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Deciding what to pack for a trip takes careful planning, but so does figuring out what travel clothes you’ll wear to your destination. Comfort is essential for any travel outfit, but so is looking presentable.
For that reason, Michelle Faucheux, the Los Angeles, California-based founder of travel curation company, The Curated Passenger, prefers to pair a men’s nightshirt with a buttery pair of AG Jeans. “It’s incredibly chic and comfortable enough to sleep in,” she says.
For travelers who enjoy wearing joggers, the trick is to find a versatile pair, such as these from Eberjey. “They’re comfortable and so soft,” says Jae Choi, the New York-based founder of The Collective Shift. “Because of their elastic hem, if you wear boots with them, they don’t even look like sweats.”
There are plenty of travel clothes for women that blend comfort, practicality, and style. Besides joggers, we’ve rounded up the best leggings, T-shirts, and yes, jeans made to move with you, when you’re ready to get out and explore. Here are all our favorite comfortable women’s travel clothes.
Our picks for the most comfortable airplane outfits for women
What to wear on a plane
Comfort, function, style—as long as these categories are covered, you’ll be able to settle in en route and be ready to go once you get to your final destination. Look for travel clothes that are wrinkle-free, versatile, and durable. It helps to have lots of pockets too. Read on for more details on our favorite women’s travel clothes.
Why we love it: This set combines luxurious silk with the coziness of breathable cotton. The relaxed, oversized fit makes these pieces ideal for long-haul flights when comfort is non-negotiable. We love the deep pockets in the joggers, but the best part is the reversible sweatshirt. With a soft sherpa back, you can change your look without packing extra clothes.
Why we love it: A timeless staple, this long-sleeve top is made from a finely ribbed Pima cotton and modal blend that feels extra soft. Reviewers say it’s thin enough to wear comfortably under a jacket, yet warm enough for chilly cabins. We like the slim, longer fit and color variety for effortless outfit coordination. This is a long-wearing tee to stock up on.
Why we love it: Madewell’s best-selling top is a travel essential for good reason. True to its name, this cotton T-shirt is lightweight and soft. The slouchy fit is flattering on its own, yet still looks put together under a blazer. You can also wear it under a cozy sweater or dress it up with a nice skirt. Four neutral colors ensure this tee goes with almost everything.
Why we love it: Vuori’s performance joggers are made with moisture-wicking recycled polyester and a touch of elastane for stretch. We love the relaxed fit and sleek design, making these joggers ideal for travel and sightseeing days, or just lounging back at the hotel. The slightly cropped leg means you can dress them up with heels or nice boots.
(What do long flights do to our bodies?)
Why we love it: The straight leg silhouette elevates these from average sweatpants. French terry gives them a sleek exterior and a fuzzy interior that one reviewer says feels “like butter”—perfect for a red-eye flight. Note: Reviewers say these sweatpants run big, so size down.
Why we love it: According to the company, 79 percent of these leggings are made from recycled plastic bottles. The compression fit is designed to help with circulation—a necessity during long flights. We love the wide, high-rise waistband with snug side pockets for a phone or boarding pass. They also come in rich colors that work for casual or dressier occasions.
Why we love it: Jeans may not seem like the most comfortable travel clothes, but Marissa Cortes, the New York-based owner of boutique travel advisory Wandernest, and Michelle Faucheux swear by AG Jeans for travel. “These are the best jeans I’ve ever owned and the only jeans I’ll wear now,” says Faucheux. “They’re super buttery soft.” That’s thanks to the company’s trademarked Cloud Soft denim, which offers tons of stretch. They come in six pretty colors that would look good with lots of other pieces, making them perfect in a travel capsule wardrobe.
(Here’s how to create the best travel capsule wardrobe)
Why we love it: The Brooklyn pant from Athleta has a sleek look with a universally flattering tapered fit, and a wide, supportive waistband. It’s made with a stretchy, wrinkle-resistant fabric that the company says is made from recycled materials. They’re as comfortable as a pair of leggings but could easily work for a meeting.
Why we love it: Warm yet lightweight, cashmere is ideal for travel clothes. This popular sweater’s shrunken crewneck style is a little fitted and cropped lending a put-together look, even with joggers. It comes in over a dozen rich colors that look great alone or as a layering piece. At under $120, it’s also one of the most affordable, good-quality cashmere sweaters out there.
(Here’s what you need to get through a long flight)
Why we love it: Shirt dresses are everyday classics that also make easy all-in-one travel clothes for women. Wear it alone or over pants or leggings. We love how easy they are to dress up or down with just one or two accessories—throw on a belt and a pair of gold huggies and you’ve got a tailored, comfortable travel outfit.
(Here’s how to sleep soundly on a plane)
Why we love it: A cashmere wrap is a travel outfit essential, especially for frequent fliers like Cortes. “I always have a cashmere wrap with me that I use as a blanket for the flight,” she says. “It doubles as a scarf if I’m headed to a winter destination.” This White + Warren wrap (a bestseller since it debuted in 1999) is a favorite. Lightweight and cozy, it comes in dozens of gorgeous colors.
Why we love it: This top is made with mulberry silk and a touch of spandex resulting in a beautifully tailored yet unfussy silk blouse for travel. Pair it with Quince’s ultra-stretch Ponte pant for a travel outfit that can go from buttoned up to casually elegant. Both come in loads of colors, that can fit right in with the rest of your travel clothes.
Why we love it: Across the board, our experts say slip-on shoes are a must for plane travel. Between airport security and swelling feet, you need sturdy shoes that you can easily slip in and out of. The Piedaterre Mary Janes are hand-sewn in Italy and always stylish. They’ll go with everything you’ve packed.
(We never travel without slippers. Here are the best.)
Tips for what to wear on a plane
Wear layers
When planning out travel clothes, look for pieces that you can layer, like a basic long-sleeve T-shirt. That will help ensure you stay warm in chilly airplane cabins and cool when exploring your sunny destination. You’ll also have flexibility for unpredictable weather wherever you travel.
Look for elastic waistbands and hems
Between salty food and cabin air pressure, swelling is often an unpleasant by-product of plane travel. For comfort’s sake, look for elastic waistbands that won’t dig into your skin. Choi also advises elastic hems on pants (we love the Vuori joggers). “A thinner elastic hem on your sweats lets you pull them up to your knee when you’re in the airplane bathroom. This way, the hem doesn’t drag on that dirty floor.”
Choose wrinkle-free fabrics
Lightweight knits and wrinkle-resistant fabrics like single-ply cashmere (our sweater pick is a good choice), lyocell or even polyester ensure you’re not disheveled when you get off the plane, especially if you’re headed to a meeting or a meal and want to look put-together.
(Pack these wrinkle-resistant clothes and always look fresh while traveling)
Go for versatility
To maximize style and luggage space, choose pieces that can do double- or even triple-duty. A travel wrap serves as a blanket on the plane and then can be used as a scarf or a shawl. A shirtdress, like our top pick, can be a belted outfit on its own or an oversized top. Or leave it unbuttoned and wear it as a light, casual jacket.
*Although we are sharing our personal opinions of these experiences or products with you, National Geographic is not endorsing these experiences or products on behalf of anyone. It has not performed product safety testing on any of these products, did not manufacture them, and is not selling, or distributing them and is not making any representations about the safety or caliber of these products or experiences for individual consumers. Prices and availability are subject to change from the date of publication.
