10 Travel Day Essentials For Your Next Trip
10 Travel Day Essentials For Your Next Trip
Packing for your next adventure? Whether you’re a frequent flyer, or you’re nervous about your very first flight, don’t forget these 10 Travel Day Essentials for your next trip!
1. AirPods/Headphones
Now I had to kick off this list with a true necessity for me. I’ve once flown on a 3-hour flight with AirPods that (I later discovered) were out of battery, and realized how dependent I’ve become of them! They can save you from overhearing the extra-loud conversations from other passengers, and can help you kill time by letting you watch movies or listen to music/audiobooks/podcasts! Check out #10 for ideas on entertainment!
Whether you’re on Team AirPods or Team Over-The-Ear Headphones, no drama or judgment - just be sure to pick ones that are most comfortable for you!
2. Beis No-Touch Keychain
Have you heard of the Beis No-Touch Keychain? For those who prioritize cleanliness when traveling (like me!), this might become a travel essential for you too. Since discovering this unique no-touch tool, I don’t go anywhere without it! Use it to hit the elevator button or open a door, in order to keep your hands free of encountering high touch points when traveling. I keep mine on a lanyard clipped to my carry-on bag for easy access!
3. Travel-Sized Hand Sanitizer (+Disinfecting Wipes and Masks)
And speaking of cleanliness… traveling clean has been more important now than ever! I always travel with my own hand sanitizer (because sometimes the ones provided at airports can smell funny!), a pack of disinfecting wipes (to wipe down my seat buckle, arm rests, window shade, and tray table), and of course, a comfy mask (emphasis on the word, “comfy” because you don’t want the straps to hurt your ears after a few hours!).
4. Cincha Travel Belt
Another item that quickly became a travel-day need for me is my Cincha Travel Belt! My current travel day backpack doesn’t have a built-in trolley pass-through, so instead of dropping coin to buy an entirely new backpack, I opted for the Cincha Travel Belt instead to secure my bag onto the handles of my carry-on suitcase! For those who already have built-in trolley pass-throughs on their go-to carry-on bags, you still might consider the Cincha Travel Belt to secure your jacket or sweatshirt to your bags while on the go! (Say goodbye to attempting to tie the sleeves around luggage handles and having them always slide off!)
5. Larq Water Bottle
Maybe this was an obvious one… but I had to include an insulated water bottle to this list. Since TSA doesn’t allow filled water bottles to pass through security, you’re almost forced to buy water bottles at the terminal… almost. To reduce plastic-use, and to enjoy ice-cold water for your entire trip, I highly recommend bringing your own water bottle instead! Although it’ll be empty when you pass through security, you can easily walk over to the nearest Starbucks or coffee shop to ask for a cup of ice (this especially works out for me since I like to pick up a coffee/tea before a flight anyways). There are also numerous water fountains found throughout every airport, so you’ll be sipping on ice cold water in no time!
I’m particularly fond over my reusable and rechargeable Larq Water Bottle, which neutralizes up to 99.999% of odor-causing bacteria using UV-C light in 60 seconds, leaving you with pure water at the touch of a button! Let’s just say it’s perfect when you’re on the go!
6. Portable Phone Charger (+ Charging Cord!)
This is your reminder to charge your phone before the flight! If you already have your airline’s app installed on your phone, you’ll likely need your phone to pull up your boarding pass (unless you prefer printing it at a kiosk, but like… save time and a tree?). You’ll also want it for entertainment while waiting at the airport or while on the flight itself! But if you’re planning on watching 5+ movies throughout your travel day, you just might want to invest in a portable phone charger (make sure that’s charged fully too!). That way, you’re not restrained to sitting right next to an outlet all day long.
7. Vaccine Card + Passport Holder
Once I arrive to my destination, I tend to keep my vaccine card, passport, and ID separate, but for the purpose of travel day, I always keep them together. Nothing is worse than digging through your bag looking for your covid card to find that it’s been crushed underneath your water bottle! I’ve been keeping these important documents safe and all-in-one-place by using my Vaccine/Passport Holder.
8. Medicines/Mini First Aid Kit
Did you do more walking than you anticipated at the airport, and you’re now suffering from blisters on your feet? Or maybe your neighbor on the plane decided to leave the window open while they took a nap (unbothered), and now the bright sun is starting to give you a headache? Be prepared!
I always carry band-aids (you never know when you might need them!), Tylenol/Ibuprofen for pain relief, Dramamine for motion sickness, Benadryl/Claritin for allergies, and Gas X for bloating. Even if you don’t end up using all of the above on one trip (I’d hope not!), at least you’re prepared and can avoid purchasing overpriced medicine from convenience stores.
9. Snacks + Gum
I’m a firm believer that anytime can be snack time. Instead of resorting to purchasing overpriced snacks at the airport (which I still admittedly do from time to time…), feel free to bring your own! You really don’t want to find yourself starving before the snack cart comes by on your flight, so thank yourself by bringing your own snacks. Plus, munching on something light during take off and landing can help you pop the pressure in your ears! (Note: Gum is also one of my favorite alternatives).
10. Entertainment - Books, Podcasts, Music, Movies
And finally… entertainment. Whether you’re facing a 5-hour travel day, or a 10-hour travel day, it’s safe to prepare, or download, more entertainment than you think you need. My husband prefers movies to help him pass the time, so on the night before every flight, he’ll typically download 2-3 movies so that way they’re fully downloaded onto his phone before travel day. (Airport wifi can sometimes be too slow to download full movies, so I highly recommend downloading at home (or at the hotel) before even arriving to the airport!)
For me personally, I like to bring a book, my laptop (for work or movies), and I always download podcast episodes before each travel day. (I’ve currently been saving Crime Junkie Podcast episodes exclusively for travel days, so by the time I go on another trip, I already have 4-5 episodes ready for me to binge!)
Annnd that’s a wrap!
With these 10 Travel Day Essentials packed and ready to go, I’m sure you’ll have a smooth day of traveling ahead of you! Do you agree (or disagree?) with my 10 Travel Day Essentials? Let me know if you have additional suggestions to add to my list too!
Make it an adventure worth sharing about!
'Til the next one,
Gen
