The Best Shoes for Traveling Through the Airport

There are plenty of shoes you should avoid while traveling, but the classic sneaker isn’t one of them. Keeping in mind the holy trinity of comfort, practicality, and aesthetics, slip-on styles are one of the best options since they won’t hold you up in TSA and will also be easy to remove if you want to go shoe-free during the flight. Lace-free sneakers are ideal — think the Women’s Hands Free Slip-ins Summits from Skechers — but you could also opt for a pair with tucked-in laces. “Adidas is my personal favorite for any sneaker for any occasion,” Katie Schuppler exclusively confirms to Glam. “They are light, always well padded, and the quality is there to last a long time.”

Along with the quality, you’ll also want to ensure that the sneakers lean more toward a slimmer silhouette than a bulky one — this will make them easy to store under the seat in front of you if you do need to take them off during the flight. Adidas Sambas tick all the boxes since they’re comfortable, easy to slip on and off, and en-vogue — particularly as retro shoe styles are seeing a resurgence in 2025. Meanwhile, even more minimal styles, like the Adidas Stan Smiths, are endlessly versatile. Not only are they great for the airport and the flight, but they can also be worked into almost any outfit in your luggage and any activity in your travel itinerary. Whether you want to give trendy traveler or comfy chic, a plain pair of sneakers is vital when creating airport outfits that will never go out of style.