Carry On! 10 Must-Have Items to Take on a Flight….(or to Gift a Traveler Friend) 

For me, a vacation starts the minute the plane’s wheels leave the ground. I look forward to time on the plane, whether it’s one hour or ten hours. It’s uninterrupted time to read, watch movies, sleep, edit photos and even clean up my email box.  But there are some essentials to take on a long haul plane ride that can make the travel time move from a ‘good’ to a ‘great’ experience. Here is my top 10  ‘must-have’ list, with an ‘optional’ fun one thrown in at the end. 1. A thin scarf that can be used as a blanket or a scarf. Planes can be cold, and the airplane blankets are not always ‘optimal’. I always pack a thin scarf that I can wrap around my neck or spread out and use it as a light blanket. There are tons on the market and it’s a personal choice of budget/fringe/size etc.  I personally like a super-thin black cashmere one without fringe so it keeps me warm, isn’t bulky in my bag, fringe doesn’t get caught on things in my bag, and it can be worn throughout the trip as a scarf or shawl. 2. Travel neck support sleep pillow. Sleeping comfortably on a plane is a challenge. The headrests are often too high for me and they just don’t work well for most to snooze on. The travel pillow that I love is the Trtl pillow. It props your head up at a comfortable angle, is covered in soft fleece and it can be folded to pack in your carry-on so you don’t have to carry a ‘donut’ on the outside of your carry on and then lug it through the rest of your trip. 3. Battery back up. Always good to have a backup battery ‘brick’ with you. There are lots on the market but make sure yours is the highest level of charging power available so it will last as long as possible (even if it makes it a bit bigger). 4. Headphones. You may need a couple of headphones for your flight depending on what media you may want to listen to. Headphones to fit your phone /tablet/laptop (wireless or corded). Headphones that fit your air carrier’s media system (these usually work, but check with your carrier). And noise-canceling headphones if that is important to you on your flight. 5. Puffer jacket. Puffers are great as they pack into nothing and keep you warm on the flight, and don’t overheat you when it warms up a bit. The ones from Uniqlo are inexpensive, are a great weight and come with a little stuff sack. 6. Fanny Pack or small crossbody bag. I know I know… fanny packs  (now more fashionably called ‘waist bags’) have been a ‘tacky tourist’ sign for years, but they are back in style now and are actually really handy! Throw it on cross-body style and stash all the items you want fast access to on the flight- phone, headphones, kindle, passport, money, pen, etc. Alternatively, a small crossbody bag (non-fanny pack version) can serve the same purpose. Then just throw it in your larger bag when you arrive at your destination if you don’t want to keep it on.  This is one I loved using on a recent trip to Asia – I wore it crossbody, from the time the plane took off until I got home almost three weeks later. 7. Healthy snacks. Bars, nuts, etc, or pack a small meal for yourself to swap the airplane food for something you know you’ll enjoy. 8. Reusable water bottle. Be sure to fill up in the airport before you get on board. 9. iPad or Kindle. I was recently on a 9 hour flight that only offered 5 current movies in English, none of which appealed to me. Having my own media (and the travel pillow mentioned above!) made the trip easy. Don’t forget to download shows, podcasts and books before you go! 10. Ottoman/Footrest (this is the optional item on the list!). A friend of mine found this online before we took an international trip together…and the rest of us weren’t so sure about it! But she had a bulkhead seat, inflated this little gem and turned her economy seat into a first-class experience..for under $15! It can work on non-bulkhead seats as well as a place for a child to sleep on.   Hope you can use (or gift!) these items for your next trip. And don’t forget to head to JamboGuides to get itinerary suggestions for your next adventure (or to save/share your past ones).