Holiday shopping for someone who spends more nights in airport lounges than at home? Sunset has rounded up its pick of travel gifts aimed at people who take their trips — and their frequent flyer status — seriously.

The guide groups presents by traveller type rather than price bracket, so you can match the gift to the person. Two categories stand out: a modern portable outdoor speaker for those who like a soundtrack on the trail or at the beach, and adventure wear described as comfortable enough to live in, not just to hike in. That second point matters more than it sounds — anyone who has done a long-haul flight in jeans knows why soft, packable clothing tops most frequent travellers' wish lists.

The broader takeaway from the roundup is useful even if you ignore specific products. The best gifts for serious travellers tend to share a few traits: they're lightweight enough not to eat into carry-on space, durable enough to survive being shoved in an overhead bin weekly, and genuinely useful mid-trip rather than gimmicky. A speaker that doubles as campsite ambience, or layers that work on a plane, in a car and on a trail, get used. A neon luggage tag shaped like a pineapple, usually doesn't.

If you're shopping on your own, apply the same logic. Think about what your traveller actually complains about — cold aeroplane cabins, dead phone batteries, squashed clothes, sad hotel pillows — and buy the fix. Compression packing cubes, a decent travel pillow, a universal adapter with USB-C ports, or a well-reviewed power bank all solve recurring problems. For the person who already owns everything, consumables and comfort upgrades work well: a subscription to an airport lounge network, quality earplugs, or a soft merino base layer that can be worn three days running without anyone knowing.

Why does this matter for readers here? Because gift season is also trip-planning season. The right kit quietly improves every trip for the next five years, which is a better return than most gadgets. And if you're the traveller hinting for gifts, forwarding a list like Sunset's is a perfectly legitimate move — nobody wants another scented candle when they could have gear that earns its place in a carry-on.

The full roundup, with the specific products and links, lives on Sunset's site.