Travel Tips

18 Christmas gifts for travelers who already have everything

Looking for Christmas gifts for travelers who already have everything? These 18 ideas upgrade the way they travel, from smoother airport moments to unforgettable experiences.

Most travelers already own things they need. Power banks, packing cubes, noise-cancelling headphones, and a comfy pillow for the plane. So there’s a real challenge: finding gifts for travelers that upgrade the way they travel, not just what they pack.

Let’s explore 18 Christmas gifts every traveler should have. With these ideas, even a long layover won’t be a headache and you can still have a gift exchange full of Christmas cheer!

In this article

Gifts that elevate their travel experience

Figuring out what to buy for someone who travels all the time can be tough, since they already own the basics. Instead, focus on gifts that genuinely elevate their travel experience.

1. Airport lounge passes:

Imagine having an 18-hour flight and needing to wait over 12 hours for the next plane to take off. Going for a coffee, eating, or walking around the airport will kill some time, but not all of it. With a lounge pass, travelers can access showers, food, rest areas, and even workspaces – it’s a game changer for long layovers!

Priority Pass: Global access to 1,700+ lounges. Price range is $99–$469/year, depending on plan.
LoungePair: One-time lounge passes you can buy without a membership. Price range is usually $25–$60 per visit, depending on airport.
Plaza Premium Lounge Pass: Passes for specific lounges worldwide. Price range: typically $40–$80 per visit.

2. Hotel experience credits:

These credits offer a wide variety of benefits, including spending time at the spa, late checkout, room upgrades, or even covering the cost of a parking space – a traveler will love this.

Marriott Gift Cards: Perfect for stays, spa treatments, dining, or upgrades across thousands of properties worldwide. Price range is $25–$2,000.
Airbnb Gift Cards: Flexible option for both stays and Airbnb Experiences, making it one of the easiest travel gifts. Price range is $25–$2,000.

Source: Shutterstock

Gifts that save them time and stress

Traveling can be frustrating to a certain extent. Long waiting lines, missing requirements to enter a country, or even free WiFi at the airport not working.

For example, travelers visiting the USA have specific requirements, such as TSA PreCheck, which you can assist them with before their trip.

So, how can you make their experience better? Here are some gift ideas!

3. Global Entry:

This is a program of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which offers low-risk, pre-approved travelers’ eligibility. This makes entering the United States easier through selected kiosks at eligible airports, saving travelers money and time!

If you’re gifting Global Entry, the fee is paid during the online application. So, if you have a credit card that will give you a statement credit for TSA Pre/Global Entry, you could let them type in your card info when they do the application and get the statement credit.

4. TSA PreCheck fee reimbursement:

If you pay for someone’s PSA PreCheck, you can request a fee reimbursement. This is available with selected cards, and you can even use that money for other things, maybe a cab from the airport? Your call.

5. Travel insurance plans:

Keeping travelers protected is essential. You never know when something can happen, even a simple flu can mess up a trip. With insurance plans, visiting the doctor doesn’t mean you have to break the piggy bank.

Faye: Price For 2-week Trip would start from $205
Trawick: Price For 2-week Trip would start from $233
Price is based on a 2-week vacation to Mexico for a 35-year-old California resident with a $3,500 trip cost.

6. International eSIM:

Forget about roaming, delivery fees, or needing to get to your hotel room to get internet. Land in your destination and get high-speed internet upon landing. The best gift you can give is a Holafly travel eSIM: coverage in over 200 destinations, up to 1 GB of hotspot data, 5G unlimited data, and peace of mind for up to 90 days!

Source: Shutterstock

Gifts that help them capture and share memories

Traveling means you’ll keep memories in your mind, but how can you share the beauty of what you saw with others?

Imagine someone visiting a historical site, such as the Mayan Ruins, or a breathtaking landscape like the black sand beaches in Iceland, and not having a printed picture to remember it.

That’s just the tip of it, as other gifts can make your travel experiences more unforgettable than you thought:

7. Travel photo book service credits:

Companies like Artifact Uprising($47.20~) and Mixbook($29.99~) offer high-quality photo prints and books that you can gift, allowing travelers to relive their experiences countless times and share them with others.

8. Mini travel journaling set:

If you know someone who loves writing and traveling, a journaling set is an undervalued gift. Sitting at scenic views, such as Lake Tahoe or Crater Lake in the US, old quarters in Europe, or beautiful beaches in Asia, a poem might come to mind, or just for venting.

The best part? These are affordable gifts, starting at $12 for a mini leather journaling set, so you can think about gifting it alongside a travel photo book!

9. Lightweight phone tripod or clip-on light:

If you know someone who’s traveling alone, gift them a tripod or clip-on light! It’s a way to help them take as many photos as they like without risking their phones, even at night. No Instagram-worthy photo will be left untaken, and these range from $12 to $20!

10. One professional travel photo session:

Want a gift that creates unforgettable memories? Give a traveler a photo session. Let them choose a place they prefer, let them play with a photographer, and the result will be some outstanding photos that last a lifetime!

Airbnb photograph service: $40 to $400.
Thailand photograph service: $200 to $375.

Source: Shutterstock

Gifts that deepen their connection to the places they visit

Traveling doesn’t mean you always need to visit tourist places; you can always think about activities that might not seem like the usual ones.

Or you don’t have to give them a thing that they’ll enjoy during the trip; it might be something they can use at home and feel like they’re visiting that dream destination.

Some ideal gifts are:

11. Cooking class vouchers in a future destination:

Visiting places like Peru, Vietnam, Thailand, or anywhere with a delicious cuisine means you need to try local food. But you can take this to a higher level with cooking class vouchers, that way you’ll take those delicious flavours back home!

Peruvian cooking classes: $35 to $70.
Vietnamese cooking classes: $29 to $49.
Thai cooking classes: $13 to $84.

12. Language-learning app subscription:

Hola? Privet? Nǐ hǎo? Learning the basics can help you communicate when traveling, so why don’t you give a subscription to a language-learning app like Duolingo or Lingotok (yes, the viral app from TikTok), and they can learn the basics before traveling!

Duolingo: $79.99/year
Babbel: $81–$239

13. Local artisan products from a place they dream about:

Everything from handcrafted pottery, jewelry, or furniture are great gifts for travelers. The best thing about these is their uniqueness. Just imagine walking around with a hand-knotted rag from Morocco or having Chulucanas pottery from Peru at home!

14. Destination-themed sensory kit:

A sensory-themed kit is perfect for traveling without actually leaving home. Spices, candles, and tea can do the work, but think outside the box and let the matcha at Starbucks.

Source: Shutterstock

Gifts for digital-nomad or remote-work travelers

If your favorite traveler is a digital nomad or a remote worker, you can make things easier for them!

Traveling abroad means you can lose access to certain websites, have issues connecting to Slack, or even need that extra screen to stop staring at your mini laptop for a while.

That said, there are plenty of possibilities for gifts that your remote worker-traveler will love.

15. One month of coworking membership abroad:

Hitting a new destination and finding there’s no space in a hotel room or Airbnb to work is frustrating, so jump ahead and give some coworking credits! WeWork or Selina are great options for travelers to hit their milestones while traveling.

WeWork: From $160/month
Regus: From $119/month(lounge access)

16. VPN subscription:

Depending on where someone is traveling, websites might have limited access. Hard to deal with? No, simply give a VPN subscription, and that will do to bypass the blockage!

VPN Express: $12.99 to $19.99 monthly.
TunnelBear: $4 to $5 monthly.

17. Travel keyboard/travel monitor stand:

If you know someone who travels with a mini PC or laptop, gifting them a travel keyboard or monitor stand will definitely enhance their work experience. Using a monitor stand is even safer if you’re enjoying some hot chocolate this Christmas, and they range anywhere from $9 to over $50!

18. Holafly Plans:

Work typically involves using a lot of data and requires a reliable connection. How can you solve that? Using Holafly Plans, an eSIM with unlimited data, unlimited hotspot data, 5G speeds, and coverage in over 170 destinations, you decide where to travel without worrying about connectivity.

Source: Shutterstock

Share the gift of data this Christmas with Holafly

Looking for a travel gift that’s actually useful? Gift a Holafly travel eSIM this Christmas and let someone stay connected on their next adventure. It works in over 200 destinations, with regional plans available, so it’s perfect no matter where their future journey takes them.

They can activate it anytime within one year, and once they do, they’ll enjoy unlimited data, reliable coverage, hotspot options, and 24/7 support for as little as $1.55 per day. It’s one of the easiest gifts to give, and arguably the most practical one for any traveler.And for even more smart travel tips, destination ideas, and seasonal discounts, tell them to follow Holafly on Google Discover.