10 Must Haves For Holiday Season Travel, According to an Expert

Going Travel App ($0)

Nastro begins planning upcoming travel as soon as the new year rolls around, so she frequently checks her favorite travel apps. "[Going sparks] my travel imagination by sending deals from my home airport and allowing me to watch specific destinations using price alerts," she shares.

Her hot tip is to keep eyes on summer flight deals while everyone else is scrambling for their winter trips. "I always tell people to book in the opposite season for a peak season trip to give themselves the best odds at snagging something great."

Nasto also recommends Flighty ($0) for when you're finally en-route to a destination. Flighty allows you to track your flight's progress and often provides updates faster than the airline apps do when delays occur. "Sometimes things happen when you travel, especially when it comes to Mother Nature. She doesn't care you're trying to make it home for the holidays!" Nastro says.

Earth Breeze Laundry Detergent Sheets ($13, originally $16)

"I always have a sheet of laundry soap packed in my toiletry case so that wherever I am, I can do sink laundry, or even toss a load in without having to buy a huge thing of detergent," Nastro says. "This has saved me from buying more clothes than I need and smelling like a gym locker all at the same time." This Earth Breeze pack lasts up to 60 loads and is free from parabens, phthalates, phosphates, bleach, dyes, and optical brighteners.

CocoTherapy Organic Virgin Coconut Oil Portable Packets ($17, originally $19)

"Winter travel in the Northern Hemisphere likely means dry skin and hair. Not only are planes super drying, but you're dealing with cold air and likely lots of hand washing to escape catching any travel-related cold. I toss a coconut oil packet in my carry-on cosmetics case that's multi-purpose for moisturizing hands and hair, while getting makeup off pre-flight," Nastro explains, continuing, "I'm a light makeup to the airport gal; then it comes off upon takeoff before my extra moisture routine."

These portable individual packets are USDA-certified organic and contain 10ml each.

Liquid Spectrum Reusable Wine Protector Travel Bag (3 Pack) ($22, originally $26)

"These work on any glass bottle, so they are not just great for alcohol. These sleeves take the guess work out of wrapping your clothes around every precious bottle you've bought as a gift, but they don't cost you an arm and a leg to ship," Nastro says. "And since they travel in your checked bag, you know they'll arrive in time for the holidays."

Crafted from PVC, bubble wrap, and Velcro with a zip-lock seal, these measure 16"L x 8"W and come in a reusable pack of three.

Twelve South AirFly Audio Streaming Wireless Adapter ($30, originally $35)

"This tiny wireless audio adapter allows you to connect your Bluetooth headphones to devices that don't have Bluetooth capabilities, such as in-flight entertainment systems," Nastro explains. "If my headphones are going, this little gadget comes, too. Most economy seats do not have Bluetooth transmitting capability, meaning unless you have one of these little transmitters, you are stuck watching your favorite Christmas flick with complimentary wired headphones that sound like you're underwater."

You can shop the product in white, iridescent, or black, and use it anywhere from the airplane to the gym to the car.

Manta Sleep Mask ($30, originally $35)

"Sometimes during peak seasons, to score a semi-reasonably priced flight, we may have to take red-eyes or extremely early departures," Nastro says. "Early departures and overnight flights mean I never travel without my sleep mask. This mask has cups built in so you can flutter your eyelids, yet completely black out if you do end up wide-eyed."

Nastro's hot tip? Schedule the earliest possible flight if you want the best chance of escaping disruptions, since the plane is already at the airport and not coming in from somewhere else.

Tim Tam Dark Chocolate Biscuits (4 Pack) ($36)

Nastro smartly bases her travel snack choice on her destination. How fun is that? "Without fail, I always seem to want something sweet the minute I step into a duty-free or Hudson News stand. Different parts of the world spark different cravings, but I also try to avoid the near-75 percent markup that you'll likely find on sweets at airports," she says. "If I'm traveling stateside over the winter holidays, I pack a small bag of Christmas Petite Melty Mints. If I'm coming back from the UK, where I've traveled the last two winter holidays, it's for sure a plain Crunchie bar. If I head to Australia, there is no question, it's always dark chocolate TimTams."

Nastro is also a fan of gifting food items around the holidays, frequently delighting in the grocery store tourism trend, but she recommends double-checking the size of whatever product you're trying to bring through security. "Local food as gifts is always a crowd-pleaser since it's something you might not see every day and helps support local businesses. If the gift is spreadable or sprayable, it must be checked under the 3.4 fluid ounces rule. If it's larger and you can't check it, toss it in your Airbnb's freezer, or ask the hotel staff to freeze on your behalf to ensure it's rock solid before heading to the airport, so you never leave an edible gift behind," she suggests.

Iris&Romeo Weekend Skin SPF 50 Instant Glow Tinted Mineral Sunscreen ($50)

"Did I mention winter plus flying equals skin havoc? In an effort not to overpack or worry about skin care, I always travel with Weekend Skin," Nastro says of the product that's packed with vitamin C and niacinamide. It helps her look glowy for holiday parties or holiday travel segments. "It's got SPF, serum, moisturizer, concealer, and this fairy-dust-like glow that keeps me from having to travel with 10 different skin-care steps. I've had reporters and producers ask me what I use because it really does give you a glow up."

Cometeer Counter Culture Box ($84)

"What's busier than airport security during the holidays? The Starbucks line! Airplane coffee is pretty terrible, so if I can't order ahead for pickup, I pack a frozen Cometeer pod to toss over ice," Nastro reveals. "I store it in a portable water bottle to take through security. And yes, you can bring frozen liquid through TSA, just make sure it's absolutely frozen before you go through security." The Cometeer pods come in varying strengths and flavors.

Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Premium Noise Canceling Overhead Headphones ($198, originally $348)

"Since I've gotten these puppies, my airport struts have gotten a bit more catwalk-like. The sound quality is great, but the noise cancellation is even better. From walking through the airport (let's be honest, it's more like rushing), to settling into my plane seat, not even some nosey neighbor asking about my holiday plans or a delay announcement can get me down," Nastro says.

She relies on these for watching holiday films that she pre-downloads whether traveling by plane or train. Her favorite? "Scrooged" with Bull Murray. "I laugh and cry simultaneously every time," she says.

Sarah Wasilak (she/her) is the associate director of Shopping at PS. With plenty of experience in the commerce market, a keen interest in SEO, and 10 years as an editor at the brand, she enjoys writing across the lifestyle and health-and-fitness categories. She has bylines at PS, InStyle, Elle, Refinery29, Who What Wear, Elite Daily, Byrdie, and The Quality Edit and aims to amplify minority voices in all her work.