What to Pack in Your Extra Carry On Bag
Most major airlines allow you to take one small carry on suitcase plus one extra carry on bag. This second bag is usually called your personal item carry on and will most likely need to be placed under the seat in front of you. Do you know what you should pack in that second carry on bag? Carefully packing your personal item carry on can make your time in the airplane much more comfortable. Doing it wrong can make your trip feel longer than necessary.
Note: This post contains affiliate links if you make a purchase by clicking on a link in this post you will not pay a penny more but I may receive a small commission.
Plan Before Packing
Step One: How long is your flight?
First, think about the length of your flight. Packing for a one-hour short hop is much different than packing for an overnight international trip.
Step Two: Where will you be sitting?
Next, consider what class of service you’ll be flying. If you’re flying international first class, you’ll bring different items than if you’re sitting for 8 hours in economy class. Seated in first class, you’ll be provided with many of the items to make your flight more comfortable. In the economy cabin, you’ll need to bring more comfort items with you to ensure a pleasant flight.
Step Three: What time are you flying?
Consider the time of your flights, both to and from your destinations. Keep in mind that while your departure flight might be an evening departure for an overnight trip, your return flight home may be a morning departure for an all-day flight. Are you planning to sleep on the flight? Sleeping will require different items than if you’re planning to catch up on work during your flight.
Step Four: Find the perfect bag.
Find the perfect carry on bag or backpack. This can be a backpack-style or a tote-style bag. It’s a personal preference. When making your decision, there are some features to look for to make navigating the airport and city streets easier. A backpack can leave your hands free but will require you to wear the pack on your back which can be uncomfortable, hot, and sweaty. A tote bag is easily accessible and doesn’t need to be worn against your back. When choosing your bag, look for a tote designed for travel with a sleeve to allow it to slip over the handle on your rolling suitcase. This will leave your hands free and the contents of your bag easily accessible to you.
My favorite travel tote bag is the Baggalini Avenue Tote Top Handle Bag. It is the perfect carry on bag that can double as a purse when you reach your destination. It has a sleeve so that it can slip over the handle of your rolling suitcase. It has both inside and outside pockets, twelve pockets total, to keep you organized. It has a padded laptop sleeve to protect your laptop. It comes in a wide variety of color and pattern choices. Best of all, it features a full zipped-top so that if your bag tips while under the seat in front of you during the flight, nothing will spill out. I love this bag!
Updated to add: I’ve heard from some of you that you already have a favorite travel tote but struggle with carrying it along with your rolling suitcase. Here is a great solution that allows you to easily attach your travel tote to your rolling suitcase for easy transport through the airport. The Travelon Bag Bungee secures your second bag and/or coat to the top of your rolling bag.
Step Five: Start Packing.
Using a packing checklist, so you don’t forget essential items, pack your bag. You can get a free, printable packing checklist by entering your name and email in the sign-up box to the right of this post (bottom of the page on a mobile device.) If you prefer a digital packing list, I recommend the Packr app.
How to Pack the Carry on Bag
Use small zipper pouches to keep items organized inside your tote or backpack, so you’re not rummaging around trying to find what you need. Group like items together. Several small pouches work better than one large pouch. I like these packing bags and when used together with the small purse shown below, you’ll have a well-organized carry on bag for your flight.
Essential Items
Without these items, you’ll have a difficult trip and possibly not be able to complete your journey. I like to pack these items in a small crossbody purse inside of my larger tote bag. Then, when I get to my destination, I’ll have a small purse to carry for sightseeing. The Marc Jacobs Leather Crossbody purse is perfect for this. It is small enough to fit inside the tote bag easily. It’s a simple pouch-style bag that fits well when worn as a crossbody bag.
- Small wallet, preferably with RFID protection. Inside the wallet pack: Driver’s license/identification card, Cash, Credit card with no foreign transaction fees, ATM card to withdraw local currency upon arrival, Insurance cards
- Passport
- Travel Itinerary if not using an app like Kayak
- Boarding pass if not electronic
- Rental car/hotel confirmations if not electronic
Electronics
These gadgets are nice to have, and if you use them at home you’ll most likely want them along on your trip. Use the small-size packing bags to keep all the chargers and cords organized and together. Don’t forget to wrap cords with gear ties to stop tangling.
- Cell phone, charger, and cables
- Portable Charger like the Anker Power Core
- International power adapters for countries you’re visiting
- Kindle or book (The new Kindle is now waterproof for reading by the pool or on the beach!)
- Noise canceling headphones or headphones. I recommend the Bose wireless noise canceling headphones. Once you fly with these, you’ll wonder how you ever survived without them.
- Laptop and charger
- Camera, accessories, and charger
Health and Hydration
The air on the plane is arid. Staying hydrated is essential to staying healthy so you can enjoy your trip
- Empty, refillable water bottle to fill after security. I like the Vapur Element BPA free water bottle; it’s foldable and easily portable. It doesn’t take up much space when empty and stands when full.
- Electrolyte powder in a single-serving size
- Lipbalm
- Gum
- Earplanes to help with ear pressure on take off and landing. Put these little silicone earplugs in your ears before take off if you suffer from ear discomfort caused by the change in cabin pressure. They’re small and discreet, and they’ll make take off and landing much more comfortable. The Earplanes eliminate that horrible feeling of your ears needing to pop. The Earplanes are an all-natural way to beat the pain and popping caused by air-pressure changes while in flight. They’re sold in both disposable and reusable versions. The company also makes a kid-sized version which I used many years ago when our kids were small. Using the Earplanes ear plugs stopped the kids from crying due to ear pressure when landing, a real life-saver! Thank you to Earplanes for providing these sample products for me to try.
- Portable snacks
- Glasses/Contact lens case and solution
- Sunglasses
- Prescription medications
- Motion sickness medication
Comfort
- Travel pillow/eye mask/ear plugs if taking an overnight flight in economy class
- Sweater or scarf in case of temperature changes in cabin
With these items packed in your extra carry on and your clothes packed in your small carry on suitcase, you’re ready to board and have an enjoyable flight without needing to check any bags. Need more tips on how to pack light and how to pack your carry on suitcase? Check out my earlier post: Top Ten Reasons to Pack Light – and How to do it.
Links to make your shopping easier:
Did I miss anything? What do you always make sure to pack in your carry on bag? Let me know in the comments below.
58 Comments
Our Carpe Diem (@OurCarpeDiem)
I like your list, it looks pretty complete to me. Maybe pack some snack food on a flight without complementary food service.
Happy travels)
Sheila
Absolutely! I can’t believe I forgot to mention healthy snacks. I will update the post soon. Thanks for the suggestion.
Alex Trembath
As I am literally about to head to the airport for a flight in an hour’s time this article comes as a super timely reminder! Great advice, I’ve lost count of the times I forgot to bring my charger. Will be bookmarking this for future use.
Sheila
Safe travels, Alex! Glad you found the post useful. I’m right there with you on forgetting my phone charger happens more than I’d like to admit!
nicole wall
I LOVE Baggalini products. Great recommendation for your personal item carry on. You have some fantastic tips here. I love that you point out that night travel and day travel will require different packing as well as what class you are sitting in. Thanks for some great tips.
Sheila
I only recently Discovered the Baggallini products myself. I love them too! I searched for a long time to find a bag that met all of my requirements and this one is it. Very well-made. Thanks for reading!
Danielle
Great, thorough list! That carryon bag looks ideal. I definitely need to buy some of those earplanes – I couldn’t get my ears to pop during my last flight and was miserable!
Sheila
Thanks! I was amazed at how the little Earplanes could work so well. They are relatively inexpensive too. Definitely worth it to avoid that feeling of your years needing to pop.
Joanne
I LOVE your list!! That Baggalini bag looks great and the idea of putting a cross body inside is perfect! I’ve been trying to fit everything in my purse and it’s so full. Great idea!
Sheila
Thank you. I tried many different carry on bags over the years and I am very happy with this Baggallini. It has all the features I was looking for in a carry-on tote and I love the bright pink interior too.
Sage Scott
Great list! I’d never heard of ear planes before, but I’m going to check them out. I’m not a big gum chewer, and they seem like a brilliant alternative!
Sheila
The Earplanes work so much better than gum! You just put them in before take off and forget about them. I usually take them out once we reach cruising altitude then put them back in before we begin our descent. When I was using them for my kids we just put them in their ears when we got on the plane and they didn’t notice them the rest of the flight.
Irina
Your list is pretty much complete, I would just like to add that gum also helps with the “ear popping” sensation. And a bonus tip, should you ever forget gum at home and you feel the change in cabin pressure, just try yawning a few times! 😄
Sheila
Great tips, Irina. Thanks for stopping by!
Chandni
I’m soon to take a long flight and this post is really helpful for me to plan in advance. Thank you!
Sheila
Thank you, Chandi. I hope you have a great trip.
Yukti
Thanks for sharing useful details on what to carry on the second handbag. As you have said, that type of seat also matters on carry-on stuff like if Business class then we do not need to carry some stuff and if economic class then we have to carry some extra stuff. Also, foldable and refillable water bottle is must and I think it should be carried for all time during traveling.
Sheila
Thanks for stopping by. Yes, seat location is an important consideration in deciding what to carry on. Another consideration that I didn’t mention is dimestuc vs international. On an international first/business class flight you will most likely receive an amenity kit. First/business domestic flight in US you will probably not receive any amenity kit but you will have pillow/blanket to use.
Alexine
Such a helpful post! a lot of traveler would need your advice I mean it’s true we have our own way of packing our carry on bags but sometimes we loose our priorities and just pack whatever things that we think that we really need while traveling. This is a good example to follow! just pinned!
Sheila
Glad you found the post helpful. Thanks for reading and pinning.
Daniel
What a great recommendation! After years of traveling I still almost always forget to bring some important things. I saved this post and I’ll keep it as a reminder. Thank you for sharing
Sheila
Me too! I made this list for myself and then decided to share it.
Janine Thomas
Thanks so much for this! I am going to bookmark it. I have lost count of how many times I have forgotten to take a wrap with me on the plane and always regret it.
Sheila
You are welcome. I agree, nothing worse than a chill down the back of your neck on a cold plane.
Claire
Some great tips! In Europe we are asked to take less and less carry-on luggage, luckily our flights are usually always short!
Sheila
Which airlines, Claire? Please let me know and I’ll update the post. I flew Aer Lingus from Munich to Dublin this past July and was allowed to carry on my small suitcase and my one personal item carry on. The suitcase did need to be an “international-size” carry on which is a bit smaller than what can be carried on in the US. I later flew Ethiopian Air and their stated restrictions are much smaller so I though I would need to check my suitcase but they gave me “cabin baggage approved” tags for both of my bags.
stacey
These are great tips. I keep a spare charger and earbuds in my carryon just in case. I also pack baby wipes, an extra pair of underwear and a washcloth.
Sheila
Good additions, if I was not carrying on my suitcase I’d definitely pack a fresh shirt and underwear in my carry on too. I don’t trust airlines to deliver my luggage to my destination if I have a connecting flight.
siena
Great travel post, I am a world traveler so I really enjoyed reading this.
Sheila
Thanks Siena, glad you enjoyed the post.
Alecia
I’m always looking for items to update my carry on, and I really enjoyed reading your post.
I experience ear pain upon landing and if I fly with the slightest nasal congestion, my stuffy ears can last for days. Last year I discovered a product called Eustachi, and it has changed my life. I will have to try Earplanes for my kids and hubby.
One thing that is always in my carry on is hand sanitizing wipes. They come in handy after eating and since they are travel friendly, I move them into my backpack or purse when I get to my destination.
Sheila
Thanks for sharing your good suggestions, Alecia! I’ll have to look into Eustaci. Good reminder on the wipes, I’ll update the post soon to include that.
Danik
Fantastic advice here. As long as I got my phone charger, money, passport and ear plugs/mask then I am very happy.
Sheila
Yes, those items are very important!
Lance
This is a really helpful list. I like the travel bag with a sleeve to hand over your pilot’s case. That is really convenient. We always find our carry on bag draping off the pilot’s case, falling over, etc. I also love the collapsible water bottle. Water is an essential for me when flying. My son really struggles with his ears popping during flights, so I think I’ll get him a pair of Earplanes to try out. Hopefully, they will be game-changers for him.
Sheila
I’m glad you found the list helpful. I love this travel bag. It holds so much, stays organized, and as you said, the sleeve to go over the handle of the rolling suitcase is very helpful. I hope you try the Earlanes for your son. I love them now and we used them every time we flew with my kids when they were young.
Jenn and Ed Coleman
Solid list. I am a fan of bringing a couple of essential over the counter items. Hand sanitizer for everything (studies on what’s growing in tray backs are fascinating). Extra C and multi’s for the stress and immuno impact. Some Ibuprofen just in case and melatonin to reset your sleep cycle (maybe some benadryl if that doesn’t work). For their weight, pills solve a lot of ills.
Sheila
Good additions to the list! Especially during cold and flu season, sanitizer is very important. I will update my post soon to include your suggestions.
Inge
Great share! I recently made a very bad decision in choosing my bag… I thought I’d try something else. Never again will I travel with carry-on shoulder bag! So it’s great that you point out to choose wisely :p A backpack all the way for me 🙂
Sheila
I’m glad you found a bag that works for you. I tried several before finding this one that works well for me – I think having the sleeve that fits over the handle of the rolling suitcase is essential for me. I tried a backpack suitcase once and that did not work for me, too much weight on my back and made me sweat. Once you find a system that works for you, packing and travel are so much simpler.
Nicola Hilditch-Short
Great tips and many things to consider. I always used my backpack and I’ve got it down to an art how I fit everything in that we need. Usually on long buses or planes we just pack a few extra things like snacks and toiletries!
Sheila
It is great when you find a pack or bag that works well and you develop a packing routine that is easy to duplicate each time. Sounds like you have a good system in place. Happy travels!
Navita
These are great guidelines for making choices of things in the second carry bag. Many a times, this one becomes a bag where anything extra is just thrown in. Like the way you have highlighted key points to consider such as duration of the flight and where would one be seated. I prefer the small crossbody purse too for the essentials that fits in the bigger bag.
Sheila
I’m glad you enjoyed the post. Thanks for reading and commenting. Each trip I refine my system a little bit but I think I finally have it worked out to an efficient way to pack.
Punita Malhotra
You can never do enough to get comfortable on a flight 🙂 Great ideas here to stay organised with stuff while flying. Empty, refillable water bottle to fill after security sounds good.
Sheila
I agree! More and more airports have dedicated water bottle filling stations after security, the trick seems to be locating them. So much easier to use than trying to fill a bottle at a traditional drinking fountain.
Drew Hannush
Interesting ideas. I have actually tried to take just the personal item sized bag with me on trips (ie, just one bag – yeah I’m crazy that way). But when I need to pack more, I will make sure to heed your advice. Nothing worse than putting something vitally important in a checked bag and then not having it when you need it (or having your baggage lost!).
Sheila
Taking only the personal item sized bag on a trip is a goal of mine but I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to accomplish it. I make a point to never travel with more than can be carried on the plane. Lost luggage is such a pain. I guess I’ve not flown on any of the carriers that are more restrictive and do not allow a small carry on suitcase plus one personal item. Thanks for reading!
Miranda
Love this guide! And yes to packing electrolytes. I often pack the little Vitamin C pouches for the same effect. 🙂
Sheila
Vitamin C is a good idea to include, especially now during cold and flu season.
John Quinn
I’ve never heard of earplanes. My one issue with flying has always been the pressure, and I usually overcome it by chewing copious amounts of candy or nuts. I’m intrigued, these could be the answer. I like your packing list, my onboard items are dominated by photography equipment and tech gadgets. To each their own.
Sheila
John, I highly recommend you try the Earplanes. They are pretty inexpensive so not a big investment and the relief they provide is amazing. The instructions say to put them in before take off and leave them in for the full flight, however, I usually put them in before take off, leave them in until we reach cruising altitude then remove them during the flight. Always making sure to reinsert them before we begin our initial descent. I buy the less expensive disposable version and find they last for many flights, usually until I misplace them! The reusable ones come with a lanyard but I find that I prefer the less obvious clear, disposable version in my ears. Ad for packing, I agree, if you are bringing expensive photography equipment you need to carry that on. I’d never check anything I care about!
Alexis
I like this post. You have a lot of useful content and great places to find those items!
Sheila
Thanks for reading.
Robin
Great job on a pretty comprehensive list! My son has a bad time with his making his ears pop on flights and he doesn’t chew gum, so I’ll have to get some of the Earplanes for him to try- thanks for recommending those, I’ve never seen them and didn’t realize they had such a thing!
Sheila
Definitely give the Ear Planes a try. They were a lifesaver for us when our kids were small and I still use them myself every time I fly.
Cathy
Thanks for this comprehensive list! I like how you talk about different needs for different seat classes. I recently flew premium class, and really overpacked for what was needed. Plus, I love the bags you’ve linked!
Sheila
Glad you like the bags. Yes, some airlines’ premium class gives you very nice amenity kits which means you don’t need to bring as much from home.