21 BEST Travel Pants for Women in 2024 [Stylish & Comfy]

Short on time? Our pick for the best travel pant for women is the Athleta Brooklyn Ankle Pants.

The best travel pants for women that are stylish, functional, and ready for action on your next adventure!

When it comes to finding the perfect travel pants for women, the key is a balance between comfort, durability, and style.

I’ve traveled a lot, mainly throughout Europe. Because I often found myself in airports or on trains, I’ve primarily opted for durable and form-fitting pants when traveling. 

But when I’m on a summer vacation and heading to the beach, you’ll find me in a lighter flowy option as soon as I step off the train.

As I’ve learned, women’s clothing with quick-drying fabric can be a big plus. But it also depends on the situation. On a long-haul flight in the middle of the night? Forget everything else and find your comfiest pair of leggings!

To guide you through this process, I’ve found a variety of top-rated pants that make the best travel pants to prepare you for whatever comes your way.

#1 Fabletics Powerhold Leggings

Best Travel Leggings

Material: 88% Polyester, 12% Elastane
Main Features: Chafe-Resistant, Moisture-Wicking, UPF Protection, 4-Way Stretch

I have to admit that for me, comfort wins over style when it comes to traveling. 

You’ll typically find me flying in a jacket, loose t-shirt, sneakers, and these Fabletics Define Powerhold Leggings.

Fabletic Powerholds are my favorite leggings! I love the stretchy fabric, the hidden waistband pocket, and the snug, slim fit. 

I’ve been wearing them continuously since I discovered them three years ago. 

I initially turned to these Fabletics leggings as a cheaper alternative to Lululemon leggings, but the quality is no lower–I’m still not at the point where they need replacing. They are durable and long-lasting. 

Travel clothing with hidden pockets can help store things like cash or IDs. While the waistband pocket on these Fabletics Powerholds is small, I often use it to store my AirPods temporarily if I don’t want to go through the hassle of digging the case out of my carry-on bag. 

One downside to leggings, in general, is that they reveal more than traditional pants. However, if you have a thick pair in a dark color, you may feel less exposed.

#2 Lululemon Align High-Rise Pant with Pockets

Best Pants for Long Flights

Material: 81% Nylon, 19% Lycra Elastane
Main Features: Breathable fabric, Sweat-Wicking, UPF Protection, 4-Way Stretch

Lululemon leggings have one of the best reputations for feeling buttery soft and fitting like a glove, thanks to their Nulu fabric, a blend of nylon and lycra. 

The Lululemon Align High-Rise pant with Pockets offers the advantage of a high waist and deep side pockets.

Deep pockets like this give you a quick and accessible place to slide things like your phone, keys, credit card, or ID. 

Because of the weightless fabric, some people find the Lululemon Aligns too see-through for their liking. Factor this in when choosing a color (darker will hide more) or style your outfit accordingly.

#3 Athleta Brooklyn Ankle Pants

Best Stylish Travel Pants

Material: Recycled Polyester, Spandex
Main Features: Rib knit waistband and side panels for superior mobility and comfort

The Athleta Brooklyn Ankle Pants’ standout feature is their Featherweight stretch fabric. The fabric blend is recycled polyester (nicknamed rPet). 

Known for being lightweight, durable, quick-drying, and eco-friendly, this fabric uses fibers extracted from recycled plastic water bottles. 

These pants are comfortable enough to wear traveling and formal enough to wear to work as travel dress pants.

A unique feature of the Brooklyn pants by Athleta is the subtle stripe design along the legs. It’s not an overwhelming design, but it is something different enough to set it apart from other plain pants.

The lighter colors are known to show a bit more than the darker options, so consider this when choosing your color or if you buy more than one pair.

These Brooklyn pants sit below your natural waist (making them more of a mid-rise option), so they don’t offer the same comfort or tummy control as high-waist pants.

#4 Everlane The Dream Pant

Best Travel Business Pants

Material: 58% Cotton, 38% Modal, 4% Elastane
Main Features: Professional look, flat finish, wrinkle resistant, elastic waist

The Dream Pant by Everlane captivated me because of the slim fit, sleek tapered leg, and pintuck detail (the sewing technique that creates the fold down the front of the leg). 

They look professional and can easily pass as business casual travel pants.

The Dream Pants are perfect for wearing if you’re on a business trip with colleagues or heading straight to a meeting from the plane!

But don’t let the refined look fool you– the Everlane Dream Pants are very comfortable. The fabric’s blend of materials (cotton, modal, and elastane) resists wrinkles, making these easy to wear out of the suitcase.  

Not only do you have various color options with these pants, but they also offer sizes ranging from XXS to XXXXL.

One con to pay attention to is that these pants run on the short side. While this may not be an issue for shorter people like myself, you should expect these to be ankle-length pants if you’re tall.

#5 Outdoor Voices RekTreck Pant

Best Women’s Travel Pants With Pockets

Material: 90% Nylon, 10% Elastane
Main Features: Internal drawstring, Relaxed fit, Slightly Cropped

The RekTreck Pants are Outdoor Voices’ most versatile pants. The lightweight and sweat-wicking material makes them perfect for summer or active wear.

A unique feature of these pants is the internal drawstring waist, providing the functionality of a drawstring waist but keeping the outer aesthetic sleek. 

These pants have a hidden pocket within the zippered pockets, making them great anti-theft pants, and giving them extra protection for things you want to keep close.

Outdoor Voices encourages hiking, rock climbing, camping, travel, and foraging–basically, these pants can go with you anywhere to do anything.

#6 Athleta Headlands Hybrid Pant

Best Winter Travel Pants

Material: 91% Recycled Nylon, 9% Spandex
Main Features: Water-repellent, Regular and tall options

Grab your snow boots and snow gloves, and you’re ready to go with these Athleta Headlands Hybrid Pants!

Athleta’s Headlands Hybrid Pants are adventure-ready cold-weather pants with nylon/spandex fabric that resists nicks and tears.

Something that stands out is that the back pockets are zippered and flawlessly incorporated into the pant design.

On the other hand, I wish they had petite sizes like their similar Glacier Snow Skinny Pant, but if you prefer the breathability of a looser bottom, these are the better choice.

#7 Columbia Women’s Saturday Trail Stretch Pants

Best Quick-Dry Travel Pants

Material: 96% Nylon, 4% Elastane
Main Features: UV Protectant, Water repellent, Short, regular, and long inseam options

Columbia’s Saturday Trail Stretch Pants are woven with adventure in mind.

They’re wrinkle-resistant and incredibly water-repellent. In fact, they’re the quickest-drying pants I’ve encountered. They protect your legs from the sun with UV protectant recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation. 

The pant legs roll up and convert to capris, making these a two-for-one pant option.

The Trail Stretch Pants are mid-rise pants and may not be the most stylish, but the trade-off is they’re the most durable.

#8 Kuhl FreeFlex Roll-Up Pant

Best Travel Adventure Pants

Material: 50% Polyester, 50% New Polyester
Main Features: Lightweight fabric, multiple styles

The coolest part about the Kuhl Freeflex Roll-Up Pants is that they offer so many different style options that all use their FreeFlex fabric. 

FreeFlex is ultra-lightweight, sun protected, quick drying, and moisture managing. 

You can choose from relaxed fit, straight fit, move, or dash options–each offering a slightly different look but all composed of the same fabric.

The relaxed roll-up fit featured here allows you to convert the pants to capris and has back front, and side pockets.

Since the Kuhl pants are some of the best hiking pants and made for an outdoor lifestyle, they would make good travel backpacking pants.

#9 Viodia Women’s Hiking Cargo Pants

Best Travel Hiking Pants

Material: 90% Nylon, 10% Spandex
Main Features: Sun and water protection, Multiple pockets, Made for adventure

Traveling doesn’t always involve flying– it could just mean taking a short road trip to a new hiking trail. In this case, you’ll want to throw on your hiking boots and be ready to go as soon as you step out of the car.

If formal and sleek pants aren’t your style, consider a pair like the Viodia Hiking Cargo Pants.

These pants are well-suited for hiking, camping, climbing, athletics, travel, golf, gardening, workouts, fishing, and casual work wear–essentially, any activity.

The Viodia pants also have five pockets: multiple deep front pockets that are zippered and easy-to-reach back pockets that close with velcro.

The four-way stretch of the fabric adapts to movement and multiple body types. Knowing that a variety of people are happy with the fit of the pants always makes me more inclined to buy a pair.

#10 Quince Performance Tech Wide Leg Pant

Best Wrinkle-Free Pants for Travel

Material: 88% Recycled Polyester, 12% Spandex
Main Features: Smooth fabric with stretch, sun protection, quick dry

The stylish Quince Performance Tech Wide Leg Pants can easily function as dressy travel pants. On top of that, these women’s quick-dry travel pants come with a relaxed fit.

I often see my European friends sporting this pant style, so I know I can wear these pants confidently when traveling through Europe.

#11 Yogipace On The Fly Drawstring Casual Lounge Joggers

Best Travel Jogger Pants

Material: Polyester & Spandex
Main Features: Soft, Moisture-wicking, 4-Way Stretch, Petite, regular, and tall inseam options

I prefer joggers to traditional yoga pants when traveling.

Jogger styles vary, but most have a cuff at the ankle, protecting your pants from dirt and debris on the ground. 

I have a good pair of yoga pants (also from Fabletics), but I wouldn’t want to wear them while traveling. Because of their flare-out style, I can only imagine all the dirt they could collect from touching the ground.

The reality is that when traveling, your pants face a lot more action than they do during your day-to-day activities.

Yogipace On The Fly Drawstring Casual Lounge Joggers are very standard-looking joggers. The identifiable features are a drawstring waistband and tapered leg.

They also offer a detailed guide on measuring your inseam (length from the crotch to the bottom of the leg) to help you choose the most accurate size for your height.

This budget-friendly option comes at a price low price that allows you to stock up on multiple pairs or easily replace them if you need to.

#12 Eddie Bauer Women’s Departure Jogger Pants

Best Travel Pant for Plus Size Women

Material: 86% polyester, 14% spandex
Main Features: Moisture-wicking, mid-rise, Petite, regular, tall, and plus-size options

The Eddie Bauer Women’s Departure Jogger offers the same traditional jogger style but the improved perks of a true travel pant. 

The best part about these pants is the range of size options. From petite to regular to tall to plus size, they’ve genuinely included a size for everyone.

Their price point makes it worth it for the wrinkle-resistant moisture-wicking material with UPF 50+ sun protection!

Eddie Bauer women’s travel pants are available at Costco, Amazon, and their official site.

#13 Athleta Sculptek Ultra Skinny Jean Pant

Most Versatile Travel Pants

Material: Cotton, Polyester, Spandex
Main Features: Sculptek fiber for movement, Regular and tall sizes

Outside of traveling, my go-to pants are a pair of blue skinny jeans. While I would usually opt for leggings over skinny jeans for a plane ride, jeans are suitable for those vacation outfits beyond just travel days. 

Athleta Sculptek Ultra Skinny Jean Pant uses Sculptek fiber, described as a material that moves every way you do. So, they have the advantages of jeans with the stretchiness of leggings.

If you’re going straight to a gathering after flying in, you could head there without changing. 

An advantage to jeans is their durability, and because they are heavier than many of the pants mentioned in this list, they may be better suited for cold weather. 

If you’re traveling in the winter or somewhere that has cooler weather, a pair of jeans may serve you better than some of those incredibly lightweight options.

#14 Aviator Boyfriend Jeans

Best Travel Jeans

Material: 64% Tencel, 34% cotton, and 2% spandex
Main Features: Free hemming, faded indigo or dark indigo colors, relaxed fit

Manufactured in the USA, Aviator designed the Boyfriend Jeans with travel in mind.

The front pockets on these jeans are deep, so you can easily fit a phone or passport. The pockets on the back of the jeans have hidden zippers!

If you’re traveling with just a few essential items, these secure travel pants make it easy to go hands-free thanks to spacious pockets in the front and secure pockets in the back.

One fantastic advantage to purchasing from this company is that they offer free hemming! For someone short like myself, that’s a huge draw. Aviator jeans are the first brand I’ve heard of that offers this service, and I’m impressed. 

I’ve chosen to highlight the boyfriend style of jeans, as it offers more space in the leg than skinny jeans.

While I tend to gravitate toward fitted pants for traveling, others appreciate looser-fit pants that provide more circulation. 

Aviator Jeans make various styles and colors, so I recommend choosing the best fit for your preference. These jeans are mid-rise and run true to size. 

Still, if you want them on the snug side or to have a higher waist fit, you should size down. Or, when in doubt, you can always size up and use a belt in the belt loops to adjust your fit. 

One thing to note is that Aviator Jeans recommends you wash by hand if possible and only dry on medium or air dry.

#15 Levi Heritage High-Rise Loose Straight Leg Jean

Most Classic Travel Pant 

Material: 87% Cotton, 12% Polyester, 1% Elastane
Main Features: High rise waist, plus size options, vintage-inspired fabric

The Levi Heritage High-Rise Loose Straight Jeans are fantastic women’s pants for long travel days.

I recently got a pair like these and wanted to try something new. I tend to have a much more casual style when journeying through the airport, but I tried a good pair of straight jeans for my flights this past weekend.

A con I noticed was that when I stood up to deboard,the jeans felt warm and heavy towards my waist. That’s not too surprising, however, since jeans are not known as quick-drying pants.

Still, straight-leg jeans make great pants for women, and Levi’s specifically offers a range of plus sizes.As a bonus, I felt slightly more put together and stylish than when traveling in my typical leggings.

#16 TBA Women’s Wide Leg Capris

Best Pants for Hot Weather

Material: 97% cotton, 3% spandex
Main Features: Wide leg, Pull pants, Lightweight, Casual style

Fun fact: did you know Capri pants are named after the island in Italy? They became popular in the 1950s and 1960s, primarily because the movie star Audrey Hepburn sported them often.

Based on my body shape and height (I’m short), I always look for cropped travel pants or women’s pants that come in a ⅞ length. I often find that cropped pants fit me like regular-length pants.

On the other hand, if you’re taller, you can expect capris to hit your leg around your calf.

The cool thing about the TBA Women’s Wide Leg Capris is that people have taken to rolling them up, which gives chic style but also adds versatility and adaptability to people’s varying heights.

These could be an excellent option if you’re headed somewhere with hot weather.

#17 Quince 100% European Linen Pants

Best Women’s Travel Pants for a Cruise

Material: 100% European flax linen
Main Features: Elastic waistband, Breathable and heat regulating

When I see a nice, loose linen pant, I immediately picture a warmer weather vacation.

The Quince 100% European Linen Pants are lightweight and breezy, making them perfect for summer. 

These pants have three pockets: two on the front and one on the back (though they may not be the most functional). 

While it’s great that these pants have pockets, they are not deep or secure.

Linen travel pants are comfortable and have a relaxed fit, but they don’t need to come across as casual wear. They become more formal when paired with a nice top (and if you’re all in on this linen look, you can pick up a matching top by Quince made with the same fabric).

They come in white and black, as well as earthy tones like olive, driftwood, terracotta, and a dark blue navy. So, you can pick up multiple pairs and experiment with color!

#18 MERIWOOL Base Layer Merino Wool Thermal Leggings

Best Warm Travel Pant

Material: 100% Merino Wool
Main Features: Warmth, pull-on pants, moisture-wicking, odor resistant

When you read the word wool, your mind may picture an itchy winter sweater. Don’t worry; that’s not the case here.

Merino wool is a natural fiber fabric known to be breathable, adaptable to different temperatures, ultra-lightweight, and moisture-wicking.

If you want a Merino wool option for the benefits but don’t want to commit to full wool pants, buying a pair of leggings is a great alternative.

Many people use these as a base layer under another pair of pants, making these adaptable to cold-weather trips.

#19 prAna Cozy Up Pant

Best Travel Sweatpants

Material: 55% Hemp, 39% Recycled Polyester, 6% TENCEL™ Lyocell
Main Features: Elastic waist with drawstring, Front patch pockets, Responsible Forest Material, Natural odor reducing features

When it comes to travel lounge pants and coziness while traveling, it doesn’t get better than these Prana Cozy Up Pants.

The Cardiff material and fleece knitting ensure that these are incredibly comfortable. Yet the tapered fit and elastic hemming allows a sleek, stylish look and avoids the baggy, lumpy feeling of ordinary sweatpants.

Although these prAna pants are pretty expensive for a sweatpant, you can venture out in these and travel rather than just staying in and lounging at home.

#20 Bootcut Yoga Pant

Best Budget Travel Pants

Material: 87 % Nylon, 13% Spandex
Main Features: Elastic closure, High waist, Tummy control, Contours your features

I added these pants to the list thanks to Genx Gypsy’s Youtube review. Gen found these Bootcut Yoga Pants while looking for a cheaper alternative to the famous Spanx version.

At the time of making the video, she had been wearing them for four months and was still impressed with how they held their shape and fabric quality. She even recommends these as travel pants for seniors.

The most notable features of these pants include their elastic waistband, wrinkle-resistant fabric, versatility, and affordability.

Because these pants are one of the more budget-friendly options in this list, the stitching, fabric feel, and durability might not compare to the more premium choices on this list.

#21 Lululemon City Sleek 5 Pocket High-Rise

Best Travel Pants for Europe

Material: 46% Elastomultiester, 40% Cotton, 14% Elastane
Features: Five pockets, sleek style, quality lightweight material 

Lululemon designed the City Sleek 5 Pocket High-Rise to be on the move.

The City Sleek is a high-rise full-length pant that uses Utilitech fabric. They’re lightweight, sweat-wicking, and adaptable to different environments.

Between these features and how stylish they are, I’d wear these around Europe in a heartbeat. 

Did I mention they have five different pockets? That even includes a coin pocket, which will come in handy visiting European countries that use coins more often than the US. 

One thing to watch for is the length. These pants may suit a taller figure better than a short person, although hemming is always an option.

Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Travel Pants

What to Look for in Women’s Travel Pants

When I’m shopping for the best travel pants for women, I always look for comfortable, wrinkle-resistant, and stylish pants. 

Comfort

Traveling comes with enough discomfort naturally, and the last thing I want is to feel it from my clothing. Comfort is a must for pants I travel in.

Wrinkle Resistance

A pair of pants made of synthetic fibers will be less likely to wrinkle, which is a game changer for traveling. Clothing is much more prone to wrinkles when you fold or roll it to fit in a suitcase.

Style

It’s a bummer when practicality and style don’t go hand in hand. The good news is that enough brands out there have recognized that pull-on pants and stretchy pants can be stylish and convenient for traveling.

Types of Travel Pants

Tapered Leg Pants

Tapered pants are any type of pants whose fit is wider on top and gradually narrows towards the ankle.

Capris

Capris are longer than shorts, but shorter than trousers. Typically, Capri length pants end at the calf. 

Jeans

Jeans come in a wide variety of shapes, styles, and cuts. The main identifying feature of jeans is that they’re made of denim.

Leggings

Leggings are pull-on and form-fitting pants whose appeal is stretchy material and comfort. They come in various materials like spandex, nylon, or polyester.

Sweatpants

Sweatpants are loose-fitting, comfortable pants, often made from soft fabric like jersey or cotton. Sweatpants usually have a stretchy waistband and cuff at the ankle.

Joggers

Joggers are a style of pants that’s popular for athletic use because they offer a range of movement. 

Like sweatpants, they usually have an elastic or drawstring waist and a cuff at the ankle, but they’re typically more lightweight than sweatpants.

FAQs About Travel Pants

What are travel pants? 

Technically speaking, any pants can be travel pants. Women aren’t all the same; we like different things. The best travel pants for women will be based on each woman’s individual preferences.

Some agreed-upon key characteristics that make good options are when the base material offers flexibility, comfort, and wrinkle resistance. Traditionally, that means synthetic fabrics like nylon or polyester.   

What are the best pants to wear on an airplane? Is it better to wear tight or loose pants? 

Because aircraft cabins are often kept on the cooler side, it’s usually better to be fully covered and snug with tight leggings or fitted full-length pants. This is especially true on longer flights and when traveling between colder areas.

A looser or shorter pant option works well for shorter flights or warmer locations, even if it means being exposed to more elements. 

If you want to be ready no matter what, an adjustable pair like the Kuhl Freeflex Roll-Up Pants is a great choice.

Should I roll or fold travel pants? How do I keep them wrinkle-free?

The highly debated packing question! 

Check out Travel Tips by Laurie’s Youtube video “Test Rolling Method versus Folding” for packing a suitcase:

Or, to see some methods for packing pants quickly and in action, check out the show’s video “How to Roll-Pack Your Dress Pants: Travel Solutions.”

I opt for folding, which probably comes down to the fact that I’m not the most patient person.

As Laurie points out in her video, the best tip for the rolling method is to roll your clothing tightly–which takes just a bit longer to do right.

Packing cubes are another effective way to reduce wrinkles. We tested different brands of packing cubes to help you pick the best set of packing cubes for your travel style.

How many pairs of pants should I travel with?

This depends on your trip details. 

If you’re going on a weekend hiking getaway, you may be fine with one or two pairs of pants that you don’t mind getting dirty or re-wearing in that condition.

If you’re traveling for more extended periods, attending more formal events, or visiting people, you may want to bring three or more pairs of pants.

How much should I expect to spend on a pair of travel pants?

A high-quality pair, on average, will cost anywhere from $70 to $100. 

Budget-friendly options typically range from $30 to $50 each.

Are travel pants worth it?

My answer is yes. I love having what I call ‘closet constants’: pieces in my wardrobe that I know I can always rely on. 

Investing in a pair that provides comfort and durability could make for your next closet constant.

 

Conclusion: Our Pick for the Best Travel Pants for Women

If I had to pick one pair from this list to highlight, it would be the Athleta Brooklyn Ankle Pants. 

These Athleta pants have impressed me because they’re neutral but still fashionable, making them appealing to various people. 

They have a healthy balance of each feature you’d want in the best women’s pants for travel: they’re quick dry pants that are wrinkle resistant and comfortable. They have functional pockets and lots of color options.

These pants will serve you well while traveling and are a fan favorite for events and experiences outside of travel days. They’re versatile and the same pair can suit a few different styles, depending on what yo wear with it.

The perfect pants for women travelers can stand up to any challenge: exciting adventures like horseback riding or exploring a European city…but also less exciting hazards, should your airplane seat neighbor accidentally spill their complimentary drink!

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

---

Gearing up for your next big trip? Check out these related articles below!

Best Travel Purses

Pakt One Duffle Review

Beis Luggage Review

Best Travel Shoes for Women

Best Hiking Leggings

Best Hiking Clothes for Women

Best Women’s Snowboard Pants 

Best Women’s Hiking Shirts

Best Hardside Luggage Sets

Best Travel Backpacks for Women

Best Waterproof Walking Shoes for Women

Tieks Review

Pin this image for future reference