Even when we can fit everything we want to travel with in our check-ins, we still bring a carry-on. And the reason is simple: We don’t want to get stuck with no bag which = no clothes, toiletries, or anything, really.

We’re not paranoid. Promise!

We just want to make sure we have all the things we will need on the plane and off — say if we were to spend a night or two without the rest of our luggage, because yes, crap happens.

Here’s what we bring with us in either a backpack, a duffel bag or a small suitcase (tip: it’s a better deal to purchase a luggage set that includes a carry-on than to purchase it separately.)

At least 1 change of clothes:

The thing about travel is things are up in the air. Pun intended 🙂 You never know what will happen. Your bag could get lost and end up in India when your final destination is Australia. Your layover could be longer than expected. Your transfer flight could get delayed or cancelled. Or you could miss it altogether. So to be on the safe side, we like to pack an outfit or two — depending on how much room we have left.

Pack an entire outfit: Shirt, pants, undergarments, socks. You might end up wearing the same two outfits for most of your trip if your bag is that delayed, so it’s best to be prepared.

Phone charger:

This one is pretty self-explanatory. We both have iPhones so we bring our USB cords as well as our cubes.

Adapter:

We have this adapter from Amazon, which we love because it has 2 USB ports in addition to the main ports. You can charge two phones and a laptop, camera or whatever you need that requires a full plug. This way, we don’t have to fight over who has the lowest battery percentage and needs it more.

Headphones:

We don’t skimp on the headphones. We tend to bring more than we probably need. I have these beats and Begad has the Sony noise-cancelling ones which he swears by. We also bring our iPhone headphones. We purchased this plane headphone adapter so we can plug our own headphones and watch movies on the seat TV. We don’t like using the airline headphones. They’re unreliable and uncomfortable.

Snack:

Snacks have come in clutch while traveling. There are times where you won’t have access to food, or you haven’t exchanged money yet. Having a snack on-hand like a cure bar or a bag of jerky works for us and keeps us from getting “hangry.” Because no one likes a grouch while traveling. It totally kills the vibe.

Camera + accessories:

My camera is sometimes in its own bag, but when I don’t want to carry too many things, I put it in my personal bag (purse or backpack), and then put the accessories in the carry-on. I bring a Canon 5d mark iii,  the GoPro HERO 7 Black with accessories and a Canon G7x Mark ii with an accompanying gorilla pod.

Hoodie or small throw:

It can get really cold on airplanes and in airports. Yes, international flights usually give passengers a throw blanket, but it may not be enough if all you’re wearing is a T-shirt. Also, the weather at your destination may be different from what you expected. We both bring a hoodie and one throw blanket.

Toothbrush/toothpaste:

If you have a long flight you should definitely bring a toothbrush and travel-size toothpaste. And if your check-in gets lost or delayed, at least your teeth will be clean.

Pillow:

We have traveled without pillows and then regretted it. Some flights will provide you with mini pillows but you can still mess up your neck sleeping. They are not well-cushioned and don’t mold to your neck/head. So we got this one for our future trips from Amazon. Here’s to sleeping better on flights!

Chapstick:

The altitude can make your skin and face feel dry. We each bring our chapsticks to keep our lips moisturized and smooth throughout our flight and trip.

Tylenol:

In case you get sick, it’s a good idea to keep some Tylenol or Advil around. Chances are you don’t want to be wandering around the airport with a headache, or worse, a fever, just to find some medicine.

Candy, mints, gum:  

We never travel without either gummies, mentos, or something sour. Admittedly, we are candy addicts but it definitely helps to chew on or suck on some candy while flying. The mints and gum help fight off nausea and save you from travel breath.Trust us, you don’t want that 😷

Hand sanitizer, baby wipes:

Have you ever been to an airport bathroom in another country only to find NO toilet paper in ANY of the bathrooms? OR when you finish using the bathroom and there’s no soap. It’s the worst. We learned our lesson and now try to have both hand sanitizer and baby wipes on us. (You can thank us later for this one).  

Pro tip: We didn’t include this on our list since you can’t carry drinks through security, but we usually buy a couple bottles of water/drinks before boarding the plane. That way, we don’t have to keep calling the flight attendant for something to drink every time we get thirsty. We know…getting up to use the bathroom every time you have to pee is a pain, but you could probably use that time to stretch out your legs anyways.

We hope you found this list helpful, and if you did, pin it!
Happy travels ✈️