What To Pack In Your Long Flight Carry On

Domestic travel and international travel are two totally different trips. When you have to be in a plane for long period of time, it can quickly be one of the most unpleasant parts of your vacation. To avoid starting your trip off on the wrong foot, be proactive and strategically pack your carry on to make your flight more comfortable. Below, I outline various categories and the items you should consider. 

ENTERTAINMENT & ELECTRONICS

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  • BOOK OR IPAD/ KINDLE
    Nothing better than a good ole' fashion novel during a long trip. Books are great because they don’t require any battery life. But if you are an avid reader on vacation, they can quickly take up a lot of space and make your bag decently heavy. So, a better option for those book worms are an IPad or Kindle.

  • COMPUTER:
    Depending on the airline you’re flying, most planes will come equipped with inflight wifi. Flights are a great time to get uninterrupted work done. If you are in total vacation mode, these wifi sources (most times) will offer free entertainment (movies/ tv shows). If you want to watch on your computer, you need to make sure that your Flash installed. Then on your flight, it will pull up automatically when you login to the wifi. If you are using a tablet or smartphone, you will need to have the inflight app downloaded for entertainment.

  • CELL PHONE & CHARGER:
    A charger is the one item I am notorious for forgetting. More and more airlines will have a outlet available under your seat. So, make sure you bring your cell phone and usb cable for the flight!

  • CHARGING BLOCK:
    While many planes have outlets, they aren't guaranteed. To be safe, I recommend packing a charging block in your carry on. Nothing worse than having to twiddle your thumbs for 7+ hours.

  • OUTLET CONVERTERS:
    Depending on your destination, you might need an outlet converter for your wall plug. A quick online search will be able to tell you if you need one or not. And, it’s an easy item to pack in with your electronics or in your suitcase to save space in your carry on.

  • HEADPHONES:
    Remember if you have a newer IPhone headphones or wireless headphones, planes only have the traditional headphone jack and no Bluetooth capability at this point. So if you plan on watching their inflight entertainment, you need to pack accordingly!

BEAUTY & WELLNESS

To me, long trips just scream DRY SKIN! The dry cabin air and low humidity take a toll on your hair, face, skin, etc. For some, you will notice that your skin becomes very dry, red and flaky after a long flight. And for others, your body can respond to the dry environment by increasing your oil production (aka grease). So it doesn't matter if you have naturally dry or oily skin, packing the appropriate beauty products is the smarter way to travel. 

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  • HAND LOTION

  • FACE LOTION

  • CHAPSTICK

  • EYE DROPS

Long flights also mean that you are likely to take a decent snooze on board. Don't forget to pack your nighttime routine for the flight! 

  • CONTACT/ GLASSES CASE

  • MELATONIN/ SLEEP AIDS

  • TOOTHBRUSH & PASTE

  • MAKE UP REMOVER/ FACE WIPES

THE ITEMS YOU CANNOT FORGET
& DON'T WANT TO LOSE

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You never know what can happen to bags during an international flight. When my husband and I went to Italy for our honeymoon, our suitcases didn't make the connecting flight in Germany and we were 4 DAYS without our suitcases! After that incident, I make sure to pack the most important items with me.

  • PASSPORT / ID

  • CAR KEYS

  • TRAVEL ITINERARY WITH ADDRESS OF ACCOMMODATIONS

  • JEWELRY & VALUABLES

  • MEDICATIONS

THE ITEMS TO MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE
YOU'RE FLYING FIRST CLASS

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Obviously, these are the items that you don't NEED while flying. But, you will be thanking yourself later that you brought them. 

  • NECK PILLOW

  • EYE MASK

  • EAR PLUGS

  • SCARF / BLANKET

  • SOCKS/ SLIPPERS

  • NOISE CANCELLING HEADPHONES

THE ITEMS YOU'RE LEAST LIKELY TO THINK OF

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  • WATER BOTTLE:
    This is the best way to help yourself get an adequate amount of water while flying. Since you're not allowed to bring liquids through security, plan on bringing an empty water bottle and filling it up before your flight. The Aerospace Medical Association suggests 8 ounces for every 1 HOUR you are on a plane.

  • PEN AND PAPER:
    When you are landing in a foreign country, you will be required to fill out a customs form prior to landing. Make sure you packed a pen in your bag to complete this form!

  • SNACKS:
    One of the reason that people get extremely puffy after flying is due to all the salty snacks that are given on the flight and purchased in the airport. I suggest bringing a few healthy, non-smelly items in your carry on. ALSO NOTE, you will have to fill out a customs form saying what foods you're bringing. If you are worried about declaring these items, I would suggest packing just enough snacks to be consumed during your flight.

  • CHANGE OF CLOTHES:
    Because I know all too well what it is like not having your suitcase for DAYS in a foreign country, I suggest to play it safe and pack an extra set of clothes in your carry on. The last thing you want to do is arrive to a city and have to sit in the same clothes for days.

  • SANITIZING WIPES / HAND SANITIZER:
    Let's face the facts. Airplanes are DIRTY! They say that the tray on an airplane are the second dirtiest place behind the plane's bathroom. Wiping down your area and cleaning your hands are just a smarter way to travel both commercially and domestically.

TRAVELElle LeonardPACKING