Expecting chaos is almost a given when you choose to fly nowadays.
From overcrowded airports to missing luggage, dealing with stress has become part of the flight experience.
But there are ways to navigate these travel hurdles and challenges, especially if you bring a carry-on that’s efficiently packed. To help, Business Insider’s travel reporters are sharing their carry-on essentials to make your next trip to the airport the best one yet.
Business Insider’s Samantha Grindell wears a fanny pack to the airport so she has her essential items close at all times — then stashes it in her carry-on at the gate.
Grindell started wearing her Hershel fanny pack regularly after she got her dog and realized that being hands-free is also helpful when navigating airports.
Instead of digging around a tote bag or backpack for her wallet, boarding pass, keys, or passport, she stores all her essential items in the bag worn across her chest, making them easily accessible when needed.
Grindell also said her trusty fanny pack has done wonders to put her mind at ease when traveling, since she gets nervous she’ll lose important items at the airport.
On her last long-haul flight, a foot hammock made all the difference for travel reporter Monica Humphries.
Even though she aims to travel light, Humphries found a small $10 foot hammock worth the space in her carry-on.
The foot hammock attaches to an adjustable strap that wraps around the plane’s tray table. Once the strap is looped around the table, you can fold it up, sit back, and relax.
Humphries said the hammock allows her to be in her preferred plane position with her knees up. Thankfully, other passengers haven’t indicated they were bothered by the hammock.
Humphries brings a toothbrush in her carry-on to help her feel refreshed on long-haul flights.
Humphries never boards a long-haul flight without her toothbrush and toothpaste.
On a trip to Tokyo, Japan, from Denver, Colorado, she kept both items stored in a toiletry bag in her backpack, not her carry-on suitcase, so it was that much more accessible during the flight.
Humphries also recommends packing a reusable water bottle, which helped her save over $100 while flying and avoid unnecessary plastic.
Humphries never travels anywhere without her reusable water bottle. It helps her stay hydrated, save money, and travel more sustainably.
She calculated that her 32-ounce, refillable water bottle prevented her from wasting 24 water bottles — and up to $120 — on the four long-haul flights she took this past year.
If, like travel reporter Joey Hadden, you suffer from motion sickness, don’t forget to pack medicine that’ll help.
According to the National Library of Medicine, one in three people experience motion sickness while flying. And Hadden, an experienced travel reporter, will be the first to tell you that it can be brutal.
Hadden’s motion-sickness symptoms can disrupt her entire flight experience if she doesn’t take certain steps to avoid it. She’s found bringing Dramamine on her travels has worked wonders, and it’s often the smallest item in her carry-on.
Although you should talk to a healthcare professional before taking it, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends Dramamine, as well as Benadryl, for motion sickness. Just keep in mind that both are also known to cause drowsiness.
Gabbi Shaw has no regrets about splurging on over-ear headphones that make for a more comfortable travel experience.
Shaw picked up a pair of $255 Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones and found them perfect for wearing while in the air.
She’s found that, unlike wireless earphones, they stay put, and they’re more comfortable to wear while napping.
Anneta Konstantinides upgraded her travels with a $68 top-rated toiletry bag that fits her five-step skincare routine.
When it was time to throw out the cheap toiletry bag she had been traveling with for years, Konstantinides knew the next one needed a major upgrade.
After reading many “best of” lists and comparing various brands, she finally settled on the Bensen Toiletry Kit from State, available for between $65 and $68 (it’s available in 12 different styles and prints).
The toiletry kit is large enough to fit her extensive skincare routine, and it’s waterproof and easy to spot clean. The metallic pink-and-silver style that Konstantinides opted for also adds some glamour to her carry-on.
Konstantinides also packs a $55 gadget that allows her to use her wireless headphones on flights.
If you’ve ever forgotten to bring a pair of wired headphones on a flight, you’ll know how much of a pain it is to be stuck with the cheap airline ones.
Konstantinides’ nifty solution is the easy-to-use AirFly Pro, a Twelve South product that lets you use AirPods or Beats wireless headphones for in-flight entertainment.
What’s more, her favorite aspect of the gadget is that it can pair two sets of AirPods so two people can listen to the same movie or show at the same time.
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