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When you're busy stuffing clothes into your carry-on or luggage set, figuring out what to wear to the airport may be your last priority, but a good travel dress will give you an effortless, polished look you can use and reuse once you reach your destination.

Where a travel dress differs from any other standard dress is in its durability and ability to be easily styled up or down. Depending on accessories, a travel dress can look as fancy or casual as you want it to be, but its material will usually be made from wrinkle-resistant, quick-drying, or stretchy fabric. This kind of material makes it comfy to wear on long travel days or days where you'll be getting a lot of movement in.

Best travel dress

When shopping for a travel dress, you should consider how the dress can be layered with other items to adapt to different weather conditions, says Addie Bell, founder and CEO of Jetset and Travel, a travel consulting agency. She also recommends checking that it's suitable for both day and night activities, which will maximize its utility—you can use it while traveling and during your actual trip.

Here are a few other things to consider.

What to consider

Material

Since travel days often include a lot of walking, you'll want to make sure your dress' fabric is breathable. This will also come in handy if you're traveling to a warm weather destination. Breathable fabrics Bell recommends include cotton or linen. Other materials you can consider are jersey, spandex blends, and certain synthetics, like polyester. "[These] wrinkle-resistant materials...are best if you need to maintain a polished look after being packed," Bell says.

Length

When traveling, Bell typically goes for longer dresses since they offer more coverage and comfort, Bell says. But, "a midi or knee-length dress strikes a perfect balance between style and practicality, and is typically suitable for a variety of activities and settings," she adds. When choosing the length of her dress, Bell also considers what the weather is like. "Longer dresses provide more coverage and protection from the sun, while shorter dresses can be more comfortable in hot climates," she says. Whatever the length you're comfortable with, she recommends making sure your dress allows for easy movement, especially when doing a lot of walking or activities.

Colors

The color of your dress is your preference, but Bell says that neutral tones like black, navy, white, and beige are versatile and easy to mix and match with other wardrobe pieces. "Subtle patterns can also help hide wrinkles and stains, making the dress more travel-friendly."

On the other side, bright colors can add a fun, vibrant touch to travel and can be used to complement the destination you're visiting, Bell says. "I always recommend sticking within a similar color palette to ensure they match other items you’re bringing," she adds.

How we chose

For the past few months, Women's Health editors, including lifestyle and commerce editor Jasmine Gomez, researched and tested the best travel dresses for jetsetting in style and comfort. In addition to testing dresses based on durability, material feel, and their ability to stand up to lots of movement and long hours, we also consulted travel expert Addie Bell, founder and CEO of Jetset and Travel, a travel consulting agency. She's also an avid traveler who also provides trip and packing advice.

Before you plan your next trip to one of the award winners in our 2024 Healthy Travel Awards, below find the eight best travel dresses, tested by travel experts.

Racer Back Maxi Dress

After having our editors put over 10 travel dress options to the test, the Racer Back Maxi Dress from CSB came out on top for its stretchy feel that makes it easy to move around in, polished look, and easy to style nature.

"Running to the airport is stressful, which is why I love this dress for a comfortable, effortless look that seems like I actually spent time getting dressed," says lifestyle and commerce editor Jasmine Gomez. She likes that you can easily pair it with jewelry, a nice bag, or even a sun hat to make an outfit that's great for travel, but also ideal for immediately hitting the streets once you reach your destination.

To offer an ideal fit, the dress is made from a ribbed fabric blend that offers slight compression, giving this dress a shapewear-like feel that isn't overly constricting. Its maxi length, low scoop neckline, and racerback design also makes it perfect for those who want a full coverage option that's still ideal for warm weather, but even colder temps when it's layered with other clothing.

Though there's a limited number of color options available, the three it does come in–brown, gray, and black—are great basic tones that pair together nicely with almost anything.

Align Dress

Lululemon's Align dress boasts some of the many features Lulu's cult and editor-favorite Align leggings do. We found that it's super lightweight, breathable, and buttery-soft. What's even better is what's underneath the dress—a built-in bra and a shorts liner with drop-in pockets. The dress is on the shorter side, but the shorts provide reassurance when bending over to pick up luggage or during other travel-related tasks.

The dress is also designed from sweat-wicking material, so those who run hot will not only like this option because it leaves more skin exposed, but because it keeps that skin that is covered up cool and dry. When you're not traveling in it, it also makes a great option for low-impact activity, since the dress was actually designed for yoga.

Ultra Stretch AIRism Sleeveless Dress

Those traveling for work or looking for a more polished option will like Uniqlo's AIRism Sleeveless dress. Though you'll look ready for an interview, the dress is very functional for traveling, since its fabric is stretchy, features pockets on both sides, and is made of quick-drying material. The dress's fabric is made from a polyester blend, which is what lends to its more polished look—it's a way less sportier option than Lululemon's Align dress for sure.

Most people will also find that the dress has a flattering fit. It's designed with a fit-and-flare silohouette created by panel lines that are cut to create a contoured look. Our testers that value sustainability also gave the dress bonus points for being partly made using recycled materials.

Pose Sands Dress

Vuori's Pose Sands Dress is an excellent pick for those that plan on walking a ton of miles while sightseeing and taking photos for the 'gram. Though it's on the longer side, the side slit makes it really easy to move in and the rib knit fabric makes it resistant to wrinkles.

The dress is also designed to hug the body in all the right places. In fact, we found that it offers a bit of compression, though the slit alleviates some of that tension, making it a next-level comfy option. Editors particularly liked that it can be paired with either sneakers, heels, or boots depending on the look you're going for or the terrain or weather you're conquering. If you're not wearing it to the airport, you'll like that the dress is a space-saver. It packs light and compactly, making it a great option for those traveling only with carry-ons.

City Chic Dress

If you've looked around recently, you know cargo is in, and this dress from Beyond Yoga is both trendy and functional. It's designed to flatter all body types, thanks to its adjustable cinched waist. The waistband's stretchy drawcord lets you achieve a customized fit that feels uniquely comfortable to you.

Our testers particularly like the dress's spacey pockets, which lets you store important documents, like an ID or boarding pass while you're traveling. The dress is also made with a two-way zipper, which makes it super easy to go to the bathroom without having to scrunch your dress up in risk of wrinkling it. The collar gives it an elevated look, and its quick-drying polyester fabric, a soft feel worth wearing on long travel days.

Summer Casual Tank Dress

Those looking for a cozy, put-together option will like this Amazon dress. It's looser in nature, but pleated and tiered with a deep v-neckline, and those small details make all the difference. Plus, you can't beat its budget-friendly price of less than $40.

Depending on what you pair it with, the dress is appropriate for a variety of settings from a morning stroll to a more formal dinner, and its flowy nature makes it a breeze to travel in, too. We like that its pockets are very roomy, and that it has a lightweight, non-constricting feel, which is ideal for long days on your feet or longer flights or commutes. Plus, the dress is available in over 10 colors, so it isn't hard to find one you particularly love.

Short Sleeve Casual Summer Dress

While the other dresses on this list are mostly available in neutral tones, this one offers a lot more color options. You can buy it in basic colors, like black, white, and navy blue, but it's also available in floral, paisley patterns, and more. Made from a blend of rayon and spandex, the dress is also breathable and stretchy.

We found that the fabric is very similar to a nice t-shirt, so its comfy feel makes it great for wearing for hours on end. Though it doesn't wrinkle easily, this dress is more prone to wrinkles than others on this list, which is something to keep in mind if you hate ironing or steaming. Some of our testers also pointed out that the waistband is one of the most forgiving on this list, making it a great option for those with wider hips who don't like drawstring or elastic waistbands.

Sweaty Betty Power Workout Dress

Tenniscore is in, and it turns out that many tennis dresses actually make good travel dresses, too. That's because they're designed to withstand a ton of movement, sweaty activity, and come with built-in features like shorts and a bra to offer a little more coverage than a traditional dress.

Made with an elastane blend, our travel testers like that this dress is stretchy but contoured, creating a flattering, sculpted fit. The material is quick-drying and moisture-wicking, which means it can stand up against warm weather, wet travel days, and more. Since the fabric is on the thinner side, it's also rolls or packs nicely into any luggage, saving you more space for your bulkier items.

Meet the expert

• Addie Bell is founder and CEO of Jetset and Travel, a travel consulting agency, and a travel consultant who offers trip and packing advice.