16 Best Travel Shirts for Women (I Tested Them!)

I tested some of the best travel shirts for women to see which ones actually stay lightweight, quick-dry and polished enough for Europe trips, long flights and work-remote days. The goal is to find shirts that feel breezy in Lisbon, resist odors on 12-hour hauls and double as long sleeve layers when the airplane AC hits hard.

I’ve included tops, tees and tanks for hiking and camping, sightseeing and exploring, upscale and luxury trips, and those moments where you just want a do-it-all shirt that looks amazing in a photo. Pick your next travel shirts from my suggestions below, and be sure to look at my photos to see how they fit me!

Mott & Bow Slub Crew Tee & Relaxed Slub Tank

I started wearing the Mott & Bow slub tees and tanks this year and packed a few on a trip to the Catskills in Upstate NY. Because they’re pretty thin, and good for spring and summer, you can pack quite a few of these into a packing cube, and they don’t take up a lot of space at all! (I actually really enjoy folding them into little squares).

They’re made of soft pre-washed cotton, and come in basic neutral colors that’ll match everything. I didn’t think I’d gravitate toward Military green, but I did, and it’s my favorite slub tank besides the white one that I find goes with every summer outfit.

If you want a dependable best travel t-shirt for women that feels like your favorite broken-in tee but looks cleaner in photos, this one is it. The fabric doesn’t cling when it’s humid, so it’s a solid backup shirt for long travel stints or as a sleep-to-street travel tee for road trips.

As for the fit, the slub tanks are nice and loose, so I wear a cami under them. The tees are much snugger and fit the form a bit more. Both styles are very affordable and can go right into your pack for your next adventure to wear with your travel pants of choice.

Quince 100% European Linen Short Sleeve Shirt

Coming from the brand that makes my Quince hard shell suitcase, this lightweight and loose button-down linen shirt is a fan favorite from Quince’s travel collection. As with all Quince tops and blouses, the price is unbeatable and the quality is “affordable luxury,” like everything Quince makes.

This travel shirt is what I’ll put on for a day on the streets of Lisbon, or for a dinner outdoors on the water at a resort or on a boat. It has a boxy fit and a laidback vibe, with the three buttons, wide hem and timeless collar style. The 100% European flax linen makes it heat-regulating and breathable.

Because linen naturally releases wrinkles with steam, I can fold it into my favorite carry-on backpack, spritz it in an Airbnb bathroom and head straight to a walking tour or redeye arrival brunch without looking crumpled.

Bluffworks Threshold Crew & V-Neck T-Shirt

The Bluffworks Threshold fabric is the important part of this basic tee for travel.

I specifically like to wear the Threshold shirt when I’m flying, because I tend to get sweaty and icky. I’ve found that the breathability and ability to dry quickly helps me feel a big fresher when I walk off the flight.

It’s one of the best travel t-shirts quick dry fans can buy because the Threshold fabric wicks sweat off your body, resists odors and doesn’t lose its shape after a red-eye.

I tend to like V-necks better sometimes, and the Threshold tees also come in flattering “V” necklines version. For me, I find it simple to dress up either of these with high-waisted shorts, some jewelry, a cardigan or cute shoes.

lululemon Love Curved-Hem Crewneck T-Shirt

The Lululemon Love T-Shirt fit me perfectly when I put it on. I was wondering if it would look OK with leggings (my travel pants of choice), and because of the curved hem, it provided the coverage I wanted. I’m happy to dress this one up with a high-waisted skirt, or shorts, and some flats and a necklace.

The stretch feels awesome when I’m wearing it. What I like is that for my build, it fits in both the shoulders and the bottom hem without specifically being sized ‘petite.’ It’s not skin-tight, even though the fabric is thin, so I feel comfortable in the fit if I’m having a day when I feel a little bloated (like some days when I travel).

PAKA Apparel Women’s Essential V-Neck

I wore my PAKA V-Neck travel tee for the first time on my trip to Colombia! I couldn’t wait to wear it in some of our travel photos because I love how it fits and how it feels.

I like that it’s soft and durable, and I think the timeless V-neck scoop is flattering.

It’s one of those lightweight travel shirts womens wardrobes need when spacesaving is key, because the alpaca blend stays fresh after multiple wears. I’ve gotten away with wearing this a few times without washing it.

The alpaca-merino blend also resists odors on marathon airport days, so I can wear it on the flight down and then again on a city tour before finding a washing machine.

This special company works with artisans in the Peruvian Andes and all the products have a unique “handwoven tag.” While the V-neck is currently hanging in my closet, it’s coming on all my trips in the near future.

Plus: despite the fine alpaca fabric blend, it’s machine-washable.

Ibex Women’s Paradox Pocket Short Sleeve Tee

The Ibex Women’s Paradox Pocket Tee (formerly the brand’s “Merino Tencel Pocket Short Sleeve Tee,” as a tip) makes me feel down-to-earth and relaxed. This shirt is so soft and lightweight, which pleasantly surprised me when I wore it for the first time!

This travel shirt is totally versatile and has a comfy and relaxed loose fit (not body-hugging) that works best for me with high-waisted shorts or pants. If you find it too cropped, I recommend layering a cami tank underneath for either warmth or modesty.

My key recommendation is to grab your size and chosen color without delay, because it frequently goes out of stock and is a best-seller.

Ibex blends merino with TENCEL, so the shirt regulates temp on long-haul flights and dries fast enough that I can hand wash anywhere, and it’ll be dry by the next morning.

Bluffworks Threshold Cowl Neck Top - 50% off!

Much like the rest of the Bluffworks women’s apparel for travel, the Cowl Neck top is a classy and dressier travel top that I tried out. It’s made of the Threshold fabric that I know from the crew and V-neck tees.

As a note for petite women like me, this one comes in petite sizing! I’m 5’2” and wearing a size Petite XS. Honestly, it runs a little long, but that’s ideal for tucking it into a skirt or some slacks. My favorite travel feature is the secret zipper pocket at the side for handy essentials or valuables. It’s basically a theft-proof shirt for women, and it’s about time we had one! (Also, a tip: it’s on sale quite often.)

Mott & Bow Crew Marcy tee

Mott & Bow’s 50/50 Pima cotton-Modal tops were what I first tried as travel shirts. My Marcy tee packs up teeny tiny in my bag when I take it on a trip in a packing cube. These Marcy tees are simple basics, which is something I’m always on the hunt for, especially as a quick decision for an outfit when I’m on the road.

The Crew Marcy tee comes in a lot of colors, which makes it hard for me to pick. I went with some basics.

Take my tip on buying yours: you can load up on a few with the bundle of 3 or 6, and save anywhere between 20-27%. If you’d like to see more of what Mott & Bow offers as a brand, I’ve reviewed a lot of the products in this guide, with photos.

REI Women’s Travel Shirts in Top Brands

Dan and I went to our local REI store a few weeks ago and it reminded me how this company has everything, curated from the best brands in travel, hiking and outdoors adventuring. At REI’s website, you’ll find travel shirts from brands like Columbia, REI Co-Op and even Vuori, Patagonia and Royal Robbins. My tip to you is to go for the sale items, as you can snag a deal quickly and get a bang for your travel apparel budget.

The styles range from utility button-downs and pullovers to tanks, sleeveless tees and activewear. A nice plus is that if you need something fast, you can buy online and then pick up in a jiffy at your local REI shop if you’re pressed for time before your travel day.

KUHL Konstance Shirt

KUHL’s outdoorsy Konstance top is a best-seller made from a polyester and Tencel-spandex blend. When I wear it, I layer it under a zip-up hoodie or a windbreaker, and I’m be ready for hiking the trails with Dan in no time.

It scratches my itch for long sleeve travel shirts for women because the sleeves push up easily, the knit breathes well on trail days and it gives just enough sun coverage.

Even as a petite woman, I find that this shirt is only a “little” big in the shoulders, and it doesn’t run too long. Keep in mind that I’m 5’2” and about 110 lbs. It’s a spacious shirt with somewhat boxy shoulders, so maybe it’s kind of unique. The standard runs sizing, according to how this one fits me.

I throw it on for red-eye flights because the fabric is soft, but not bulky, so it layers over tank tops without overheating me in the security line or stuffy flights.

PAKA Apparel Women’s V-Neck

I wore my PAKA V-Neck travel tee for the first time on my trip to Colombia! I couldn’t wait to wear it in some of our travel photos because I love how it fits and how it feels. I like that it’s soft and durable, and I think the timeless V-neck scoop is flattering.

This special company works with artisans in the Peruvian Andes and all the products have a unique “handwoven tag.” While the V-neck is currently hanging in my closet, it’s coming on all my trips in the near future. Plus: despite the fine alpaca fabric blend, it’s machine-washable.

Toad & Co. Women’s Travel Shirts

I’m a fan of Toad & Co. because they make shopping easy, with sustainably-focused fabrics (TLDR: “100% of their fabrics are Earth-friendly bluesign® or OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certification”) and practices. The styles of travel shirts for women that Toad & Co. makes are pretty easy to pair with mostly anything, from shorts and pants to skirts and skorts.

One reason I recommend shopping at Toad & Co. is that they have sales ALL the time. In fact, if you’re just perusing the Toad & Co. travel shirts for female travelers, you’ll see that a whole bunch are typically marked down. For that matter, you can just jump right to the sale page and get a few for the price of one.

The only thing I will say about shopping at Toad & Co. is that there are so many prints and colors, I go into analysis paralysis. (That’s why shopping their sale section makes picking a shirt just a bit easier, as I’ve experienced it!)

Everlane Luxe Rib Crew Tee

From the collection at Everlane, the Luxe Rib Crew comes with a unique scoop neckline that’ll have your friends asking where you got it.

At a very affordable price point of $45 (and frequently on sale), and made of Supima cotton and elastane, it’s a cool item to be wearing under high-waisted pants, loose jeans or any other type of comfortable travel pants.

As a clarifier on Supima cotton, it’s a special type of cotton grown only in the US and because of its long fibers, it absorbs moisture better than regular cotton. Good to know!

The North Face Women’s Adventure T-Shirt

The affordable The North Face Adventure T-Shirt - Women’s from one of my favorite outdoors brands, The North Face, is a plain and simple shirt for travel days or as a hiking layer. It comes in quite two pastel colors, and you’ll see it’s available in an all-encompassing array of inclusive sizing from XS to XL.

Through its recycled polyester build (with FlashDry™ materials), it’s lightweight and has anti-odor technology. This is a superb combo for when you’re out getting some activities in, and then you hit a brewery or lunch spot with travel friends right after.

Free Fly Women’s Bamboo Current Boxy Tee

The Women’s Bamboo Current Boxy Tee is a likeable shirt that goes with just about anything you may have packed in your bag. It’s loose and relaxed, so it doesn’t hug your form, and sometimes I’m looking for this quality specifically. For that reason, I think it’s flattering, especially if you don’t want body-con.

Thanks to the airy bamboo blend, it lands high on my list of travel t-shirts quick dry womens styles because it wicks sweat, has built-in UPF and air-dries fast on a balcony.

The fabric and the style are the best parts of this shirt to discuss. Well, this particular Free Fly product runs big (on me), so it didn’t give me the fit I was looking for, but I gave it to my friend Alex, who is my size but a dab taller, and it fit her tons better! I went into more detail about it at my Free Fly apparel review, where I talk about this shirt and more of the products from this brand.

prAna Women’s T-Shirts & Tanks

prAna is a brand (have you heard of it?) that makes a bit of everything, for both women and men, with a focus on travel and performance and a little zest of cool style. Think it’s right for you? Check out the women’s travel shirts at prAna to see what I mean.

I’m not going to recommend just one style, because my taste may differ from yours. Instead, I’ll suggest checking out items like the Everyday Tank, Lotus High Neck Tank, Cozy Up Short Sleeve Crew and New Moon Tank.

Here’s the thing, though: and maybe it’s a secret, but… prAna has great sales. Just by checking out the selection of travel tops for your trip packing, you may see “end of season sale” or “final sale,” and that’s when you can get a lower price for these sweet styles.

Most of the cropped tees are made with hemp, recycled polyester or stretch jersey, so they dry quickly in a hotel sink. This is clutch for backpacking Europe or stringing together multiple long flights.

Want to see more from prAna? I’ve had the company listed in my recommendations of the best travel dresses for women for quite some time, now.

How I chose these shirts for travel

Over the years, I’ve pretty much figured out what I don’t appreciate in travel apparel and travel shirts. I can’t stand shirts that show perspiration, wrinkle after coming out of my bags, smell after getting sweaty on a bus ride and/or don’t fit in a flattering way. Based on these setbacks, I’ve decided what I do like my travel shirts to do for me.

What I’ve developed in this list is a range of shirts from those that could suit business casual events to the ones you want to wear for your next hike or trek. Some are for both! Here are a few of the things I’ve considered.

Brands

The shirts in this list come from my favorite travel brands. Some of these brands I’ve been able to try out first from their travel pants or travel dresses, and some I’ve been recommended by friends or found online. I trust these brands for making quality gear, and I hope you will too.

Cost

These shirts come in a range of prices. I’ve absolutely included shirts at every budget, from the really affordable ones in the $30-40 range, to the ones you’ll want to dish out for at the $80+ range. My budget for travel clothes has changed throughout the years, and I expect that the women reading this guide will have varying budgets for travel clothes.

Fabrics

From merino wool to recycled polyester to hemp, there are quite a few looks to consider for travel apparel. The same goes for travel shirts. The sportier shirts are stretchy and are made from quick-dry blends, whereas the merino wool shirts are high-quality and usually sustainably-sourced items with marks of excellence.

Technical features

I always appreciate a travel product with really impressive features. That might be the thoughtful hidden zipper pocket in the Bluffworks Cowl Neck Top, or the asymmetrical or square necklines on some shirts and bodysuits you see in my list.

Style

The shirts in this list range from relaxed tanks to bodysuits to tunics to simple tees. Every woman has several lenses of her style, and the same goes for me. Some days I’ll like a simple crew neck top, and other days I’ll be in the mood for a muscle tank. I am also assuming you’ll be taking a few shirts in your luggage for your trip (but if you have only one shirt for travel, I’ll be truly impressed).

I hope you’ve enjoyed this list of travel shirts and even if none of them work for you this time, I hope you’ve learned a bit about the types of shirts that are out there for the future.

Why trust me?

I’m someone who, despite years of travel, can never decide which shirts to bring on a trip. I think I’m finally in a place where I have my go-to travel shirts (from this list!) and those are the ones that will be my travel staples.

I’ve been traveling independently since my early 20s, from Asia and then to Latin America, and later, from Europe to Africa. I’ve been in all types of weather and elevation levels and I’ve been on tons of different methods of transport. For me, having a travel shirt that doesn’t make me sweaty, stinky or annoyed, is what I need!

From this list, I hope you were able to figure out some travel shirts to try and I hope they become useful for you in your next adventures.