Travel Trailers

Comparison Guide: Caravel

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What’s in a name?  If the name is Caravel, the answer is exploration and adventure. The first caravels were sailing ships that took explorers around the world. Today, Airstream Caravels carry a new generation of seekers into the outdoors in comfort and style.

Today’s Caravel is the latest version of an Airstream model that debuted in 1956 and was a favorite of Airstream founder, Wally Byam. Since it was reimagined in 2019, Airstream's Caravel Travel Trailer model line has delivered many of the features and amenities of our larger travel trailers in a compact model that’s perfect for long-distance trips.

Caravel Old Design New Spin

AIRMKT 2025 Caravel 22 FB 3-4 Level PRINT

For Model Year 2025, the Caravel line features new interior décor packages and a minor layout change that makes a big difference. We've also retired the 19-foot Caravel floor plan in order to focus on Caravel's three floor plans in 16, 20, and 22 feet.

Read on for an inside look at how we developed Caravel's new décor packages. Then, download our new Caravel Comparison Guide for a side-by-side comparison of the floor plans, features, and amenities in this exciting single-axle lineup.

Download Caravel Comparison

 

 

The Caravel Interior: Gorgeous, Functional, and Filled with Fun Surprises

The Airstream life is all about the best of both worlds – enjoying limitless exploration with all the comforts of home. Among those amenities is a décor that helps you kick back and relax after a day of adventuring. Caravel’s new interior does just that.

“We describe this as a tonal tweed look because the overall neutral palette gives a warm and inviting feel,” says Airstream Interior Designer Jessica Fisher. “Caravel owners can choose from two color schemes: Pebble, which has cream and light grey seating and bedding, while Driftwood features darker, soft neutral tones.”

AIRMKT 2025 Caravel 22 FB BTF No Props PRINT
2025 Caravel 22FB with Driftwood Décor

Like every Airstream improvement, this new décor resulted from an intentional process involving experts across the company. Airstream reviews a product line’s interior décor about every four years. Sometimes, the existing décor is retained in keeping with that “only improvements” touchstone. 

Change, when it’s in order, begins with a creative brief from Airstream’s sales department. Based on market research and feedback from the Airstream community, that document broadly outlines a look and feel to appeal to future Airstreamers. 

AIRMKT 2025 Caravel 20 Dinette 1 PRINT
2025 Caravel 20FB with Pebble Décor

Informed by that input, Airstream’s two interior designers began working on three initial décor concepts for consideration by Airstream’s leadership team. These looks encompass virtually every aspect of the interior style, including flooring, laminates, window coverings, faucets, cushions, bedding, light fixtures, cabinets, and even small finishes like drawer pulls. 

AIRMKT 2025 Caravel 22 FB Lav PRINT

As they developed the new concepts, the designers consulted with Airstream experts in engineering, materials, purchasing, production, and marketing. The result is an appealing décor executed in durable materials that are reliably and ethically sourced.

Airstream’s leadership team selected the tonal tweed concept, and the process advanced to the “vignette” stage. In this phase of the design process, a full-scale mock-up of the proposed décor is created and evaluated. Finally, the team builds a “pilot unit” with the tonal tweed décor and fully functional amenities to guide the production teams.

A “Chic, Functional, and Calming” Look

“The previous Caravel décor had the design brief of a ‘New York studio loft’ inspired feel,” explains designer Mollie Nauman. “With the new décor, we wanted to update that design to make it more effortlessly chic, functional, and calming. We pursued that with textural and tonal layering.”

That layering is achieved using textures and materials that create an approachable yet elevated style. Waffle bedding and lumbar support pillows with shams of speckled, nubby fabric are among the décor's highlights. 

AIRMKT 2025 Caravel Bedroom 16RB PRINT

The main wall and cabinetry laminate have the textile feel of a herringbone fabric. A solid, warm taupe accent-color laminate in the galley and the galley’s overhead lockers grounds the cabinets. These interior colors reflect the natural light to create a warm and welcoming feel. 

Caravel’s bench seats are covered in a velvety material, while the backs feature ribbed chamfered details. The seats are both beautiful and tough — durable, stain-resistant, pet-friendly and easy to clean. The main difference in the two décor packages comes in this seating material, with Pebble featuring lighter seating fabric and Driftwood featuring darker fabric.

Caravel: A Feature-Packed Family with Three Floor Plans

Every Caravel sleeps up to four people and has amenities typically found in larger Airstreams. So, your biggest consideration when selecting one of these fantastic travel trailers is how much space you need to realize your version of an Airstream adventure. 

Now that you've seen Caravel's new Model Year 2025 décor, explore Caravel's three versatile floor plans in our downloadable Caravel Comparison Guide.

Download Guide