Shay and I have been perfecting the perfect carry-on travel essentials list for the past 6+ years of full-time travel!
It’s probably safe to say that we’ve all been there: unprepared, exhausted and totally uncomfortable on a looong international flight. Maybe you can see me raising both hands in the air? 😉
Since we take at least one international flight every three months, it’s absolutely crucial that we’re comfortable for our long-haul flights. Especially because we’re usually taking flights that are more than 17 hours long!
We’ve realized that the key to making our long-haul flights a breeze is by being prepared with these travel essentials. I know it might sound crazy but we now L-O-V-E taking long-haul flights. Seriously, they’ve been that big of a game-changer. So, let’s get packing!
#1 Your Travel Essential Backpack
First things first, it’s important that you have a comfortable (and stylish!) backpack to pack all of your travel essentials in. For us, this backpack also doubles as our laptop backpack that we use daily.
Trust me when I say that we’ve scoured the internet for the perfect laptop backpacks that are not just functional for traveling, but also stylish.
Here are our favorites:
Lo & Sons Hanover Backpack
Let’s see this backpack in action…
Why we love this backpack:
- Not bulky for everyday use
- Sleek yet understated for travel safety
- Waterproof
- Easy to throw in the washer
- Designated laptop slot
- Hidden passport side-pocket
- Safety lock zippers
- A sleeve for your suitcase handle
- Made for stylish travelers!
Atlas Supply Minimalist Backpack
Why we love this backpack:
- So sleek & stylish
- Extremely spacious
- Removable sections (so versatile!)
- Designated laptop sleeve
- Designated passport slot
- Side-pocket for water bottle
- Made for remote workers!
Kraxe Prater Stein Backpack
Why we love this backpack:
- Not bulky for everyday use
- Sleek yet understated for travel safety
- Waterproof
- Designated laptop sleeve
- Designated passport slot
- Side-pocket for water bottle
- Fair trade made in Portugal!
#2 Your Plush Neck Pillow
Who knew that we’d swear by a neck pillow?! A comfortable sleep is key to making your long-haul a breeze. That my friend starts with adding this neck pillow to your travel essentials list. We’ve tried so many neck pillows over the years: from inflatable to bean-bag type. This is by far THE BEST travel neck pillow out there.
I promise you, not all neck pillows are made equal 😉
Cabeau Evolution Memory Foam Travel Neck Pillow
#3 Your Travel Beauty Essentials
Next up is making sure that you have your go-to beauty travel essentials on-board so you look and feel oh-so-fresh and clean! We’re both huge sticklers when it comes to using quality beauty products, so here are our faves!
Face Moisturizer: Caudalie Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet
The recycled air that’s used inside airplanes will make your skin extremely dry. This is why it’s so important to have an extra moisturizing face lotion on-hand. This one by Caudlie is our absolute fave, and it’s the perfect travel size.
Face Mask: Laneige Water Sleeping Mask Mini
Another step to make sure your skin is hydrated on those long-haul flights! Our go-to is the mini sized sleeping mask by Laneige.
Lip Mask: Laneige Lip Mask
We love to follow our face mask up with this moisturizing lip mask also from Laneige.
Toothbrush: Quip Electric Toothbrush
There’s nothing like a fresh mouth of pearly whites on a flight! The hype is real: we love this chic electric toothbrush by Quip!
Chapstick: Uriage Moisturizing Lipstick
If you’re a chapstick kinda girl, then we’re head over heels for this one by Uriage. We take it with us literally everywhere we go.
Makeup Wipes: Coconut Water Cleansing Wipes
We love this small pack of coconut water cleansing wipes to wipe off our makeup on a flight before catching some zzzz’s.
Perfume: Tocca “Florence” Rollerball
I’m obsessed with this little rollerball perfume and always have it in my carry-on when I travel. The fragrance is fresh and delightful right before landing!
Other beauty items to have in your carry-on:
- Glasses
- Contact solution
- Travel-size deodorant
- Travel-size toothpaste
- Bandaids (just in case!)
#4 Noise-Blocking Earplugs
Shay loves these pillow-soft earplugs by Mack’s to block out noise on a long-haul flight. These wax earplugs mold to the shape of your ear and go outside of your ear instead of inside.
#5 Your Travel Outfit
It’s absolutely essential that you’re comfy on a long-haul flight. No jeans and heels over here!
Here’s a breakdown of our go-to plane outfit:
Super Soft Black T-Shirt
Because black is always in style and it’s basically spill proof…
Tennis Shoes
Because you never know when you might need to run a marathon across an airport 😉
Plush Sweatshirt
Airplanes also tend to get pretty cold so a plush sweatshirt is necessary.
Cozy Socks
An absolute necessity to be cozy on your flight!
TIP: We recommend packing a change of clothes (at least undergarments!) on your carry-on. If you have a long layover, many international airports have shower facilities…game-changer!
#6 Noise-cancelling headphones
Quality bluetooth and noise-cancelling headphones are an absolute must for traveling and working online. I love the style and sound quality of these DJ-quality headphones. They even fold into a small carrying case which is great on the go!
#7 Headphone Jack Adaptor
If you’re planning on binge-watching your favorite movies on the flight, we highly recommend grabbing these Audio Jack Adapters. They’ll allow you to use your high quality headphones on the flight instead of the cheap complementary headphones.
#8 Your Handy Portable Charger
Make sure that you never run out of power with this sleek and lightweight power bank!
#9 Silk Sleep Eye Mask
The Silk sleep mask helps you catch some much needed zzzz’s while you’re on a long-haul flight. Regardless of whether the airplane lights are on or your neighbor has their personal reading light on, you’ll be good to go!
#10 Beat Jet Lag Sleeping Pills
One of the keys to beating jet lag when you’re taking a long-haul flight is getting in enough rest on your flight. We recommend setting your phone clock to the timezone of your final destination. Then, sleeping according to that timezone! We take Advil PM sleeping pills to make sure we have a solid rest on the flight.
#11 Cute Passport Cover
If style is an essential in your book then you’ll be needing a cute passport cover like this one! It’s also great for snapping cute Insta photos during your trip 😉
#12 Kindle Paperwhite
We both have a Kindle Paperwhite and we take them with us everywhere we go. Before you take a long-haul flight, make sure you’re prepared with a few books in case you’re in the mood for some reading!
Psst…here’s a list of some of our favorite business books!
- The Alter Ego Effect
- Big Magic
- You’re A Badass
- You’re A Badass At Making Money
- What If It Does Work Out
- Clockwork
- Girl Wash Your Face
- Rocket Fuel
- Daring Greatly
- High Performance Habits
#13 Electronic Cord Organizer
There’s nothing more frustrating than having cords all over the place when you’re traveling. This stylish and extremely functional electronic cord organizer means that we have ALL of our cords in one easy-to-access place!
#14 SkyRoam Travel Wifi
This is a must-have item for every online girl boss! Skyroam gives you Wifi access no matter where you’re located in the world. Whether you want to work on a train, beach, or desert camp site, this device will give you access to strong wifi. This also makes it super handy for traveling and getting wifi at the airport etc.
#15 Swell Water Bottle
It’s important to stay hydrated on the regular, but especially when you’re on a long-haul flight! We always have our Swell water bottles handy to fill up.
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