The 10 Best Travel Dresses of 2021

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The Rundown

Best Overall: Everlane The Luxe Cotton Side Slit Tee Dress at Everlane

"With a universally flattering fit and excellent breathability, this dress makes traveling in style easy."

Best Budget: Amazon Essentials Women's Tank Maxi Dress at Amazon

"Available in a range of colors, this laidback frock was made for hitting the road."

Best Plus-Size: Christy Dawn The Autumn Dress at Christy Christy Dawn

"Cult-favorite brand Christy Dawn makes a killer body-inclusive dress that’s perfect for travel."

Best Wrap: Reformation Kaila Dress at Reformation

"This dress has a wrap skirt and side knot detailing for ample shape and structure."

Best Maxi: Anthropologie Mariah Ribbed Knit Maxi Dress at Anthropologie

"Featuring dolman sleeves and a mock neck, this maxi dress will keep you warm during chilly flights."

Best Denim: Karen Kane Belted Denim Dress at Nordstrom

"A denim dress like this Karen Kane number easily dresses up or down."

Most Breathable: Royal Robbins Spotless Traveler Dress at Zappos

"Enjoy glorious freedom of movement with this breathable dress made with stretch fabric."

Best Print: Madewell Georgette Midi Dress at Nordstrom

"Look stylish en-route, and on arrival, with this paisley dress made from recycled materials."

Best Tropical: Free People Maxi Foil Dress at Free People

"Slip on this bright, flowy, retro-chic dress and you'll be ready for the sand and waves."

Best for Cold Weather: Charles Henry Turtleneck Sweater Dress at Nordstrom

"For a dash of instant coziness in cold-weather destinations, reach for this classic sweater dress."

When it comes to the perfect travel dress, we have just a few requirements. Comfort is key, of course—whether you’re boarding a 12-hour flight to Buenos Aires or taking a two-hour train ride to Chicago, now probably isn’t the time to bust out a form-fitting bodysuit or complicated romper situation. Flowy, breathable, lightweight fabrics are essential. However, that doesn’t mean you have to trade style for a potato sack-like dress or sweatpants. Travel dresses should be comfortable, stylish, and versatile enough to wear for any occasion. Look and feel your best when you arrive at your destination wearing any of the A-list dresses we’ve selected here.

Read on for the best travel dresses available.

Our Top Picks

01 of 10

Best Overall: Everlane The Luxe Cotton Side Slit Tee Dress

Elevate your airport look with the Everlane Luxe Cotton Side-Slit Tee Dress, which boasts a universally flattering fit and excellent breathability, thanks to the brand’s decadently smooth, lightweight Luxe Cotton fabric. We love how incredibly polished and put-together this dress makes you look, with its cap sleeves and sophisticated side slit. Plus, you can easily take things from casual to glammed-up in a heartbeat (white tennies and a cute fanny pack for the former, heels and a silk shawl for the latter), which is the hallmark of any truly great travel dress.

02 of 10

Best Budget: Amazon Essentials Women's Tank Maxi Dress

Beauty on a budget is what it’s all about. And the Amazon Essentials Women’s Tank Maxi Dress is pretty much the ideal budget-friendly travel dress. (Plus, you can spend the cash you saved shopping on another pre-flight pinot grigio.) Available in a range of colors, from charcoal heather to burgundy to dark olive, this laidback frock was made for road-tripping and boarding planes. The soft jersey knit fabric is wrinkle-resistant, so it’s great for long periods of sitting and this dress can be styled in multiple ways. Not to mention, it’s machine-washable, so you can toss it in the washer at your rental if need be.

03 of 10

Best Plus-Size: Christy Dawn The Autumn Dress

Unsurprisingly, cult-favorite brand Christy Dawn makes a killer body-inclusive dress that’s perfectly suited for travel. The Autumn Dress fits like an absolute dream, with its delicate high-low hem, V-neck, and tulip sleeves—you don’t have to worry about anything fitting too tightly or bunching up. And, in a nod to eco-conscious consumerism, this dress is made from both leftover fabric and organic cotton, so you can feel good about wearing it. Is the Autumn Dress a splurge? Yes. Is it worth it? A resounding yes. Once you go Christy Dawn, you’ll never go back.

04 of 10

Best Wrap: Reformation Kaila Dress

Step up your airport fashion game with the Kaila Dress from Reformation, which comes in nine colors and patterns and is made from the brand’s “Eco-Cinch”—a sustainably sourced, medium weight stretch knit fabric with a soft, handheld feel. This dress has a wrap skirt and side knot detailing that provide ample shape and structure without skimping on comfort. And the Kaila is sleeveless yet bra-friendly, with a romantic scooped neckline that accentuates your collarbone. Getting ready for the airport has never been so chic.

Continue to 5 of 10 below.

05 of 10

Best Maxi: Anthropologie Mariah Ribbed Knit Maxi Dress

Look your best fresh off the plane when you don the cute Mariah Ribbed Knit Maxi Dress. In fact, this Anthropologie dress is especially perfect for planes, where the temperature always seems to hover somewhere between “icy, wintry chill” and “interior of an igloo”—it’s made from a warm, comfy blend of rayon, spandex, and polyester and the fit (dolman sleeves with a mock neck) is covered, so you won’t have to freeze in-flight. Also, the colors are simply fabulous. Take your pick from unique shades like chartreuse, spice coral, heather grey, and sapphire white.

06 of 10

Best Denim: Karen Kane Belted Denim Dress

A travel staple for when you’re craving a little denim in your life, the Karen Kane Belted Denim Dress isn’t overly fussy or fancy, but still looks elegant enough for the streets of Paris or London. Of course, it’s also supremely comfy, with a casual pull-over style and true-to-size fit. The short cuffed sleeves and crossover neckline provide just the right amount of coverage, and we love the fact that you can remove the self-tie belt. Versatility is the name of the game: wear this dress with chunky white sneakers by day, then transition into night with strappy wedge sandals and your best gold hoops.

07 of 10

Most Breathable: Royal Robbins Spotless Traveler Dress

Stretchy, lightweight, and oh-so-breathable, the Royal Robbins Spotless Traveler Dress is the opposite of a constricting crop top and tight-fitting skinny jeans. Enjoy glorious freedom of movement with this perfectly comfortable dress—the stretch fabric has a flattering drape to it, and it looks and feels great on. And with two front hidden pockets and Stain Away technology (any liquids or dirt wash away almost instantly), this dress was basically made for hitting the road.

08 of 10

Best Print: Madewell Georgette Midi Dress

Look stylish en-route (and crucially, on arrival) with the (Re)sourced Georgette Midi Dress in Folktale Paisley, from Madewell. We absolutely love that this dress is made from recycled polyester from post-consumer waste (that would otherwise be going to landfills), and the pretty paisley print and rich brown shade make for a lovely combo. And, the fit—a smocked bodice, romantic sheer sleeves—is sheer perfection. Spice things up with a pair of motorcycle boots and a studded bag, or go with the feminine flow and pair this dress with your comfiest flats or sandals.

Continue to 9 of 10 below.

09 of 10

Best Tropical: Free People Maxi Foil Dress

If you’re flying off to tropical climates, the Free People Feeling Groovy Maxi Foil Dress will definitely get you in a “pina coladas and getting caught in the rain” mood. This flowy, retro-chic dress features a tiered skirt with a V-neckline and billowy sleeves—the vibe is very Stevie Nicks meets beach resort if you will. Also, the flowered hot pink print is eye-catching in the best way possible. And, if you eat one too many platters of fried shrimp and conch fritters during your vacation, this dress boasts a very forgiving fit.

10 of 10

Best for Cold Weather: Charles Henry Turtleneck Sweater Dress

For a dash of instant coziness and warmth when you’re on a long-haul flight and the air conditioning is cranked to 11, reach for Charles Henry's Long Sleeve Turtleneck Sweater Dress. This gorgeous rib-knit sweater dress is available in sleek black and camel, and the fit is slimming, but not too tight. Wear it with wool socks and Birkenstocks (yes, it’s a look) for the utmost comfort on the plane, and then change into tights and black boots upon arrival in Telluride, Vancouver, or any other cold-weather destination you're headed to.

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