Top 30 Items To Keep In Your Carry-On Luggage

There are no two ways about it; long-haul flights can be a drag. Especially travelling from New Zealand, long-haul flights can be over 14 hours at a time in the air without touching down. Don’t let that put you off travelling, however. Preparing and packing the right things in your travel bag or carry-on luggage can help make the smooth flight sailing. 

We’re proud of our wide range of baggage options at Briscoes. This includes our mini backpacks, wheeled travel bags and other hand luggage options that make ideal cabin bags. But once you’ve got your new carry-on luggage bags, what do you put in them? Let’s find out!

1. Slippers or slides

You may enjoy wearing comfortable slides and slippers around home. But have you considered enjoying this same comfort 12,000 feet in the air? While on a long-haul flight, you’ll be sitting down for long periods. However, it’s recommended that you get up and stretch your legs when you can, and it’s safe to do so. You may even want to wear your slippers on and off of your flight to save room in your carry-on luggage. 

2. Small first aid kit

Accidents and medical events happen, even on long-haul flights. Yes, airline staff will have a first aid kit and medical supplies. However, it can be good to also pack a small first kit in your cabin bag. That way, you can easily and quickly look after yourself and your family for more minor matters. Just be sure to remove any scissors or sharp objects. 

3. Money or bank cards

You may not think you’d need cash on a flight. However, many flights, both domestic and long haul, have things you can purchase. From entertainment to additional food and beverages on top of what is already part of your ticket, you never know what you’ll be craving up in the air. Pack your wallet in a side pouch of your mini suitcase, carry-on backpack or other carry-on luggage, so it’s easy to get to. 

4. Power bank

You may have heard stories of airport security disposing of battery banks. Generally, this is because the power bank is in the traveller's main suitcase or it doesn’t meet size requirements. You can take most power banks in your backpack or carry-on suitcase on a flight. Especially if you don’t have the proper connection to charge your devices on the plane, a power bank can be useful. 

5. Good eye mask

Sleep can be hard to come by on a long-haul flight. Thankfully, you can do plenty of things to help get some shut-eye. The cabin lights may dim when it’s meant to be nighttime, but it can still be bright between other passengers’ reading lights and neighbouring screens. Yes, some flights provide an eye mask, but these are often of poor quality, small and don’t do what they’re meant to do. 

6. Medication

When changing time zones on a long-haul flight, tracking and taking your regular medication can be difficult. In the first instance, we recommend contacting your doctor for advice on transitioning. However you choose to approach it, you’ll probably need to take some of your daily medications while up in the air. For this reason, keep it in your carry-on luggage to keep it at the right temperature and easy to get to.

7. Itinerary

You'll probably feel pretty jaded when you arrive at your destination after a long-haul flight. For this reason, having your itinerary on hand in your cabin bag or carry-on backpack can be a smart idea. This way, when you arrive, you know where you’re going and what to do. Plus, it’s fun to chat with your travel group about your upcoming exciting holiday!

8. Passport

It may seem like a no-brainer for some, but you’ll want to keep your passport on your person or at least in your backpack or carry-on suitcase. You’ll need to show your passport on arrival at your destination for international flights. So, it’s important to have it handy. Plus, your passport is also a good form of ID.  

9. A book or tablet

Especially if you’re only taking a domestic flight, there may not be free inflight entertainment. Sure, you can pay to watch a movie in some cases. But, it can be cost-effective to download your favourite series or film to your tablet. Or better yet, what about a book to read? If you’re travelling for work or taking your laptop, you could benefit from a laptop bag to take as your cabin bag.

10. Moisturiser

One negative effect of spending a long time in a plane cabin is the effect on your skin. The recycled air can, unfortunately, dehydrate and cause damage. To combat this, keep some moisturiser in your hand luggage so that you can apply it occasionally. 

11. Toothbrush

The person next to you on your flight certainly won’t appreciate you having bad breath. This may not be a consideration if you’re on a small domestic flight. But, if you’re on a long haul, you’ll want to brush your pearly whites from time to time. The airline may provide a toothbrush, but usually, these are of poor quality and won’t do a good job. Packing a good toothbrush in a small backpack or wheel travel bag for the flight can be good. 

12. Spare underwear

For a similar reason to why taking a good toothbrush in your carry-on luggage is a good idea, you may also want to take spare underwear for your long-haul flight. Just like how you should change your undies daily, you’ll want to change now and again on a flight for hygiene reasons. Just think about how long you’d typically wear a pair of underwear vs how long your flight is. As well as that, sometimes an airline will lose your luggage, so it’s good to be prepared for anything.

13. Smartphone

Let's be honest. These days, most Kiwis always keep their smartphone in their pocket. But, if you’re not one of those people, you’ll want to ensure your smartphone is packed in your travel bag to take on as carry-on luggage. A smartphone can be a great source of entertainment with:

• Games
• Music
• Movies and shows

It’s also worth noting that some long-haul flights also have wifi nowadays. 

14. Packing cubes

Look, we get it. This is a big list, and it may be challenging to consider all of these items fitting in even one of the best backpacks for travel. Luckily, packing cubes can help. These handy travel accessories help to divvy up and make the most of the limited space in your carry-on luggage. For more advice on packing in general, read our guide on how to pack a suitcase for an overseas trip. 

15. Noise-cancelling headphones

One of the reasons noise-cancelling headphones are so popular is for flying. Planes can be loud, whether from the engine's noise or just people talking in the cabin. We highly recommend packing noise-cancelling headphones in your carry-on luggage bags if you've got them. That way, you can still listen to your music at a volume that doesn’t damage your hearing in the process to hear it. 

16. Good earplugs

On that note, earplugs are also essential for any traveller wanting to get some sleep on a flight. Once again, the airline may provide you with a pair of earplugs. But most airline earplugs don’t do the best job and keep the noise out that well. We recommend keeping your own in a pouch on your backpack or cabin bag.

17. Flight tickets

You won’t get far when travelling abroad without your plane ticket. Most operators have an app or email flight tickets to your phone. But, if you’re old-fashioned at heart, don’t forget to pack your flight ticket in an envelope or plastic sleeve in your travel bag. You won’t get on the plane without it!

18. Lip balm

Even if you don’t usually use lip balm, we highly recommend you take some along in your mini suitcase or backpack. Similarly to how it’s a good idea to moisturise due to the recycled air in the plane cabin, your lips may dry out too. No one wants cracked lips. So, apply lip balm from time to time on your flight. 

19. Chewing gum

If you’ve flown in an aeroplane before, you’ll be familiar with popping ears. This all comes down to the air pressure change when the plane takes off or lands. Usually, this isn’t a major. But, sometimes, popping ears can lead to earaches. Cheating gum is a handy trick to help deal with popping ears and earaches. The saliva created from the gum and the movement of chewing that help to equalise pressure in your ear. 

20. USB adapter

Many planes, especially older models, will only have compatibility with regular USB cords. If you have other connections, like USB-C, for example, this can cause an issue. The safe option is to pack an adapter for your preferred connection to USB in your carry-on luggage. That way, you can charge your phone while in transit. 

21. Water bottle

Hydration is key when it comes to flying, especially long journeys. If you don’t drink enough water, it can lead to headaches and other issues. Most airports won’t allow you to take a full water bottle through security. But it’s worth taking an empty bottle through and filling it up afterwards. That way, you don’t need to rely on small servings of water provided in the plane cabin. Pop a bottle of water down the side of your cabin backpack or other carry-on luggage. 

22. Spare socks

We’ve already spoken about socks in this blog. Now, let’s touch on socks. Of course, this isn't a concern if you’re flying in jandals. But it’s wise to take spare socks in your hand luggage. This comes down to the same hygiene reasons as bringing spare underwear. As well as that, some plane cabins can get cold, so socks come in handy. Try to get compression socks that don’t take up as much room in your small suitcase or small backpack. 

23. Phone charger

Your power bank or USB adaptor won’t be much use without your phone charger. Once you find your seat, take it out and put it in the pocket of the seat in front of you. That way, you can take the cord out and plug it in whenever you need it.

24. Facial wipes

Most long-haul flights, unfortunately, don’t have a shower on board. So, facial wipes can be great to have to stay fresh on board. Depending on the airline, you may sweat a bit on our journey. So, when you want a freshen up, pop to the bathroom and give yourself a clean. 

25. Your favourite snacks

Something about your favourite snacks makes you feel comfortable and less anxious. So, taking your favourite sweet or savoury snacks on a flight is smart. There’s a reason there are so many jokes about airline food. So, taking tried and tested snacks in your carry-on suitcase or backpack can be good. 

26. Neck pillow

You want to feel refreshed when you arrive at your destination. So, sleep is imperative. Your seat may angle back a bit, but it hardly recreates the feeling of your own bed. A neck pillow is a fantastic way to support your head and feel comfortable enough to sleep. We have a range of neck pillows and other travel accessories available at Briscoes. 

27. Eye drops

Like your skin and lips, your eyes can also get dry on a flight. To combat this, eye drops are handy to have packed in your carry-on travel bag. Given how small they are, eye drops can easily fit in small pouches and side compartments. The last thing you want is to be scratching your eyes the whole flight. 

28. Pen

This may seem silly, but a pen is handy on a flight. Especially if you’re travelling internationally, you’ll probably need to complete a declaration form before touching down. This form would then be given to customs at the arrival destination. Keep one in your carry-on luggage to prevent the need to ask your neighbour for a pen.

29. Hand sanitiser

Not everyone is as hygienic as you are. Plus, sometimes it’s hard to know how clean surfaces are in an aeroplane. The safe approach to general hygiene when on a plane is taking your own small bottle of hand sanitiser. Germs can spread easily in a small, confined space, so you’ll want to keep a bottle of hand sanitiser nearby. 

30. Travel insurance documentation

Sometimes, your belongings can go missing when travelling, even on a flight. Keeping your travel insurance documentation with your tickets and any other paperwork in your cabin bag means you can read what you're entitled to whenever you need. Once again, some people may already have this documentation downloaded on their smartphones and ready to go. 

Travel comfortably with Briscoes

Long-haul flights can be a drag. So, packing your carry-on luggage well is vital for a comfortable journey. At Briscoes, we know a thing or two about bags and luggage. We have a wide range of suitcases, backpacks and other travel accessories to choose from. If you don’t know where to start, read our bags and luggage buying guide.