Three of the biggest US retailers are running overlapping October sale events this week, and each has discounts worth a look if you're stocking up on luggage, power banks, earbuds or other travel kit before the holidays. Here's how they compare.

Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days runs Oct. 6-7, kicking off at 12:01 a.m. PDT, with three new deal drops daily at midnight, 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. PDT. You'll need a Prime membership ($139 a year or $14.99 a month) to shop it — it's the only one of the three sales with a hard paywall. Early deals already include 28% off Apple AirPods Pro 3 and 60% off the Amazon Fire TV Stick HD. Prime Visa cardholders can do even better: the no-annual-fee card earns 5% back on Amazon purchases, with temporary 10% bonuses on select Canon cameras, Ring doorbells and Amazon Ember TVs during the event.

Target's Circle Deal Days runs the same Oct. 6-7 dates, but membership is free — join Target Circle before Oct. 6 and you get 15% off your first purchase, which makes it arguably the best bet for newcomers with no existing memberships. Paid Circle 360 members ($99 a year) get early access on Oct. 5, and anyone signing up for an annual 360 plan between Sept. 27 and Oct. 10 gets $50 back in Target Circle Rewards. Expect up to 40% off tech (HP, Acer, Lenovo and Dell laptops), 40% off Dyson vacuums and toys, and holiday decor at 40% off. The Target Circle Mastercard also gives 5% off Target purchases, with a $75 reward for new applicants approved between Sept. 27 and Oct. 10.

Walmart's Deals & More is the longest event — Oct. 5 through 11 — and the only one requiring no membership at all. Deals include up to 40% off tech, 50% off home and 30% off toys; at the time of writing, Apple AirPods 4 were $79 (down from $129.99) and Dyson V8 cordless vacuums $299.99 (from $449.99). Walmart+ costs $98 a year and adds free shipping and delivery perks, and notably, Amex Platinum cardholders get up to $155 per year in statement credits covering a Walmart+ membership — essentially free if you carry that card.

For travellers specifically, price-checking matters. A 4-pack of Apple AirTags is $89 at both Amazon and Walmart, while Target isn't discounting it. Bose Ultra Open Earbuds drop to around $199 at Amazon and Target but stay full price at Walmart. Anker's Nano Power Bank is cheapest at Target at $19.99.

One more way to squeeze out value: shopping portals. Sites like Rakuten or American Airlines AAdvantage eShopping pay extra cash back or miles on purchases at Target and Walmart — currently up to 10% back via ShopBack at Walmart — and you can stack those with card rewards. Amazon doesn't participate in portals, which tilts the math slightly away from it unless you're already a Prime member.

The practical takeaway: shop where you already have a membership or store card to maximise perks, or start fresh at Target to grab the 15% new-member discount. And if there's one specific item on your list, compare all three before buying — the same product can vary by tens of dollars between them.