Welcome to my holy grail for taking to the sky. If you don’t know what to bring on a long flight, this is the guide for you. A perfect flight experience doesn’t need to check all of these boxes, but for longer journeys, the more the merrier. There have been times that I’ve flown with absolutely nothing to my name and still made it out alive. You may know what you CAN take on a plane, but what you NEED to take on a plane is a very different story. If the goal is to be comfy, entertained, and unbothered… I’ve got you.

The hardest part about flying is everything that leads up to wheels up, so don’t overthink it. There’s no “perfect formula” for having a comfortable flight. I’ve flown all around the world and have found pros and cons with bringing the things I decided on. If you leave here with one lasting piece of advice let it be that you can never go wrong with packing a sandwich.

This list is my own perfect combination of prepared but not over-packed. Choose what speaks to you, and what to pack for an airplane trip will be your next bread and butter. Without further ado:

Carry-on Essentials for a Long Flight

Entertainment

• A book, If you’re not a reader, start here: How to Get Back Into Reading.
• Headphones, both wireless and wired, if I want to plug into the tiny screen.
• Chargers, for my phone, headphones, and laptop.
• Laptop, planes are a great environment to get into the zone.
• My journal, I’m a journaler, but I don’t like journaling on planes because I always think someone can read what I’m writing. However, I do like to journal when I’m at the airport and if you have a travel journal this is a great time to record your journeys.
• Crafts, I like to have something that keeps my hands busy and my mind quiet like a friendship bracelet, coloring book, sketchbook, etc. and sometimes I’ll listen to a podcast while I do it.

Comfort

• A hoodie, there is no greater comfort than something with a hoodie that you can pull over your head when you’re traveling. Even if my bags are popping at the seams, to me it’s worth it to tie a hoodie around my waist.
• Pants, mainly so my legs don’t stick to the chair and I can sit without holding tension anywhere in my body. If you aren’t in a comfortable position on a plane, you’re way more prone to altitude bloat and body aches.
• Walking around, as in getting out of your seat. This makes you feel better and lighter throughout the flight.

Food

• Water bottle.
• Flat sandwich, like a PB&J, since flights usually fall before, during, or after a meal. Bonus points if you bring it in a BioBag.
• Fruit, usually an apple, orange, or a banana, but a banana is only for those who live on the edge of potential mushiness.
• Chocolate.

Just In Case

There is no long flight essentials list that isn’t complete without these. When I think “what to bring on a flight” I want the things that will keep me away from a travel disaster.

• Wet wipes, for spills and surfaces.
• Watch, to help keep your phone away. I wear a shark watch, and you can use my code EARTHANDEMMA10 for 10% off your purchase.
• Chapstick & travel lotion, for the altitude.
• Gum, cures a lot of crimes and could start a friendship with a seat buddy.
• Hand sanitizer
• A mask, no need to hate on me here but I’ve gotten sick from planes more times than I would like and sometimes wish I had a mask if my neighbor is a cougher.
• Napkins or tissues, a home for the gum, or a best friend if you run into a toilet paperless situation.