10 Carry-on Bag Essentials for Travel

When preparing for a flight, it can always be tricky to decide what you need to have with you on the trip. If you’re like me, you probably have to fight the urge to pack every item you might ever possibly want or need, just in case. But after having taken numerous flights over the years, I have narrowed down the 10 carry-on bag essentials for travel. These essentials are listed below, as well as my favorite recommendations!

Next, check out the Best Travel Bags and this post for airport outfit ideas!

Quick links for recommendations in this article:

TRTL neck pillow//compression socks//headphone bluetooth adapter//small travel bags//Free People cape

Neck Pillow

Travel neck pillows can be a pain in the neck, literally- because most I’ve used are not remotely comfortable, and are such a hassle to lug around the airport. The best neck pillow around is TRTL. I absolutely love this pillow! It has a unique design to mold to any neck, it can be adjusted and worn in any way that feels comfortable to you, and it supports your neck. It’s also very small so it easily fits into any size bag and doesn’t take up too much space. On my last flight, a flight attendant and I had a very enthusiastic conversation about our love for this pillow, so I can confirm that it is flight-attendant approved!

Compression Socks

These are life-savers. Sitting for hours on end with aching legs? No thank you.

Headphones

Headphones are a must for partaking of any phone/tablet content and for enjoying the in-flight entertainment. Airlines still use the old-school headphone jack, but if you use wireless headphones, you’ll want to use an adapter. This adapter will plug into the headphone jack and connect to your wireless headphones.

Lip Balm, Lotion, Hand Sanitizer

Since the air is dry on planes, keep your lips and hands moisturized with lip balm and lotion. Also, hand sanitizer is helpful to use before snacking/eating without needing to go wash your hands. This is the BEST smelling hand sanitizer around- your seat mates will be thanking you!

Phone/Tablet

Obvious, I know. Besides watching movies and listening to music, there are a few additional things I use often on these devices when traveling to pass the time.

• podcasts– These can be downloaded before the flight and listened to offline. I really enjoy Dateline podcasts (nothing better than an exciting mystery) but anything you find interesting is great.
• coloring app– This works best on a tablet, but a phone works too. You’d be surprised at how much time you’ll spend on this app. Plus, it’s something different that requires you to be active, so it’s a nice change of pace.
• book– I’m still a fan of old-fashioned paperback books, but e-books are definitely more convenient. I like to read an Agatha Christie novel(clearly a fan of murder mysteries, hence my Dateline podcast affinity) but I recommend any genre or author you know that you will enjoy.

Small Travel Bag

All of the items listed above are helpful to have on-hand at your seat at all times. I like to put the smaller items (lip balm, lotion, hand sanitizer, phone, headphones/adapter) into a small bag in order to keep my area organized and not risk losing any items. This bag can be put in the seat pocket in front of you so it’s out of your way but within reach.

Extra Layer

If your destination is particularly cold, it’s helpful to have a jacket on hand in your carry-on that you don’t need to fish out of your luggage. Plus, planes tend to be very cold and the paper thin blankets provided by the airline might not be much help.

Toothbrush and toothpaste

Once you are about to arrive at your destination, you’ll want to feel and look like you are well-rested and not like you’ve been confined to a small space sitting upright for hours. Brushing your teeth and generally getting refreshed will make you feel more fit and ready to move onto the next leg of your journey.

Healthy Snacks

You’ll want to be careful about what you eat on a plane (as stated before, sitting in misery for hours is not our goal here). But snacking is a fun way to pass some time, so let’s choose healthy-ish snacks. I like granola bars and fruit snacks- small and convenient.

Medicine

Just in case you might need it. Ibuprofen and Dramamine are my go-to meds to have on hand. These can be kept in your carry-on stowed away in case you need them at any point.