If you’re wondering what to pack for carry on, I’ve got you covered with this essential carry on packing list. These are all the things I always have in my carry on bag, whether I am checking in a bag or not.
I haven’t included clothing in this list as what clothes you pack in your carry on will depend on where you are travelling and what you will be doing.
Carry On Packing Tips
Check Your Airline Regulations Carefully
Carry on rules do vary depending on your airline, and the type of ticket you have, in particular when it comes to the size and quantity of carry bags you can have on the plane.
Be sure to check the size and weight of what you can bring on the flight with you – if you are changing airlines for layover or return flights you need to prepare for that too.
Get a Decent Carry On Bag or Suitcase
Choosing the best carry on bag for you will depend on what you plan to be doing on your trip, and whether you are checking in any luggage.
Personally, if I am travelling with carry on only, I usually prefer to have a wheelie carry on suitcase, and a small backpack as my personal item (if the airline allows it). However, I recently tested out the Tortuga Travel Backpack 40l and have taken that with me on several trips recently a my main carry-on bag.
If I am checking in a suitcase, then I choose a 40l backpack as my carry-on, so I am pulling a suitcase with one hand, with a backpack on my back and one spare hand for opening doors and waving at buses or taxis!
Carry On Backpacks
I love the Tortuga Travel Backpack 40l which is the most comfortable backpack I’ve ever worn, thanks to the adjustable shoulder straps which you can alter to suit your height, and the padded hip belt which can take up to 80% of the weight off your shoulders.
You can read my full review of the Tortuga backpack here, or check out the Tortuga website for the full specs and other reviews.
Osprey Backpacks also makes high-quality backpacker & travel backpacks, and I have their 40 litre Fairview pack for women which I often use when checking in luggage for longer trips. The Fairview is designed for women, and the men’s equivalent is the 40 litre Farpoint which is just as good.
These travel backpacks meet carry on restrictions for most airlines, and are flexible if you don’t overfill them, so they will squeeze into luggage racks. They have a separate laptop sleeve, supporting hipbelt and open fully so you can easily access anything you’ve packed.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: The Best Carry-On Travel Backpacks
If you’re looking for a cheap travel backpack for carry-on, the Asenlin 40 litre travel backpack is a unisex design, and gets excellent reviews. It opens fully like the Osprey backpacks, has a 17-inch laptop compartment, is water-resistant and comes with a set of 3 packing cubes included.
Carry On Wheelie Cases
There is a wide range of wheeled carry on luggage available, but remember to check your airline’s regulations carefully as they do vary. Key things to look for include something lightweight and easy to carry. Samsonite is an excellent brand, but can be expensive if you’re on a tight budget.
Browse all carry-on suitcases on Amazon.
Carry On Essentials
Whether you are travelling with a carry on only or checking in a bag, you definitely need these hand luggage essentials with you on the plane. These must-have carry-on items will make your flight and arrival much smoother!
If you like to do all your shopping directly on Amazon then you can check out my Amazon store with all of the carry-on essentials you need to buy – but don’t forget to check this list for the things you can’t get on Amazon, like a passport or travel insurance.
Passport & Tickets
Whatever you do, don’t forget these!! For some internal flights you may be able to fly with your ID card instead of a passport, but make sure you check carefully what is required for your passport, travel insurance and COVID regulations.
Check your passport is valid, with the correct number of free pages and that the expiry date is well outside of the limit required by the destination. Some Brits have been caught out this year as new BREXIT regulations mean that UK passports have to be less than 10 years old in order to enter Europe, as well as having at least 6 months of validity left, so check and double-check everything carefully!
COVID regulations are also changing all the time, so follow instructions from your airline and the government regulations of the country you are visiting to make sure you have any test results or certificates with you.
Even if you have an e-ticket on your phone I also like to have a paper copy just in case! You might also need to show proof of where you are staying in the country (depending on where you are travelling). I also like to have a photocopy of my passport, as well as a scanned electronic version stored on my phone in case it gets stolen.
Travel Insurance
Boring I know, but travel insurance really is essential for any trip. I am very glad I had insurance when my laptop and passport got stolen while I was travelling, and I never leave home without it!
These days as well as coverage for your health and personal belongings you also want to look for travel insurance which covers COVID disruption such as World Nomads or Safety Wing for long term travel and digital nomad living.
Print off the details of what to do in case you need to make a claim, and carry a copy with you, as well as an electronic version.
Phone and Electronics
I never go anywhere without my phone, so it goes without saying that it is coming on the plane with me! I also pack my laptop in my hand luggage (you may need to get it out of your bag to go through security), the same goes for tablets, fragile camera equipment and anything else valuable and breakable!
Make sure you bring the charging cables too, especially for your phone or anything you be lost without!
House Keys, Car Keys, Money & Other Valuables
NEVER put these in your check-in luggage. You never know when a suitcase might go missing, so keep all of your valuables with you either on your person or in your carry on. Expensive jewellery, watches and anything else you would be devastated to lose should go in your hand luggage.
Instead of carrying a lot of cash with me, I use a Wise travel card which I top up with the appropriate currency before I travel – that also comes with me in my carry-on bag.
If you’re not sure whether you can bring certain items with you, the TSA has a useful list of everything you might want to bring – and you can email them to check if it doesn’t appear on the list!
Money Belt / Travel Scarf
While I certainly don’t recommend packing any valuables in your check in bag, I’m also very wary about putting everything together in my carry on.
To avoid losing everything should your carry-on get stolen (I’ve heard of it happening in busy train stations and on public transport), I’d also suggest having a money belt and/or a travel scarf with a hidden pocket where you can stash your money and passport.
I love my Waypoint travel scarf, it comes in a variety of colourful patterns and helps me to feel safe in the knowledge my passport and cash are safe too!
Portable Power Bank
Some airlines have charging ports on the flight that you can use, while others don’t allow you to charge electronics on the flight in case of overheating, so make sure you follow the rules, and only use the charger when you’re on solid ground if needed!
Anker is one of the best brands for portable chargers and after testing out several brands I always choose Anker. I have a small version which is great for overnight or weekend trips and a larger one which can charge a phone several times for long periods without electricity.
If you can’t find the one you want on Amazon, try eBay – there is a shortage of new electronics at the moment so you might get lucky with a second-hand one.
Personal Medication
If you take any kind of medication on a regular basis, pack it in your carry on and make sure you have enough to last several days, if not the entire trip. You may need to bring your prescription or note from your doctor for certain medicines, and it helps if they are labelled clearly and in their original packaging. Check the TSA website for more information about what you can bring.
As I suffer from motion sickness I always bring travel sickness medication on flights, as well as acupressure bands and some minty chewing gum which helps to settle my stomach.
Hand Sanitizer, Wipes & Facemask
Even if face masks are no longer required (check the rules for your flight) I’d still recommend wearing a facemask when you are flying as you are sitting close to other people you don’t know.
Face masks aside, airplane seats and tray tables are notorious for being full of germs, so some anti-bacterial wipes and hand sanitiser will help you to feel clean and safe in your seat.
Travel Toiletries
If you are flying with a carry on only, you’ll probably need to bring more toiletries to last your entire trip, but if you’re checking in a bag make sure you have the basics so you can survive a layover or lost baggage comfortably! Liquids need to be in containers of 100 millilitres (3.4 ounces) or less, and need to be placed in a clear quart-sized bag for screening.
Having travel-sized containers to decant your own toiletries into is a fabulous space-saving trick, as well as reducing pointless plastic use when buying mini-sized toiletries at the airport.
I also like to take solid shampoo and conditioner bars which don’t contribute to your liquid allocation for hand luggage. Lush does the best ones I’ve found, although I’ve yet to find a solid conditioner that really works for long thick hair. You can also save a bit of space with a folding toothbrush and by using toothpaste tabs instead of paste.
I always take the following carry on toiletries:
- Bar of soap in a container
- Folding toothbrush
- Toothpaste tabs
- Deodorant
- Travel hairbrush with mirror
- Perfume in a refillable mini bottle or free samples
- Moisturizer & lip balm as cabin air dries out my skin
Plus these useful travel toiletries for trips when I’m not checking a bag
- Reef-safe sunscreen
- Mini Razor
- Solid shampoo and conditioner bars from Lush (in tins)
A Change of Clothes
At the very least make sure you have a clean set of underwear, socks and a clean t-shirt or top to change into. If you have a long flight or layover, being able to freshen up and put on clean clothes is instantly reviving and will help you get through the journey.
Also, there is nothing worse than a delayed flight and being stuck in dirty, sweaty clothes for way longer than you want to! I remember having to sleep in my clothes after a cancelled flight, and didn’t have anything to change into the next day – it was grim!
Lost luggage can also be a problem, so I now make sure I always have at least one change of clothes in my carry on, even if I am checking in a bag.
Water Bottle with a Filter
Water-to-Go is the bottle I use everywhere which filters 99.9999% of illness-causing contaminants, including those as small as a virus. You can drink water from taps, rivers, streams and any freshwater source wherever you are, without fear of a dodgy stomach or waterborne disease.
All Tales of a Backpacker readers can get 15% discount on a Water-to-Go filter bottle with the code BYORB
Snacks
I hate having to buy food on the plane as it is always expensive and usually terrible! Flight snacks are an essential for my cabin bag, as I also hate being hangry. Solid snacks such as apples, crunchy biscuits, healthy snack bars and nuts last longer than soft fruits like bananas which often get squashed on their way through the airport.
Chocolate has a tendency to melt so it can get messy, and try to avoid anything too salty as it will make you thirsty.
If it is a long flight I will either pack my own sandwiches (sausage and cheese is a favourite for morning flights), or I buy a meal deal sandwich at the airport. What you can get at the airport varies greatly depending on where you are – in the UK I love Boots for cheap and relatively tasty sandwiches and pasta salads.
Inflatable Neck Pillow
Earplugs
You can buy earplugs from pharmacists in packs of two or three, or bulk buy online before you travel, safe in the knowledge that these little guys will help you sleep soundly.
Having a travel case to put them in is also really useful to keep them clean and dry while you’re on the move. I like to use simple foam earplugs like these, which I trim down to size (they’re often too long and make sleeping on my side uncomfortable, but snipping a bit off the end solves that!), although there are lots of different designs and materials to choose from.
Eye Mask / Sleep Mask
If you are a light sleeper like me, then anything you can do to help block out noise and light will help – that’s where an eye mask can make a huge difference – especially when you’re on long haul flights with variable lighting.
I love this eye mask which is soft and comfortable, and you can adjust it around the nose so it fits closer to your face and blocks out more light. It also has a handy little carry bag too.
In Flight Entertainment
I am usually fine with my phone and laptop and don’t bring anything extra with me, but I do make sure I have some TV shows or movies downloaded and ready to watch on my phone and/or laptop. Remember you’ll need to switch Airplane Mode on for your devices before you take off.
If you prefer to read, a Kindle is a great way to take lots of books with you, and I love my Audible subscription for listening to audio books.
You could take magazines, newspapers or books with you, or puzzle books and travel games can help to keep you or kids entertained.
Noise Cancelling Headphones
Do not under any circumstances watch a movie or listen to music without headphones on a flight. Not only is it incredibly rude for your fellow passengers, but you won’t get the best sound experience either! Having noise-cancelling earphones will also help to drown out the plane noises around you too.
There is a wide range of headphones and earbuds available so you can choose whichever works best for you. These Anker Soundcore headphones are good value and get great reviews too.
Airfly Bluetooth Transmitter
Notepad & Pen
Often overlooked, I actually can’t do without a good old fashioned pen and paper. You never know when you might need a pen – but when you’re travelling you could be filling in all sorts of paperwork such as passenger arrival forms when there are never enough pens to use!
If you bring your own notepad you can also write down accommodation addresses, restaurant recommendations, or start a travel journal.
Hardcover journals are more sturdy, so if you plan to keep it as a souvenir then go for a hardback or leatherbound journal although it will add more weight and bulk to your backpack. If it is just for jotting down useful information then any old notepad will do.
Extra Items for your Carry On Packing List
I wouldn’t say that these are carry on essentials, as you don’t NEED them but they certainly can be useful! Some of these I do carry with me and others I’ve left behind over the years but everyone is different so see what you think you might like to pack in your hand luggage!
Packing Cubes
Travel Plug Adapter (with USB Sockets)
Something like this universal charger socket is bulkier than individual adapters, but the USB ports are very useful for hotels where plug sockets are few and far between.
Microfibre Towel
Microfibre travel towels are quick-drying, easy to wash and come in a variety of colours and sizes.
If you’re travelling somewhere hot and want to pack an ultra-light carry on bag you might get away with a sarong instead of a quick-dry travel towel, but personally, I can’t do without a microfibre towel! They also double up as blankets on cold journeys so for me are worth the space.
Flip Flops
I hope you’ve found this list of what to pack in a carry on useful – and that you won’t forget any of your carry on travel essentials on your next trip! What do you think, have I got all of the essential items here for your travel backpack and hand luggage? If you have any suggestions for anything else you need for a flight or if you think I should take something off then let me know in the comments below!
Want More Flight Tips?
Check out these blog posts filled with more flight tips for your trip, or click here to read all my travel tips. Want More Packing Tips?
Check out these blog posts to help you decide what to pack for your next trip, or click here to read all my packing tips.Like this post? Pin it to save for later!
