The items for your hand luggage tend to be your essentials, so it’s invaluable to have a list ready to check things off as you go. The Essential Hand Luggage Packing List below assumes you’re taking an international flight, but can be adapted as required for your travel plans.
Printable PDF Checklists – printable packing checklists will be available for those signed up to my monthly Newsletter!
Top priority items:
The following items should be at the top of your Hand Luggage Packing List:
- Passport
Obviously essential for international travel, but also good to take on domestic trips in case proof of ID be required over and above a driving licence.
- Visa or Visa Waiver
If required for your destination, make sure that you have any pre-obtained visas in, or with, your passport. If you have visa waivers, such as ETAs (Canada) or ESTAs (America) then make a note of the application numbers, or print out the confirmation emails received.
- Copies of essential documents
Just in case you lose or can’t access your smart phone, it’s good to have a print out of your key bookings – accommodation, car hire, activities – for reference.
This can become quite a weighty document however, so you might prefer to upload everything to Google Docs (or equivalent). Note – you can then share your itinerary, insurance and other details with family members back home, should you need their assistance in case of emergencies.
- Wallet and money
Don’t forget your wallet, cards and currency! Make sure you have some small notes of local currency for tips as required.
Split your money between the passengers in your group in case one piece of baggage goes missing.
- Driving licence
If you’re hiring a car then you will obviously need your driving licence, but it’s also a good form of ID to carry around with you, if you prefer to leave your passport in the hotel safe.
- Glasses
If you’re like me and can’t read anything without glasses, then these are definitely an essential. As are sunglasses, for protection from summer or winter sun!
Electronics:
For many people, electronics are likely to form a large chunk of their Hand Luggage Packing List – a necessary (and very useful) evil these days, including:
- Phone and charging cable
If you have a Smart Phone then it’s likely that you will have a lot of your bookings in Apps on your phone, so make sure you fully charge your phone overnight before you travel, and also have your charger to hand so you can top up the power at the airport.
- Fully charged power bank
For long-haul flights, potentially with onwards travel afterwards, then having a secondary source of power for your phone can be handy – take a fully charged battery pack. This must be kept in your hand luggage, not your checked luggage.
- Laptop, tablet and charging cable
Taking a laptop or tablet with you can be useful for many reasons including downloading photos or researching your itinerary as you go. Not essential for many people. Personal choice.
- Plug adapter for destination country
An emergency measure in case of any delays with onward travel after your flight, so that you can charge your phone in your destination country if needed. Also, if you put it in the hold and your bag goes missing, then you will not have a power adaptor.
- Camera, spare, SD card, battery charger
For those who still use a camera (rather than their phone) for taking photos, then carry your camera, with spare SD card and battery charger in your hand luggage.
Entertainment:
- Book or Kindle and charger
In case you can’t access inflight entertainment, or prefer to read, then you’ll no doubt want to pack a book for your travels, either in physical form or on a Kindle (or similar). Can’t decide what to read? Check out my Travel Bookshelf of destination reads.
- Earphones
To listen to music on your own phone and playlists then you will need your own earphones and be able to charge them.
- Notebook and pen
Good old fashioned entertainment!
Long-haul comfort:
Your Hand Luggage Packing List is likely to be longer if you’re taking a long-haul flight, including some of the following:
- Travel pillow
Always useful as a neck support when you’re trying to get to sleep or even just watching TV. They can also be useful on long car journeys as well as flights.
- Ear plugs & eye mask
If you’re serious about getting some sleep whilst travelling on a flight or bus, then try to block out as much external noise as possible with good ear plus and an eye mask.
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
Brushing your teeth makes you feel refreshed and brighter on a long-haul flight, so pack your toothbrush and a small toothpaste. Note – electric toothbrushes have to be carried in your hand luggage, and not put in the hold.
- Mosturisers
As the recycled air on flights causes skin dryness then you might want to pack some small moisturisers – lip balm, hand moisturiser and skin moisturiser.
- Roll-on deodorant
For freshening up!
Medication:
Your Hand Luggage Packing List should include any personal medications, and although some items from your Travel First Aid Kit in case they are needed in transit:
- EpiPens or other special medication
EpiPens or other auto injectors in case of anaphaxsis as a result of allergies (such as nuts on flights) – these might be some people’s most important item to pack. Similarly for other personal medication for serious conditions such as heart conditions – don’t leave home without them!
- Pain relief
It’s always useful to have a pack of ibruprofen and paracetamol in case of headaches or aches and pains whilst travelling.
- Antihistamines
We have used these on occasion whilst travelling. Some brands cause drowsiness and so can help you nod off to sleep on a flight. However, use with caution if you plan to be driving.
- Sleeping pills?
I’ve not used sleeping pills on flights but I know that a lot of people do, so if that’s you, remember to put them in your hand luggage.
Pick me ups:
- Sugar snack
In case of delays or sugar dips, it’s useful to have some mints or other sweets on hand for a sugar hit if needed.
- Protein snacks
Better for you than too much sugar, but difficult to find without nuts in, protein snacks cane useful to give you energy on long travel days.
Note – why I mention nuts is that I travel with a Son who has a serious nut allergy, and so it causes a lot of anxiety when airlines serve nuts on the flight or other passengers eat then as the allergy can become airborne.
- Refillable water bottle
In an attempt to stay hydrated on a flight, remember to pack your reusable water bottle and fill it at the airport before you board your plane. Note – Starbucks will fill your water bottle for you on request if you can’t find other water stations.
In case of lost luggage:
- Change of clothing
Some of our luggage has been delayed on arrival several times now, and so we’ve learnt to put a change of underwear and t-shirt in our hand luggage just in case.
When you gather all these items together, it can look like quite a bit pile, so you’ll need a good travel bag for everything – maybe a cabin case on wheels? Or a bag which sits on a cabin case with wheels. But at least you will be well prepared!
Then on to packing your main luggage….
Thank you so much for reading my blog, I hope you found it useful?
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