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Are you planning a trip soon and have a long-haul flight coming up? These journeys can be exhausting and sometimes miserable, but they don’t have to be this way with the right long flight essentials! Read on to learn the carry-on essentials for long flights that will make your upcoming travel journey the most comfortable yet.
Must Haves for Traveling on Long Haul Flights
Long flight essentials for your air travel carry-on
If you are prepared and pack the right must-haves for traveling, your long flight is sure to go smoother and be more enjoyable. Try adding these long flight essentials to your bag.
1. Neck pillow
This is a super common essential, yet many people have still never tried using one. Though neck pillows could be seen as not completely necessary, they are excellent to have when on a long flight, especially for those red-eye flights.
If you can easily fall asleep sitting up on a plane, I really recommend a neck pillow to avoid any painful neck aches when you wake up. I prefer inflatable ones as my long flight essentials so theyre not as bulky and cumbersome.
The best neck pillows for travel
According to NBC News, experts say these brands have some of the best travel-friendly neck pillows:
- Aero travel pillows by Sea to Summit (shop here)
- Tempur pedic travel pillow (shop here)
- One-sided pillow for neck & shoulder by TravelRest (shop here)
⭐️ At O. Christine, our favorite travel-friendly neck pillow is this inflatable travel pillow from Amazon.
2. Appropriate socks
An item that many people don’t think of bringing in their carry-on bag is a pair of nice comfortable socks! Fuzzy socks are must-haves for a long flight because you can take off your shoes and keep your feet warm and cozy throughout the flight.
But if you are like thousands of travelers taking meds or have health issues that make you susceptible to blood flow issues or clotting, try packing compression socks instead.
3. Headphones with 3.5mm plug-in
What’s worse than getting on a plane and realizing you left your headphones in your checked-in luggage?
Headphones are absolute essentials for long flights if you want to listen to music or watch movies during your journey, but with bluetooth and lightning cables in the mix you might have packed the wrong headphones for the flight’s entertainment system!
Since the free headphones provided in-flight are low-quality and awfully uncomfortable, be sure to grab one of your headphones with a 3.5mm plug-in.
If you want to take it to the next level, noise-canceling headphones are even better for flights, as you won’t have to hear the crying child, chatty group three rows back, or the buzzing airplane sound.
4. Antibacterial wipes
Flight deals are great, but not getting sick on a flight is even better.
Antibacterial wipes are also great must-haves for traveling because you never know when you’ll want to give your hands a refresher, and you can use them to wipe down your seat and tray table.
Luckily, during the Pandemic, many flights give you a sanitizer wipes when you board the plane, but not all airlines do this, so it’s still better to bring your own pack.
5. Extra pair of underwear and socks
It’s also a great idea to bring an extra change of clothes in your carry-on. These are must haves for a long flight in case your luggage gets lost, or you need to freshen up.
If you are limited on space, you can at least bring a change of underwear and socks, so you have something clean to change into when you land.
6. Medications
Medicine is another one of the long flight essentials you shouldn’t forget to pack in your personal bag. Be sure to bring everything you may need for asthma, allergies, headaches, stomach aches, or any other health concerns you may have, just in case you start feeling bad on the flight.
I recommend adding lozenges to your medicine bag too (like these Vapo-cool cough drops, they work wonders!) I also always have Pepto tablets because you never know when things will start rumbling.
7. Reusable Water Bottle
Another essential for long flights are reusable water bottles. These are great to have because you can save money by filling them up in airports and on the ground (just be sure beforehand that the country has drinking-safe tap water).
They also reduce plastic waste and are much better for the environment, so bringing one of these is a win-win!
The best eco-friendly water bottles for travel
According to Eco Watch, here are some of the best water bottles :
- Eco-friendly insulated water bottles by Klean Kanteen (shop here)
- Female-founded eco-friendly water bottle by S’well (shop here) that also supports UNICEF water initiatives
- Activate LEDs to filter your water with this self-cleaning eco-friendly water bottle from LARQ (shop here)
8. Chapstick and hand lotion
Flights can be very drying for our skin and lips, so having some chapstick and lotion handy is really helpful for those long-haul flights.
Washing your hands often with airport and plane soap also makes your hands dry and itchy, so I’d never travel without a small tube of hand lotion.
I recommend Aquaphor or something with menthol to keep you feeling refreshed.
9. Reading material for long flights
If you’re a bookworm, books are carry-on essentials for long flights that you won’t want to forget. Books can sometimes be heavy, so I’d say it’s better to bring paperback or an electronic reader, like a Kindle or Amazon Fire (I own the Kindle Paperwhite).
If you’re on a digital nomad visa or are a remote worker, you likely travel with your laptop everywhere anyway… so if all else fails get to writing or playing a game on your laptop.
10. Your Favorite Snacks
Does anyone actually enjoy airplane food? If you’re like me, your answer is probably not really (though sometimes those free chips and cookies hit the spot).
If you haven’t made the small investment in getting an international Priority Pass lounge access card (that’s where expert travelers stack up on snacks), then it’s a good idea to bring a few of your favorite goodies with you on the flight — especially if you have dietary restrictions.
Also, depending on the size and location, some airports don’t have many food options at all, so it’s best to purchase these snacks at your local stores before going to the airport. The last thing you want to do is be hungry on a 10-hour flight.
11. Toiletries
Frequent flyers know the drill. Toiletries are absolute carry-on essentials. From travel-size liquids and creams in a ziploc bag to your trusty toothbrush/toothpaste combo and small makeup kit, your travel-size toiletries kit will definitely elevate your bag of of long-haul flight experience.
I always have Vicks in my toiletries because it works for everything.
Whichever you choose, we recommend pre-packing these so that when you have to wake up extra early for a 6am flight, you can already be prepared and get some extra sleep.
12. Electronics (and their chargers!)
For long flights, I always put my smaller, expensive things in my carry-on just in case luggage gets lost. So, if you have a camera or laptop that you’re bringing on your trip, I’d recommend bringing these with you in your carry-on just to be on the safer side.
Don’t forget the chargers! Be sure to bring every charger that you will need for the flight (a dedicated case for them is recommended). This could include your phone charger, laptop, USB-C hub adapter, Kindle, headphones, adapters, etc.
The last thing you want is your device to die during the flight, and you do not have a way to charge it before landing.
13. A Pen
The last essential for long flights is a pen (you’d be surprised how many people on flights still don’t bring a pen)! Sometimes you will be asked to fill out customs forms to get into a country, and you might not have access to a pen. It’ll be easier if you just have your own, so you don’t have to ask around and find someone to borrow one.
14. A blanket or large scarf
Airplanes can get chilly and sometimes a jacket just isn’t comfy enough. While many long-haul flights will provide blankets, some people get grossed out by it and prefer their own.
If that person is you, an oversized scarf can double as a comfy sleeping aid in-flight, and a fashionable statement when you land!
What are your Favorite long flight Essentials?
There are many other things you could bring for your long flights essentials, but this list includes the most important in our opinion.
If you’re big on comfort, you could also bring other cozy items to make your journey a more pleasant experience.
And pro tip: don’t forget to download offline versions of your favorite shows and movies on your device before your long flight.
Hope this helps, and good luck with your next long-haul flight! xx
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For a long flight, I bring a contact lens case. One side has aquaphor for dry lips and the other side has Vicks vapo rub. You can put the Vicks in your nostrils to ward off unpleasant odors like other passengers body odor; food; dirty baby diapers; or when 200 passengers are sleeping with their mouths open (bad breath!)
sounds like the perfect idea!
Great list. I always carry a small packing cube for my medications. As someone with a chronic illness I have many prescriptions and flying internationally they all need to be kept in their own original bottles. A packing cube is a great way to keep them all organized in my carry on.