Top 10 Carry-on Items

Like some people, I tend to forget a few things when I travel. The list below are my Top 10 Carry-on Travel Essentials. This list is helpful especially if you tend to procrastinate OR to gift someone who is an avid explorer… (Click on the pictures below for product details)

1.Passport Holder—Bring a passport holder to keep yourself organized.  I usually have so many things on my carry-on bag that my passport and boarding pass get mixed in and become harder to find. My suggestion is to have a passport holder for every travel (particularly international travel). For domestic, you can also use this for your lounge cards (priority pass, anyone?), boarding pass, gift cards (starbucks!), etc.  

2.Headphones–Be sure to bring your headphones to listen to your own music or for airline movies/entertainment. You definitely do not want to pay an extra $5 for headphones the airlines sell you on board. It’s also great to have noise cancellation headphones.

3.Phone charger/World Charger/Adaptor–most planes have an outlet on each seat so I always bring in a phone charger to either charge in the airport or while on the plane.  For international travel, it’s important to bring an adaptor.

4.Book/Kindle/Ipad–Be sure to bring a book or iPad for use on the plane.  A good book relaxes me and keeps me entertained for a few hours.  I like starting a book on my way to my destination and read it while relaxing on the beach on vacation.  If you haven’t read Phil Knight’s Shoe Dog, please do!  I read this book this year and it’s such an inspiring story, to dream BIG!

5.Sweater/Scarf/Long-Sleeve–I feel like airplanes are 10X colder. It’s always a good idea to bring in an extra layer to cover yourself and keep you warm throughout your flight and honestly, I love anything lululemon, like the item below.  

6.Socks–To help you get comfortable especially in long flights, bringing in extra socks (try the travel compression socks also) to use during the flight.  This is a must for international travel. 

7.Chapstick/Lip Gloss–the temperature on the plane tends to change and as a result, your lips may get super chapped. I like having chapstick/lip gloss handy when I fly. 

8.Neutrogena make-up wipes–for the ladies, this is a must-have to remove your make-up during those long flights.  This is easy to use, works well and lightweight. This is my go to make-up remover at home as well. 

9.Moisturizer–I like having a moisturizer to prevent dryness.  I also like to put it on after washing my face to feel clean and fresh.  This is especially helpful in overnight trips. This is also my favorite daily moisturizer. 

10.Snack–It’s always good to bring snacks while traveling in case you get super hungry. I like carrying protein bars or breakfast bars, something small but fulfilling. The triple chocolate flavor is my fave!

Extra Tip: Carry-on bag–I traveled to Europe the last three years and using the European budget airlines can be tricky due to their carry-on size rules.  I’ve found that the best carry-on to use that meets the criteria on most, if not all, budget airlines is the American Tourister Belle carry-on below.  I used this on my recent Europe trip!

I hope the suggestions above will help you prepare for your next trip! Check out by blog, Finding Cheap Flights (click here), to get the best airline deals.

Tell me your travel essentials below…

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