The 15 essentials to make flying a dream…
Traveling the world is a favorite pastime. Flying, however, is not! But, after years of long-haul practice, we’ve perfected the art of how to pack
We’re sharing our carry on packing tips below to make flying a stress-free experience. We’ve listed the 15 essential items to pack in carry on to make your journey a dream!
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How to Pack Carry On Like a Pro
1. The Right Carry On Bag
Options for travel bags are virtually limitless. Ultimately, you will know what style of bag works best for you.
If you are traveling carry on only, you might find it useful to travel with a small wheeled case. Alternatively, if you have checked luggage, your carry on may only be these 15 items, so a rucksack would suffice.
When it comes to bags, rucksacks are our favourite. Generally, a standard bucket rucksack with lots of space to dump everything in is ideal.
It can be tempting (and on occasions, beneficial) to buy a bag with millions of pockets so everything has its own compartment. In reality, navigating an airport is stressful enough without having to rake around your bag trying to remember which secret compartment you put your passport and boarding pass in. As an alternative, we recommend a bucket rucksack, with item number 2 on the list, which is the real secret to successful carry on.
2. A Smaller Bag
So, packing a smaller bag may seem counter-intuitive, but let us explain…
When you’re packing your carry on, pack everything you’re not going to need to hand on the flight at the bottom of your rucksack. Next, pack everything on this list that you are going to want during the flight, such as a book, your headphones, device etc. Then, pack a small bag such as a collapsible shopping bag. Finally, pack everything you’re going to need to get out during the airport security checks such as liquids.
Firstly, you can easily remove everything such as laptops and liquids when you go through security and repack them easily. This conquers the most stressful pre-flight element! Once you’ve cleared security and got to your gate, you can pull out your collapsible shopping bag and pack in here everything you are going to want on the journey.
The benefits of packing a small bag in carry on…
There are many benefits to having a separate bag for the flight. To start with, you can board the plane and quickly stash your rucksack in the overhead lockers without having to unpack everything while you attempt to fish out your headphones and hold up the queue of people trying to find their seats. This is perfect for those flights where overhead locker space is in high demand and you need to claim your spot quickly!
It also means that you can simply store this smaller bag under the seat in front of you and have easy access to everything you will need during the flight. The benefits of this are twofold; you can maximise your legroom without needing to store your large rucksack under the seat, and you don’t have to keep disturbing the person in the aisle seat to keep getting up during the flight to grab something else out of your bag.
When you’ve had a relaxing flight and arrive at your destination feeling refreshed, having a bucket rucksack now comes into play. Simply pack all of your items into your smaller bag ahead of landing, then bundle this bag inside your rucksack as you get off the plane and off you go!
3. Liquids
In recent years, traveling with liquids has become tricky, but it isn’t something to worry about.
Firstly, consider which liquids you really need in your carry on. Always put as many of your liquids in hold luggage as you can to make life easier. If there are essential liquids you need to hand, make sure they are less than 100ml volume. You will need to put them in a small, clear resealable plastic bag. Also, pack them near the top of your carry on so they are easy to remove at the security checkpoint.
Lip balm and facial spray are useful liquids to pack in carry on. They are helpful moisturizers as air conditioning can cause
In a similar vein, sometimes it is helpful to have a nasal spray and/or liquid decongestant. The air conditioning can also dry out nasal passages and cause congestion.
4. Electronic Devices
Whether it is your phone, tablet, Kindle or laptop, electronic devices are an ideal way to pass a flight.
Prior to your trip, download a selection of music and videos to keep you entertained on the flight. Although most airlines offer entertainment options, having something you want to watch is guaranteed to make the journey pass quickly. It’s better than spending hours wading through options that don’t appeal to you.
5. Headphones
Following on from your electronic devices, you’re going to want headphones to listen to your music and movies. We all know that airplane headphones don’t give you great sound quality. Make sure you pack your own so you can enjoy your media fully.
6. Snacks
In most instances, flights are uncomfortably long and right over a mealtime. While food is frequently provided as part of the service, it is useful to have some snacks to hand to keep you going on the journey.
Our number one recommendation would be to pick up snacks from the supermarket before heading to the airport. Despite common concerns, in most places, you won’t have issues taking snacks such as sandwiches, chocolate bars, and crisps through airport security in your carry on bag. Airport prices are always inflated, so be sure to pick up a selection of snacks before you travel to save money.
Some foods that are considered liquids or partial liquids such as marmalade, jam and sauces aren’t things you’ll be able to take with you. Always make sure you check your departure airport guidelines prior to travel to avoid packing any prohibited items.
Pro tip: having mints or gum on hand is useful if you’re traveling long-haul to keep your breath fresh after a long period of time. They can also help reduce the chance of your ears getting blocked if consumed during landing.
7. Reading Material
No matter how long your journey is, a book or magazine is a great way to pass time on a flight. For many bookworms, it is a great excuse to treat yourself to that new title you’ve been longing for. Or equally, it’s a chance to break out one that has been sat on your bookshelf for some time!
If you’re not really a reader, a magazine is still handy to flick through on the plane. Airport newsagents tend to have a huge variety of magazines; more so than you find on the high street. It’s easy to browse by category and find something that interests you and you can often find titles you weren’t aware of before.
>> Here’s a guide to our 5 favourite travel magazines, check it out! <<
8. Eye Mask and Earplugs
If you have a night flight or are just trying to get some shuteye on the journey, an eye mask and set of earplugs are essential. Although often provided on long haul night flights, frequent flyers may prefer to invest in a more comfortable,
A travel set of earplugs and eye mask is definitely a worthwhile investment. Not only will they be helpful for getting some sleep on the plane, but they can also prove useful if your destination is a busy city hotel with thin curtains!
>> Find out which eye mask we will never travel without here! <<
9. Sweatshirt or Cardigan
Even if you’re lucky enough to be traveling to a hot destination, it’s an absolute must to pack a zip sweatshirt or thick cardigan. Planes are rarely a comfortable temperature, so having a sweatshirt or cardigan that is easy to remove makes it much easier to get comfortable.
If it is a zip-front sweatshirt, it can also double as a blanket if you want to snuggle in and take a nap.
A jacket or cardigan of some kind is also useful to have on hand because you can wad it up and use it as a pillow if you’ve got the window seat with something to lean on.
The benefit of a cardigan over a travel pillow is it is much easier to carry by wearing it or tying it around your waist, rather than trying to cram a bulky pillow into your bag when you’ve already got limited space.
>> Check out these adorable sweaters that are perfect for travel! <<
10. Travel Documents
It goes without saying that you need to make sure you have all of your travel documents to hand when traveling. Ideally, keeping them together in a plastic wallet or binder makes life so much easier and you’re not frantically pulling out loose sheets of paper to find what you need.
We love this organized travel binder idea from Blue i Style to put together a really comprehensive travel journal to keep all of your documents in order.
You’ll ideally want printed copies of your flight booking confirmation and/or boarding pass, airport parking confirmation, travel insurance policy, hotel reservation details, and airport transfer details as a minimum. Obviously not forgetting your passport or travel ID!
Pro tip: When you first arrive at the airport things can be stressful. Yet to face check-in and security, it is easy to rush through everything in a whirlwind.
Make sure you take a second to write down your parking location on your parking confirmation document. In the chaos, you’re bound to overlook it and when you get back to the airport after your return flight there is nothing more frustrating than spending time searching for your car!
11. Money
For most, carrying cash is now an uncommon occurrence. If you’re traveling though, make sure to have a reasonable amount of the local currency in cash to hand.
Most banks will charge you for using your cards abroad, so getting a larger value of cash ahead of traveling can save you money overall. Cash is still the easiest way to tip waiters, hotel staff or to pay for taxis when abroad also, so you should always have some local currency on hand to make life easier, especially if there is a language barrier!
12. Debit or Credit Card
Although we recommend traveling with cash, it’s also important to have a debit or credit card with you in case of emergencies. Also, if you travel frequently, it may be worth shopping around for a credit card specifically designed for use abroad, as you can find some great rates with low to no costs for making payments in other currencies.
Pro tip: If given the option to pay in your home currency or the local currency when making a card payment, always choose the local currency. Even though you may incur a bank charge for a non-standard currency payment, this is still likely to work out cheaper than relying on the calculated conversion rate.
13. Medication
Obviously, if you need any prescription medication, it is important to keep it to hand on the flight. However, it is also helpful to pack a selection of over the counter medications such as pain killers, antihistamines and indigestion tablets. Being stuck on a long-haul flight with a headache isn’t ideal, so having a small packet of tablets on hand is useful just in case.
Pro tip: slip your tablet packs into a tissue holder behind a pack of tissues to save space. This also keeps all of your medication together in one place.
14. USB Chargers
A lot of airlines now have USB charging ports available at your seat. This comes in handy if you are using your phone to listen to music or watch videos on the flight. Especially if you are then going to rely on it for maps when you arrive at your destination.
Having time towards the end of the flight to top up your charge is ideal, so don’t forget your cable!
15. Notebook and Pen
Flying for several hours is one of those rare occasions when you get to be alone with your thoughts. Taking a break on the flight gives you an opportunity to meditate and muse over ideas.
These quiet moments are often when your best ideas will spring to mind. Make sure you have somewhere to write them down! Having a notebook and pen to hand also gives you some time to make last-minute amendments to your travel itinerary. You can even journal your vacation highlights on your return flight.
Pro tip: Having a pen to hand makes filling in your customs form on the flight easy. You won’t have to queue to complete it once you arrive at your destination airport!
Before You Go
So these are our 15 essential items you need, to know how to pack carry on like a pro. Having these items to hand will help make your travel from
If there is something on your essential carry on the
Until our next adventure,
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Hello, I’m Hannah! I’m a writer and photographer who loves experiencing the wonders of Yorkshire. My guides will help you escape from your daily routine by showing you that you don’t have to go far to find an adventure.
I’ve only recently become a fan of carry ons, so I’m learning from pros like you! I always seem to have trouble fitting a jacket and a book in. I got a packable jacket which helps, but I avoid books unless they’re thin. Will be following you to learn more. Thanks!
Hi Kim, thanks for stopping by! When traveling with a jacket we find the easiest way to deal with it is to wear it or tie it around the waist! Jackets are the most tricky thing to pack! As a bookworm, I can’t go anywhere without a book. They can be difficult to pack and heavy to carry if they are bulky though. We hope you enjoy our posts.
Thanks for the jacket tip! And yes, I enjoy your posts, I’ll keep reading!
Such helpful suggestions. My carry on is usually easy more organized than my checked luggage but I agree with all you have on this list
Carry on is definitely easy to organize when you’ve had some practice! Thanks for stopping by!
Yeah, that’s right. That is what we are practicing. And, never, forget those books. Thanks for the list. Continue inspiring us.
We’re glad you like the post Elsa! As a bookworm, I can’t go anywhere without a book, usually two!
Packing just a carry on makes it so much easier to travel in many ways (and cheaper!). I already carry most of these, and my must is my jacket. I always get so cold on airplanes!
There is nothing more satisfying than walking off a plane without having to wait for luggage! We agree that a jacket is a must…airplane temperatures fluctuate so much, it’s always unpredictable!
Carry on bags are the best! These are great suggestions. Thanks for the tips 🙂
Thanks for reading 🙂 we’re glad you like the tips!
Ever since going carry-on only, it’s very important to make sure every item in your luggage is useful (or multi-use)! Great article 🙂
We’re glad you like the tips! We agree, that everything needs to have a purpose or multiple where possible!
These are very useful tips! I always carry a smaller bag inside the bigger bag to organize what I want on the plane vs. what just simply “needs” to be in the bag and it makes a WORLD OF DIFFERENCE! Awesome post.
We’re glad the tips are useful. We agree that when we discovered the trick of packing a smaller bag it was lifechanging!
packing a carry on is an art! thanks for breaking it down!
There is definitely an art to it but it becomes easy with some practice!
Some great tips here! It really did take me A LOT of trial and error to get things down to an art – especially with my carry on.
I’m glad you like the tips! Carry on packing is definitely a fine art! There is nothing more satisfying than packing the perfect carry on bag, is there? It is life-changing once you suss it out! Thanks for reading!
I always have a few extra snacks with me for the plane ride. Saves a lot of money buying food at the airport too!
I agree! Snacks are a much-have for me! I’m a hangry traveler for starters! But packing them and bringing them with you is so much cheaper than shopping for them at the airport!
I always pack a warm piece of clothes in my carry-on as it can get sooo cold in planes! Plus I could also never travel without my headphones. I love listening to music while looking out of the plane window 🙂
Airplanes get so cold, don’t they! I love having a scarf or hoody to hand to get wrapped up in! It makes it easier to sleep on the plane when you’re cozy too! I agree, no matter how long the flight, the time passes quickly if you’ve got a good playlist and a good view! Thanks for reading!