Summer travel has a way of exposing the weak links in your packing: the phone cable you forgot, the SPF that leaves a chalky cast, the toothbrush that feels like an afterthought, the passport cover that has seen better terminals. Whether you’re heading for a long weekend by the sea, a city break in the heat or something further afield, the right travel essentials solve those small, recurring problems, making the whole exercise feel smoother, smarter and far better looking. From well-designed luggage and clever tech to beauty staples, we’ve rounded up the pieces worth making room for.
12 of the best summer travel essentials for 2026
German luggage maker Rimowa isn’t afraid of embracing colour, even if its beloved ridged aluminium shell remains most ubiquitous in silver and black on any airport carousel. Borrowing from the visual language of Pop-era optimism, its Essential range, from the compact Cabin to the expansive Trunk Plus, is now rendered in high-octane orange and magenta colourways. Constructed from premium polycarbonate, the silhouettes maintain the brand’s technical focus, incorporating features such as a stage-free telescopic handle, Multiwheel system, TSA-approved locks, and a dual-compartment interior with Flex Divider compression
There are few passport covers that say ‘I’d rather be in St-Tropez’ quite like this one from Dior’s Dioriviera capsule collection. Inspired by the colourful, freehand style of French artist and fashion illustrator Christian Bérard, the calfskin accessory is decorated with the maison’s Arabesque motif and finished with a hot-stamped gold-tone Dior signature on the front. Inside, a contrasting blue lining includes two slip pockets for a passport and boarding passes, alongside three card slots. For those taken with its sun-drenched mood, the wider Dioriviera range is also worth perusing.
For the latest instalment of their ongoing collaboration, New Balance and Miu Miu looked to the timeless elegance of tennis. Naturally, 11-time singles champion Coco Gauff served as muse. Unveiled alongside a wider range of sporty ready-to-wear, footwear and accessories, the 540 SL sneaker takes its cues from vintage tennis shoes. The leather-lined silhouette is ultra-light and finished with mismatched technical cord laces, now a familiar Miu Miu signature.
This Horace’s SPF50 Stick may be the travel skincare essential you have yet to discover. Designed for the face, lips and sensitive areas, it glides on smoothly and leaves no white cast. Its compact size makes it easy to carry, while the water- and sweat-resistant formula works on dry or wet skin. Reapply every two hours; should you forget, the brand’s Soothing Aftersun lotion offers long-lasting, refreshing hydration.
Chasing the sun-kissed glow of a holiday before you have even packed? This limited-edition complexion powder by Hermès Beauty, part of the spring-summer 2026 collection by creative director Gregoris Pyrpylis, channels the warm radiance of a summer sunset. Its mineral formula leaves cheeks with a soft golden shimmer. Pair it with the Silky Lipstick Shine in Beige Halo for a gentle sheen and supple finish, housed in an elegant Pierre Hardy-designed tube.
Hydration powders have their place, but not every trip calls for another flavoured sachet rattling around your bag. Oshun’s Electrolytes is a compact, unflavoured concentrate made with magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride and 70 naturally occurring trace minerals, sourced from the Great Salt Lake of Utah. Add one pump to a glass of water, or a few to a litre, for hydration support without calories, sugar, sweeteners, flavourings or fillers. There is also a mini size available.
As its name suggests, Rehab champions self-care through award-winning haircare formulas, alongside bath, body and skincare. Many products come in its signature ‘dose’ capsule format, making them particularly easy to take on the go. Packed with brightening antioxidants and nourishing plant oils, the Retreat Dose Energise Body Oil contains matcha extract, vitamin C and moisture-locking agents, leaving skin refreshed, luminous and lightly scented with freshly picked green tea leaves. Apply with the Body Gua Sha to ease muscle tension and stimulate lymphatic drainage – in other words, to depuff.
Perfume can be its own form of travel balm: useful before, during and after the journey. Louis Vuitton’s Afternoon Swim captures the crisp lift of ocean air, with a bright citrus composition by master perfumer Jacques Cavallier Belletrud. Mandarin orange, Sicilian orange and bergamot give it the effect of vitamin C in fragrance form – fresh, buoyant and pleasingly transportive, wherever you happen to be. The bottle is refillable, too.
For those yet to make a Polaroid camera a travel essential, the latest generation of the Go Instant Camera may prove persuasive. Weighing just 318g, it is billed as the world’s smallest instant camera, but still comes with a selfie mirror, powerful flash and self-timer mode. Its battery lasts for up to 15 film packs, while the prints are small enough to slip into a phone case and can be scanned via the Polaroid app. It comes in purple, teal, light blue, black and white.
Leave it to Bang & Olufsen to not only ensure an earbud’s class-leading audio quality, but also how it sits beside your jewellery. The pearl-blasted aluminium Beo Grace now arrives in Honey Tone, a warm metallic finish designed to complement gold and rose-gold accessories. The super-premium gadget pairs its jewel-like presence with a 12mm titanium driver, Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation and Dolby Atmos-optimised Spatial Audio.
The quickest way to ruin a day out is a dead phone and a charging cable sitting helpfully at home. Satechi’s USB-C Crossbody Lanyard Cable solves both problems neatly, keeping your iPhone within reach while doubling as a 60W charging cable. The soft braided strap adjusts up to 1.5m, works with most closed-bottom phone cases via an included strap card, and has an aluminium cap to protect the USB-C ports when not in use. It also supports USB 2.0 transfer speeds of up to 480Mbps, useful for moving travel photos, backing up files or syncing on the go.
A toothbrush is hardly the most glamorous travel essential, but it is one worth getting right – especially as hotels phase out disposable plastic versions. Suri’s 2.0 Sonic Electric Toothbrush makes a strong case for upgrading: designed in London, it has a sleek aluminium body, plant-based brush heads and 33,000 sonic vibrations per minute. A built-in pressure sensor gently alerts you when you are brushing too hard, while the UV-C travel case cleans the brush head in one minute and charges the brush when plugged in. The battery lasts for over a month on a single charge, making it a pleasingly practical option for longer trips.