My grandma is a world traveler, dedicating most of her life to volunteering as a physical therapist in developing countries. Now in her late 80s, she has traveled to more than 69 countries and is still gallivanting around the globe. I grew up traveling with my mom and grandma, who always dressed nicely to fly. This instilled in me the importance of wearing elevated airplane outfits—a habit I have continued into adulthood.
As a travel editor and frequent flier, I balance looking nice while remaining comfortable by combining the 15 clothing items below to create effortlessly chic and impossibly comfortable travel-ready outfits. My favorite pieces come from brands like Spanx, Quince, and Beyond Yoga—all of which have elevated basics on sale for up to 64 percent off right now. Shop my picks below for tops, bottoms, and shoes that are just as stylish as they are cozy.
Best Deals Overall
Athleta Brooklyn Mid-rise Ankle Pant
Athleta
These Athleta pants are my favorite hack for looking nice but feeling comfortable while traveling. Although they look like trousers with a dressy tapered leg and faux front zipper, the waistband is elastic, and the fabric is exceptionally stretchy and breathable. The best part? Two hidden zippered pockets in the back can fit an entire passport.
Abercrombie & Fitch Easy Long-sleeve Sweater Polo
Abercrombie & Fitch
A polo-style sweater is another way I dress up an airplane outfit with minimal effort required. I wore this sweater on two long-haul flights, and I was pleasantly surprised by how warm it kept me without overheating. I also love that the beige color of the sweater, combined with the white collar, makes it easy to pair with various travel outfits. Plus, it’s slightly oversized, so it looks good with both trousers and straight-leg jeans.
Old Navy Oversized Button-down Boyfriend Shirt
Old Navy
The humble white button-down shirt is the M.V.P. of my travel wardrobe. It can be styled in endless ways: buttoned fully for extra sophistication, layered with a sweater on top for warmth, or left unbuttoned for an effortless coastal grandma look.
This $23 one from Old Navy comes in regular, tall, and petite size options, so you can opt for a fitted, oversized, or true-to-size fit. If a basic white look isn’t your jam, it comes in solid shades like blue and pink or various striped hues.
Spanx AirEssentials Tie-waist Maxi Dress
Spanx
Anytime I travel in the summer or to a warm-weather destination, I will toss on a maxi dress like this one from Spanx. The key to wearing a dress is the longer length, which is perfect for keeping legs warm if the cabin temperature drops. I own various pieces from the AirEssentials collection, and the fabric is smooth and breathable, while offering plenty of stretch and comfort. Plus, the tie waist gives the T-shirt dress an elevated look, while still being versatile enough to wear for casual occasions, too.
Quince Organic Cotton Knit Blazer
Quince
While I like to dress up, a traditional blazer with shoulder pads is a little too professional for my taste. However, this 100 percent organic cotton blazer from Quince still looks nice, but the unstructured knit fabric is far more comfortable. This slightly more casual version of a blazer pairs perfectly with jeans, trousers, or a dress, and it comes in eight neutral and bold colors. Made with a naturally breathable fabric like cotton, this outer layer is better to wear on a plane than a bulkier jacket that might make you overheat.
Reformation Joanne Cotton Cardigan
Reformation
A relaxed, effortless travel look is my go-to, but a fitted cardigan like this Reformation one has earned a spot in my outfit lineup lately. The ability to style the cardigan buttoned or unbuttoned makes it easy to pair with various bottoms and a base layer top. I typically wear neutral colors when I travel, so the light brown “bear” color of this cotton cardigan is perfect for mixing and matching. Reformation is a pricey brand, but right now, you can snag the sweater for $74 instead of the usual $148 price during the brand’s summer sale.
Quince Mongolian Cashmere Ribbed Wrap
Quince
My mom always travels with a cashmere wrap because it pulls double duty as a blanket when the cabin is cold and as a shawl for dressier occasions like dinner or a show. I’ve started to collect cashmere travel wraps, and this one from Quince is currently in my cart. It’s made with 100 percent Grade-A Mongolian cashmere that looks premium and luxurious without breaking the bank. Some of my cashmere wraps cost hundreds of dollars, so this sub-$100 one feels like a steal.
Everlane Luxe Rib Crew
Everlane
Everlane is synonymous with elevated basics, which is why it’s the best place to pick up a high-quality T-shirt. In fact, most of my white tees come from Everlane, including this cotton one, because they last forever. The ribbed texture gives this unsuspecting basic a stylish look, and the blend of cotton and elastane ensures the tee has a bit of stretch for added comfort. I always layer this tee under a knit layer of some sort when I fly, and it has proved to be the perfect foundation to my travel outfit.
Frank Mully Pointed-toe Flats
Amazon
I’m sure by now you’re catching my drift that knit materials give an elevated look without sacrificing comfort. This also applies to footwear, like these knit flats from Frank Mully. In fact, they’re some of the most comfortable flats we’ve tried thanks to the flexible and breathable upper. I personally love the pointed-toe style, since it adds an extra layer of style to a simple design. Best of all, these flats will pack down flat, so they won’t take up much space in luggage.
Cole Haan Grand Crosscourt Leather Sneakers
Amazon
Sneakers are the most common footwear you’ll see on a plane, but these Cole Haan shoes aren’t your typical sporty kicks. Made with a sleek leather upper, these simple sneakers are the best way to upgrade your footwear to dress up with minimal effort. I have a pair of gold Cole Haan leather sneakers that earn me dozens of compliments when I wear them with trousers, jeans, or dresses. Plus, the generous cushioning and grippy outsole make these excellent travel shoes beyond the airport.
Anrabess Two-piece Matching Set
Amazon
I always lay out my travel outfit the night before so I know exactly what I’m wearing when I wake up. A matching set like this tank top and cropped pants offers a complete look without having to think twice about what to wear for a flight. It comes in a whopping 26 colors, and I think the black, coffee, and beige colors look the most elevated. Plus, the black color is on sale for $33, which is a hard price to beat for a top and bottom that you can mix and match for virtually any trip.
Padfom Cashmere Crew Socks
Amazon
These cashmere-blend socks are my travel hack for making a long travel day feel more luxurious than it is. My feet always get cold on flights, so I make sure to pack a pair of these stylish socks in my personal item so I can slip them on before boarding. The scalloped trim is cute and playful, and I love the set of five different colored socks. The neutral shades like beige, white, grey, and pink make it easy to wear these with virtually any sneaker or shoe color.
Beyond Yoga Status Wide-leg Trousers
Beyond Yoga
While I love a pair of straight-leg pants like the Athleta pair above, wide-leg trousers are my other go-to bottoms for air travel. Designed to look like tailored trousers, these are made with a flowy and lightweight polyester fabric. The waistband is elastic, which means you can sit in them for hours on end without the top part of the pants digging into your stomach. These Beyond Yoga trousers usually cost $118, but the grey-sage color is marked down to $40, with other neutral shades marked down under $100.
Béis Large Work Tote Bag
Nordstrom Rack
My personal item of choice will always be a travel tote bag. It’s the perfect bag to complement an elevated travel outfit, especially this one from Béis, which is one of my favorite luggage brands. The beige color goes with any outfit, and the larger size makes it easy to store all of your in-flight essentials. It can be hard to find Béis luggage on sale, so you won’t want to skip on the $80 price of the bag.
Love a great deal? Sign up for our T+L Recommends newsletter and we’ll send you our favorite travel products each week.