12 Amazon Travel Essentials My Frequent-flier Grandma Recommends

After dedicating four decades as a volunteer physical therapist in Southeast Asia, my 90-year-old grandma still spends half the year traveling around the world. She just got back from her annual two-month-long trip to Cambodia, so I took the opportunity to ask her what her most-loved travel essentials are after more than 40 years of non-stop trips.

A frequent flier on some of the world’s longest airplane routes, she shared her favorite in-flight essentials like open-ear headphones and stretchy leggings. I’ve also spent quite a bit of time traveling with her, so I’ve seen her wear her go-to accessories for sightseeing, like an anti-theft crossbody bag and a versatile shawl. Keep reading to shop her expert traveler-approved picks, starting at $10.

I got this genius travel adapter for my grandma, and she told me it’s a game-changer for her. It comes with six interchangeable prongs that work all over the world. With options for every continent, my grandma called out the Type D plug that works in India, a spot she frequently visits. She also loves the ability to bring multiple plugs with the main base, as she often visits a few continents during her multi-month trips.

How many packing cubes are too many? My grandma’s answer is that there is no limit. This set of 10 comes with six packing cubes, one laundry bag, one shoe bag, a pouch, and a hanging toiletry case—all for $21 right now. The various-sized cubes will make packing a breeze, especially if you’re working with limited space in a carry-on. 

My grandma does not mess around with safety while traveling, so she brings this anti-theft crossbody for toting valuables. She told me that, in addition to using a bag with anti-theft features, she also makes sure her wallet is kept inside the main compartment every time she leaves to go sightseeing. For added security, the bag has lockable zippers and is made with slash-resistant nylon.

Often flying on some of the world’s longest routes, my grandma always brings leakproof water bottles like this Owala one. She likes water bottles that have a spout that flips up with the click of a button, making it easy to access on the go. I frequently travel with this 24-ounce bottle and have never had any issues with leaking, and the medium size isn’t too cumbersome to pack.

One of my grandma’s biggest travel pet-peeves is her pants touching the bathroom floor on an airplane. She swears by leggings, since she doesn’t have to worry about them getting dirty while flying. These ultra-soft leggings are a great option since they are more stretchy than compressive and have a high-waisted fit that is comfortable and keeps them from slipping down or bunching.

Another in-flight essential my grandma loves, these disposable toothbrushes are one of her favorite hacks for an overnight flight. She packs a few of these toothbrushes that have toothpaste already on the bristles, simplifying her in-flight hygiene routine. They also don’t require water, making the process even smoother.

As long as I can remember, my grandma has always traveled with a shawl identical to this cashmere one. My mom travels with a similar one, and now I do, too, so it’s become a multi-generational habit. The wrap can be a blanket on the plane, or it can function as a scarf or shawl to dress up an outfit for a nice dinner.

My grandma keeps her pill case on her at all times while traveling, and she likes that the one she uses lights up to see the pills in the dark. While this $10 travel-size pill case doesn’t light up, it still has all of the bells and whistles you want for storing medication. Each compartment fits up to eight pills and is marked with the day of the week. Plus, it even has a separate compartment for a desiccant to keep meds dry while traveling.

These foldable travel slippers go back to the point about my grandma’s disdain for airplane bathrooms. After settling into her 15-plus-hour flights, she takes off her shoes and keeps them on hand for when she gets up. The slides fold up and come with a compact bag to keep the dirty soles away from the rest of the packed items. Plus, they are made with EVA foam, so they can be washed easily.

In addition to being an expert traveler, my grandma is also a world-class shopper and brings back the most amazing souvenirs from each trip. She travels with just one suitcase, so when she buys one too many items, this foldable duffel bag is the best way to bring everything back in one piece. It’s 65 liters, so it can fit fabrics, clothes, and knick-knacks, but when it’s packed in a suitcase, it hardly takes up any space.

My grandma told me that the key to long travel days is having a lightweight backpack, like this one from Briggs & Riley. It keeps her hands free to use a cane, but it’s still big enough to carry in-flight essentials. This backpack has tons of different pockets for a laptop, a water bottle, and other smaller accessories. The front pocket is also RFID-blocking, which is ideal for passports or wallets.

For listening to audiobooks on long flights, my grandma swears by these Shokz bone conduction headphones. These have a unique open-ear design with transducers in the headphones that allow sound to pass through the cheekbone, rather than the eardrum. While you don’t get the noise-canceling effects of in-ear headphones, these can be more comfortable for wearing hours on end. 

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