Disclaimer: This post may include affiliate links where, if you click on the link and make a purchase, we might get a very small commission. This allows us to support our travels so we can keep generating content ! Unless We specifically mention otherwise, We’ve personally used the products/ services linked, so rest assured, we only link to items that we recommend.
I like to travel light, but there are a few things that I always pack in my carry-on. These in-flight essentials make my trip more comfortable, keep me healthy, and save me time while in the air:
My In-Flight Essentials
Sanitizer Wipes
Planes are gross. Flight crews often have little time in between deplaning passengers and boarding the next flight, which means that your seats are infested with germs from the passengers before you. In addition to germs, I’ve sat in more than one seat that was sticky or had food particle remnants from the previous passenger. I bring sanitizer wipes and do a quick wipe down of armrests and tray tables as soon as I sit down.
Compact Travel Pillow
A travel pillow is a relatively new addition to my list of in-flight essentials, but now I always bring one. I find it to be great for early-morning or red eye flights to give me neck extra support, even if I’m not snoozing. My favorite Cocoon Travel Pillow is inflatable and folds up into a pouch the size of a fist.
Motion Sickness Remedy
I suffer from motion sickness, and I have to pop a motion sickness pill before every flight. I highly recommend packing motion sickness remedy of your choice even if you don’t typically get sick on flights. Sometimes flights experience unexpected turbulence, and even people who’ve never been seasick will get an upset stomach. My go-to remedy is Dramamine, but I know other people with milder motion sickness swear by ginger chews or accupressure wristbands.
TSA Pre Check
While I technically don’t pack TSA Pre Check, I still consider it an in-flight essential. Not having to take off my shoes and unpack my laptop seems like a small luxury, but it’s amazing how much less stressful it makes the process of going through security. The Pre Check lines are often much shorter than general security lines, so I’ve saved precious time. A five-year TSA Pre Check membership costs $85 and is worth every penny, even for infrequent flyers. Many credit cards offer reimbursements for the TSA Pre Check application fee (and some for Global Entry as well), check out this list before paying for your membership.
Bonus Tip: Always check to make sure Pre-Check is printed on your boarding pass after checking in for your flight. An airline once had a system glitch and it didn’t reflect on my pass, so I had to go through the normal security line and almost missed my flight!
Water Bottle
Flying is seriously dehydrating. So, I try to bring water to sip on so I am not reliant on the flight attendants to bring it to me. I often fly with my favorite S’well water bottle, bring it through security empty, and then fill it up before boarding.
Bonus Tip: I find that screw-top water bottles (like the one recommended above) are the most secure when traveling. I used to travel with a ‘sport-top’ style water water bottle where the cap just snapped on, and it uncapped in transit and leaked water all over my bag, damaging my laptop in the process.
Earbuds
I keep a set of good old fashioned plug-in earbuds in my bags in case I want to listen to music or watch TV on the plane’s entertainment system. I will often put them in even if I don’t have audio on, as they help drown out background noise. I know some people swear by noise-canceling earphones, but I find them to take up too much room in my backpack.
Bonus Item: Kindle or other reading material
When traveling on business, I usually end up working during the plane ride, but I usually keep a magazine in my bag in case I’m burned out on work. On longer flights, or when on personal travel, I will pack my Kindle since it’s so lightweight. TIP: Amazon has released a new waterproof Kindle. I haven’t tried it yet, but it looks great for reading on the beach or for adventurous (or accident prone) travelers.
Related Posts
Enjoying PlanIt Wandering? Please spread the word :)
