Packing Your Carry-On
1. Pack it in your carry-on if you cannot live without it.
Pack the essentials: undergarments, shoes, a set or two of regular clothes, entertainment, medication and, for longer flights, basic toiletries. Some people fly as if they may never see their luggage again – and that has some merit. Keep in your carry-on the minimum of what you need to survive should you lose your luggage.
- Double-check TSA guidelines before packing something in your carry-on. You don’t want to have to throw anything away.
- Make sure to take all your medication and everything you need to be comfortable. Prescription and non-prescription medication are allowed. It’s easier to get extra liquids through security if they’re medically needed, like with saline solution.
- In order to cut down on the amount of clothes to pack, choose items that are interchangeable. Stick to a few items that all go together, rather than completely separate outfits. Use accessories to spice up an outfit. For example, scarves are small and easy to pack, and can be used as a scarf, headband, or even a belt.
- Take your swimsuit if you are traveling by air, put it within your vacation gear, especially if you are a woman. If your bags are lost when traveling by air, most items (such as shorts or T-shirts) can usually be purchased at your destination. However, if your bags are lost, swimsuits for women can be hard to shop for. If you do not have your swimsuit you may miss out on the beach, hot tub, or other vacation fun.
2. Pack valuables in your carry-on.
Anything valuable should come with you in your carry-on. On the off-chance your luggage gets lost or damaged, your carry on should not leave your possession. If you’d be heartbroken if you lost it, take it in your carry-on if you take it at all.
- For safety reasons, any electronic items with lithium ion batteries, including most laptops, smartphones, tablets, should be packed into your carry on instead of checked luggage whenever possible, per FAA recommendations. In addition, power banks and spare lithium ion batteries should always go into your carry on instead of checked luggage.
- Pack large electronics last, so they are easily accessible. You will not need to go digging around when time is of the essence.
3. Pack your electronics together.
This is good for two reasons:
- You will probably get bored on your flight, even if it is only half an hour, and having your electronics together lets you know where everything is so you can access your iPod, iPad, Kindle, or whatever else you need as quickly and easily as possible.
- The TSA requires electronics to be screened – when they are all in the same place and easy for the agents to see, you won’t be the one holding up the line at security.
4. Make sure you have your documents.
In order to get on the plane, you need identification, such as a passport or driver’s license. Do not forget your ATM card and your credit card or AAA card. However, it is probably a good idea NOT to take every card you own because you run the risk of losing the cards.
- In an easily accessible pocket of your carry-on luggage, store your flight information: the airline, the flight number, your confirmation code, and the flight details. This comes in handy at the self-service check-in kiosks that so many airlines provide now at the airport.
5. Ask yourself if you really need toiletries.
You may not need to pack much, if any. Your Aunt Maria probably has shampoo, for instance, and Peru will likely have toothpaste. It may take an extra stop at a store on your travels, but by avoiding tons of bottles, lotions, and tubes, you save space for other, more important things.
- If you do bring toiletries, in the United States the 3-1-1 TSA regulations still applies. You can fill as many 3 oz bottles of toiletries (100 ml) as you want into ‘’one’’ quart-size plastic ziplock bag (limit one per flyer), but you have to take out the bag at security screening. Go to www.tsa.gov for the full rules and regulations.
6. Have a first aid kit with the basics, especially pain medication.
Sometimes flights can cause headaches, so have a pack ready just in case this happens to be that one. A few things you may want to pack:
- Painkillers
- Bandages
- A sedative (if you are a nervous traveler)
- Anti-nausea medication
- Chewing gum (for air pressure changes)
- Tissues
- Earplugs (good for travel in general)
- Medication for anything you are prone to, such as allergies.
7. Wear it, do not pack it.
Remember you are not charged for the clothes you wear traveling, so dress with that in mind. Dress in layers so you can bring more with you. Instead of a T-shirt and jacket, wear a T-shirt under a long sleeved top under a sweatshirt, for example. Wear your hiking shoes and pack your flip-flops, especially when you are traveling for business.
