Gift giving can be a hassle. It is for this reason, among others, that Chad and I have decided to disengage when it comes to buying each other gifts. You read correctly– we do not buy each other gifts for our birthdays, anniversary, Valentine’s Day, Christmas or any other special/milestone/gift-giving occasion. Instead, we decided to divert whatever money we would spend on these gifts to our travel fund, opting to enrich our lives with the gift of experience over material things. It has been one of the most liberating decisions of our relationship.
Try as we may, we have not yet been able to convince the rest of our family to jump on the no-gift giving bandwagon. As a result, I decided to put together a list of the top 5 things that I believe that any traveler on your list would love to receive, in the order that I would love to receive them!
Number 1: Frequent Flyer Miles and/or Hotel Loyalty Points
Did you know that you can buy miles or points for your beloved traveler? If your traveler has a favorite airline or hotel chain that they love to use when they travel, why not literally give them the gift of travel? Most airlines and a few hotel chains allow you to buy miles and/or loyalty points. Personally, I prefer the miles. My airline of choice is Delta, which allows you to buy, gift, transfer, or donate miles! I would be ecstatic if I received Delta SkyMiles as a gift. On Delta, you can buy as little as 2,000 miles or as many as 60,000 miles. The prices range from $70.00 to $2,100.00. My second favorite airline, JetBlue, also allows you to buy TrueBlue points. I like the idea of miles over hotel loyalty points because depending on where you go, the particular hotel brand may not be available. Also, I find that travelers tend to be more airline loyal than hotel brand loyal. But if you have a traveler that is hotel brand loyal, the same concept applies. In researching this post, I found this site to be most helpful to navigate you through hotel loyalty points purchases.
Number 2: Smart Luggage
If you thought luggage was luggage, you are dead wrong. Wait until you hear about the technological advances that luggage has made! Today’s luggage can weigh itself, find itself, lock itself, and charge your electronic devices! What traveler in their right mind would not want one of these fancy new hi-tech bags?! While these bags tend to be a little pricier, they are worth it. Here are a few that I like, in no particular order:
Bluesmart is a carry-on suitcase that you can control from your phone. You download an app, and from the app you can lock and unlock it, weigh it, track its location, be notified if you are leaving it behind, and charge your phone 6 times with a built-in battery.
Andiamo is the maker of iQ which has its own Wi-Fi hotspot, a USB battery charger, removable power pack, built-in digital scale, and a remote lock or unlock feature, which works with a mobile app. You can also get text messages whenever the bag moves away from you (up to 98 feet) or comes toward you, such as when it’s on a baggage carousel.
Planet Traveler USA’s Space Case 1 is a smart bag with cellular-enabled “global” tracking, a mobile app, biometric fingerprint ID for authentication, a built-in scale, a power bank for recharging devices, a Bluetooth speaker and microphone for “integrated hands-free calling,” a security alarm to guard against “unexpected separation,” and a 10-year warranty. You also get access to a “personal concierge” via the associated app, which provides details on flight status, gate numbers, hotel reservations and more.
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Number 3: Smart Luggage Locks and Bag Trackers
Since smart luggage can be pricey, another option is to buy your traveler a smart lock and/or a bag tracker. LugLoc is a device that you slip into your luggage. The device uses GSM-GPRS technology and a mobile app to help track your luggage in real-time. While the first 15 days of unlimited traces are free and no subscription is required, you have to purchase a package of traces that expire in a year’s time. Similarly, Trakdot is a device you insert into your bag that uses GPS technology and a mobile app to help you keep track on your checked luggage. Each Trakdot costs $50 and requires a $20 annual service fee. Finally, eGeeTouch and AirBolt both make next-generation luggage locks that use an app and open with your fingertips or a tap of your phone. In addition to opening your suitcase, these locks also let you authorize other users or see whether your bag has been inspected through the app.
Number 4: Clarisonic’s Mia FIT or Alpha Fit
I love my Clarisonic, but I don’t love packing it for travel because it’s bulky and takes up too much room in my cosmetic case. The Mia FIT (for women) and Alpha Fit (for men) solves this problem! They are compact, lightweight, and designed for travel. They also come with a USB enabled charger!
Number 5: Travel Gadget and Cord Organizer
Chances are your traveler is bringing at least one iPhone and iPad charger and a pair of headphones on their journey, and there is nothing worse than a mess of tangled cords and earphones in a bag when traveling. That is why I think these are great gifts! There are literally hundreds of options in all sizes and price points. Seriously, do a Google search and see what I mean. You can even get them on Etsy! I think one that has slots to hold at least 5 to 6 cords and 2 pairs of earphones (so 8 slots total) with a perhaps 1 or 2 zip pockets to house a mobile Wi-Fi device and the iPhone and iPad plugs is ideal.
So, that is it; that is my travel wishlist! I hope you found this post useful, and I hope it helps you in the idea department when it comes to wowing the traveler in your life on the next gift-giving occasion! If you have any other suggestions for great travel-related gift ideas, I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment below or drop me an email.
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