Being on vacation is great. But getting there? Not so much. Assuming you aren’t a private-jet-owning billionaire with the ability to travel like a king, chances are you’re getting to your destination crammed into an uncomfortable seat with an unpleasant wait and lots of standing in queues either side. With that in mind, anything that might add a touch of luxury to the experience, no matter how small, is worth having.

Luxury travel accessories, like high-quality luggage, nice headphones and a comfy travel pillow, will elevate your journey whether you’re feeling fancy in first class or kicking it in coach. These are the bits and bobs that will turn your travels from a reluctant necessity into something you actually look forward to, allowing you to relax in comfort, stride through the departures lounge in style, and arrive at your destination feeling refreshed and ready to unwind.

There’s no shortage of luxury travel accessories, but not all are worth forking out for. Below, we’ve handpicked some of our must-have luxury travel treats with the need-to-know info and some links to our favourite versions.

Canvas Weekend Bag

It’s amazing what you can fit into a duffel bag. You can get a week’s worth of stuff in there if you pack light, or at least a weekend’s worth even if you don’t. Having a decent one with lots of pockets and compartments makes it easy to stay organised on the go, and it helps streamline the process of getting through airport security if certain items need to be removed quickly.

Leather is an option, but we’re big fans of canvas for this particular type of bag. It’s lighter, ages well and it’s extremely tough. Buy right, and you’ll have it for life. In our humble opinion, Bennett Winch, Mismo and Filson make some of the best in the game. Bennett Winch’s Weekender bag, for example, is handmade in England with full-grain leather reinforcements, brass hardware and a lifetime warranty.

Carl Friedrik

For longer trips, you’ll probably want to check a bag, and when you do that, there’s always a small risk it will get lost. If that happens, it’s reassuring to know you’ve done everything you can to ensure it finds its way back to you. Thankfully, strapping a nice leather luggage tag on can provide that valuable peace of mind while keeping your suitcase looking stylish at the same time.

Luggage tags can also help you identify your suitcase as it comes around on the baggage carousel. You could, of course, tie a brightly coloured piece of material to the handle, sticker bomb it or buy a case in an unusual shade. But if aesthetics are important to you, this is your best option.

Leather Passport Wallet

Carl Friedrik

Depending on where you’re from, you might need to keep the same passport for as long as 10 years. That’s a lot of time to keep a little cardboard booklet in pristine condition, especially if you travel a lot.

The solution? Get yourself a passport wallet. For full style points, make it a high-end leather one from a respected brand. We like Smythson, Carl Friedrik, Aspinal of London and Montblanc, all of which have fantastic options priced between £100 and £300, depending on your budget.

Dopp Kit

Mismo

It’s amazing how sitting in an aeroplane seat for a few hours can make you feel so dirty and gross. Being able to freshen up on the go is a must, not to mention having all of your grooming goods in one handy place when you reach your destination. This is where a dopp kit comes in.

A dopp kit is essentially just a fancy toiletry bag containing everything you need to stay well-groomed on the go. You can use it to carry things like a toothbrush, aftershave, shaving gear and moisturiser, and a good one will have several compartments to keep everything organised.

Noise-Cancelling Headphones

Sennheiser

Screaming babies, snoring seat neighbours, the incessant hum of jet engines – whatever it is keeping you from relaxing, a decent pair of noise-cancelling headphones will block it out and allow you to unwind in peace.

Over-ear headphones are particularly effective at drowning out background noise. A good pair will have crystal-clear sound quality, a noise-cancelling feature for filtering out external sounds, and a transparency option to let those same external sounds through when you don’t want to be completely isolated from the outside world.

Memory-Foam Neck Pillow

Ostrichpillow

If you haven’t travelled with a neck pillow, you’re missing out. This is the cheapest and simplest way to majorly enhance comfort on the move, and that goes double if you buy a memory foam one.

Memory foam neck pillows are generally a little more expensive, but they’re just as packable, only marginally heavier, and provide a much-increased level of support for your weary head. OK, so it may not be the most stylish travel accessory of them all, but as far as elevating the travel experience on the cheap goes, it doesn’t get much better.

Eye Mask

Desmond & Dempsey

While we’re on the subject of comfort, an eye mask is a must-have if you’re going long haul. Paired with the noise-cancelling headphones and neck pillow, this little piece of fabric will take you as close as it’s possible to get to your own private bedroom, helping you to block out the outside world and get some much-needed shuteye.

You might think eye masks can’t really be stylish, but you’d be wrong. Most of the usual loungewear suspects make their own versions, and there are plenty of aesthetically pleasing prints and patterns to be found. Take a look at Desmond & Dempsey’s offering for a prime example.