5 Travel Accessories That Can Make Your Next Trip Easier
Even for the most seasoned flyers, traveling can be a hassle. From portable scales — so you'll never again have to pay for an overweight bag — to a laundry kit that'll keep your clothes looking and smelling fresh, these five travel accessories can help reduce stress, save space and keep you powered up and looking your best on the road.
[table-of-contents/]
1. Portable Luggage Scale
Having overweight baggage is a surefire way to add unnecessary expenses to your trip, and attempting to weigh a large duffle bag on a floor scale can be tricky. Instead, try using a portable luggage scale, like this one from Camry that's available on Amazon for about $9 and holds up to 110 lbs. Simply attach this tiny money-saving device to the top of your bag, then lift the scale (and your bag) to find out its weight before you head to the airport.

2. Mini-Charger
This mini-charger, available on Amazon for $16, is the size of a small candy bar and can fit easily into your pocket. When fully charged, this small but powerful gadget can add almost two charges worth of juice to your iPhone7 or 6s. It can also add up to one full charge to your iPhone 7 Plus, Galaxy S7, or Nexus 5 as well as other smartphones. Perfect for flights and airports that don't have charging stations, this little guy will make sure you never drop below 20% again.

3. Passport Holder
This simple passport holder will set you back only $10 and is a great way to keep your passport, ID and credit cards safely stowed when you travel. Instead of having these precious items floating around in your purse, tucked into a back-pocket or stuffed into a bag, this holder keeps everything nice and organized, making your passport and credit cards easily accessible and leading to less frantic searching when you need to reach them in a hurry.

4. Travel Hamper
If you're tired of trying to pack dirty and clean clothes back into your suitcase at the end of a trip, use a travel bag organizer to help keep the two separated. This sturdy canvas bag, which runs $13 on Shopbop, will hold all your dirty clothes, keeping the rest of your bag smelling fresh. It's small enough to take with you and can double as a laundry bag if you'll be near a washer/dryer during your trip.

5. Laundry Kit
Traveling for long periods of time without showers or washing machines can lead to dirty, wrinkled and sometimes unpleasant smelling clothing. This travel size fabric care kit, available for $34 on Shopbop, comes with with a plethora of goodies to keep your clothes spotless, including liquid stain removal packs and a stain removal bar of soap, perfect for messes that need a bit more scrubbing. The kit also comes with a few spray-on solutions that can remove wrinkles, static and unpleasant odors. Spill a little bit of that airplane food on your shirt? No problem!

What items do you constantly bring along to help make your travels easier? Tell us about them, below.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.

