My Pilot Friends Swear by This Under-$25 Tool for Traveling—and It’s TSA-approved

Pilots swear by this bladeless multi-tool.

Thousands of pocket knives are confiscated at TSA every year—it’s such a small item that travelers tend to leave on keychains, forgetting they can’t be brought through airport security. Traveling with a Swiss Army knife wasn’t something United Airlines pilot Trey Cecil ever imagined he would be doing again after his long career as an active-duty pilot in the United States Air Force; but after discovering the TSA-friendly (and bladeless) Victorinox Jetsetter Swiss Army Knife, he found himself, once again, in the cockpit with a handy multi-tool.

“Honestly, when I first saw the Jetsetter, I was a little shocked,” Cecil said. “Mainly because of how small it was. It’s tiny; about as big as my pinky finger, but, no kidding, every single day I found a use for it.” Now, Cecil always flies with the super slim bladeless pocket knife. And, since it’s under $25 at Amazon, you can score one for yourself and be prepared for anything on your next vacation.

This Pilot-loved Backpack Can Hold a Week’s Worth of Travel Essentials—and It’s Only $26

A red Swiss Army knife with tools extended placed on a flat surface near an airport terminal — Travel + Leisure

Victorinox Jetsetter Swiss Army Knife

Credit: Amazon

$24 at Amazon $24 at Victorinox.com

The Jetsetter “knife” is a bladeless multi-tool from Victorinox that has seven functions designed with travelers in mind. It has a pair of scissors, which Cecil notes are super sharp and have come in handy for even delicate use, like cutting off an itchy tag from a pair of shorts. The key ring allows you to attach the tool to anything (like a keychain) for easy access, and the built-in tweezers ensure one of the most often forgotten travel essentials is always on hand.

The magnetic Phillips screwdriver was the tool of choice for Cecil when he needed to rescue a pop screw in the airplane on one of his latest flights. The Jetsetter’s slim profile makes the tool ideal for picking up anything metal in hard-to-reach places, both at home and while on the road, like behind a nightstand in a hotel room or under the sink in a restaurant bathroom.

Plus, Cecil points out that “the price point is so inexpensive, I won’t lose any sleep if I forget it on the hotel table, but the quality is so good, and it’s backed by a lifetime warranty.”

Victorinox Jetsetter Swiss Army Knife

Credit: Amazon

$24 at Amazon $24 at Victorinox.com

Kody Spencer, a pilot at Allegiant Air, also travels with the Jetsetter, and loves always having a pair of tweezers and scissors on-hand whenever he may need them. “When you’re traveling a lot, inevitably something comes up that you wish you had a tool to [help] deal with [it],” Spencer said. “Most surprising and helpful is when something on my suitcase breaks and I can fix it quickly and easily with the screwdriver.”

The tool also has a wire stripper, toothpick, and bottle opener built-in, which are all TSA-friendly, and both Cecil and Spencer noted they’ve never had any issues getting the tool through TSA while they’ve been traveling. Plus, the many functions are great for camping and backpacking trips, too.

Victorinox Jetsetter Swiss Army Knife

Credit: Victorinox

$24 at Amazon $24 at Victorinox.com

Pilots are highly trained to problem solve, and this tiny tool is a go-to travel hack for some of the most frequent flyers. But it can also be incredibly helpful to add to first-aid kits or stick in a backpack pocket, so you have it ready to go for small emergencies that may come up.

If you’re looking for other TSA-friendly multi-tools that can help make your travels smoother, check out some other top-rated options from Amazon here.