What to Pack in Your Carry-On (And What to Skip)

Packing a carry-on shouldn't be complicated, but most people either overpack or forget something crucial. You don't need a 47-point checklist. You need the stuff that actually matters—things that keep you comfortable, organised, and prepared for the reality of travel, not the Instagram version of it. 

Here's what's worth the space and what's just dead weight. 

The non-negotiables

Some things aren't optional. If you forget these, your trip starts badly.

Travel documents. Passport, boarding passes, visa paperwork if needed, travel insurance details. Keep them together in one secure spot—not scattered across three pockets and a backpack side compartment. A simple travel wallet or document organiser prevents the pre-boarding panic of "where's my passport?"

Medications. If you take prescription meds, pack more than you think you'll need. Flights get delayed. Bags get lost. Don't rely on checked luggage for anything you can't afford to be without. 

Phone charger and Charging Adapters. Your phone is your boarding pass, your map, your communication tool, and your camera. A dead phone two hours into a twelve-hour layover is miserable. Bring a charging cable, a wall adapter that works in your destination country, and ideally a portable battery pack. 

Headphones. Noise-cancelling if you've got them, earbuds at minimum. Flights are loud. Airports are loud. You'll want to block it out or at least listen to something other than gate announcements on repeat.

Comfort isn't optional on long trips

Economy seats are designed for profit, not comfort. You can't change that, but you can make it less brutal.

 A decent neck pillow is the difference between arriving stiff and sore versus arriving functional. Not all neck pillows work—the cheap inflatable ones often don't provide enough support, and the bulky foam ones take up too much space. Find one that actually keeps your head where it should be without eating half your bag.

(If you're still looking, check out our Travel Comfort range for options that don't suck.)

A Sleep Mask blocks out cabin lights, screen glare from your neighbour, and daylight at 35,000 feet. Even if you don't usually use one, long-haul flights are different. A few hours of actual rest beats six hours of half-sleep with light drilling into your eyelids. 

Low-Profile Silicone Travel Earplugs. Already mentioned headphones for entertainment, but the noise-blocking function is just as important. Babies cry. People talk. Engines drone. Blocking it out helps you relax, think, or sleep instead of slowly losing your mind. 

A lightweight blanket or large scarf. Airline blankets are hit-and-miss, usually thin, and sometimes questionable. Bring your own if you run cold. Doesn't need to be bulky—a soft, compact travel blanket that actually keeps you warm is worth the space. 

Organisation prevents chaos

Fumbling through a messy bag at security, digging for your charger at the gate, hunting for lip balm mid-flight—it's all avoidable.

 Packing cubes or small pouches keep things separated and easy to find. Electronics in one. Toiletries in another. Snacks in another. When everything has a place, you're not unpacking your entire bag to find one thing. Our Travel Organisation essentials are built for exactly this—keeping your stuff sorted so you can actually find it when you need it.

A reusable water bottle. Bring it empty through security, fill it after. Staying hydrated on flights helps with jet lag, dry skin, and general discomfort. Don't rely on sporadic drink service. Hand sanitiser and tissues. Planes and airports are germ factories. A small bottle of hand sanitiser and a pack of tissues cost nothing and save you from feeling gross.

Snacks. Airport food is overpriced and often terrible. Bring something that won't make a mess—nuts, bars, crackers. Long layovers are easier when you're not starving and forced to pay $15 for a sad sandwich.

 Pen. Customs forms, immigration cards—you'll need one. Borrowing from a stranger or hunting for one at the gate is annoying.

What not to pack

Just because something fits doesn't mean it should come with you. Skip the full-sized toiletries. You don't need a 500ml shampoo bottle in your carry-on. Travel-sized versions or solid alternatives work fine and save space and weight. Plus, liquids over 100ml don't make it through security anyway.

Leave the "just in case" clothes. You don't need three backup outfits in your carry-on. One change of clothes is enough if your checked bag gets delayed. Everything else is wasted space. 

Don't bring books you won't read. A Kindle or phone holds hundreds of books. A paperback you think you'll read but won't just adds weight. Skip the laptop if you don't need it. If you're not working, you probably don't need a laptop. A phone or tablet handles emails, entertainment, and most travel tasks without the bulk. 

No excessive electronics. Multiple chargers, cameras, gadgets—unless you're actually using them, they're just clutter. Pack what you'll genuinely use, not what you might use if the perfect moment arises.

Keep valuables with you

Don't check anything you can't afford to lose or replace. Passport, wallet, phone, medications, laptop (if you're bringing one), jewellery, keys—all of this stays in your Carry-All Travel Bag.

Checked bags get lost, delayed, or pilfered. Carry-on bags stay with you.

The same goes for anything essential for the first 24 hours of your trip. If your checked bag doesn't make it, you should still be able to function. A change of clothes, basic toiletries, and anything time-sensitive belongs in your carry-on. 

Size and weight matter

Airlines have limits. Know them before you pack.

Most carriers allow one carry-on bag and one personal item (like a backpack or handbag). If your bag is oversized or you're trying to bring three "carry-ons," you'll get stopped at the gate and forced to check something. 

Don't be that person holding up boarding. Weight limits vary by airline. Check before you pack. A bag that's too heavy gets flagged, and you either repack at the counter (embarrassing) or pay extra fees (annoying).

If you're travelling with a good travel bag, this is easier. Bags designed for travel—with proper compartments, reasonable size, and smart organisation—make packing simpler and help you stay within limits.

The actual goal

The point of a well-packed carry-on isn't to bring everything you own. It's to have what you actually need, when you need it, without digging through chaos or realising you forgot something essential.

Pack smart. Stay organised. Don't overthink it. 

You'll figure out your own system over time, but starting with the basics—documents, comfort, organisation, and skipping the junk—gets you most of the way there.