Your 7 Essential In-Flight Items

I’ve been blessed with parents who encourage me to travel, and because of them I’ve had my fair share of planes and know what can go wrong if you forget to pack a few important bits and bobs in your carry-on. Before I share my list of must have items, I’d like to issue a friendly reminder to all you ladies out there that your purse, carry-on suitcase, and a backpack (or something similar) can all be brought onto the plane with you. As such, make sure you cram as much as you can into these, especially if you’re going away for months at a time like I am.

Hand Bits

Lotion is a must, preferably something that doesn’t smell too strong as other people on the plane could be prone to scent-induced migraines (I may have just made of that term, but you know what I mean). Bring a travel-sized hand sanitizer along as well, because airplanes and airports are the germ hubs of the world.

Staying Healthy

Airborne is not everybody’s cup of tea, but I highly recommend that you bring it along with you. Between the lousy airport food, long flight, and lack of sleep, your immune system will be thanking you after you take one of these. If you’re prone to headaches or nausea on flights, bring the appropriate medication along with you as well.

Compression Socks

I realize that these are the least stylish things you could wear in public, but they’re so worth it! My ankles always swell on flights, and compression socks prevent that from happening and help my legs feel less jittery.

Currency

This seems like a bit of a no-brainer, but it’s easily forgotten. When traveling, always have some cash on you in both your regular currency and the currency of the country you’re visiting. You can arrange this in advance through your bank or visit one the airport’s currency exchange booths before you get on your flight. This is really just a safety precaution in case your credit card gets frozen when you try to use it overseas.

Snackages

Snacks are vital to surviving a long day of air travel, especially if you already know you hate airplane food. I always bring along a few granola bars and some trail mix, and clementines are always a good choice because of their fresh smell. I also suggest you bring an empty reusable water bottle with you. You can get it filled at any food place once you get through security, and it will prevent you from having to flag down a stewardess whenever you get thirsty.

 

Clothes/Makeup 

As a rule of thumb, you should always bring along an extra pair of clothes with you in case your luggage is lost and you need to squeeze by with what you have. Make sure the shoes you wear on the plane match your packed outfit and that your clothing matches the weather in the city you’re visiting. In regards to makeup, pack the bare essentials so you can slap something on before you meet anyone. Trust me, your plane face should stay hidden as much as possible.

Entertainment

Books, music, games, Sudoku—there are so many things you can bring on a plane to entertain yourself. I usually make a playlist of “sleeping music” to help drown out the talking around me and make me feel more relaxed.

 

Is there anything else you can’t live without when traveling? If so, leave me a comment below!

 

Signing off,

Claire