20 Life Changing Flight Essentials
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There are a lot of opinions on what to bring to on a flight and to the airport. I’ve traveled a lot, road trips, flights, and trains and have made this complete list for you. These travel essentials will help you on any length of trip and to any destination.
20 Life Changing Flight Essentials
1. Headphones
Getting the first spot is of course headphones. Specifically, noise canceling ones. I have survived all of my flights with every type of headphone you can think of. I’ve narrowed my list down to just two types, Airpods and Airpod Max. I love both of these and they make any flight more bearable.
If you prefer over the ear headphones: Apple AirPod Max.
If you prefer headphones that don’t go over the ear: Apple AirPods.
2. Kindle/E-Reader
I never leave home without my Kindle. It’s so small that it can fit just about anywhere, stays charged for a long time, and I can read in the dark. The best part, I can have more than one book loaded at a time, taking up less space in my bag. I’ve had the Kindle Paperwhite for years and it has never let me down.
Get your kindle on Amazon: Kindle Paperwhite
3. Comfy Outfit
Before I leave my house, I need a comfortable travel outfit. I love wearing sweatpants and heading to the airport is the perfect opportunity to do so. Being comfortable heading to the airport and on the plane is a must. I’ve tested a few options, matching sweatshirt and sweatpants, but nothing was right. I wear a different size top than bottom, so the option was only to purchase separates.
I found the perfect sweatpants on Amazon: Ugerlov Sweatpants. These are 85% cotton and insanely comfortable.
The best sweatshirt I found on Amazon is from Trendy Queen Oversized Hoodie. The oversize fit is comfortable and the hoodie fits over my headphones! But, any good sweatshirt will do. I also wear a tee-shirt underneath in case it’s hot.
No outfit is complete without a good pair of shoes. My favorite shoe for the airport (and everyday wear) are the Boston Birkenstock’s. The slip on and off, go with pretty much everything ,and are comfortable. You can buy yours on Amazon: Boston Birkenstock.
4.Backpack
A good backpack will make all the difference in your airport travel. I prefer a carry-on size, but they make smaller ones. There are so many options but one remains the best. The Taygeer Travel Backpack is the perfect solution. I found this one on Amazon.
You can get yours here: Taygeer Travel Backpack
5. Compression Socks
Before the flight boards, I have my compression socks on and ready. My legs thank me after every long trip when I have these on. I have a set from Amazon that I love. They come in really fun colors and patterns.
Get yours from Amazon here: LEVSOX Compression Socks.
6. Portable Charger
The one thing at airport that is never for sure, an outlet. That’s why I always travel with a portable charger. My portable charger has helped me charge my tech before and even on my flight. I’ve had the Anker Power Bank 10,000mAh for years and it”s never let me down. It lasts for several charge cycles and is still slim enough to fit in my bag.
Get yours on Amazon: Anker Power Bank
7. Snacks
If there is one thing I never travel without, it’s a snack. Specifically something that will keep me full, like a granola or protein bar. On the plane, I never turn down a chip bag, but that will not keep me full. I also pack extra in case I do get hungry when I get to my destination but can’t get food right away.
8. Reusable Water Bottle
I haven’t bought water at the airport in years. Most, if not all, airports have water bottle fill up stations. If you are traveling, you need to be hydrated. Also, you don’t want to pay $7 for a water to do so. The perfect solution, is a reusable water bottle. I’ve been using the Owala FreeSip Sway for a while. It has a completely enclosed straw, fits in every cup holder, and. keeps my water cold. It’s a win all around.
Get yours here: Owala FreeSip Sway 30oz
9. Skincare
If you don’t already, you need a handy bag of travel skincare. I have a few things that always come on airplanes with me. As always, I make sure to stock up on Amazon before I leave so I never run out. This is a mix of what I use before my flight and on the flight!
My goal of every trip is to make sure my skin stays hydrated. I always start the process before I leave on a trip. Don’t forget to stay hydrated, it helps make your skin look even more hydrated and keep you feeling good.
- Disposable Towel Wipes
- Tower 28 Hypochlorous Acid Spray
- Under Eye Masks
- Sheet Mask
- SPF Moisturizer
- Hyaluronic Acid
- Hydrating Lip Mask
10. Disinfectants
There are two things that come with me to disinfect my seat on the plane, my hotel room, and of course my hands. I need something that can go in my bag, smells good, and doesn’t disrupt everyone on the plane. I always keep a pack of disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer with me.
I’ve tested a few options of disinfectant wipes and finally found my holy grail, Minee Wipes. They are so small and fit right into my purse and backpack. They are also safe for sensitive skin.
Grab a pack of 10 from Amazon: Impossibly Compact Travel Antibacterial Wipes
I bring hand sanitizer everywhere with me. Especially on flights. I never travel without my favorite, the Touchland Hand Sanitizer Spray. I just really like the spray feature and the scents! Right now, the Lily of the valley scent is a favorite.
11. Liquid I.V.
I like to be hydrated, but travel, especially flying, always makes me dehydrated. This is where Liquid I.V. comes in. These little hydration sticks help to keep me hydrated when I travel. There are so many flavors, but I have always liked the lemon lime or peach.
You can grab a box on Amazon now: Liquid I.V. Lemon Lime
12. Beekeeper’s Naturals Propolis Throat Spray
The best product anyone has ever recommended to me, is the Beekeeper’s Naturals Propolis Throat Spray. I used to get really sick after flying and I’m pretty confident this has stopped that completely. I start using it a few days before my flight, and every day of my trip.
Order yours on Amazon: Beekeeper’s Naturals Propolis Throat Spray
13. Emergen-C
Paired with the Beekeeper’s throat spray, Emergenc-C works wonders! I always drink a packet everyday of travel, especially before flights. Packed with 1,000mg of vitamin C, this will give your immune system the boost it needs!
Get a pack of 30 from Amazon here: Emergen-C
14. First Aid Kit
As I’ve traveled more, I started to need random first aid supplies. Mainly bandaids, but I like to be prepared for anything. I purchased a mini first aid kit to bring on trips. You never know when you may need a first aid kit!
I found one on Amazon, full of 150 pieces and comes in a nice carrying case.
Get yours here: Mini First Aid Kit
15. Medicine
I never leave home without any of my ‘just in case’ medicines, Advil, Benadryl, Tylenol, DayQuil, etc. I hope I never need them but it makes sense to bring them along. I used to put them in a plastic bag, until I found the best organizer. This pill container has 10 compartments, it’s compact, and even comes with labels.
Get your organizer here: Pill Organizer
16. Neck Pillow
I’ve tested a few neck pillows. There are so many options, and the standard neck pillow is out. I found the best neck pillow on Amazon. It’s memory foam, and has multiple ways to wear for maximum comfort. I slept 7 hours on my flight and I owe it to the comfort this neck pillow brought me.
Get yours here: BUYUE Neck Pillow
17. Sleeping Mask
Any long haul flight, especially in economy, takes a toll on your body. I’ve tried to sleep on the plane with only a neck pillow and it wasn’t working. Until I got a sleeping eye mask. I found one on Amazon that has memory foam for comfort, blocks light, and has cutouts for comfort around the eye. Best purchase I’ve ever made!
Get yours here: Sleeping Eye Mask
18. Journal
Every flight is better with a journal, it’s a fact! I love to take a few minutes to journal when I’m on my flight. On the way I journal about what I’m looking forward to. I journal during the trip to document what I did and how I’m feeling. On the flight home I journal what I learned and loved most on the trip. Any journal or notebook will do, but I like the Paperage journal.
Get yours on Amazon here: Paperage Hardcover Lined Journal
19. Coloring Book
I love to bring along a coloring book on my flight, especially for longer ones. I load a podcast or audiobook on my phone and get to coloring. I really like the coloring books by Coco Wyo on Amazon, they are easy to color and super cute! Right now I like the stress relief version but there are so many others to choose from.
Get yours here: Stress Relief Coloring Book
I use colored pencils, but you can use markers or crayons. I have a set of 72 from Peter Pauper Press that I got on Amazon.
Get them here: Studio Series Colored Pencil Tube Set
20. A small bag for the essentials
Now that you have all your essentials, where should you put them? I want more leg room on the flight so my backpack goes in the overhead bin. I have another bag that I can pull out that has all my essentials. I’m obsessed with this cross body sling from Amazon. It’s large enough to fit all my ID’s, passport, plus my inflight essentials. There are quite a few color options, I stick to the black one though.
Get your cross body sling here: Cross Body Sling Bag
Final Thoughts
These are my 20 flight essentials. I swear these items have improved my airline experience, especially sitting in economy. These are al great things for long haul flights or quick flights. Let me know your thoughts.
