My Carry-On Packing Essentials

Let’s chat about essentials for your carry-on bag. When traveling internationally, I like to have easy access to the things that make the flight more comfortable.  I love traveling, but don’t really love sitting on a plane for 10+ hours.  I bring all kinds of comforts & what I deem as necessities from home, so the flight doesn’t seem so long.  After traveling internationally many times, I have refined my carry-on essentials. You may not find some of these things to be “essentials”, so switch it up for what works for you.

 

*Just to note, I use pouches and Ziploc bags for everything, making it easy to pull items out of my bag.

Essentials:

Passport & Paperwork

passport

itinerary

address of where I’ll be staying (needed for immigration document)

lodging confirmation

small wallet

 

Health & Cosmetics

hand sanitizer

a small pack  of disinfecting wipes  (I wipe down the armrest, tray table, TV screen, etc.)

lip balm (my lips get sooo dry on the plane)

a small tube of hand cream (same with my hands!)

face cream (I save cosmetic samples for trips)

toothbrush & travel-size toothpaste

eye drops (that air causes really dry eyes!)

deodorant

a mini bottle of Evian Facial Water Spray (I spritz during the flight- I love this stuff!)

a small pack of tissues

medicine such as Ibuprofen, Tylenol, etc.

eye mask for sleeping

disposable foam earplugs

inflatable neck pillow

make-up (such as mascara, eye pencil, blush)

brush or comb

 

Snacks

granola bars

fruit leather

nuts

chocolate

mints

gum

purchase a bottle of water after passing through security (or bring Brita water bottle to fill)

Via or Trader Joe’s instant coffee packets (airplane coffee is dreadful)

Entertainment

phone (listen to downloaded music, play games, etc.)

phone charger/battery pack

ear buds (the airplane ones are horrible)

iPad (I use the Kindle app & plenty of reading material)

magazine

small notebook and pen (for jotting down ideas, notes to self)

 

Miscellaneous

warm socks

extra shirt/extra outfit including underwear (in case my luggage gets lost)

scarf (can be used as a blanket or to cover my head when trying to sleep)

sweater (airplanes get chilly!)

 

My Routine:

I wear comfortable clothing, but not gym clothes. I typically wear leggings or pants, a long-sleeved top, cozy sweater, and flats. Flats are easy to take off when going through security. Once on the plane, I use the disinfecting wipes to clean my seating area.  I’ve read that those parts of the plane don’t get cleaned.  Ew!

I pull out my earbuds, my iPad, and my water bottle and stow them in the seat pocket. I arrange my snacks in my bag so they are accessible, and then store my bag either under my seat or in the overhead compartment, depending on where my seat is.

After the plane has been in the air for a few hours, I try to sleep.  I brush my teeth and then put on my eye mask, put in my earbuds, use eye drops, swipe lip balm on, wrap my scarf around me, and use my inflatable neck pillow.

About 90 minutes before landing, I take my cosmetics pouch into the bathroom and freshen up.  I brush my teeth, wipe my face, put on a little makeup, brush my hair, and put on deodorant.  I feel so much better after the long flight when I take the time to freshen up.  I am then ready for my destination!

 

 

While this may seem like a lot to you, it is what helps me survive those longggg flights.  What do you bring along for international or lengthy domestic flights to make it more comfortable for you?  Do you have any travel routines?  Let’s chat.  Comment below or email me. I would love to hear from you.

Happy travels,

Natalie xo