We’re sharing the ultimate packing list for your personal bag carry on to make your flight more enjoyable and seamless.

1. Entertainment
   • Magazines 
   • Books/kindle 
   • Laptop 
   • Download movies/tv shows 
   • Download brown noise or music to listen to offline 
   • Suduko, crossword puzzles, etc.
   • Ear buds 
     
2. Snacks
   • Reusable water bottle
   • Clif bars/nuts
   • Liquid IV 
   • Your favorite snack 

3. Comfort
   • Travel pillow
   • Ear plugs
   • Eye mask
   • Extra socks for warmth
   • Cozy sweater to be used as a blanket or an actual light blanket or scarf that can double as a blanket 
   • Extra change of clothes, especially underwear

4. Toiletries:
   • Chapstick – it gets so dry on airplanes!
   • Face wipes
   • Toothbrush/paste
   • Deodorant
   • Lotion/moisturizer 
   • Travel size brush 
   • Make up if you want to freshen up before you land 
   • Hand sanitizer/wipes

5. Essentials
   • Medications – melatonin, ibuprofen, pepto, aspirin, dramamine, antibiotics
   • Phone charger, power bank 
   • Travel Documents – Passports, Reservation Confirmations (what happens if your phone dies or you lose it in transit)

If you liked this episode, also check out our episode on how to survive a long layover in the airport.

Personal Item Packing Essentials – Episode Transcript

0:35

Today we’re giving you the ultimate list of packing items for your personal carry on.

0:54

Packing is just so important in general for a trip, but what can make or break it honestly sometimes is what you have in your carry on.

You don’t want to be on a short, let alone a long flight and forget something.

So we are going over all the essentials to make sure that you have it in.

1:10

So mostly we’re talking flights, but this could be a bus ride.

If you’re traveling internationally, it could be a train ride, but this is for your personal carry on.

I have all of this in a note in my phone and when it’s an important international trip, I will always reference that note.

But somehow I still manage to forget stuff if it’s not a trip that I’m extremely planning for.

1:32

Like when we went to Napa recently, I forgot my earbuds and I did not bring anything to read.

I didn’t have anything downloaded on my phone, so it was tough.

I cleaned a lot of photos out of my phone, let’s just say that.

I always do that too.

But let’s get right into it.

Let’s talk about, most importantly, the entertainment.

1:50

You mentioned Kim, you forgot to bring a book so you could bring a book or Kindle magazines.

When Xana used to travel with us, she had a subscription to Cosmopolitan and she would bring like the three latest issues and we would just pass them around and read them and then get rid of them once we return with them.

2:08

Also bring your laptop download movies, TV shows whether that be to your laptop, your phone, tablet download brown noise and music to listen to offline to baby help you sleep and kill some of the time.

I know you guys like to do sudoku and some people like crossword puzzles, so it’s something to like keep your mind working and having fun.

2:31

Oh yeah, I have Sudoku on my phone.

Brittany and I will have challenges with each other, like both pulling up the app and start at the same time.

Unfortunately, you know, when it’s on your phone, you can’t choose what game number you want, so we’re not competing on the same puzzle.

But it’s still fun.

But there’s something fun about having the actual physical book, you know?

2:52

So if you have a physical Sudoku book, a crossword puzzle and a newspaper or even a crossword puzzle book, some people still like to do it the old school way.

And if that’s the case, be sure to bring the pencil too.

But all sorts of forms of entertainment.

And Kim, you mentioned most importantly this laugh, but when you forgot earbuds, I mean, if you’re going to watch and listen to entertainment on a plane, you need those earbuds.

3:13

Definitely.

And if you are downloading movies or TV shows, make sure you’re doing that before you even get to the airport ’cause sometimes the Wi-Fi at the airport or connection at the airport is so terrible and you can’t download anything.

That’s happened to me a few times where I’ve waited to the last minute.

3:29

So download those things in advance.

Second thing to pack are snacks and drinks.

Always bring that reusable water bottle.

We have different ones either that are 10 or we have our collapsible reusable water bottle.

So that comes in handy because even if a plane does give you water these days, it’s like a mini bottle of water or just a cup of water.

3:50

So come prepared with water snacks.

And planes naturally dehydrate you do something being at the altitude makes you a little bit more thirsty.

So water bottle for sure.

Snacks like you said Kim could be anything satiating like Cliff bars, nuts, even sweets like candy.

4:09

Pack a sandwich if it’s a shorter flight and you’re not worried about whatever contents of it spoiling.

But do be sure to bring some sort of food because we know this, especially if you’re flying domestically, you’re not getting a meal unless you pay for it.

So you want something while you’re traveling?

I remember one time I had picked up a burrito for my favorite burrito spot here in San Diego.

4:31

It’s called El Pollo Grill and they make huge burritos, like the size of your forearm burritos.

And I took it through security and I could tell the guy was looking on the screen as it was going through security at my bag.

4:46

And I was like, Oh no, is my bag going to get pulled?

And it doesn’t.

But he goes, ma’am, is that a burrito in your bag?

And I was like, yes, it is.

And he goes, that thing is huge.

Where did you get it from?

But it’s just so important to bring food on a plane.

5:03

You don’t know when your next meals come in, if it’s a shorter flight and if you have multiple lined up together and a short connection in between.

Got to pack it right.

Helps to save money and eat a little healthier too.

Sometimes the airports don’t have the healthiest options.

Absolutely.

And not that a.

5:19

Burrito is healthy, but a sandwich?

Good it is.

It’s got your rice, it’s got your beans, your protein.

What are you talking about?

Burritos, one of the healthiest things you could eat.

Also be sure to bring liquid IV or some sort of equivalent.

I mean, we kind of touched upon it with the bringing of the water bottle, but you do need something to help really keep you hydrated because even if you’re traveling, drinking a lot or what you think is a lot, traveling tends to dehydrate you.

5:46

So this keeps you filled with electrolytes and all sorts of things to just keep your mind a little bit better.

So All in all, snacks are important, whether it be food, drink, etcetera.

So be sure to pack that.

In the comfort category, you’re going to want your travel pillow.

We’ve talked a lot about the take on travel pillow.

6:01

I still absolutely love it.

I did forget it on that Napa trip as well, so I had double strikes.

Earplugs are good to have.

If there are loud children or people on the planes that comes so much in handy.

I’m asked for sleeping.

6:18

Biggest pet peeve is when it is sunny, you’re trying to sleep and someone has the window open.

You’re not sitting by the window so you can’t reach over and close it.

Bring the eye mask.

It will really change things.

Socks.

Sometimes I’ll wear sandals on a plane, especially if it’s in the summer.

Coming from Austin, it’s hot.

6:34

I always bring socks in my personal item because it’s cold on planes.

And a little sweater.

I like to have a cozy sweater with me that I use as a blanket.

But you could actually bring a light blanket.

If you’ve stolen an airplane blanket, for example, that could be your next one.

6:50

Have you seen the airplane blankets that now say like property of delta on the tags sewn in onto them?

So you can’t steal the airplane blankets.

Yeah.

On our last flight, where were we going?

I think it was we were in Argentina and we were going back to the United States and the blankets had sewn into them, property of Delta.

7:13

Wow, I hope they’re washing them.

They’re not.

That’s an airline thing.

It’s well known that they usually don’t wash them between legs.

They’ll refold them or whatever.

I’m not saying that they never get a wash, but you know, kind of a quick turn around time on that.

So bring your own ebod.

7:28

Sweaty body or you taking your shoes off and then somebody’s putting their socks all over that That’s me because I always take my shoes off and then have my feet all wrapped up into the the blanket so.

How bad happens do they fall into the ground to as you’re like getting up and shuffling around?

7:45

Farting all over it.

Is that you, Kim?

Kim.

I always bring a scarf that can double as a blanket, so it’s long enough to kind of be a light blanket.

But there was one flight where it was so freezing I wrapped it around my head because my ears and head were so cold.

8:05

That was helpful.

But I also usually travel with like a scarf because sometimes we go to religious sites where you have to cover up or put something over your head or your shoulders.

So I always keep one packed in my backpack.

Speaking of keeping extra clothing pack, that is something that you should bring with you on your personal bag, right?

8:22

Is extra change of clothes, especially underwear.

Tim, you said socks earlier.

Maybe for warm, especially if you’re coming on a plane with sandals.

But even if you’re actually wearing shoes, having an extra pair of socks, maybe your feet are a little smelly.

That time you don’t want to have those socks out.

Change into the different socks.

8:38

Change of underwear.

We talk about underwear all the time.

Or maybe even just another light shirt.

God forbid you spill something on yourself, you don’t want to be traveling with a stain on your shirt, etcetera.

So if you can, bring in just a few extra pairs of light clothes for that comfort if you need it.

8:55

Squaties will have this whole list on our website travelsquadpodcast.com, so you can go there and reference it for all eternity when you pack for your next trip.

We have a ton of other resources there.

Itineraries A page for every single episode we’ve ever done with all of the transcript for the episodes in there.

9:13

We have guides that you can download.

We have a twice monthly newsletter that you can sign up for, so head over to travelswabpodcast.com and check it out.

In the toiletries category, Chapstick.

I highly, highly recommend bringing chapstick on a plate.

9:30

If I ever forget it, I always leave with the driest chap lips.

It’s an essential item to have packed.

If you’re on a longer flight then also have face wipes packed.

You get so like dry but also you can get oily on a plane too.

9:46

Having a toothbrush, toothpaste.

I always have what on my carry on just to use in the airport bathroom if I need to just to freshen up along with deodorant and lotion or moisturizer.

Can we both forgot lotion on this last trip to Napa?

We were like, oh, we’re so dry.

10:02

So pasty.

Something that you didn’t mention in the toiletries ladies is going to be baby wipes.

I feel like baby wipes are essential, especially if it happens to be a longer traveling day.

You know, just to have that to give yourself a little bit of a freshen up, I think goes a long way to making you a lot more comfortable when you’re traveling and really essential.

10:23

A little travel size brush is great so you can freshen up your hair after sleeping on a plane for several hours, and especially if you’re doing a red eye flight where you’re trying to hit the ground running.

As a woman, I like to bring my makeup in my personal vibe so that I could just freshen up just a little bit, whether that’s in the airport bathroom after landing or the last few minutes of the flight before it touches down.

10:45

And always be sure to bring hand sanitizer or wipes for your hand and of course, to wipe down those dirty seat trays and armrests, etcetera.

Just keep yourself healthy while traveling that way.

So really in the toiletries, don’t underestimate anything that you should bring.

11:02

All of those are very essential, and when you don’t have it, you’re going to be really disappointed.

We also have just a few other essentials you should add to your carry on bag.

That’s like medications.

Never pack medication in your checked luggage.

Always put it in your carry on bag backpack.

11:20

I always have like a little pill case that stocked with melatonin, ibuprofen, Pepto Bismol, aspirin, Dramamine.

I even have antibiotics that I usually travel with, especially for going internationally because Costa Rica woof that has me doomed.

11:37

Costa Rican cleanse.

I actually picked up Cipro, a big bottle of Cipro from a Mexican pharmacy.

So if you guys are in Mexico, squaddies, pick some up.

Yeah, antibiotics, I feel like are always essential if you’re traveling domestically or international, but of course international more so than anywhere else.

11:54

You’re more likely to get some sort of food poisoning or illness just with different things in the food water that you could potentially get contaminated with.

But any of those over the counter items that Brittany mentioned, I mean medications are just essential to always have on your person on top of that, I would say.

12:12

Want to I want to share a Horror Story.

My Co worker went on a three-week trip to Italy and she packed her contact lenses and solution in her checked bag.

They lost her bag.

Oh no her sweet and her medication.

12:28

So for the first week she did not have her medications and could not see because she didn’t have her contacts.

And she had to go through all these hoops to call her doctor, get a prescription place, and be able to pick it up from an Italian pharmacy.

Not what you want to be doing on your vacation.

12:43

No, that absolutely sucks.

And of course you never know when you could feel sick.

That’s why you want it on you.

But you made a really good point.

You never know.

Even if it’s such a short flight and you don’t think you’re going to need it or a long one, luggage can be lost at any time.

And these again, are all really essential items that you can’t be without.

13:01

So always, always, always carry it on your person.

I also think it’s really essential to carry an extra phone charger or power bank.

You know, if you’re on a long flight, maybe that airline or the class that you’re sitting in doesn’t have a USB or charger for you to charge your device.

13:18

Maybe you’re watching TV shows, movies on your phone, tablet.

You don’t ever want to land without power, right?

I mean, what if you need to hail an Uber or a Lyft?

You don’t want to have to charge your phone for a little bit before you do that.

Or when you land in another country, maybe your reservations, confirmation numbers, directions of where you’re going to be going is on your phone.

13:39

So that travel bank or larger vital to have on your person at all time.

We have our favorite ones linked at our Amazon shop, so if you just Google Amazon Shop, Travel Squad podcasts or in the show notes of this episode, we have it linked there so you can get the ones that we recommend.

13:55

I would also recommend putting your phone on low battery mode.

It just helps to extend the battery life of it while you are streaming and using it in transit.

Absolutely.

And of course, always have your essential documents on you, such as your passport.

I know that goes without saying, but I mean, I feel like sometimes people can make the mistake and pack it.

14:14

But what I alluded to earlier, even with the the phone charger power bank, you know, if your phone happens to die, you don’t know where you’re going, have printouts or write down the name of the hotel address, confirmation number, et cetera.

That way you have that on your person just as well, minus your phone even dying.

14:33

What happens if your phone gets lost or stolen and you don’t even know where you’re going or where your reservation is on that?

So your essential travel documents and confirmations should always be with you as well.

I’m sure there’s other things that you could put in your personal carry on bag, but I think we’ve covered the gamut.

14:50

If you have these things, you’re going to be having a pretty good smooth transit as best as you can.

So take this and use it.

Squattys, thank you so much for tuning in to Just the Tip.

Make sure to subscribe, leave a review, and follow us on all the socials at Travel Squad Podcast.

And have fun travelling this weekend.