I’m soon to start packing for my flight to Vancouver and then onwards to Denver and remembered one question I get asked a lot on Instagram – what do I pack? What are my hand luggage essentials, particularly for long-haul flights? As a regular traveller, packing my hand luggage has become second nature to me. Half the time I don’t even bother to unpack it when I’m home and instead keep most of my travel essentials with me anyway – hey, you never know!

So, without further ado, here are my top hand luggage essentials for long-haul flights:

A good suitcase

My first hand luggage essential is the luggage itself – I prefer a wheeled suitcase than a bag since I have back problems and it makes getting around much, much easier. I have been gifted suitcases by companies in the past and they’ve been good, but I just haven’t fallen in love. Until, that is, Away sent me one of their limited edition Kode with Klossy carry-on suitcases. While this collaboration edition is no longer available, their range of nine gorgeous colours is available for purchase.

My favourite thing about my Away suitcase is the wheels – this might sound odd but the wheels are so good! I’ve found that a lot of suitcases have quite small wheels that break easily or don’t roll so well (especially after a while) but I’ve been using my Away suitcase pretty much constantly for the last five months and the wheels are just as good as the day it arrived. Plus you can fit a deceiving amount of things in the bag – perfect for someone like me who hates to actually travel with checked baggage!

Here are some of my other favourites for hand luggage suitcases:

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The small bag

Most airlines allow both a suitcase and a small personal item as well (such as a handbag or laptop bag). My bag of choice is the Christie camera bag (when I’m not taking my laptop) or the Camille camera bag (when I am taking my laptop) from GATTA Bag. These stylish camera bags don’t look like camera bags at all – my favourite! I’ve found most camera bags bulky and pretty ugly in all honesty (plus they tend to imply that you have an expensive camera which is not always the best signal to give out, particularly in cities that have problems with pickpockets) so I love the stylish pieces from GATTA.

PS: Get a $20 discount with the code ‘Penelope20’ on your first order!

I also love Jackie’s round-up of the best bags for travelling – she includes the wonderful GATTA Bag too!

 

The essential essentials

Before we get any further, I should probably remind you of the ‘essential’ essentials. Obviously, don’t forget:

1. Passport (or ID card, depending on where you are from/where you’re travelling to)
2. Boarding pass (I recommend printing it out, even if you have a mobile boarding pass)
3. Visa/visa waiver as needed (and a print out just in case – for example, an ESTA if you’re going to the USA)
4. Details of your flights, transportation and accommodation (I usually have these on my phone and written down/printed out as well – don’t forget to have the details in the local language as well!)

Photography gear

As a travel blogger and photographer, it’s pretty darned important that I have a camera on me. I recently upgraded my camera (from the Canon 6D to the Canon R6 Mark II) and I’m loving my new purchase.

Want to check out what the photos look like? Every single photo on my One Day in Genoa itinerary was taken with my Canon R6 Mark II camera!

Camera and lens

I currently own the Canon R6 Mark II with the RF 24-105mm F4 lens and am loving it. It’s much lighter than my old Canon 6D (although also a fair amount more expensive…) but this makes it much easier for travel.

If you’re looking for a more compact camera, then I would definitely recommend the Sony a6700 – I own the older version of it (Sony a6300) which was my main camera before I upgraded to a full-frame camera (fairly unnecessary unless you’re doing photography as a job).

Tripods

While I use two tripods, I usually only travel with one unless I’m pretty sure I’ll need my full-size tripod. Why? Because it’s heavy. I have absolutely no other reason aside from I don’t want to deal with the weight (plus if you’re travelling on an airline that weighs your hand luggage, it might make it a bit too heavy).

I usually only pack my Manfrotto BeFree tripod when I’m taking hold luggage or when I am travelling without needing to fly (and therefore no weight restrictions). Although the BeFree tripod only weighs in at 1.4kg (3lbs), this tends to tip me over most airlines restrictions because I manage to pack a ridiculous amount of things in a small space. #sorrynotsorry

My hand luggage essential tripod for smaller camera is the Joby GorillaPod – it’s tiny, lightweight and perfect for when you need to stabilise your camera or use it on self-timer (such as when I’m travelling alone). I used the medium sized GorillaPod (1K) with my mirrorless Sony camera on it (which weighs just under 500g). The best thing about the GorillaPod is the flexible legs – you can wrap it around railings/trees/people (okay, maybe not people… but you could probably try?) or stand it up as normal. It’s great for when you’re on a mountain in Norway and need to balance it on a bunch of large rocks or at a restaurant in the Seychelles and want to wrap it around the railing to capture a sunset timelapse (true story).

Since I also use my tripod for capturing video on my phone, I also have a phone clamp for my tripod which is super handy for filming stories or doing a quick timelapse on my iPhone!

Also, don’t forget all your essential accessories like SD cards, battery chargers and so forth!

An outfit change

One of my hand luggage essentials that has become even more important to me after having my luggage lost twice in the past few months is an outfit change. Not only handy if your luggage is lost or delayed (but definitely vital if it is!!), a change of outfit is the perfect way to freshen up after a long haul flight.

I always pack a change of underwear, a spare pair of socks and a change of clothes suitable for my destination such as this gorgeous Boohoo dress! I also carry an extra pair of socks if I’m wearing sandals, just in case my feet get cold on the flight – I love the socks from ALDO as they seem to never get holes in, unlike the majority of my socks (I go through socks at a worrying rate…).

Additionally, I tend to take a cosy hoodie too so I can be ultra comfy on my flight – plus it makes a good pillow if I forget my inflatable one (or if I need some extra back support). My hoodie of choice is this rather apt “catch flights not feelings” design! You can also get it as a sweater if you prefer a sweatshirt instead.

If the flight is an overnight flight, I always take a soft, supportive bralette or wire-free sports bra and get changed from my underwired one either before getting on the plane or once I’m settled! I hate having to sleep in a wired bra and it’s so much comfier to wear a sports bra or bralette while I’m sleeping. It’s one of my non-negotiable hand luggage essentials for long haul flights!

Toiletries

Since I travel so often, I’ve given up on having a toiletries bag and usually just keep my liquids in one of those plastic bags the airport gives you. Yep, I am super stylish. However, I did recently buy a clear toiletries bag that is supposed to be TSA compliant, although I have seen some complaints that not all airports are happy with these being used. I’ve only had one issue so far (thanks London Gatwick) but otherwise it works perfectly!

Mini deodorant

This is a definite essential! For both the long journey and for using in your destination, I always have a mini deodorant on me, such as this bergamot Salt & Stone one or this coconut and vanilla one from Target.

Face wipes

Whether or not I’m planning on wearing makeup, I always have a pack of makeup wipes in my hand luggage. They come in so handy if you need to freshen up during or after your flight and, of course, pretty handy for removing makeup as well. My favourites are these cucumber and melon cleansing wipes as they’re gentle, have a light and refreshing scent and remove all makeup pretty darn well.

Travel toothbrush and toothpaste

For when I’m on the go, I always have a travel toothbrush in my hand luggage. It’s so handy because the toothbrush folds in on itself so it’s super compact and keeps the bristles totally clean. Another hand luggage essential is a travel sized toothpaste (or a larger one, depending on the length of my trip) such as this 25ml Colgate toothpaste or this larger 70ml whitening toothpaste.

Hairbrush

As someone with long, thick hair who also loves a good nap on a flight, my hairbrush is essential on long-haul flights. Plus it’s pretty sensible to keep it in your hand luggage just in case some airline loses your luggage. (I’m looking at you, Turkish Airlines…)

My hairbrush of choice (whether at home, abroad, travelling hand luggage only or with a big suitcase) is the Tangle Teezer ‘Ultimate’. I originally bought it in pink so I could easily spot it in my bag (since I put so much stuff in there…) and it served me well for a rather long time! Since first buying a Tangle Teezer, I’ve gone through two and now have this one in black, which I regularly lose because it blends into everything… maybe time to upgrade myself to something a little more vibrant again! It’s the only hairbrush I’ve found that actually detangles my ridiculously thick barnet without hurting my head, and I won’t buy anything else now!

They also sell a travel-sized Tangle Teezer, which is great to just pop in your handbag when you’re out and about.

Lip balm

Does anyone else find that their lips (and skin in general) get super dry on planes? I’m pretty sure it’s due to the air conditioning on the plane but UGH! So frustrating. My go-to lip rescue is the delicious smelling Burt’s Bees Vanilla Bean Lip Balm. It smells AMAZING and leaves my lips super soft instead of dry and horrible. Plus it doesn’t need to go in your liquids bag and is small enough to fit in a small side pocket – what’s not to love?

Moisturiser

Continuing with the saga of ‘planes dry my skin out’, I always have some form of moisturiser on me. Sadly my favourite one that I bought in the Seychelles (pure coconut oil with vanilla from La Digue) doesn’t come in a travel size so I only take it when I’m travelling with hold luggage.

My hand luggage essential moisturiser for my face is the NIP + FAB SPF 30 Moisturiser or, if I’ve been splurging, the Benefit Triple Performing moisturiser. For the rest of my body, I use the Sanctuary Spa mini body butter – it has aloe vera and argan oil and is great for keeping your skin hydrated!

When my skin is feeling a little dull and under the weather (particularly in winter) I adore the Lumene Valo Glow Boost Essence with hyaluronic acid and Vitamin C for boosting your skin’s radiance. I actually have the mini size so it’s great if you have quite a full liquids bag already!

You can also grab some refillable mini travel bottles for toiletries which are perfect if you just want to take a small amount of what you usually use at home – I use these so I can take my Victoria Secret Bare Vanilla Shimmer body moisturiser and fragrance spray with me, since they don’t make travel sized versions.

Makeup remover

If I know I’m likely to be wearing makeup (especially mascara), then I tend to also bring along a micellar water and cotton pads as I find these are much less abrasive than makeup wipes. It took me ages to find a travel-sized micellar water and I actually ended up finding a mini one that came free with a copy of Cosmopolitan magazine in the airport! Sadly they don’t seem to actually make this size for retail (darn it!) so I would recommend either this Clinique Travel Size ‘Take The Day Off’ Makeup Remover (50ml) or this Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water is 100ml on the dot, so a perfect size.

Travel size hair care

I almost finished this section without adding in a bit about hair care! If I’m travelling with hold luggage then I tend to bring larger ones in my suitcase since it generally works out cheaper than buying the travel sized ones especially, plus I’m usually only taking hold luggage if I’m going on a long trip. If I’m going on a long trip but with hand luggage only (because I’m cheap and buy budget airfares), I will usually buy larger sized shampoo and condition at the airport or in my destination, especially if the destination is generally cheaper than the UK.

For travel sized hair care, my usual choices are the following:

Bed Head Travel Size Recovery Moisturizing Shampoo For Dry Hair (100ml) or Coco & Eve Super Hydrating Shampoo (70ml)

Bed Head Travel Size Recovery Moisturizing Conditioner For Dry Hair (100ml) or Coco & Eve Super Hydrating Conditioner Cream (70ml)

Bumble & Bumble Travel Size Invisible Oil Heat Protectant Leave In Conditioner Primer (60ml) – amazing if you have dry hair!

Leave-in conditioning spray (I love this for detangling if I need a bit extra!)

Batiste Volumising Dry Shampoo Mini

Everything else

I always have a (safety) razor in my hand luggage, which I’ve never had an issue with at airports. Additionally, I always carry tweezers, a nail file, hair ties (always two on my wrist or in my hair too!) and cotton buds (Q-tips). I also love a nice scrunchie in case I want to put my hair up in a bun or a pony for comfort.

Make sure not to forget a mini suncream as well!

I also usually bring some form of body wash or shower gel, unless I’m pretty certain where I’m staying will have some. I’ve never been a huge fan of using soap so I usually just get one of the mini travel shower gels.

 

Hand luggage essentials for sleep

My favourite category! Now, if there’s one thing I love more than travel then it’s most certainly sleeping. I mean, sleep is great – duh.

Since I spend quite a lot of my time on long-haul flights (and buses… and trains…) I’ve become pretty good at the art of sleeping, well, basically anywhere. It’s a bit weird to calculate how many different beds I’ve slept in within the past month alone… *smirk*

So, how do I sleep so well while on the go?

Firstly, I always carry a large scarf/blanket with me. It’s basically a cross between a thin beach towel and a ginormous scarf (sometimes called a hammam towel) – while I bought mine in a small store in Lagos, Portugal, you can find some gorgeous ones online too, or get a pashmina-style scarf. It’s great to use as a blanket OR pillow on long flights, as a shawl at religious sites and also as a beach towel. Perfect!

I also usually have my inflatable neck pillow on me for a long flight, it’s essential for a long haul flight! Plus don’t forget a comfy silk eye mask to block out all light to ensure a good random whatever hour your flight is night’s sleep.

I’m not a fan of earplugs personally since I can’t actually sleep in silence (darn tinnitus – I have to listen to something so I don’t just concentrate on the ringing sound), but if you are the type of person who requires silence to be able to sleep then definitely don’t forget a good pair of earplugs. If you’re more a fan of listening to music or a podcast while you sleep, then this brings me to the next section…

 

A great pair of headphones

I never go anywhere without a pair of headphones and I mean anywhere. Even down to Starbucks. I always carry a pair of headphones or earphones since if I ever want to concentrate, it usually requires some form of background music. For example, I wrote 70% of this post listening to the Mamma Mia 2 soundtrack and the other 30% watching Law & Order so if you find any random ABBA lyrics… you know why.

My top pick for in-ear headphones are the wonderful (and affordable) Soundcore by Anker noise cancelling wireless earbuds that come in four different colours and start at £59! They’re great for keeping background noise out and your choice of music in your ears (and not in everyone else’s, like some earbuds). They also come with multiple sizes of earpieces so they fit everyone comfortably. My favourite thing about these headphones is that you can use the Soundcore app to change the headphones’ settings from noise cancelling to normal mode to transparency mode, which means you can listen to your music or podcast but still hear announcements and anything else important!

For Bluetooth headphones (which I use with my iPhone 15 Plus), I love my Soundcore by Anker Q30 Noise Cancelling Headphones. They’re comfy enough to wear while sleeping on a plane and they fit nicely in my bag. Plus, unlike another pair I’ve owned, they don’t accidentally turn on in my bag and random start playing music… so that’s definitely a bonus! And yes, I definitely love Anker as a brand (no, not sponsored at all… sadly!) – I swear by all their headphones now!

 

Portable charger

My absolute never-leave-home-without item is my portable charger. Well, I actually have three. Y’know, just in case.

My hand luggage essential charger is my 20,000 mAh battery pack portable charger with 3 USB ports (2 USB A and one USB C) which fits perfectly in my handbag. I can charge my phone at least three times from 1% to 100% battery, perfect for when you won’t have access to a charging port for a while!

Don’t forget all your charger cables either!

I also never travel without a universal travel adapter – this one comes with two USB A (the standard USB) and 2 USB C ports as well as a ‘world to world’ plug, and this one is the same but with four USB A and no USB C ports, which is better if you don’t use USB C charging cables very often.

 

Kindle (or books)

While I occasionally travel with some paperbacks, I tend to opt for my Kindle more often than not! I’m a big reader, and physical books just take up so much weight!

I absolutely adore my Kindle Paperwhite, and I highly recommend getting a Kindle Unlimited subscription if you’re a keen reader and love reading when on vacation. The Kindle Unlimited subscription includes a 30-day free trial, which is a perfect way to see if you enjoy what’s on offer in the catalogue!

If you enjoy audiobooks, then don’t miss out on getting an Audible subscription, which is perfect to while away a long haul flight! You can get a 30-day trial of Audible, which includes the entire Plus catalogue as well as 1 Audible credit for any book you want, which you get to keep even if you cancel after your trial.

A few recent reads that I would highly recommend include:

• The Impossible Girl by Lydia Kang (set in 1850s Manhattan with a strong female lead and some very, very intriguing grave robbing…)
• The Passage by Irina Shapiro (a time slip/time travel series set between modern day and 16th century Britain)
• Spellbreaker by Charlie N. Holmberg (one of my all-time favourite fantasy authors – this duology has such a unique magic system and I DEVOURED both books!)
• The Librarian of Crooked Lane by C.J. Archer (first book in the Glass Library series, a great fantasy series set in 20th century London)
• The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang (a romance novel featuring a female lead with autism – it’s such a good read and the perfect romance to read on holiday!)
• A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons by Kate Khavari (a mystery series set in 1920s London with an epic female lead who has to fight against the beliefs about women in academia – AKA, that they shouldn’t be there) – I listened to the audiobook narrated by Jodie Harris and absolutely loved it!

 

Water bottle and travel mug

Another item I never leave home without is a water bottle and it’s definitely a carry on essential as well. Depending on which sized handbag I have, I either take my 1L bottle with a sipper lid or my slimline metal water bottle.

Before security, I either drink the water or throw it away (depends how much is in there and how much I need to go to the bathroom at that point…) so there’s no issue with security and the liquid restrictions.

I also usually travel with my handy travel mug, since most places will give you a discount on coffee when you use it – and I drink enough coffee to make this discount extremely handy! I bought mine at a coffee shop in Helsinki called Robert’s Coffee (highly recommend if you go – they have one inside the airport too!), but if you don’t happen to be in Helsinki then I recommend one like this Contigo Snapseal Travel Mug (470ml) or the GoCup Stainless Steel Travel Mug (17oz/510ml).

 

Snacks

Erm, how could you ever forget SNACKS?! Possibly the most important item to ever have in your hand luggage (okay, maybe I’m exaggerating, you should probably pack the passport first), snacks are a must have on a long-haul flight!

Since I’m lactose intolerant, I always try to pack enough snacks just in case I can’t find anything that I can actually eat. I try not to bring any snacks that contain nuts since occasionally you might have someone on your flight with a nut allergy – they usually announce it and request that you don’t consume anything containing nuts. If I do take some (generally if I have a long layover), then I love KIND bars. Just be careful if you can’t have dairy since one of them contains dairy (caramel almond and sea salt) – I’m not entirely sure why they aren’t ALL dairy free but oh well!

Other snacks I love include:

TREK protein flapjacks (dairy and gluten-free, also vegan)

Perkier Snack Bars (dairy and gluten-free, vegan, low in sugar and high in fibre)

Deliciously Ella Cacao & Almond Oat Bars (dairy and gluten-free, vegan) or, to be cautious of keeping your snacks nut free, Deliciously Ella Apple & Raison Oat Bars

These are all great for snacking on when you’re on the go and don’t take up much room in your bag at all!

 

Hand luggage essentials list

After throwing ten million recommendations at you, I thought I’d be a nice human and collate it into a concise (ish) list for you:

• Passport and/or ID card
• Boarding pass
• Visa (if needed)
• Details of flights/accommodation/transportation
• Camera and lens(es)
• Battery and battery charger
• SD cards
• Tripod(s)
• Change of clothing (socks, underwear, outfit)
• TSA compliant clear toiletries bag
• Deodorant (<100ml)
• Face wipes
• Travel toothbrush
• Toothpaste (<100ml)
• Hairbrush
• Lip balm
• Body and/or face moisturiser (<100ml)
• Makeup/other toiletries (<100ml)
• Makeup remover (e.g. micellar water, <100ml)
• Shampoo (<100ml) and conditioner (<100ml)
• Leave-in conditioning spray (<100ml)
• Shower gel/body wash (<100ml)
• Razor
• Q-tips/cotton buds; Cotton pads; Tweezers; Nail file
• Hair ties
• Hammam towel
• Inflatable neck pillow
• Eye mask
• Earplugs (if needed)
• In-ear headphones and/or over-ear headphones
• Portable charger and charger cables
• Water bottle and/or travel mug
• Snacks

This list may look like a lot but it entirely depends on what you require – I just happen to aim to be prepared for pretty much everything! While the list looks huge, the majority of it will fit in one hand luggage bag (it all fits neatly in my tote handbag, including my 13″ MacBook Air just to destroy my shoulder even more).

I hope you enjoyed reading the ridiculously long list of things I take in my hand luggage! I usually also pack a book to read on the flight (or download things to my Kindle or my iPhone) – I just finished reading My Mamma Mia Summer, which is a wonderful light summer read, and I also highly recommend Prisoners of Geography, an incredible book about geopolitics that should be on any traveller’s reading list!

Let me know in the comments if I’ve left out anything that you consider a hand luggage essential – maybe I’ll realise I need to pack even more items!

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