So, the countdown to your holiday is on and with each passing day, your suitcase is packing itself, filled to the brim with enough pretty broderie anglaise dresses and lightweight linen sets to last a month. The group chat has already started pinging with plans, from boat trips to vineyard tours, and you can almost smell the salty air of your chosen Euro summer escape.

If we’re honest, it’s a feeling we spend all year chasing. Before the beach clubs, long lunches and golden-hour strolls, though, comes the less glamorous part: the airport. Now normally, I am not one to overdress for a flight; I’ve boarded more planes than I’d care to admit in questionable outfits—think mismatched activewear or an (accidentally) coffee-stained T-shirt. But on the cusp of hitting my late 20s, I decided it was time for an upgrade. Inspired by the likes of Hailey Bieber and Amal Clooney—both of whom have mastered the art of airport dressing, often relying on a great pair of jeans—I took my cue from the ultimate capsule wardrobe staple.

After wearing a jeans-based airport outfit on my first trip of the summer, I’m now convinced they’re the chicest—and most practical—thing you can fly in. Not only do they protect you from aeroplane seats that have seen more than their fair share of bare legs and bottoms, but they’ll also keep you cosy when the cabin air conditioning is cranked up to Arctic-adjacent levels.

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Perhaps most importantly, wearing your jeans on the plane frees up valuable suitcase space. A precious commodity when travelling, it helps you avoid those dreaded excess baggage charges while leaving more room for holiday shopping. And really, what’s better than that?

In search of fresh inspiration for my next summer getaway, I headed straight to the Instagram feeds of the chicest dressers I know. Luckily, they’re just as sold on wearing jeans to the airport. Whether styled with tank tops and flip flops or jumpers and clogs, each of these airport outfits proves that jeans are a travel staple worth relying on. Scroll on to see how they’re styling them in 2026—and, of course, shop each look along the way.

5 Airport Outfits with Jeans Worth Saving:

1. Bolero + Jeans + Ballet Flats

Style Notes: Using her blue tweed blazer to add warmth up top, Hannah (pictured above) wears white jeans to the airport. Keeping her look clean and classic, she inject colour through her dusty blue suede bag and matching ballet flats.

Shop the Look:

2. Tank Top + Jeans + Mesh Flats

Style Notes: Take it from Margot Robbie: you can wear mesh ballet flats to the airport. But if you want them to look chicer, why not style them with jeans? Keeping her look neutral, Jamie Ridge (pictured above) matches her black Alaïa flats to her Kelly 28, instantly brightening her tan denim and a white tank top. Finished with ’70s-inspired specs, it’s a look that you can take from the plane to strolling the city.