Best travel wallet: Keep your passport, boarding pass and other valuable travel documents safe
Booked your next holiday? Here are the best travel wallets to buy before you set off
Countries are slowly relaxing their travel rules, meaning you can finally take that long-awaited holiday you so need this year. Before you set off, though, it’s worth investing in a good travel wallet to keep all your travel documents safe and within easy reach. With all your essential items in one place, you can breeze from airport to taxi to hotel check-in desk with ease, ready to whip out your passports, boarding passes, itineraries, key cards and insurance documents without rummaging through your backpack.
Even if your suitcase is stuffed full of mismatched flip flops and scrunched up clothes, you can stay organised in transit with a travel wallet by your side. It’ll save you from scrambling around at the bottom of your bag for bits and bobs relating to itineraries and reservations, shaving seconds off each step of the journey like a travel pro. This is even more important now that social distancing measures are in place in most airports across the world.
To help narrow down your search for the ideal travel wallet that’ll go the distance on holidays, business trips and weekend escapes, we’ve rounded up the best of the bunch right here.
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How to choose the best travel wallet for you
What size travel wallet should I buy?
Think about how much stuff you’ll be travelling with and where you’ll be storing the travel wallet when you’re on the go. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to invest in an A5-sized pouch if it’s not going to fit in your favourite bag. And if you’re jetting off on a multi-stop trip with a complicated itinerary, you’ll want something bigger than a wallet designed for a passport and a bit of cash, ideally with dividers and zipped pockets to keep things organised. If you’re travelling as a family, you may want to make sure that everyone’s passport can be safely stowed. For guidance, a passport measures 12.5 x 8.8cm.
What material is best for a travel wallet?
This will largely be dictated by your budget and the kind of trips you tend to take. If you’re heading off on an adventurous escape, it’s wise to look for something that’s durable and waterproof, but if stylish weekend breaks are more your thing, a compact pouch with a cool design might be just the ticket. Leather is always a safe bet but it can be an expensive option.
How much should I spend on a travel wallet?
Travel wallets range in price from around a fiver to £300+ although at the upper end of the scale you’re really paying for designer branding. Expect to pay more for wallets made from leather and for extras like personalisation.
The best travel wallets to buy
1. Victorinox Travel Organiser: The Swiss Army knife of travel wallets
Price: £40 | Buy now from Selfridges
From the maker of the iconic Swiss Army Knife, this travel wallet is as functional as they come. As you’d expect from the company behind such an iconic and practical design, it features an impressive array of pockets, slots and compartments. There are no fewer than 11 internal card slots for all your payment and loyalty scheme needs as well as two zipped pockets for coins and loose items. Multiple slip pockets keep documents safe and there’s a pen holder in the middle.
Key details – Size: 26 x 13 x 3cm; Material: Nylon
2. Apadi RFID Passport Wallet: Best budget travel wallet
Price: £16 | Buy now from Amazon
If you’re used to buying flights from budget airlines then you probably won’t want to spend more than £20 on a travel wallet to keep your tickets safe. Fortunately, the RFID Passport Wallet from Apadi costs just £16 and offers all the features you’d expect from an on-the-go organiser, including slots for up to four passports, six cards and a pen. There’s even room to slip your phone into its external pocket too. The clutch-style wallet has a handy wrist strap and comes in a range of colours including black, sky blue and rose gold.
Key details – Size: 12 x 23 x 2cm; Material: PU leather
3. Osprey Document Zip Wallet: Most durable travel wallet
Price: £38 | Buy now from Amazon
We’re big fans of Osprey’s hardwearing bags and cases – its products feature prominently in our best suitcase and best rucksacks roundups – so we’re only too happy to recommend a travel wallet from a reputed brand that specialises in high-performance outdoor gear. This durable travel wallet is made from lightweight and water-resistant ripstop nylon and it features a secure wraparound zip. It’s roomy inside with space for a couple of passports as well as cards, papers and keys. There’s a hidden currency sleeve and a zipped pocket for cash, while the external slot provides easy access for your boarding passes.
Key details – Size: 26 x 13 x 3cm; Material: Nylon
4. Aspinal of London Travel Wallet: Best leather travel wallet
Price: £135 | Buy now from Aspinal of London
A quality investment for frequent travellers, this travel wallet from Aspinal of London is handcrafted from genuine Italian full-grain leather, has a soft suede lining and will go the distance no matter how many miles you clock up. It features four removable tabbed compartments to separate travel essentials like passports and tickets and there’s also a zipped pocket to keep local currency to hand. The striking scarlet version is our pick of the bunch but there’s a range of colours to choose from. Personalisation (up to four gold initials) costs an extra £15 and would make a brilliant addition if you plan on gifting it to someone.
Key details – Size: 15 x 23 cm (height x width); Material: Italian leather
5. Portico Designs Office Travel Wallet: Best printed travel wallet
Price: £24 | Buy now from Amazon
Fun and functional, this brightly coloured wallet instantly puts you in a holiday mood with its palm-print design and Out of Office motif. As well as looking the part, it has handy compartments for travel necessities, including a boarding pass slot at the front, a zipped pocket and a monochrome button fastener to keep things neat. Made from artificial PU leather, it’s easy to wipe clean.
Key details – Size: 13 x 23 x 3cm; Material: PU leather
6. BeGolden Family Travel Wallet: Best family travel wallet
Price: £58 | Buy now from Not On The High Street
Keep your family on the right track by investing in a sizeable wallet into which you can stuff the whole brood’s travel documents. This one by BeGolden holds up to six passports as well as cards, papers and even boarding passes. It comes in a range of colours including peacock green, midnight blue and mulberry. The wallet opens like a book and fastens with an adjustable strap, giving you plenty of room to cram things. It’s made from recycled leather and can be personalised with up to 15 characters at no extra cost.
Key details – Size: 13 x 23 x 3cm; Material: Recycled leather
7. RFID Small Travel Wallet: Best waterproof travel wallet
Price: £20 | Buy now from Lifeventure
Keep your valuables safe, secure and dry with this compact wallet from Lifeventure. Made from a nickel- and copper-coated polyester fabric, it’s water-resistant, RFID protected, and features a sturdy zip. The travel wallet is surprisingly spacious inside despite being not much bigger than a passport, with space for up to seven cards, boarding passes, a pen, a passport and even your phone. It also comes in a choice of four colours – grey, aubergine, navy and olive.
Key details – Size: 15 x 11 x 2cm; Material: Polyester
