When you board a plane, you’re typically allowed two pieces of luggage: a carry-on item that you’ll place in the overhead bin and a personal item that you’ll stow under the seat in front of you.
Your personal item is your ticket to comfort, entertainment, and everything else you’ll need for a smooth and easy flight. Together, let’s prep a list that should cover all your bases.
1. Sanitary Hand Wipes
First up, you might want to use a hand wipe to wash away any of the germs you may have picked up along the way, from the overhead bin to your seatbelt.
Once you’ve given them a once-over, you can rest with a little bit more ease as you prepare to take off and await the beverage service.
2. Surface Wipes
Once it’s time for that beverage service, you may want to give your tray a quick wipe down. Popular brands like Clorox make travel-size to-go wipes that you can easily place in your bag and just pull out from under the seat.
3. Noise-Canceling Headphones
Throughout this entire time, you may have been listening to a playlist or a podcast. Headphones are the best way to calm your mind, let the pilot and crew do their jobs, and sit back and relax.
Of course, you have your big-name brands like AirPods and Beats, with powerful noise-canceling capabilities. But, you can also find an affordable pair online that will do the trick.
4. Portable Power Bank
Since you’ll be using your cell phone or tablet to pass the time, it’s probably going to use up a lot of juice, even if you put it on airplane mode.
Bring a portable power bank to plug in when your battery levels get low so you can continue to watch your shows and have a fully charged cell phone upon arrival.
5. Movies and TV Shows
Which brings us to the next most important item: a pre-downloaded set of entertainment options. Most streaming platforms like Netflix or Hulu allow you to download your favorite shows offline, with the right package.
YouTube Premium will also allow you to download videos offline. This way, you won’t have to worry about the in-flight WiFi working and can finally catch up on that new season.
6. Books or Online Blogs
Even if you’re a fan of paperbacks, you might want to consider downloading a few book options to your cell phone or tablet. This will keep things condensed and give you some options if you’d like to take a break from the TV series you downloaded.
If there’s an online blog that you used to love to frequent, but never seem to have the time to catch up on, you might want to download the articles offline so you can enjoy them on the flight, as well. In fact, now’s the perfect time to catch up on all those travel blogs!
7. Neck Pillow
Whether you’re planning on taking a nap or watching the latest season of Outlander, a neck pillow will improve your level of comfort. Here, too, you have an array of options, from the ones you blow up at your seat to memory foam U-shaped pillows to stabilize your neck.
8. Light Blanket
Another personal item that might bring you a little bit of comfort is a light blanket. You don’t want anything too bulky for obvious reasons, but a light blanket might make you feel a little bit more at home. In this case, it’s the definition of a “creature comfort.”
9. Reusable Water Bottle
It may also be helpful to pack a reusable water bottle in your bag. Although you’re not allowed to go through security with liquids above three ounces, you can fill it up with cold water on the other side and keep a fresh beverage available, whether or not the in-flight drink service has come through.
10. Hand Lotion
With all the hand sanitizing and surface wipes you’ve been using along the way, your hands may become dry. Flying, on its own, tends to dehydrate the skin, as well.
With a small bottle of hand lotion in your bag, you’ll be able to read your book or watch your shows online without the nagging feeling that you wish you had some lotion on hand.
11. Lip Balm
The same goes for Chapstick or your favorite brand of lip balm. Your lips, too, may get very dry throughout the flight and this is the easiest way to prevent that from distracting you as you try to enjoy your trip.
12. Toiletries
Hand lotion and Chapstick are the two most obvious toiletries. But, you might want to pack a small makeup bag with other essentials as you get ready to land.
Blotting paper, a compact, and lip gloss may be a nice starting point. But, you can consider including any number of toiletries that might make you feel refreshed upon touchdown.
13. Layering Clothes
When traveling, it’s best to stick to neutral colors in your wardrobe and try to layer whenever possible. You may be leaving a tropical climate, but find it quite cold on the plane.
Conversely, you may be leaving a cold climate but rushed around the airport and need to peel a layer off once you sit down. You’ll probably want to have that light hoodie on hand in case you need it again after you cool down.
14. Notebook and Pen
Whether or not you’re a bonafide journaler, it’s helpful to have a small notebook and pen by your side. Of course, some of us use the Notes app on our phones every day. But, a classic notebook and pen can help you jot down thoughts and ideas as you read those travel blogs.
15. Travel Documents
For safety, it’s best to use a money belt whenever you’re on the go. It’s a small waist bag that goes around your waist and tucks under your shirt, making it very difficult for pickpockets to ruin your journey.
In your travel belt, you can keep your passport, ID, and any cash you may be traveling with. But, in your personal item, you can keep the printouts of your tickets, hotel stays, and any other necessary paperwork you want to have on hand.
16. Sleep Mask
When it’s time to rest your eyes, a sleep mask is your ticket to relaxation. Even when the lights are dimmed on a long flight, all the movement and lights can deter you from getting a little bit of rest.
With your noise-canceling headphones on, an audiobook on play, and your cell phone plugged into a power bank, you couldn’t ask for anything more!
Set Yourself Up for Success
With a little foresight, you can set yourself up for success in a big way. Feeling like your hands are clean, you’re well-hydrated, and your favorite entertainment options are by your side can make all the difference in the world on your next flight.
Where are you headed? Are you sticking close to home or adventuring further abroad? No matter what city or town is calling your name, we have a destination guide to help you plan and execute the adventure of a lifetime. See you out there!