30 Must-Have Carry-On Essentials for Long Flights

Air travel is truly an enjoyable experience if done correctly. Within a matter of hours or sometimes days, you can be in a completely different part of the world, taking in a new culture, tasting new cuisine, or spending time with loved ones you can’t see very often. As easy and convenient as air travel may be, there’s nothing worse than boarding a plane and realizing you don’t have the essentials for a comfortable flight. It’s especially crummy if you’re boarding a long-haul flight where you’ll be stuck on the plane for six-plus hours. Having experienced both short-haul and long-haul flights throughout my life, I put together the post below to outline my must-have carry-on essentials for long flights so you can have an enjoyable journey.

If you need a comprehensive packing list for all your travel needs, I’ve got you covered! I created the ultimate packing list for your upcoming adventures, including carry-on essentials, toiletries, clothing, and location-specific items.

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Basics

These are the most important items to bring with you on any flight. If you forget any of these carry-on essentials for long flights, you may find yourself extremely crabby when boarding the plane; no one wants that.

Phone, Wallet, IDs/Passport, and Copies of Your Documents

Hopefully, you always remember these simple basics since you need them to get through airport security. But just in case you’re a tad forgetful, these four items should not be left at home when packing your carry-on bag. If you’re traveling to a foreign country, it’s never a bad idea to have printed copies of your IDs and credit cards in case of an emergency. I recommend bringing a few forms of payment in case one of your cards gets declined or a fraudulent charge pops up unexpectedly.

Before heading to the airport, download any movies, music, podcasts, maps, or applications you might need to access offline on the plane or at your destination. I like to back up my phone before a trip, so my photos and documents are saved to my desktop if my phone is stolen or breaks. Lastly, don’t forget to pack your phone charger and an extra cable.

Water Bottle

Let’s face it, the air that circulates in airplanes is drier than the desert. It’s even worse if the plane is warm when you board which would make anyone want to dump a gallon of water on their head. My reusable water bottle is one of the first things that gets packed in my carry-on bag, and I fill it up right away when I get through security at the airport.

Liquid IV

Bill and I recently added Liquid IV to our carry-on essentials for a long flight list. If you’ve never heard of Liquid IV, it’s about to become your new BFF. It’s a hydration multiplier with three times the electrolytes of sports drinks and helps hydrate you faster than regular water alone. I recommend packing these single-serve packets in your carry-on and drinking one on the plane so you keep hydrated without needing to go to the bathroom frequently.

Tip: If you’re traveling to a destination where you’ll be hiking, I recommend bringing a second water bottle with Liquid IV on the trail!

Snacks

Another obvious item on the carry-on essentials for a long flight list is snacks. The meals they serve on airplanes are never terribly filling, so I like to pack a few of my favorite food items just in case. Some of my favorites include Belvita breakfast biscuits, dried fruit, granola bars, trail mix, Pop-tarts, and peanut M&Ms for a sweet treat.

Book or Kindle

I love to read, so naturally, I like to pack a new book or my Kindle in my carry-on whenever I fly. Reading before sleeping on a plane is a great way to ensure you get slightly better sleep since the blue light from screens can impact your ability to get some much-needed shut-eye. Reading is an excellent alternative in case your plane doesn’t have in-seat entertainment or if you’re trying to cut down on screen time.

Clothing

Aside from the clothing on your body, I recommend adding these additional items to your carry-on essentials for long flights packing list.

Compression Socks

Have you ever landed at your exciting new travel destination, and you look down to find you have newly swollen ankles? Not ideal. That’s where compression socks come in. The blood isn’t circulating properly when you’re seated, causing your legs and ankles to swell. I started flying with compression socks when we flew sixteen hours direct from Chicago to New Zealand. Since then, I’ve either worn compression socks on my flights or packed them in my carry-on bag. 

A Scarf that Doubles as a Blanket

One of my favorite travel hacks is wearing or packing an oversized scarf and being able to use it as a blanket on the flight. Depending on the length and destination of your flight, you might not receive a blanket on your seat. And let’s be honest, the blankets airlines provide can be paper thin which doesn’t help much. You can, of course, buy a travel blanket. However, I personally wouldn’t want to add another item to my carry-on if I could use a scarf for two purposes.

An Extra Pair of Underwear

On occasion, your travel day will not go according to plan. Flights get canceled, luggage gets lost, and layovers get delayed. It’s not the most glamorous thing to pack in your carry-on, but an extra pair of underwear can be a lifesaver when needed.

Comfort

If you want to be cozy on your flight and get some shut-eye, these carry-on essentials for long flights items are for you.

Travel Pillow

I don’t care how ridiculous I look; I will always pack a travel pillow in my carry-on. Sleeping on planes can be challenging for some people, and certain travel pillows provide the support and comfort needed to get much-needed rest before your adventure. My personal favorite is the Cabeau Evolution Classic neck pillow since it fastens in the front for additional reinforcement. Its memory foam design has raised edges and a flat back, so your head doesn’t stick out from the seat. It rolls up into a ball and gets stored in a case that you can attach to the handle of your carry-on bag instead of taking up space inside.

Eye Mask

An eye mask is an excellent item to pack in your carry-on if you have trouble sleeping when there are lights on nearby. One person always keeps their overhead light on when everyone is trying to rest, so an eye mask is perfect to keep on hand for those moments.

Earplugs

If you’re overly noise-sensitive on planes but aren’t a fan of noise-canceling headphones, earplugs are an easy and inexpensive way to get some peace on the flight. You can kiss listening to crying babies goodbye!

Electronics

Who doesn’t love getting lost in the storyline of a new movie while flying? Movies and music are great ways to pass the time or drown out the noise of other passengers when traveling.

iPad & Laptop

Packing an iPad and/or laptop in your carry-on is always a great move before any flight. Bill and I like to travel with our iPad and pre-load it with movies, in addition to downloading the airline’s app ahead of time. The result? Seemingly endless entertainment options. If you prefer to work on a flight, packing your laptop and enabling offline documents is a fantastic way to be productive during your time in the air.

Headphones

A good pair of headphones almost qualifies as a carry-on essential for long flights basic these days. They are the OG electronic travel accessory, having been provided on flights since I was a kid. Does anyone else remember those old-school headphones that went over the ears – you know, the ones straight out of a 90s movie? Nowadays, you can pick up a higher-quality pair in different styles and designs at various price points. You can’t go wrong with a classic pair of Apple headphones or Bose Noise Canceling headphones.

Headphone Splitter

As I mentioned, Bill and I love to watch movies together on our iPad when traveling on long flights. Instead of sharing a pair of headphones and not getting the full sound effect, we pack a headphone splitter in our carry-on. This genius little tool is one of my favorite items to have close by on our travel days.

Portable Charger

A portable charger is another helpful electronic to pack in your carry-on. I know, I know, most airlines have outlets by each seat these days. However, I’ve run into it a few times where the outlet by my seat didn’t work. Plus, you may need to charge your phone or other electronics when you land at your destination and won’t have time to sit around and wait.

Tip: I like to pack my portable charger in my hiking daypack if we have phone trouble and need to recharge.

Health & Beauty

Staying healthy and comfortable can really make or break your flying experience. It’s never fun to feel under the weather when you arrive at your dream destination.

Medicine

You will never catch me on a flight without a smaller bag full of essential medications, including pain relievers, Tums, and allergy medicine. Storing all your medicine in a smaller bag in your carry-on makes it easy to grab when you’re rifling around under your seat.

Eye Drops

Remember – airplane air = dry as the desert. I like to keep a small container of eye drops handy when I travel. This carry-on essential for long flights is perfect for combating any redness or dry eye, and you will feel refreshed when you arrive.

Hand Sanitizer & Disinfecting Wipes

As a result of the global pandemic, the airlines really stepped up their cleaning game on planes. Even so, I like to be prepared with hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes to clean my hands and the area around my seat when I board the plane. I would rather be safe than sick when starting my vacation.

First-Aid Essentials

Call me a dork for including this, but packing a few first-aid essentials, including some Band-Aids and tissues, can be beneficial on your flight. In my opinion, it’s far more convenient to grab these items from your carry-on in a pinch instead of asking a flight attendant.

Travel Moisturizer & Lip Balm

These items keep your skin feeling fresh while flying. As we’ve covered, airplane = dry, and nobody likes dry skin or chapped lips. I like to pack a travel-size face cream and apply it to my face and neck after take-off. The same goes for my lip balm. I try to keep it nearby in case my lips dry out during the flight.

Deodorant

Deodorant should be included in everyone’s carry-on essentials for long flights so you can freshen up mid-flight or when you land. This is especially handy if you’re traveling to a warm destination and don’t have time to search through your checked bag when you arrive.

Toothbrush & Toothpaste

I would have never considered a toothbrush and toothpaste to be a carry-on essential for long flights until I traveled to Asia on my first true long-haul route. Something didn’t agree with me, and I got sick on the plane. Thankfully, Air Japan had individually wrapped toothbrushes and mini toothpaste in the bathrooms for the guests. Now you will always find a toothbrush and toothpaste in my bag. Lesson learned.

Dry Shampoo

Packing a travel-sized dry shampoo in your carry-on can help if your hair needs a quick touch-up when you land. My favorite is Living Proof Perfect Hair Day since it removes excess oil, odor, and dirt and makes your hair look fresh again.

Bags

The bag you choose as your carry-on is just as important as the items you pack in it.

Belt Bag

I’m so happy that belt bags came back in style. Traveling with a belt bag has made things much easier, allowing you to keep many of your carry-on essentials for long flights conveniently on your person. I like to store my wallet, phone, passport, headphones, and lip balm in my belt bag while on the go. The belt bag is then tucked neatly in my larger carry-on bag during the flight.

Tumi Backpack

I love using a Tumi backpack as my carry-on bag for shorter trips. It’s the perfect size for storing all the necessities on the plane and when exploring a new destination. It also packs down easily if you need to store it in your suitcase.

Away’s The Everywhere Bag

My all-time favorite carry-on bag is The Everywhere Bag by Away. It’s my go-to for longer trips if I pair it with another carry-on bag like a small suitcase or large hiking pack. It has five interior compartments for organizing my belongings. My favorite feature is the perfectly sized exterior pocket that fits my phone and passport. It makes your essential travel items easily accessible while walking through the airport.

Longchamp Tote

Another all-time favorite carry-on essential for long flights bag for me is my Longchamp Le Pliage tote. This simple and timeless personal item is spacious enough to fit everything you want on a flight. The only downfall is that there are no interior pockets to organize your belongings – but this can be easily remedied by introducing some structure in your bag with smaller packing cubes or clear packing organizers.

Classic Backpack

You can’t go wrong with using a classic backpack as your carry-on item. I recently purchased the North Face Recon Backpack before our trip to Iceland and found it to be a perfect carry-on. With a 30L storage volume, this backpack is big enough to hold all your carry-on essentials while not being cumbersome. My favorite feature is the top front pocket, which is ideal for storing the items you want nearby, like your phone, wallet, and headphones.

Packing Cubes & Organizers

Keeping your carry-on essentials for long flights organized is key to a smooth journey. No one enjoys rummaging through their bag while crammed into a tight plane seat. Using packing cubes and clear organizers makes it easy to find your necessities instantly.

Final Thoughts

Flying can be an enjoyable experience when you have a well-packed and organized carry-on bag with all the essentials. I hope my carry-on essentials for long flights post helps you with any upcoming trip preparations, allowing you to rest easy knowing you have everything for a comfortable journey.

Is there another carry-on essential that you travel with that I didn’t feature? Let me know in the comments!

Now that your carry-on is packed, it’s time to start dreaming of your next trip! Check out my travel guides and use them as a resource when planning your next getaway.