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Short answer: the 13-inch MacBook Air (M5) is the best travel laptop for most people: about 2.7 lb, silent, and good for a long-haul flight on a single charge. The lightest Windows options are the ASUS Zenbook A14 (about 2.2 lb) and the LG gram 14 (about 2.5 lb). Business travellers should look at the ThinkPad X1 Carbon.
For travel, weight is only half the story. The charger, battery life and durability matter just as much, so we’ve weighed all of them.
In this article
Our picks at a glance
| Best travel laptop overallApple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5) | Check price |
| Lightest Windows laptopASUS Zenbook A14 (Snapdragon X) | Check price |
| Light with a bigger screen and more portsLG gram 14 (2026) | Check price |
| Best compact Windows laptopMicrosoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (2025) | Check price |
| Best for business travelLenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 | Check price |
Best travel laptop overall
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5)
The Air combines a light, sturdy aluminium body with industry-leading battery life (Apple rates it for up to 18 hours of video), a small USB-C charger, and no fan to get noisy on a tray table. It is also fast enough for photo editing on the road.
Good: Exceptional battery life, light and durable, silent, tiny charger.
Not so good: Only two ports, so bring a small hub if you need HDMI or USB-A.
Lightest Windows laptop
ASUS Zenbook A14 (Snapdragon X)
At around 2.2 lb, the Zenbook A14 is one of the lightest laptops you can buy, and its Snapdragon chip delivers Mac-like battery life. The OLED screen is great for movies on a plane. As a Windows on ARM laptop, check your must-have apps first.
Good: Ultralight, superb battery life, OLED screen, affordable.
Not so good: Some apps, games and VPNs don’t support ARM, glossy screen.
Light with a bigger screen and more ports
LG gram 14 (2026)
LG’s gram laptops are famously light for their size. This 14-inch model weighs about 2.5 lb but still has full-size USB-A, HDMI and USB-C ports, so you need no dongles. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 and 16GB of RAM handle work comfortably.
Good: Very light, plenty of ports, 16GB RAM, efficient.
Not so good: Chassis flexes more than metal rivals, pricier than the Zenbook.
Best compact Windows laptop
Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (2025)
A small, beautifully built 13-inch laptop with a great keyboard and touchscreen, long Snapdragon battery life and a compact charger. It is a lovely companion for hotel desks and trains.
Good: Compact, premium build, long battery life, touchscreen.
Not so good: ARM app compatibility, limited ports.
Best for business travel
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14
Around 2.4 lb of carbon fibre with ThinkPad durability, the best keyboard in its class, full-size ports and enterprise security features. It is the frequent flyer’s favourite. Many configurations are sold, so choose 16GB+ RAM and the screen you prefer.
Good: Light and tough, superb keyboard, great ports, business features.
Not so good: Expensive, so buy on sale; configurations vary widely.
Travel accessories worth packing
- One small charger for everything: a compact 100W GaN charger replaces your laptop brick and phone charger. See chargers and power banks.
- A flight-safe power bank like the Anker 25,000mAh laptop power bank (under the 100Wh carry-on limit).
- A portable stand like the Roost V3 for hotel desks.
- A padded sleeve and a good travel backpack.
- A tiny USB-C hub with HDMI for presentations and hotel TVs.
Travel tips
- Laptops and power banks always go in your carry-on, never checked bags.
- Turn on a charge limit when you’re plugged in at the hotel all week, and charge to full before flights.
- Use your phone’s hotspot or USB tethering instead of public Wi-Fi for anything sensitive.
FAQ
What’s considered a lightweight laptop?
Under about 3 lb (1.36kg) is lightweight; under 2.5 lb is ultralight.
Does a lighter laptop mean less battery life?
Not any more. Efficient chips from Apple, Qualcomm and Intel’s Lunar Lake give some of the lightest laptops the best battery life.
