The other day, I told my siblings that my packing list has messages to myself in it, like, “You have to pack a jacket. You’re always cold at the airport. Pack the jacket.” and “You always tell yourself you don’t need the neck pillow for a two hour flight and then your neck hurts and you regret it and say you’ll bring it next time but then next time you say it’s only two hours…” They made fun of me basically reliving my own version of Memento: “Don’t trust her lies. She always forgets.” I really do always forget. If you’re like me, I hope this list helps!
Backpack with suitcase sleeve and passport slot
I think my backpack from Briggs Riley is beautiful and well-made. The knurled hardware and soft fabric lining on the inside makes me happy every time I use the backpack. I love being able to rest it securely on top of my suitcase. I like having a dedicated slot for my passport because I never have to scramble and panic from not knowing which pocket I put my passport in. I like not having a giant tech company logo on my backpack!
My only gripe is that this backpack does not hold very much. It’s probably healthy for my back that it barely holds anything, but sometimes I just want to squeeze in that one last thing and can’t manage it. I recommend checking out backpacks from travel brands if you want a backpack with similar features. For example, TUMI, Away, and Lo & Sons all make backpacks with suitcase sleeves.
Neck pillow
I use the trtl neck pillow. I like it, but I’ve never tried the regular squishy neck pillow, so I don’t know how they compare. The trtl takes some getting used to and some people have said it feels too tight around their neck. It fits fine with my over-ear headphones, but I remember the first few times I had them on together, I had a hard time keeping the headphones on.
Eye mask
I bought the Alaska Bear sleep mask because it was the frugal pick on the Wirecutter. And then I lost it, rebought it, lost it again, got desperate at an airport, bought a random cheap one, and haven’t replaced that one since. Any eye mask is fine, just to keep yourself asleep when your asshole seatmate keeps opening and closing the shades.
Multi charging cable
I have this one I found on Amazon and I like that it has lightning cable, micro USB, and USB-C. Pretty great!
Floss in carry-on
I always put my floss into my toiletry bag in my checked luggage, and then regret having uncomfortable bits of food in my teeth during the flight that I can’t remove. Ideally, I would carry floss picks for hygiene, but I don’t always have them on me. I’m a really big fan of Cocofloss in general!
Hair ties.
Gotta get the hair out of the way.
Headphones with airplane adapter
I use the wireless bluetooth noise-canceling over-ear Bose QC35 headphones. I like that they have a dedicated slot inside the case for that weird two-prong thing that most airplanes still use. It makes watching movies so much better! The battery life is so good that the only time I’ve ever run out was about 10 hours into my flight when I started out with 60% battery.
I also bring an iPad and Nintendo Switch on flights these days for downloaded Netflix movies and video games. Yesterday, I cried while watching Taylor Swift’s concert on Netflix. I might get Youtube Premium just so I can download more whole concerts.