WHAT TO PACK IN YOUR CARRY ON BAG FOR AN INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT
Are you getting ready for your first (or fifth) international flight and looking for tips on what essentials you should pack with you? Well, you’re in the right place! This mom of four and frequent international traveler has created a list of all the must-haves that I never board a plane without. While we always bring a carry-on suitcase, this list is exclusively for what I carry in my backpack that I have easy access to from my seat.
MY BACKPACK
For many years I traveled with one of my kids’ old Nike backpacks that they used for school. It was just the right size and had everything I needed. Except for a luggage strap. Once you’ve traveled throughout Europe a few times you discover that you’re going to spend a lot of time carrying your backpack. Having a luggage strap on your backpack means it can sit right on top of your suitcase and you can pull it around without if falling over. Another feature I like is a side compartment for my bottle of water.
WHAT’S IN MY CARRY ON BACKPACK?
SNACKS:
I never board a flight without snacks and a bottle of water. Even on a domestic flight I am completely self-sustainable. I can’t tell you how many times I have boarded a flight and sat on the tarmac for hours. Typically during this time, the flight attendants are not handing out water or snacks. No worries for me, because I came prepared. If you are traveling with kids, this is even more important. I always bring something salty and something sweet to munch on while I’m watching movies, because, why not? PRO TIP: Did you know that the flight attendants keep grab and go snacks and water in the galley after the lights are dimmed on international flights? Good to know in case you get a case of the midnight munchies in the middle of the night and didn’t bring your own.
COMFY CLOTHES:
It took me a couple of long, uncomfortable flights to figure out I need to wear comfortable, loose fitting clothes on an international flight. Trust me, it’s hard to sleep in jeans. Now, I only travel in comfy yoga pants or leggings and sleep so much better (finding a good pair with pockets is ideal). There is a lot of cute athleisure clothing on the market where you can still look nice while traveling yet still be comfortable enough to be able to sleep. Trust me on this one. You’ll see that you won’t be the only one wearing comfortable clothes.
SOCKS:
Ever wonder why the amenity kits in business class come with a pair of socks? Because it’s impossible to sleep with shoes on. The very first thing I do after take off is slip off my shoes and put on a pair of clean, thick socks on. This is a game changer! You can step it up a notch and wear compression stockings. This are important as they help to prevent blood clotes. I recommend breaking these in a week or so before you trip as they take getting used to.
SWEATER/CARDIGAN:
One staple I never fly without is a long cardigan sweater that keeps me warm during flights. International flights tend to be pretty chilly, so make sure that you travel with a sweater or shawl to keep you warm. My teen loves to fly with a hoodie on (she’s too cool for the eye mask so she pulls up her hoodie to sleep and it doubles as the eye mask).
ENTERTAINMENT:
Sure, there are plenty of movies and TV shows to watch on the seat back entertainment, but I always make sure I have at least 10+ hours of downloaded Netflix movies and TV shows (you can watch these offline) just in case I have a long wait in the airport, a long sit on the tarmac with no seat back entertainment, or, as has happened before, a broken seat back entertainment unit. Like I said before, I’m completely self-sustainable when I travel. In addition to downloading movies from Netflix, I also download several episodes of my favorite podcast and a book or two from Audible. PRO TIP: Just because you hit download, doesn’t always mean your movie or episode downloaded. I have been disappointed many times trying to watch a show on Netflix on my flight that never completely downloaded. So always double check this the morning of your flight.
PORTABLE CHARGER:
A portable charger is essential when you travel because your phone battery drains quickly when taking videos and photos while sightseeing. This is my favorite portable charger, it has two usb ports and will keep 2-3 phones charged during a long trip or sightseeing day. I always pack this fully charged in my carry-on just in case. On my last flight to London in June, my seat back charger wasn’t working so I was very thankful I had my portable charger with me. Even my seatmate used my charger as her seat back usb port wasn’t working either.
HEADPHONES:
I always pack two sets of headphones: over- the-ear noise canceling headphones and a pair of earbuds. My favorite over the ear headphones are the Bose Q35 noise canceling headphones. If you have a crying baby or people that are talking the entire flight, this cancels that noise out. A less expensive option are the Sony on-the-ear noise canceling headphones. They are almost as good and less expensive than the Bose. I have a hard time sleeping with the noise on the plane, so I sleep with my earbuds in while listening to white noise or a downloaded book.
My husband and daughter swear by the Apple Airpod Pro noise cancelling wireless buds. You can get these on sale from $169-$189 and are worth every cent.
If you’re bringing your favorite pair of air pods or wireless earbuds, you won’t be able to use them while watching the seat back entertainment without a bluetooth device like this to connect to. It’s a little pricey, but pays for itself after that first flight.
NECK PILLOW
I feel like finding the perfect neck pillow takes a lot of trial and error. I found this Bcozzy pillow from Amazon and have used it several times. It looks a little funny, but I love how it has thicker and thinner parts and I can just move it around based on how my head is leaning. It’s pricey, but it’s worked for me on a few long haul flights and it packs up pretty small in a carrying case.
EYE MASK:
Stay with me on this one guys. I avoided these forever because I did not want to look silly on the plane. But, like the socks above, there is a reason eye masks are included in a business class amenity kit. All it takes is one long flight in economy where your neighbor has their overhead light on, their window open all flight or their seat back monitor on the entire flight to make you a believer. These are my favorite as I want something lightweight and not pressing on my eyes. These really are a game changer when it comes to sleeping on a plane.
ESSENTIALS:
There are certain items I need before I go to sleep and when I wake up that I like to have all in one spot. I put all these items in a quart size ziploc bag and keep them in the front zipper part of my back pack. When it’s time to go to sleep, I grab the bag and stick it in the seat back pocket in front of me so I have easy access.
Here’s what's in my essentials bag:
Contact case (already filled with saline)
Rewetting drops/artificial tears (I do not remove my contacts during a flight for safety reasons, yes, I’m that blind, so I like to have some drops for my dry eyes in the morning)
Prescription meds (never put these in your checked bag)
Lumify or Visine for red eyes in the morning
Lip balm (my lips get super dry on a flight so I always slather this on before going to sleep)
Ibuprofen
Gum soft picks (I like to brush after dinner and before bed, these are small I just throw a couple in my bag - do this in the bathroom, not at your seat)
Melatonin gummies. The first time I took melatonin in my life was in March on our flight to London. I’m not saying they are a miracle drug, but I was able to get several hours of zzzz’s in, so I think I’m a believer!
CHANGE OF CLOTHES:
I never check luggage, but if you do, make sure to pack at least one change of clothes in your carry on backpack. On my very first international flight, the man behind me threw up on me and the person in front of me. I had checked my luggage and had no change of clothes and an eight hour layover. Why is it that lessons always come from bad things happening? Our son traveled last year around Europe and the airlines lost his luggage so he didn't have any of his things until Day 10 of his trip. Always prepare for the worst and never put what you can’t live without in your checked bag.
ADAPTER/CONVERTER:
I learned the hard way that I should always carry on my travel adapter when I travel abroad. While most airports now have USB ports in most places for you to charge your phone, you’ll still need an option for plugging in your laptop. We like this one as you can plug in your phone and your laptop.
DON’T FORGET:
Just in case you need a reminder: Don’t forget your passport and make sure it doesn’t expire within six months of your arrival date. They may not let you enter the country. Also, know how you’re going to get from the airport to your hotel after you land. I like to have a screenshot of instructions on my phone. Most international flights arrive in the morning and oftentimes you can’t check into your room early. For this reason, I always have a short itinerary on what we’re doing on our first day printed out in my bag.
Want more ideas on what to pack in your carry on? You can read my full guide here!
Happy Travels!
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