during their Black Friday event. If you’ve been eyeing a new bag, this is the time to pull the trigger. Personally, I use the Alpha 3 Continental Dual Access 4-Wheel Carry-On, and I’d suggest buying from Saks to double dip with the Amex Platinum credit.
Bugaboo Butterfly 2
Now that I have a one-year-old daughter at home, I’m becoming an expert on family travel gear.
And if there’s one item that’s entirely worth the splurge, it’s the Bugaboo Butterfly 2 travel stroller. We bought one when our daughter turned six months, and it’s already been to three continents with us.
I know it’s not cheap, but I promise the portability and durability make it well worth the splurge. And at least it’s going for 10% off for the holiday.
Kidde carbon monoxide detector
Speaking of family travel (and my hotel smoke detector saga, which I owe you an update on), we’re now hyper-vigilant about smoke and carbon monoxide detectors when traveling.
Whenever we travel, we bring a carbon monoxide detector, and you should too. Not to be too dramatic, but it could save your life.
Pick up the one we use for $31.89 today.
Away sale
Away’s annual Black Friday sale is here, and with 25% off everything, it’s definitely worth a look.
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My go-to travel backpack is the Commuter Backpack, and I also love Away’s small toiletry bags and the featherlight weekender.
They have items for every budget, and I generally find their customer service to be quite reasonable when things go wrong. (I had an annoying zipper issue with my backpack that they quickly replaced.)
Davek travel umbrella
Funny enough, I first recommended this umbrella back in my 2021 holiday gift guide for TPG, and I’ve been using it ever since.
It fits perfectly on the side of my backpack, and I love that it doesn’t invert during strong winds.
I haven’t seen it on sale in a while, so I’d grab yours now that it’s going for 20% off with promo code “BFCM.”
Compression socks
Compression socks are a game-changer for my long-haul flights, and I’ve been using the ones from Comrad ever since I recommended them back in 2022.
They’re on a Black Friday special for $23.45, and I’m definitely going to stock up on a few more pairs this week.
Grown Alchemist products
I have a weird fascination with the (pleasant) scents I encounter during my travels.
I like to stock up on my favorites at home, but I’ll never buy them full price. This week, Grown Alchemist products, which are available in Delta lounges and at select Waldorf Astoria properties, are 25% off on Amazon.
These make great stocking stuffers and provide me with some much-needed TLC too.
Rails
If you watch closely in most of my videos, you’ll see a pattern: I wear a lot of Rails clothing.
The brand has trendy picks for both women and men, and I’m especially a fan of the winter edit that includes the Carrick sweater, the Peninsula zip jacket, and the Julian pant.
You can get 30% off on Black Friday and Cyber Monday with code BFCM2025 at checkout.
Vuori joggers
Ok, this is the last one for now, and candidly, they’re not on sale. (I don’t think I’ve ever seen them on sale.)
But Vuori joggers are such a travel staple for me that I couldn’t not share them.
I pack them on every long-haul flight I take. And you should probably do the same. Even better: they come in both men’s and women’s versions.
Buy a pair for $98 today (and if it’s your first Vuori purchase, give them your email for 20% off).
Maximize holiday shopping
Hit a sign-up bonus
Holiday shopping is one of the best times of year to open a new credit card and quickly hit a sign-up bonus.
Right now, I’m a fan of the 100,000-point sign-up bonus on the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. You do need to spend $10,000 within the first six months of account opening to earn the bonus, but the holiday shopping will definitely help.
Another top card I’ve been recommending is the Chase Sapphire Preferred®. It currently offers a 75,000-point sign-up bonus after spending $5,000 in purchases within the first three months.
Plus, the card has a few easy-to-use benefits, like a $50 annual travel credit and DoorDash perks, that definitely help offset the $95 annual fee.
Sign up for Rakuten
If you’re buying online and not using a shopping portal, you’re leaving money on the table. Shopping portals let you earn bonus cash back or points in addition to the credit card points you earn from your issuer.
It’s a simple no-brainer, and I’ve found that Rakuten has among the best rates and coverage at most major retailers.
If you don’t have a Rakuten account yet, sign up with my referral link, and you’ll get $50 after a qualifying purchase.
Plus, Rakuten cash back can now be awarded as Amex or Bilt points, which are among the best point currencies.
Related: Create a Rakuten account and receive a whopping $50 bonus
Check Amex and Chase offers
Don’t forget to triple dip!
Amex and Chase offers allow you to save even more on your holiday purchases. When you save an offer to your account, Amex or Chase will issue you a credit or points for spending a certain amount of money with a given merchant.
These offers stack with Rakuten, and you’ll still earn credit card points on the purchase, making this the ultimate triple-dip opportunity.
Related: 14 top flight and hotel deals for Black Friday, Cyber Monday
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