10 Gadgets That Will Make International Flights a Breeze

Summer is upon us, and you know what that means—travel season. With bags packed and itinerary set, your foreign vacation is taking over your daydreams.

But are you ready to spend 10+ hours sitting in a chair while floating 30,000 feet in the air? There aren’t many ways to avoid the fatigue and boredom of a long flight, but these gadgets are sure to help.

Just remember to get up and stretch to keep your blood flowing (compression socks can help avoid swelling and discomfort in legs and feet) and pack some moisturizer and lip balm; altitude can cause extremely dry skin. Bon voyage!

Noise-Cancelling Wireless Headphones

The Bose QuietComfort 35 IIwill save your life on the long flight, isolating sound and silencing unwanted noise; no need to turn up the volume to block out the noise from crying babies or loud chewers. Bose’s QuietComfort 35 II are a PCMag Editors’ Choice, but you’ll find plenty of options in our roundup of the Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones.</ziffbin>
Smart Luggage

Away’s Bigger Carry-on provides serious style, an ejectable battery to charge your phone, an unbreakable polycarbonate shell, a built-in compression system, and 360-degree Hinomoto wheels. Don’t worry, the ejectable battery and bigger size comply with all airline carry-on standards and TSA policies. The bigger size offers an interior measurement of 21 by 14.5 inches, which means plenty of room for those souvenirs that you weren’t planning on buying. </ziffbin>
Portable Charger

The Anker PowerCore 10000 packs a charging punch—it can juice up a compatible device to 80 percent in 30 minutes. The lightweight and compact device is perfect for traveling; it will fully charge a phone up to three times. On the safety front, the PowerCore 10000 has surge protection and temperature control. For more options, check out our roundup of the Best Portable Chargers and Power Banks.</ziffbin>
E-Book Reader

Reading is one of the best ways to pass the time on an international flight. Instead of packing multiple books, opt for an eReader. The Kindle Oasis takes ebook readers to the next level with a bunch of high-tech features. It’s the largest and highest resolution Kindle display. It features an ergonomic design to feel like a book’s spine for one-handed reading, adaptive lighting that automatically adjusts brightness (depending on your surroundings), and customizable text settings. Plus, it’s waterproof for your waterside reading once you arrive.</ziffbin>
Long Battery Life Laptop

Need to get work done? The Lenovo Yoga 920 is ideal for international flights; it lasted an astonishing 22 hours and 38 minutes on our battery life test, which involves playing a looped local video file until the battery is exhausted. And thanks to its pen and Tablet modes, you can use it to sketch artwork or comfortably watch movies in a cramped airplane seat. For more, check out our roundup of the Best Battery Life Laptops.</ziffbin>
Handheld Gaming

The Nintendo Switch takes handheld gaming to the next level. If you’re into video games, this device really checks all the boxes. First, it’s designed as a home console that transforms into a portable system in the blink of an eye. Battery life sits between 3 and 6.5 hours depending on what you play, but that USB-C port means you can keep it topped up with an external battery pack and a USB-C cable. This handheld gaming device offers some of the best graphics and games to keep you or your kids entertained while floating with the birds. </ziffbin>
Sleep Mask

The illumy Smart Sleep Mask is the intelligent alternative to a sleep mask. Not only is illumy comfortable, but it uses light to help you fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up naturally. To fall asleep, it uses red toned “sunset” lighting that tells your mind and body it’s time to sleep. Then, when it’s time to wake up, it uses blue “sunrise” light to tell your body it’s morning. It also features something called “Sleep Enhance Pacing Technology,” which uses pulsing light to help you relax and stay asleep.
Smart Shoe Insoles

Get cozy with some ThermaCELL Heated insoles. It’s easy to slip these wireless and rechargeable insoles into any pair of shoes. With the click of a remote, you can turn them on and off. They won’t get too warm because there is an adjustable warming feature that is controlled by the remote. Once you get to the hotel, charge them up because they have a rechargeable battery and they will be ready for the venture home. Those batteries are Lithium-ion so they shouldn’t run afoul of TSA regulations, but maybe prepare yourself for an extra look at airport security. </ziffbin>
Jet Lag Calculator

Jet lag is something that you might think is unavoidable, which it may be, but Jet Lag Rooster helps you get on a better schedule and feel energized for your entire trip. All you do is enter the location you’re flying to/from, the time you depart/arrive, and your usual sleep schedule—then it will curate a jet lag plan, like when to sleep and when to get as much light as possible to trick your brain and keep your body going.
Portable Cocktail Kit

This isn’t technically a gadget, but it sure is innovative. W&P created a Carry-on Cocktail Kit so you can enjoy a properly mixed drink at 30,000 feet. Whether you’re in the mood for a perfect old fashioned or an Italian spritz, one kit will make two craft cocktails that are sure to please. There’s no need to compromise style or taste while traveling this summer.