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11 Best U.S. Black Friday and Cyber Monday Travel Deals Already Kicking Off

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WWhile navigating the Black Friday sale frenzy can feel daunting, some incredible deals, particularly in travel, are worth exploring. As a travel journalist and magazine writer for my packing list newsletter, I’m continually scouting for luggage, apparel, and gear that can enhance the travel experience. During the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, I focus on retailers delivering substantial discounts on items such as carry-on luggages and cozy loungewear. Pro tip: If a product intrigues you, conduct a Google search to discover if other sites offer better prices (which is often the case).


If you’re in the market for upgrading travel gear without breaking the bank, rely on my curated guide for your shopping decisions. We’ll be updating our sale selections frequently over the holiday season, so keep an eye on this space for more deals in the coming weeks.


How I selected my Black Friday and Cyber Monday travel deals

My guiding principle when selecting travel products is to prioritize quality over quantity. You don’t need multiple carry-on suitcases; you need one that you can consistently rely on.

I began by identifying essential items every traveler should have, considering the “nice-to-haves” that have simplified my journeys through the years. I then sought specific products from trusted retailers and brands (many I routinely purchase) to see if discounted prices were justified. The chosen picks are presented below.

Overview: The top travel deals for Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Now $257, previously $343

Now $64.99, previously $99 on Amazon

Now $53.40, previously $89 at Athleta

Top luggage deals



 Photo provided by Calpak

Calpak Terra 26L Laptop Duffel Backpack

Now $158.40, previously $198 at Calpak

Since I began using the Calpak Terra 26L Laptop Duffle Backpack last winter, I was thrilled with its carrying capacity. In fact, it holds as much as my suitcase while still fitting under an airplane seat! The clamshell opening simplifies packing, and internal compression straps secure everything. It’s essentially two bags in one: both a backpack and a duffle.



 Photo: Provided by Away

Away Packing Pro Bundle

Now $257, previously $343


I always turn to Away for my bag needs. After using the Bigger Carry-On for years and testing numerous other suitcases, I’m convinced it offers more storage than any other carry-on. This bundle includes a set of packing cubes, perfect for organizing your suitcase, making it ideal for new travelers or those prone to overpacking.

Away is running an early Black Friday sale with 25% off all products, but I suggest focusing on items with the best cost per use. For frequent travelers, that’s the Away Packing Pro bundle. It includes the Bigger Carry-On and a set of Insider Packing Cubes (set of 4)—two travel essentials that can be used independently or together. Bonus: choose matching colors or mix and match!



 Photo: Provided by ROHM

Roam Check-In Expandable

Now $545, previously $725 at Roam

Quality checked suitcases can be pricey, hence waiting for a sale is worthwhile. While the Roam Check-In Expandable may seem costly, it’s a one-time investment. Crafted with an extension feature (2-inch zipper) and compression board, it can comfortably accommodate 10-13 clothing items.

Top travel tech and gear deals



 Photo: Provided by Amazon

European Travel Plug Adapter Set

Now $12.66 on Amazon, previously $16.99

Planning a trip to Europe? Or need a practical gift for someone traveling abroad? Grab this European travel plug adapter set on sale (26% off). It includes a Type-C plug adapter for places like Germany, Italy, France, and Spain, plus a Type-G mini adapter for the UK.

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Photo: Provided by Amazon

JBL Tune 720BT Wireless Over-Ear Headphones

Now $44.95, previously $89.95 on Amazon

As a person who frequently misplaces AirPods while traveling, I lean heavily on headphones. This JBL pair is currently 50% off and boasts great reviews from countless users. Ideal for anyone hesitant about larger headphones, this model is accessible in multiple colors, including purple and blue.



 Photo: Provided by Amazon

Apple AirTags 4 Pack


Now $64.99, previously $99 on Amazon

While you can’t control everything at the airport—like lost luggage—you can equip yourself with technology to track your belongings. Keeping an Apple AirTag in both checked and carry-on luggage provides reassurance, especially when connectivity is unreliable. It’s an opportune time to invest in your own set of AirTags.

Buying a 4-pack of AirTags at Apple.com means paying full price, but you can find these nifty tracking devices on Amazon and Walmart for under $65. Not only are AirTags handy for travel, but they also come in handy for daily life—attach one to your keys, slip it in your bag, or place it in your wallet.



 Photo: Provided by Amazon

Travel Inspira Luggage Scale

Now $9.99 on Amazon, previously $12.99

Searching for a practical gift? The Travel Inspira Luggage Scale is that underappreciated item most don’t realize they need until they experience the relief of weighing their suitcase pre-flight. Simply loop the weighing strap through your luggage handle, lift, and check. Not only will the sale price save you money, but you’ll also avoid potential overweight baggage fees.

The top travel clothing deals



 Photo provided by: REI

Men’s Evolution EMB Oversized Parka


Now $45.49, previously $65 at REI


REI’s Holiday Sale highlights numerous items suited for any traveler’s wardrobe, but the Men’s Evolution EMB Oversized Parka (currently 30% off) stands out. It offers a refined oversized fit that remains stylish, with ribbed cuffs and hem for a polished appearance, making it ideal for your journeys.



 Photo: Provided by Amazon

Women’s Pioneer Camp Packable Puffer

Now $47.59, previously $55.99 on Amazon

Selecting outerwear can be challenging when packing. One tip is to wear your coat while traveling (no need to stuff it in a suitcase), yet a lightweight layer is essential. The Pioneer Camp Women’s Packable Puffer is an excellent choice: it’s lightweight, water-resistant, and packs neatly into a carry bag. The timing of this sale is ideal for the winter trips ahead.



 Photo: Provided by Athleta

Women’s Forever Fleece Relaxed Crew Sweatshirt

Now $53.40, previously $89 at Athleta

I firmly believe travel attire should be both flattering and comfortable. I favor sweats and loungewear in solid, neutral hues like the Athleta Forever Fleece Relaxed Crew sweatshirt. Stylish yet practical, this navy piece will conceal any travel stains.

Athleta’s pre-Black Friday sale (download the app for 30% off everything) is a real advantage for athleisure enthusiasts, but don’t rush in. Instead, focus on pieces worthy of a spot in your suitcase. This cotton crewneck is machine washable (a must for travel clothing) and available in multiple neutral colors. This will serve you well for all upcoming travels.



 Photo: Courtesy of Nordstrom

Italic Amara Cashmere Wrap

Now $167, previously $279 at Nordstrom

A cashmere wrap is a travel must-have. It’s larger than a blanket, providing warmth on chilly flights, and doubles as a stylish scarf. Versatile travel items score high in my book. This 100% cashmere wrap from Italic, marked down by over $100, is chic, functional, and versatile.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Mother Teresa at Australia’s Supermarket: Women Showcase Grocery Deals on TikTok

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mAya Angelou once remarked, “Heroes are individuals who genuinely strive to make the world a better place for everyone.” In her thoughts, I can only imagine she had Aussie TikToker and micro-influencer Tenil_deals in mind.

So, who is Tennilles_deals exactly? Firstly, she is Teresa, a devoted mother and a savvy queen who represents the Australian supermarket scene. Secondly, I must admit I don’t know much about her since she doesn’t market herself like the typical influencer; instead, she allows her work to shine.

What does she do? Tenil meticulously navigates major supermarkets and shares weekly POV-style videos highlighting the week’s special offerings. Her calming voice and steady hand bring you through the sea of yellow price tags. Her work is detailed, thoughtful, and essential.

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I once felt deep shame for eagerly awaiting the Coles and Woolworths catalogs to drop every Monday at 5 PM. Wednesdays held a special thrill as it signaled ALDI Catalog Day—nothing felt quite like discovering a niche European snack or a new cleaning gadget with a staggering 75% discount.

Flipping through the supermarket catalog evokes the same excitement I felt as a kid rifling through the Royal Easter Show showbag booklet in the early 2000s. I vividly remember the thrill of touching each item listed in the $15 (somewhat offensively named) Megasmo bag. The anxious choice between Wonka or With Fizz, knowing my mom wouldn’t buy both. The supermarket catalog brings that same pulse-racing experience—may it soon be yours too.


However, the era of flipping through paper catalogs has truly ended. Thus, Tennilles_Deals plays a crucial role, offering concise 3-minute videos that provide 360-degree views of every item. We find ourselves in a battleground with her, Woolworths and Coles, where she serves as our protector, skillfully guiding us through each aisle. She is our mother, and we are her children.

I’m not alone in my praise for this incredible woman. It’s evident why Tennilles_deals has garnered nearly 100,000 followers—she provides what giant supermarkets often lack: a space for cash-strapped Australians to voice their frustrations over price changes.




Commentary on TikToks by Tennilles_deals creates a space for both admiration and solidarity. Photo: TikTok

In one of her videos discussing the price of extra virgin olive oil, the comments section ignites debate. Kelly from Tamworth recalls when it was only $7, and we love how Kerry’s reactions foster a sense of unity. We’re not alone in this. Barry from Wagga Wagga expresses his frustration over Cadbury Chocolate Block pricing. He commiserates that two for $10 seems absurd, bringing back memories of simpler days when it was just $3. Despite his subsequent comment on something unrelated, we appreciate that he stands with us in solidarity over the chocolate prices.

The stress of supermarket shopping instills a common Australian anxiety. Gone are the days of wandering the aisles without a clear plan. Now, I’m armed with the knowledge to snag 5 Chobani pots for $10, just like Carol’s encouraging voice from Broken Hill reminds us: “Don’t let go of that Chobani deal.” This mantra helps ease my budgetary worries while keeping my gut microbiota happy.

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What Tennilles_deals is doing is fostering community. “Australia of the Year,” remarked one TikTok user, noting a half-price Woolworths item spotted last week.

Sadly, the nominations for the 2026 Australia of the Year have closed, so the only way I can show my appreciation is through this heartfelt essay. Keep up the amazing work, Tennille—people love you, and they need you. You truly are the real deal.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Perfect Time to Buy an Electric Car in the UK: Unbeatable Deals on Electric, Hybrid, and Low Emission Vehicles

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IIf you’re considering trading up to an electric vehicle but think it’s too costly, think again. Used Tesla Model 3 or Kia e-Niros, capable of 250-300 miles on a single charge, can now be purchased for just £14,000.

Last year, prices for used electric vehicles dropped significantly, making previously unattainable models now accessible to many families.

In fact, Autotrader reported that EVs are now almost as affordable as petrol cars, with the average price of a three- to five-year-old EV in July being £18,964, compared to £18,076 for a petrol car of the same model year.

Ground-breaking ultra-efficient models from three to four years ago are now available on the second-hand market at much more affordable prices, despite initially costing between £40,000 and £50,000 new.

According to David Smith of Cleveleys Electric Vehicles, there are some incredible deals available, with cars offering nearly the same driving range as new models, proven reliability, and warranties still intact, all at a fraction of the price.

One EV specialist highly recommends the Kia e-Niro, especially with its 64kWh battery. Photo: Sue Thatcher/Alamy

Smith also recommended the Kia e-Niro with its 64kWh battery for families under £15,000, citing its efficiency, range, and reliability.

Another model to consider is the MG5, which has proven to be extremely reliable according to Cleveleys Electric Vehicles.

Smith mentioned that longer-range EVs are not as risky as perceived, with many cars maintaining their mileage even after extensive use.

Buying a used, fuel-efficient EV eliminates the issues that new electric vehicles may face, making them a practical choice for many buyers.

For those looking to purchase, there are several affordable options available, like the Kia e-Niro and Tesla Model 3, both offering long-distance capabilities at competitive prices.

Charging at home is much cheaper than using public charging points, making EVs even more cost-effective in the long run.

The Tesla Model 3 has proven to be capable of long distance driving. Photo: Taina Sohlman/Alamy

Consider the warranties, charging options, and overall cost before making a decision on purchasing a used EV.

Charging at home is much cheaper than using a public charging point. Photo: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian

Consider the charging infrastructure, insurance costs, and warranty coverage when buying a used EV to ensure a wise investment.

Source: www.theguardian.com

There were few notable enterprise technology M&A deals in a slow year.

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Cisco was the most active company

It’s that time A look back at this year’s biggest tech M&A deals. Typically, by this point, the usual acquisition suspects like Microsoft, Salesforce, Adobe, SAP Oracle, and Cisco have undergone at least some major changes. But this year, only Cisco made a big splash, ultimately announcing 11 deals in total.

SAP has made some small deals, but Microsoft, Salesforce, Adobe, and Oracle have been mostly quiet this year. The $61 billion Broadcom-VMware deal, announced in May 2022, was finally completed last month, and Adobe and Figma agreed this month to terminate the $20 billion deal, which ends in September 2022. It has been a regulatory impasse since it was announced in September.

It is not our imagination that transactions from major companies are decreasing. CB Insight reported There were zero deals from big tech companies in the third quarter of this year. Compare that to 2019, when there were 10 such deals in the third quarter, and 2020, when there were eight.

Graph showing the number of M&A transactions by major technology companies from 2019 to present. In his most recent quarter, Q3 2023, there were zero trades.

Image credits: CB Insight

Perhaps high borrowing costs put a damper on deals in 2023. The days when his 2020 major deals totaled $165 billion are long gone. This year’s total was just $67.7 billion, the lowest total since a record low of $40 billion in 2019, the second year the list of these top deals was compiled.

It’s worth noting that a significant number of this year’s deals involve private equity firms acquiring companies or selling them at significant profits.

Perhaps smaller deals involving AI were more important, like Atlassian’s $975 million acquisition of Loom. Salesforce acquired Airkit.ai for an undisclosed sum, one of just two small acquisitions this year. Or Snowflake’s acquisition of AI search company Neeva, again for an undisclosed amount.

Regardless, here are this year’s top 10 corporate deals, from cheapest to most expensive.

Source: techcrunch.com

Q3 Sees Another Drop in VC Funding for Foodtech Startups as Deals Decrease

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Venture capital investment in the food technology sector fell for the eighth consecutive quarter in Q3 2023, with 205 deals reported reaching $2 billion in value. New PitchBook Report.

This is a 13.9% decrease compared to the previous quarter, when 268 investments were made worth $2.2 billion. And compared to the previous year, it was down more than 71%. At PitchBook, we consider “food tech” to be a field that includes alternative proteins, bioengineered foods, discovery and reviews, e-commerce, food production, restaurant and retail technology.

“It’s a little disappointing to see deal activity continue to be weak,” report author Alex Frederick, senior analyst for emerging technologies at PitchBook, told TechCrunch. “But the market is still developing.”

He believes one of the bright spots in the third quarter was Instacart’s IPO, and says there was excitement in that regard, especially since it did so well. But Frederick also said he hasn’t yet seen many other tech startups retreat.

He added: “The IPO window remains closed and venture activity will continue to be challenged.”

Investor opinion

Meir Rabkin, founder and managing partner of climate technology venture firm Blue Vision Capital, said in an interview that climate technology as a whole has been “very resilient” over the past two years. He notes that this resilience is about corporate valuations, and that the contraction felt in other sectors was not as widespread in climate technology.

Rabkin said investing in food tech is “a bit of a tough space” for a variety of reasons, including relatively high capital expenditures and time-consuming research and development.

“That being said, there’s a lot of disruption and innovation that needs to go on there,” Rabkin said. “It’s a very exciting space to be in.”

But Christina Rohr, managing director of food and agriculture investments at impact investment firm S2G Ventures, says capital constraints aren’t all bad.

She found that when the availability of capital decreased, companies’ business models became more resilient because founders considered more capital-efficient methods. She is also considering different types of collaborations, including licensing her models.

Lohr isn’t surprised that venture capital is lagging in food technology, as companies focus on achieving scalability and positive unit economics.

“We are in an environment that is influenced by commodity prices and supply chain costs,” Lohr said. “Given all of this, to be scalable, costs must be comparable to existing technology and products. With these large rounds coming together, investors are looking at technological milestones and , we look at the combined ability to achieve these milestones in a manner that has positive unit economics.”

Plant-based is not growing as fast

Meanwhile, the alternative protein sector saw $724.2 million invested in 46 deals in the third quarter. The report says venture capital funding for plant-based foods is “down significantly from its peak in Q3 2021,” but deal activity remains strong, with further increases for the second consecutive quarter. That’s what it means.

Despite the rise in plant-based investment deals, Pitchbook’s Frederick said the sector is “struggling” when it comes to meat substitutes, citing shrinking grocery store shelf allocations. Ta.

The reasons for this are primarily price and taste perception, and because these products are processed foods, it is difficult to get new customers to try these premium products, Frederick said.

“It’s hard to get it and keep it on the shelf,” he said. “Achieving results is critical for these companies.Currently, consumer packaged goods across the board are under significant challenge from rising prices.Consumers seek lower-cost alternatives. The trend is for plant-based beef companies to sell at a 2% price premium over conventional meat.”

Notable deals in alternative proteins in the third quarter include that of Meati. Series C extension is $200 millionMeatable’s $35 million round and €40 million raised is enough.

As seen on TechCrunch

Fresh capital injection puts Farmless on path to first alternative protein product

I wrote a funding update on Farmless, a company I reported on earlier this year. A Dutch startup working to develop alternative protein sources through fermentation technology has raised a further €4.8 million in seed funding. This will be applied to Farmless’ goal of discovering microorganisms that can be fermented and used in various food applications.

what else are you reading

Great deal: The Canadian Food Innovation Network has awarded Crush Dynamics approximately $2 million to develop and test new ingredients that improve food quality and reduce sugar and sodium content in foods. learn more.

Sustainable supply chain: The Clean Food Group has now received £1 million from the UK Government to fund a project to promote new low-emission food production systems. read more.

Cultured meat support: Alternative protein investor Big Idea Ventures has launched Nexture Bio, a startup that will develop scaffolding technology used to create 3D meat substitute products that more closely resemble whole cuts of meat. get the scoop.

Eye stain: The alternative seafood industry has a new advocate: the Future Ocean Foods Association, founded by Marissa Bronfman. It involves his 36 companies from 14 countries representing cultivation, plant-based and fermentation technologies. read more.

Next time I go to New York, I will: Stop by Eleven Madison Park to try The Every Company’s newly added plant-based egg alternatives to the menu. check it out.

If you have an interesting tip or information about something happening in the world of venture or food technology, please contact Christine Hall at chall.techcrunch@gmail.com or Signal at 832-862-1051. Anonymous requests will be honored.

Source: techcrunch.com