Sometimes you don't need the big present.
Perhaps someone has a holiday coming up and you want to give them a little something before they go. Maybe you're looking for a travel stocking filler at Christmas, a Secret Santa present or an inexpensive gift for someone who's always planning their next trip.
Whatever the reason, a small gift can still be a thoughtful one.
The trick is choosing something that won't simply take up valuable suitcase space. The best small travel gifts and stocking fillers are useful, easy to pack and suited to the person you're buying for.
So, if you're looking for travel gifts under £25, here are seven ideas we'd happily give.
1. A Luggage Tag
Best for: Someone with a holiday coming up
Simple, useful and something that can stay attached to their favourite suitcase for years.
A smart luggage tag is particularly nice if someone has a honeymoon, big holiday or first trip abroad coming up. It's also small enough to make an easy travel stocking filler at Christmas.
The Kingsley & Harper Luggage Tag is a lovely option if you're looking for a practical little present that still feels special enough to give.
Add a handwritten note wishing them a brilliant trip and you've instantly made it more personal.
2. A Multi-National Travel Plug
Best for: Someone heading abroad
We'll admit that a plug adaptor isn't the most glamorous present on this list.
But it might be one of the most useful.
A multi-national travel plug is ideal for someone who travels to different countries and saves them accumulating a drawer full of adaptors they can never quite remember the destination for.
The Kingsley & Harper Multi-National Travel Plug is small enough to slip into a Christmas stocking or add to another present, and can simply stay packed ready for the next adventure.
3. A Compact Power Bank
Best for: The person whose phone is permanently on 10%
A power bank is one of those little travel gifts that can quickly become indispensable.
It's useful for airport days, long train journeys, sightseeing and those slightly stressful moments when your boarding pass is on your phone and the battery percentage is heading rapidly in the wrong direction.
Choose something compact enough that they'll genuinely carry it rather than leaving it behind because it's too heavy.
If they're flying soon, our Carry-On Essentials: What Every Traveller Should Pack guide has plenty more ideas for what deserves a place in their hand luggage.
4. A Travel Journal
Best for: Someone going on a trip they'll want to remember
For a honeymoon, gap year, retirement trip or once-in-a-lifetime adventure, a travel journal can be a lovely present.
It gives them somewhere to record the things photographs don't always capture, from the tiny restaurant they discovered by accident to the places they'd go back to tomorrow.
Write a message on the first page before you give it to them and you've got a very personal gift without spending a fortune.
5. A Mini Flight Comfort Kit
Best for: Someone flying long haul
You don't necessarily have to buy one thing.
Put together a small pouch containing a few things that will make their journey more comfortable:
- a soft sleep mask
- earplugs
- lip balm
- a couple of their favourite snacks
It's inexpensive, easy to personalise and feels as though you've put some thought into it.
This is particularly thoughtful if they're heading somewhere exciting after Christmas.
6. A Book for the Journey
Best for: Someone who always has a book in their bag
Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best.
Choose a book by an author they love, something set in their destination or simply a brilliant holiday read.
If they're an e-reader convert, a voucher towards their next book works just as well.
This is also a great option for the traveller who already owns every travel accessory imaginable and really doesn't need another one.
7. Something to Enjoy When They Get There
Best for: The traveller who has everything
Instead of giving them something else to pack, give them something to enjoy at their destination.
It could be £20 towards breakfast at a lovely café near their hotel. Tickets for a small attraction. Money for ice cream with the children. Or strict instructions to buy themselves a cocktail somewhere with a fantastic view.
It might be the least traditional travel gift under £25 on this list, but it could also be the most memorable.
The fact you've thought about where they're actually going is what makes it special.
Make a Little Travel Gift Feel More Special
You don't necessarily need to spend more. Sometimes it's simply about how you give it.
Try combining two small things that naturally belong together.
Heading abroad?
Travel plug + luggage tag
Flying long haul?
Sleep mask + favourite snacks
Going somewhere special?
Travel journal + a little spending money
Pop them into a small gift bag or box and add a handwritten note.
Two carefully chosen things will usually feel much more thoughtful than filling a box with inexpensive bits and pieces just for the sake of it.
Looking for Travel Stocking Fillers?
Travel accessories make particularly good stocking fillers for travellers because so many genuinely useful things are naturally small.
A luggage tag, travel adaptor or compact power bank can all fit neatly into a stocking without feeling like something you've bought simply to fill the space.
And if they already have a holiday booked for the new year, even better.
Choose something they'll be able to take with them and you've instantly made a small Christmas present feel more personal.
It's also a good option for the person who is notoriously difficult to buy for. Rather than another novelty gift that will be forgotten by Boxing Day, give them something they'll actually use on their next trip.
Need Something More Substantial?
Sometimes a small gift is exactly right. Other occasions call for something a little more special.
For a milestone birthday, Father's Day, Christmas or retirement, you might prefer a complete travel gift or something they'll use for years.
Our 15 Thoughtful Gifts for People Who Love to Travel guide has ideas across a wider range of budgets.
And if you're struggling to decide what would actually suit them, What Makes the Perfect Travel Gift? A Buyer's Guide can help you narrow things down.
Small Price, Plenty of Thought
A thoughtful gift isn't defined by what it costs.
It might be the luggage tag that comes on every holiday. The adaptor they no longer have to remember to buy. The book they read beside the pool. Or the £20 you gave them with instructions to spend it on something lovely while they're away.
What matters is choosing something that fits the person and the way they travel.
Because when you've got that right, a little gift doesn't feel little at all.
