The Best Travel Watch for Frequent Flyers

Keeping time has never been more critical than when you’re traveling. Whether you’re running to make a boarding plane or white water rafting and need your watch to be rugged enough to handle it, you want to make sure you’ve got a watch that can deliver.

What is the best travel watch?

A travel watch should suit the destination and activities of its wearers, regardless of whether it’s a men’s or women’s style.

A travel watch needs to be comfortable, have good visibility, and whatever other features you need, like smart connectivity or water resistance.

Traveling with a reliable watch will ensure you never miss a thing, and when you’re away from home, having dependability like this is critical.

We’ve reviewed some of the coolest travel watches on the market today and have rated our favorites in men’s and women’s styles for you to enjoy.

What is the Best Travel Watch

Best For Men: Timex Expedition Scout 40

Short summary

The Timex Expedition Scout 40 Watch is the ideal traveling companion for the adventurous man. Featuring an adjustable 20mm green nylon strap for your wrist and a black 40mm brass case with a light-up face, the watch can be worn on up to eight inches of wrist diameter. 

As a travel companion, it’s rugged and water resistant up to 165 feet so you can go just about anywhere while you wear it.

Review

Timex has created the best cheap travel watch that’s still rugged and able to go anywhere, with their Expedition Scout 40.

This rugged watch can be worn on your adventures, including up to 165 feet of water and for short periods of swimming, but just make sure you take it off to let the band dry afterward.

The Timex Expedition Scout 40 can fit an eight-inch wrist circumference and is fully adjustable, thanks to the green nylon strap band.

The watch face features a black dial, date window, and all times are shown in Arabic numerals, and it’s encased with a durable black 40mm brass case and mineral glass crystal for style and functionality, but weighs just 2.24oz in total.

No matter where you are, you’ll be able to read your watch, because of the luminous hands and Indiglo light-up dial.

There are over 25 color combinations of straps and watch faces to choose from so every man’s taste can be met, and it comes with a two year warranty for complete coverage.

If you want simplicity and ruggedness in an affordable package, the Timex Expedition Scout 40 is the answer

Quick Specs

• Size: 40mm
• Weight: 2.24oz
• Water Protection: 165 feet

Pros

• The watch is incredibly lightweight thanks to the nylon band, so it won’t weigh you down while you’re being active.
• Having a light-up screen and glowing watch hands help you read the time in complete darkness, like on the plane or exploring somewhere at night.
• This is a rugged piece that’s been designed to take a beating and would suit a man who doesn’t want to think twice about what his watch is doing.
• As far as travel watches go, this is one of the cheaper options that has the same quality as something twice the price.
• It has good water resistance for recreational swimming and an impressive rate for this price, but shouldn’t be used for diving or spending long periods of time under the water.

Cons

• Once the band has become wet it takes a while to dry and you should remove it to do so, otherwise, it can cause irritation and a musty smell if not left to dry out completely.
• Although there’s a decent two year warranty on the watch, you need to pay a small service fee if the watch has to be repaired during this time.

Runner Up: Casio Men’s Classic

Short summary

The Men’s Classic is one of Casio’s most famous watches, and this 55mm Quartz Movement watch is a great traveling companion. The watch comes with an adjustable 9.7inch plastic band, 29mm band width, and a digital, illuminated display that shows time, day, date, and month, as well as a world time option. 

It’s been rated for 330 feet of water resistance and comes with a limited warranty of two years from the manufacturer.

Review

If you’d rather not spend a fortune keeping the time, the best cheap travel watch is the Casio Men’s Classic.

The affordable and durable watch features a plastic adjustable band and 55mm glass case with the resin used to construct the bezel and case, and it relies on Quartz Movement to tell the time.

What customers loved most about this watch were its simplicity and quality, and although the plastic band can make it look cheaper, it helps with this durability.

The Casio Men’s Classic is rated for 330 feet of water resistance and it suits swimming and snorkeling, but Casio advises against diving with it.

Featured on this watch are the day, date, and month, and numeric time, it has a buckle clasp, 9.75-inch band size, and 29mm band width.

With a plain black band and face, it sticks to its simple roots and would be a great accompaniment for the traveling man who prefers their watch to be up for anything.

The Casio Men’s Classic is cheap, reliable, and simple, which is exactly what many of us need.

Quick Facts

• Size: 55mm
• Weight: 2.2oz
• Water Protection: 330ft

Pros

• One of the more impressive water-resistant ratings for a watch in this price range, which would suit men who like to snorkel and swim on their vacation.
• The watch has been rated as shock resistant which means it can take a beating and you can do just about any activity while wearing it without a bother.
• The Casio Men’s Classic is one of the cheapest travel watches we’ve reviewed and is still made with expert quality and durability.
• A larger watch face makes it easier to read so you can take a quick glance and find out what time it is, and having an illumination button helps.
• Casio is a trusted name in watchmakers and it comes with a lengthy 20 year guarantee on the battery of the watch and two year warranty that vouches for its quality

Cons

• The Casio Men’s Classic isn’t the most stylish looking watch and the plastic band might turn some users off because it can appear cheap.
• Some users have reported issues with skin irritation after wearing these types of watches for too long, and especially if they get them wet or already have a sensitivity to plastic.
  

Alternative: Minilujia World Watch

Short summary

Minilujia has developed a unique timepiece with their World Watch, which lets you read the time using images of Earth, Moon, and Sun in orbit. This travel watch features 164 feet water resistance, a rubber band, mineral glass watch face, mineral crystal dial, and vacuum plated case for absolute durability and style.

 With a 43mm case and 2.18oz weight, it’s a fun and easy travel companion.

Review

The best watch for world travel with a difference is the Minilujia World Watch, helping you tell the time using a creative design that shows the orbit of the Earth, Moon, and Sun instead of traditional minute and hour hands.

Although it can be a little confusing to get a hang of at first, you’ll soon be blown away by the beauty of the 42mm watch and it’s a great conversation piece for when you’re sitting on the plane.

The Minilujia World Watch is perfectly sized for men and women, with a 9.4-inch band length from buckle to hole and a 0.86-inch band width so nothing about it feels flimsy.

The black rubber band holds onto the mineral glass watch face, which also features a mineral crystal dial, but it would have been nice to see an option to switch to a standard watch face if you wish to.

With a 164 feet waterproof rating, you can swim and shower with it and not do any damage, and the watch face is coated with a scratch-resistant protector.

The case has vacuum plating for added protection, but there’s no light or illumination option inside of it which made it hard to read in the dark.

If you like things a little quirky, you’ll love taking the Minilujia World Watch on your travels.

Quick Facts

• Size: 42mm
• Weight: 2.18oz
• Water Protection: 164 feet

Pros

• A unique watch like this is a great conversation starter and it makes an interesting gift for a traveler who wants to keep an eye on the time while they’re on the go.
• It’s one of the more affordable travel watches on the market and still has all the usual bells and whistles.
• The watch is highly rated for its precision thanks to the Japanese design and it ensures you will never miss a flight or meeting when you wear it.
• The Minilujia World Watch is larger than most with a longer and wider band, which suits more men than the compact styles and ensures a comfortable fit.
• With a thicker case and vacuum plating, you can take this watch just about anywhere and throw it in the bottom of your bag when traveling without giving it a second thought.

Cons

• Although the design looks cool, some people might find it confusing trying to tell the time using the Earth, Moon, and Sun rather than minutes and hours.
• There’s no option to illuminate the watch face so it can be hard to read when you’re in dark spaces or want to check the time in the middle of the night.
• Having an option to switch to a regular watch face by pressing a button would have been a nice feature.

Best For Women: Fossil Jacqueline Watch

Short summary

The Fossil Jacqueline Watch is simple and elegant, made with steel roman numerals, mineral crystal lens, genuine brown leather wrist band, and two-tone stainless-steel case. The case measures 36mm with a 14mm band width, and the entire thing weighs just 1oz. 

With a waterproof rating of 100ft, it’s best left off when you go near the water, but is a polished and humble timepiece that would suit any female traveler.

Review

Fossil has been making watches since 1984 and the Jacqueline is one of their best sellers for many reasons.

This is our top pick for a women’s travel watch because it’s exceptional quality, simple and practical, and elegant enough for any situation.

With 17 colors combinations in both the face and band, you can choose one that suits you perfectly.

The leather 14mm band is interchangeable with other Fossil bands, and it has a dainty 36mm case size.

The watch operates with Quartz movement and has a three hand analog display so you can easily tell the time, as well as a beautifully designed face that features polished steel numerals and a crystal lens that actively resists scratches.

This isn’t the rugged watch you might want for travel and it only comes with 100 feet of water resistance, so you may need to keep shopping if you require something hardier.

However, the simple elegance and quality materials that Fossil used make the Jacqueline a smart choice for any traveler and it comes with a one year warranty for your protection.

Quick Facts

• Size: 36mm
• Weight: 1oz
• Water Protection: 100 feet

Pros

• A simple and elegant timepiece that works well at a business meeting or sitting on the plane, and everything in between.
• The quality of this watch is outstanding and it’s designed to last for many years to come.
• Fossil has designed this to sit comfortably on the wrist and even after extended use, there’s no irritation.
• The addition of leather on the wristband makes this watch sophisticated and of good quality, even though it’s got an affordable price tag.
• With quartz movement and a three hand analog display, the watch operates silently and glides smoothly for a beautiful effect.

Cons

• This watch is not designed to go in the water and has a pretty poor resistance rating so you’re better taking it off before you get near any moisture.
• You’ll only get a one year limited warranty with this watch which is 12 months less than other men’s styles we’ve reviewed.
• There’s no option to illuminate the screen which can make it hard to read when you’re in the dark and especially on long-haul flights where there’s no lighting on in the cabin.

Runner Up: Timex Easy Reader

Short summary

Timex’s Easy Reader is a great travel watch for women and is lightweight at 0.64oz, well-made using quality materials, and compact-sized with a 12mm wide leather wrist band and 25mm brass case. The Easy Reader also enjoys an Indiglo night-light for illumination, QuickDate feature so you don’t miss a thing, and a one push release if you ever want to replace the band.

Timex’s Easy Reader is a great travel watch for women and is lightweight at 0.64oz, well-made using quality materials, and compact-sized with a 12mm wide leather wrist band and 25mm brass case.

The Easy Reader also enjoys an Indiglo night-light for illumination, QuickDate feature so you don’t miss a thing, and a one push release if you ever want to replace the band.

Review

With the perfect combination of affordability and practicality, the Timex Easy Reader is another of our favorite traveling watches for women.

As the name suggests, the watch features an easy to read analog face and comes with an Indiglo night light so you can press it whenever you’re in the dark.

There are three color choices of a gold tone, red, or white, giving every woman something to suit their taste.

The Timex Easy Reader shouldn’t go anywhere near water with just 98 feet of water resistance, so it’s not a travel watch in the sense that you can take it on all of your adventures.

However, the rest of its materials are of good quality and it’s made with Timex’s usual standard of care.

The watch is made with a genuine leather strap and a metallic case that work hard to protect it, and ensure it’ll last on your wrist for years to come.

As a cheaper option, this watch is fairly simple, but ticks all of the boxes for what a traveling woman needs including QuickDate feature and illumination.

The band measures 12mm wide, it has a 25mm petite brass case, and weighs just 0.64oz so it won’t drag you down while you’re busy traveling from coast to coast, and the simple design suits any attire or setting.

Quick Facts

• Size: 25mm
• Weight: 0.64oz
• Water Protection: 98 feet

Pros

• This is one of the cheapest travel watches that’s made by a reputable brand and using quality materials, so you’re getting a great deal for less than $50.
• The Timex Easy Reader is a simple watch without too many bells and whistles, making it easy to read the time.
• Using leather for the band and brass for the case, this watch looks and feels a lot more sophisticated and costly than it is.
• It’s lightweight and comfortable to wear, weighing less than an ounce in total, so the only time you have to take it off is during showers.
• Although cheap, it still comes with lots of features like a night light and removable band, and doesn’t feel crowded with too many functions.

Cons

• The Timex Easy Reader should not be taken in any water and it can’t withstand a lot of rough use like others.
• You’ll only get a one year warranty with this watch which is okay for the price, but not as good as men’s watches that we’ve reviewed.

Traveling Watch FAQ

A travel watch can be used to describe a broad range of watch styles that would be suitable for traveling with, either on planes or an epic sightseeing mission.

If you’re still in the dark about what a travel watch needs to be, check out these FAQs and answers to get a better understanding.

How Do You Travel with A Watch Safely?

The best place to keep a watch while traveling is wearing it on your wrist, but this might not always be possible.

Otherwise, you should use a protective case and keep it stored in your carry on luggage so that it’s close by.

Can I Put Watch In Checked Luggage?

It is possible to put a watch in your checked luggage, but it’s best to take it with you as part of your carry on luggage or wear it on your wrist as you fly.

While in checked luggage, there’s more chance of damage being done to it, and when it’s not within your reach, you may feel concerned about the risk of theft.

How Do I Protect My Luxury Watch?

A luxury watch requires additional care when you’re not wearing it, and should always be stored in a safe or other locked compartment.

You’ll need to monitor the temperature, humidity, and light of the storage space, and keep the watch cleaned and maintained by a professional regularly.

Do You Have to Take Off Watch at Airport?

Some airports may require you to remove your watch before walking through the metal detector, and others won’t.

The amount of metal in a watch can also determine whether it sets off a detector, so if you know that your watch has a lot of this material, you should save time and remove it before walking through.

Keeping Time Wherever You Are

Whether you want the best watch for international travel or something that can withstand a bit of water on your next adventure, our picks for travel watches can meet these requirements.

With a trusty watch on your wrist, you’ll never miss a thing, and it’s one accessory that you should never leave home without.