I'm a Frequent Flier Living in Europe, and These 16 Genius Prime Day Deals Make Every Trip Smoother—From $9

Travel + Leisure

3 days ago

One of my favorite things about living in Europe is the relative closeness of so many other countries and regions, which has me taking flights almost all the time. From my adopted home city of Milan, I can take a quick flight to Jordan, visit London for a weekend for the Béyonce concert, or hop over to the Greek islands for a solo excursion. I'm also frequently on long-haul flights with my toddler to visit family and friends back home on the East Coast in the U.S.
Considering all of this, I'm always excited and open to anything that makes my trips easier and more seamless. With Amazon Prime Day underway, there are a few must-have travel accessories and essentials in my cart that I'm excited to receive in time for summer holidays. Whether you need those easy-to-pack water shoes for stony beaches on Lake Garda, a multi-purpose passport holder to stay organized, or some fashionable shoes inspired by European style, here's how to make the many Prime Day deals work for your next vacation.
I've been eyeing the Cotopaxi Allpa Travel Pack as it's a versatile travel bag for almost any type of trip because it can be used as a backpack or converted into a duffle. However, I found a similar convertible weekender on sale for just $23 during Prime Day that can be worn on your back or carried as a duffel. It has a shoe compartment to keep your footwear separate from your clothes, plus a laptop pocket.
About 15 years ago, I headed to Southern Italy to au pair for two months and packed everything in a big carry-on. My host family marveled that I didn't seem to wear a look twice despite arriving with such little luggage. My secret? Compression packing cubes, much like this Olarhike 10-pack that's on sale for Prime Day for $30 and can sometimes double your luggage space. These cubes compress your clothes without turning them into a wrinkled mess like vacuum bags often do.
A classic lightweight crossbody bag seems to be the go-to bag option for people on the go here in Italy. Since traveling with my toddler, I've noticed a lot of Italian parents go hands-free at the airport with these bags; they keep their phones, passports, and more in lightweight crossbody bags, much like this Vera Bradley sling bag I'm eyeing, on sale for half off this Prime Day. It has an interior zipped pocket for organization, and it's designed to be feather-light so it won't add any bulk to your travel day.
Without a doubt, my Apple AirTags give me peace of mind when checking bags. I've been that person who has gone up to airport personnel in baggage claim at Milan Malpensa, showing them that my gate-checked item was still somewhere near the plane and hasn't moved. I highly recommend the set of four for the absent-minded traveler like myself, so you can keep track of keys, luggage, wallets, and more. They're at a rare low price of $65 right now for Prime Day.
Zipping through airports as a travel writer, I always found it easy to keep a passport holder with me for storing my passport—and now my daughter's passport, too, plus our European cards. This leather holder is just $24 for Prime Day and has a zipper and pocket for keeping items secure, plus it's made with RFID-blocking technology to protect your most sensitive documents. The four card slots and ID window pocket also ensure you can easily keep your license or other ID cards, plus credit and debit cards, in one convenient place.
One of my packing essentials when traveling solo is a door wedge. Whether I'm staying at a guesthouse or a hotel, it's a simple thing to slip in my bag that gives me that little extra piece of mind in travel safety. A standard rubber door wedge will do, but with Amazon Prime Day deals, you can have this two-pack with an alarm for just $12, which is great if the place you're staying has more than one entrance. The alarm is an added layer of security if you're a heavy sleeper or sleep with earplugs.
When I'm on vacation or visiting a new place, I've found that a light hike could be a great way to explore vistas. Shoes are the items that weigh down my suitcase the most, and because I'm not one to go to the gym, I loathe bringing an extra pair of sneakers on a trip. Instead, I always pack my Teva Hurricane Sandals when I head to any warm weather location; I've worn these sandals basically everywhere, including exploring Cinque Terre, going on waterfall hikes in Grenada, and rowing on Lake Braies. As a Tevas devotee, I'm always scouring Amazon for sales, and I was pleased to find this favorite pair on sale for $57.
Europeans style a chic silk scarf like no other—and now I always keep one in my carry-on. It protects my hair from friction on airplane seats and helmet hair on Vespa rides, and it's a stylish solution for masking beach hair. I prefer silk since it's more breathable than other synthetic fabrics, so I'm eying Amazon Prime Day for discounts on beautiful patterned silk scarves.
Heading to the Italian lake region this summer? We live in the area and regularly visit the lakes on weekends. Very few of the beach fronts are sandy, and on a recent trip, my husband stopped at a sports gear store to buy these water shoes. Wearing my Tevas, I thought he was being extreme, but when I got to the stone beach, I noticed almost all of the Italians were wearing them. The beachfront was filled with stones, and some of them were quite jagged! The non-slip soles help on mossy rocks, and the compact size makes them easy to pack. These Homitem water shoes are on sale for under $10, so it's a no-brainer to just keep for all of your adventure travels.
A more stylish alternative to the water show is the fully PVC fisherman-style jelly sandal. Years ago, when packing for a trip with an itinerary including the Dead Sea, I bought these sandals after considering them a more stylish alternative to water shoes. Years after that, I eagerly packed them for another trip to the Dead Sea and wore them quite a bit on that trip. This is definitely a stylish alternative to the water shoe that's fast drying and will serve a double purpose as a great shoe for being out and about on your warm weather travels.
I started using pocket tripods years ago when traveling solo and taking content for social media, but my tripod and selfie stick come out more these days when traveling with my family. I love taking shots with all of us, whether it's a beautiful, quiet street or in front of a building. And the remote control setting gives us a little freedom to take as many shots as we need to get it just right. Plus, it breaks down so compactly, it's easy to fit in your travel bag.
While on beach holiday here, I see the most stylish tote bags, most of the time made of raffia or straw. Easy to pack and a great carryall for a beach day, market run, or day exploring, this straw-style beach bag screams holiday, and it's on sale for just $18 this Prime Day.
Where I live in Europe seems greener, from the non-detachable plastic caps to bringing your own bag to carry groceries. And those beautiful decorative water fountains in Italy, people actually drink from them and fill their water bottles! While a Stanley tumbler is extremely American , a chic water bottle that's insulated and stays cool on a hot day is appreciated. This Ello Pop & Fill water bottle comes in tons of stylish, understated hues. It has a leak-proof lid and is designed to keep beverages cold for up to 24 hours—perfect for a long-haul flight or a sweaty walking tour through a European city.
Amazon Prime Day is a great time to get those little things that you don't need , but that would make your vacation more pleasant. And when those items are on sale, they are all the more tempting. Like this Hiearcool Waterproof Phone Pouch. I was always suspicious whether these waterproof pouches actually work, until I tried one underwater on a family trip to the Red Sea. I captured some pretty incredible images of coral reef life and saw a lot of fellow vacationers using them, so I can now vouch for how effective they are. And with two of these pouches on sale for just $12, now is a great time to grab them.
These raffia open-weave Mary Jane flats are a Prime Day splurge, but at 38 percent off, I can't resist. Mary Janes have taken over the streets here in Italy, and these raffia-style shoes are a great chic, but airy choice. An elegant pair of ballet flats can elevate a look and is an easy option to pack for evening dinners and strolls.
Some hotels offer limited hair and skincare options, so I like to travel with my own shampoo. Considering those pesky TSA liquid regulations, the best hack for me is to use shampoo bars ; I can take more product with me in this solid, travel-friendly bar. Plus, they're often made with natural materials and are sulfate-free, like this Viori shampoo bar; it's made with rice water that moisturizes and promotes hair growth.
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