This year, I’ve taken 11 flights and passed through seven airports. This means that — as well as spending too much money in duty free — I’ve got my carry-on packing list down to a fine art. There are a few things you should know: I often travel solo, so I try to do everything in my power to make sure that I don’t succumb to jet lag (as there will be no one else there to force me up and out of bed). I also hate arriving somewhere feeling sluggish and losing valuable time trying to revive myself — in the words of Carrie Bradshaw, I want to arrive “stunning and impossibly fresh-looking.” So when I pack, I’m not just thinking about the clothes and shoes I might need for my actual trip; I’m thinking about how to make the plane ride there as comfortable and relaxing as possible. With that in mind, here are the eight essentials that you’ll find me boarding a flight with, whether it’s a two-hour dash from London to Paris or an overnight long haul to Korea.
This is the carry-on you’ll find me traveling with (and it’s also the Strategist favorite, based on the recommendations of half a dozen travel experts). It has everything that you’d expect from a good suitcase: a sturdy handle, built-in lock, 360-degree spinner wheels, plenty of space for all the essentials on this list, and a whole lot more. As I’m based in Europe, where the airline allowances are more strict, I have the smaller version of the case, but Away also carries a bigger size (which counts as a carry-on if you’re in the U.S. and traveling domestically).
After your third sleepless night flight, you realize two things: Firstly, there are only so many times you can rewatch Crazy Rich Asians mid-flight. And secondly, a travel pillow is an essential. If you’ve never had any luck with the standard type of travel pillow — the squishy ones that resemble a sliced doughnut — then you’re not alone: It’s a complaint I’ve heard from several frequent fliers when I reported our story on the best travel pillows. That led me to this Trtl pillow. It’s basically a scarf that wraps around your neck with one side having a firm, plastic support, meaning you can slope or lean to one side to rest without getting a crick. The built-in support means that it works no matter where you’re sitting on the plane. You can even get a proper night of sleep in the dreaded middle seat. I won’t board a flight or train without it.
I’d argue that a foot sling is just as important as a pillow if you want to get some rest. This one is simple to use; you just unfold your tray table and rest the sling over the top. Once it’s looped over, I rest my feet over it and wriggle around until I’m comfortable. Even if you’re not planning on actually sleeping, a sling makes even shorter flights far more comfortable as you can actually lean back and relax, as opposed to sitting practically upright for hours on end. And while the exact sling that I’ve been traveling with for years is no longer available, this one is the top pick in our “Travel 100” (a list of the best travel items we’ve written about).
I’ll always pack a universal adapter inside my carry-on (in fact, this one lives inside my carry-on case full time). That way, I won’t have a panic upon landing once I remember that I haven’t brought my C-plug adapter to France or my A-plug adapter to the U.S. It’s also useful if you’re having a layover between two flights and you spot a usable empty socket in the airport: No matter the shape of the outlet, you’ll be covered. I bought this one in particular as it’s both an adapter and a USB charger, which means I need only the one adapter to charge my phone and use my hair dryer (sometimes simultaneously).
My toothbrush case is really large and bulky, and it’s hardly an essential. That being said, nobody wants the brush that they clean their mouth with to get dirty (or, I dread to think, to get bits of hair or makeup stuck to the bristles). This clip-on case is a good compromise: It’s small, so it just clips on to the bristly end of your toothbrush. And they come in packs of two, if you’re traveling with a partner and feeling generous.
I hate the wired headphones that airlines provide. Not only are they really uncomfortable, but when you’re trying to unfold your tray table for a meal, or scooting to let somebody head to the bathroom, they get tangled into a mess. With this plug-in Bluetooth device, you can connect your own headphones to the screen and eliminate the need for those wired headphones entirely. I thought it seemed like a silly luxury initially, but after it made one flight so much smoother, I realized there was no going back.
I started using packing cubes as a teenager while attending festivals, when I discovered I could prepack all my outfits and not have to destroy my tent trying to locate a certain top or bracelet. The habit has stuck. I was sent this set by Calpak to try this past spring, and as well as cubes that I use to organize the clothes in my carry-on, it has a waterproof envelope I use for my toiletries and skin care. I also put any makeup that counts as a liquid inside — foundations, mascaras — so when I reach security, I don’t have to fish them out of a separate makeup bag. If there is a problem, or I just want to reach something quickly, the envelope has a nice wide opening that I can peel open to easily see everything inside.
Stuffing all my toiletries inside the flimsy plastic bag in the airport is by far my least-favorite part of security. And while I swear by miniatures — a teeny micellar water and deodorant are nonnegotiable — my full-size SPF is something that I won’t give up. I picked up this SPF in a Don Quijote a few years ago, and since it didn’t exacerbate my acne, I’ve stuck to it. It has a nice light consistency that doesn’t pill — even by the end of the day, once I’ve diligently applied a fresh layer every few hours.
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