6 must-have travel gadgets, according to industry experts

Andrés Serra is an experienced trip planner who has been to over 40 countries. He says the best travel gadgets should fix problems you run into often, without adding extra weight or making packing harder. His personal favorite gadget is the Twelve South AirFly Pro 2, which is also highly recommended by ZDNET audio editor Jada Jones.

"It plugs into the headphone socket on a plane and sends the audio to my wireless headphones," Serra told ZDNET. "This way, I can use the headphones I already like instead of bringing a wired pair or using the ones from the airline."

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The battery lasts over 25 hours, charges with USB-C, and can connect up to two pairs of headphones at the same time if you're traveling with someone. 

Even if you have a shorter flight, it always goes by faster if you have something to watch, but not every plane has a headrest screen.

"Those wanting to watch their favorite series or movie end up either holding their phone or balancing it on the drop-down tray, which is either uncomfortable or, in case of some slight turbulence, you have to pick the phone back up," said Patrick Hill, head of Paramount Cruises. 

Hill suggests a universal airplane holder mount that can attach to the closed tray, so you can watch your smartphone hands-free and at eye level. 

Also: We never travel without these useful gadgets - here's why

Nadia Bess, the owner of the luxury travel agency Besst Travels, says she spends 20% of her year traveling across the globe, so her bag is always packed. One essential item she always has with her is a universal travel adapter. 

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"An adapter is necessary for getting all your electronics charged at once, no matter where you travel to," she said, adding to look for ones that come with both USB-C and USB-A slots and an option for traditional three-prong plugs for items such as laptop plugs.

Another must-have for Bess while on the road is a travel-sized white noise machine. 

"It helps drown out the noises that are inevitable when sleeping at a hotel -- street noise, hallway noise, slamming doors, etc," she said, adding, "This would also work well for keeping kids sleeping while you are still awake in the same/neighboring hotel room."

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This option only weighs 5.6 ounces and can easily clip onto a travel bag. It comes with six soothing sounds and lasts up to 33 hours on a single charge. 

All of these devices need to be charged somehow, so you're going to need a reliable power bank. Vummy Kihaule, a travel expert at Tanzania Safaris with over 10 years of experience in the tourism and travel industry, said a power bank is one of the most important gadgets for their line of work. 

"A day of travel in East and South Africa can mean a long road transfer, a game drive, and an overnight stay in a bush camp," Kihaule said. "I never take having a convenient place to plug something in for granted."

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Kihaule recommends the Anker 737 power bank since it is powerful enough to charge several devices at once, and has a battery capacity of 24,000 mAh, good for nearly five recharges of most smartphones. 

And since traveling on planes, trains, buses, etc. can get noisy, Kihaule always has a pair of noise-canceling headphones on hand.

"My favorite noise-canceling travel gadget is the Sony WH-1000XM5," Kihaule said. "An airport, aircraft cabin, or long drive all become a great opportunity to rest or review a client's itinerary."

Review: Sony's WH-1000XM5 headphones are basically perfect

These specific headphones have some of the best active noise-cancelation technology on the market, and the customization available in the Sony app means the headset can be set up for your specific needs. They aren't the latest M6 model, which means you can get them for a slightly lower price.