16 Travel Pants That Are As Comfortable As They Are Stylish

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When you think about travel pants, I'm sure joggers or some form of tapered sweats in a dark color come to mind. They're comfortable, stretchy, durable, and sleek: all the components you need for sitting long hours in a confined space. The point of travel nowadays—whether you’re in first class or economy—is to get from one destination to the next, hopefully without delay. So why wear a suit or slacks with a button closure and without an elastic waistband? Dressing up for a flight just doesn't make sense anymore.

But if you don't want to roll up to the airport in baggy sweats, or sit all stuffy in a suit for four hours, we've found the compromise. From Vuori to Lululemon to Bonobos, some of our favorite labels have created pants specially made for travel, the kinds of designs that blend the performance and comfort of a jogger with the look of a traditional trouser.

These hybrids feature elastic waistbands, added stretch, and other properties that’ll allow you to move nimbly through terminals. Some even have drawstrings and are made of materials ideal for breaking a sweat when you have to sprint to your gate, all while giving off the appearance of the pants you’d wear to the office. They're picks that we've tried, tested, and loved—whether we were traveling on an international, overseas flight or just going a domestic few hours. Below, 16 of the best travel pants, just ready and waiting to take you on your next adventure in comfort and style.

Classic-Fit Wrinkle-Resistant Flat-Front Chino Pants

With a silhouette that'll work for most body types, and treated with wrinkle-resistant technology, Amazon's in-house label has once again offered up an affordable style that's too good to pass up.

Radius Flex Pants

Mack Weldon hits the mark with these travel-ready Radius pants. Not only is the high-tech fabric water-resistant and quick-drying (no need to worry about spills too much), but it is also extremely comfortable. So if you're not partial to wearing the brand's travel-ready Ace sweats, these are the next best thing.

Commission Classic-Fit Pants

Trust that Lululemon always pays careful attention to comfort, performance, and functionality. And its celebrated Commission pants—which are made of wrinkle-resistant, quick-drying, shape-retaining, breathable fabric—are a shining example of this sentiment.

Ripstop Pants

Vuori offers styles built for sweat-breaking activity outdoors. So best believe that these incredibly sleek pants, made of the brand's DuraTerra ripstop fabric, are more than enough for traveling long distances in a climate-controlled environment.

Extra Stretch Travel Jeans

Bonobos? On a list about the best pants? Of course! The brand specializes in creating bottoms for all occasions, including travel. Case in point: this garment-dyed, five-pocket jean with so much stretch that it almost—just almost—feels like a pair of sweats.

The Performance Traveler Chinos

No pants round up is complete without Everlane, the master of sophisticated comfort. These guys are sweat-wicking, quick-drying, and made of 4-way stretch, and if that's not enough, well then we don't know what is.

Comfort Chino Pants

They're chinos, but, like, the extra comfortable version. Dressy, stretchy, and ultra soft, these pants are going to be perfect for when you have to hop off the plane and hit a work dinner. Throw on a button-up and sport coat and you're good to go.

Commuter Pants

Rhone established itself as mainstay of the running scene—and for good reason. But it also offer nifty styles for traveling, like these pants made of its Flex-Knit fabric, which is so comfortable, so easy to move in, so stretchy, and so sleek at that you'll never look at traditional trousers the same way again.

Day and Night Pants

Don't worry, we didn't forget about Alo. You can wear these pants from the plane to the hotel gym, without having to slow your roll and change. Plus, the moisture-wicking material is the underrated hero of the day.

Stretch Linen Pull-On Pants

Linen is the most breathable material, a fabric that allows for maximum ventilation while you're crammed in a seat, waiting for an airline attendant to pass the pretzels. And don't even get us started on stretch linen. These pants from Onia are the lightest style you can wear on a fully booked, claustrophobia-inducing flight.

Stretch Travel Pants

Even though these have the grace of chinos, and a slim-fit that's become an icon of Tommy Hilfiger, they're still one of the best travel pants on the market. That's because they have everything you want—stretch, comfort, softness—while still looking chic and classy.

Brushed Traveler Cargo Pants

Thank goodness for brands like Banana Republic, who understand the importance of traveling in style so thoroughly that it makes stylish pants for traveling. These are softer than a typical cargo pant thanks to their brushed material, but with a slouchy fit and abundance of pockets, they have all the easy, breezy functionality of cargos.

Synthetic Utility Casual Pants

Wrangler makes some of our all-time favorite jeans, and its other pants are nothing we're turning our noses up at, either. These have the chic appeal of khakis, but with stretchy comfort, deep pockets, and a wrinkle-resistant fabric, you can take on a flight with no problem.

Multisport Pants

When you're on the go, an elasticated drawstring waistband is the best travel companion you could ever hope to have. These lightweight pants have four-way stretch (so you can sprint to your gate when the security line is longer than expected) and a straight leg that won't wrinkle.

Smart Ankle Pants

Uniqlo's pants have it all. They're stretchy, soft, and breathable. They're versatile—don't restrict yourself to wearing them just for travel—and they're chic, with an ankle-grazing hem and straight legs.

Logo-Appliquéd Twill Cargo Trousers

If you're here, I'm assuming you're a guy who likes to travel in style. And if you like to travel in style, Stone Island's cargo trousers need to be on your radar. With a relaxed (yet stylish!) look and plenty of pocket space to hold a passport, boarding pass, and whatever else you need, these are infallible.

Tips for Buying

Listen—no one knows how you travel better than you do. Maybe you're a guy who likes to pace the aisles of the plane, maybe you're a guy who spills his ginger ale every damn time there's turbulence, maybe you're a guy who sits in the window seat, falls asleep, and stays put. There are pants to accommodate all of those things.

Whatever your habits are, look for pants that pertain to them. I would recommend loose, baggy fits and elastic waistbands every time for maximum comfort, but if you want to stay sleek and sharp, there are chino-style, flex-fabric options that still put the business in casual. Something water-resistant is great for long-haul flights, because you never know what could happen. And when in doubt, always, always, look for pants that you aren't going to groan and grumble at putting on for a red-eye.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best way to fold travel pants?

Technically, you should be wearing your travel pants, so they shouldn't really need to be folded up and stuffed in a suitcase. But if you do pack 'em up for whatever reason, rolling instead of folding is a great way to ensure those wrinkle-free pants stay, well, wrinkle-free.

How should I style my travel pants?

This part is entirely down to preference. Well—not entirely. It's always smart to layer up when you travel, so no matter which pants you pick to wear as your bottoms, have a few options you can wear with them on top. For chicer styles, this could mean a sweater or a button-down and a blazer. If you're okay with going more casual, though, a tee and hoodie is never a bad look.

How do I care for my travel pants?

When it comes to care, look to the directions on the tag or website of your pants. Most styles are okay to be washed in cold water, but to stay on the safe side, double-check everything.

Why You Can Trust Esquire

We don't write about how great things are if they aren’t actually great. Every product in Esquire’s round-ups are carefully curated by our fashion and e-commerce teams.

When it comes to something like travel pants, you can rest assured that we’re hand-selecting styles that we’ve personally tested, tried, and loved, along with pants that the rest of our stylish colleagues here at Esquire endorse for their own travels.

Every pick on this list (and our other lists!) comes from years of wearing different things, seeing what we love and what we don’t, and going from there. No two sets of legs are the same, and no two men are the same. Your proverbial mileage may vary. But if you’re looking for the right place to start, with advice from folks who and care (possibly too much!) about this sort of stuff, this is the place to be.

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