Inflight Essentials
My tried and tested inflight essentials for a stress free travel day...
Little sister here!
Big sister and I recently travelled to sunny California, a solid 14-hour flight from Sydney, and let me tell you, it was the perfect reminder of why having your travel day essentials dialled in is so important.
If you know me personally, then you already know I’m that person—the typical Type A traveller who’s particular about every single detail of a travel day. Having been fortunate enough to travel from a young age, I’m confident in saying I’ve got my routine down to a fine art, and I’ve even “influenced” my friends and family on quite a few things that have completely transformed their travel experiences for the better. Living in Sydney, Australia (literally down under) means us Aussies are built for those long-haul flights and 24+ hour travel days. Trust me, we know a thing or two about surviving them in style. As a girly who’s prone to overstimulation, my goal for any travel day is simple: get from point A to point B without getting overwhelmed, anxious, or completely frazzled. And to do that? I need my essentials.
Here’s everything I need to survive (and actually enjoy) a long travel day…
A shower, skincare, and a good nutritious meal are absolute musts before the travel day even begins. I also go easy on the coffee—I’ve learned that too much caffeine makes my anxiety worse and leaves me feeling jittery before I even step foot in the airport. The last thing I need is to be on edge when I’m trying to stay calm and organised through security and boarding.
Outfit - Comfort over everything but still put together, I love a Skims tracksuit set…super comfortable. Also a hooded jumper or jacket is a non-negotiable. I simply cannot survive a plane ride without a hood, there’s something about my hair touching the plane seat that I just can’t handle.
Carry On Items - I always travel with a personal item (The Beis Mini Weekender) and a carry-on suitcase, it’s the perfect combination. My personal item is home to everything I will reach for in a flight because it is the most accessible. The carry on usually has spare clothes, extra snacks and medication, my handbags and shoes. I hate having to unzip my carry on suitcase on the plane, I find it so inconvenient.
Antibacterial wipes – If you aren’t wiping down your entire seat, tray table, and those air vents above you, what are you even doing? This is my first move before I even settle in.
Lip balms – I know this seems obvious, but because I’m just a tad extra, I need three different lip products to get me through. One is never enough when cabin air is involved.
Hand cream – Dry hands on a plane? Absolutely not. I simply cannot function without keeping my hands moisturised, and I’ll reapply obsessively throughout the flight. Any hand cream by L’occitane is my favourite.
Eye drops – The recycled air on planes is brutal, and my eyes are the first to suffer. A good set of eye drops is essential for staying comfortable, especially if you’re reading or watching a movie.
Liquid IV – Hydration is everything, but especially at 30,000 feet. I love using Liquid IV to ensure I’m staying extra hydrated throughout the journey. My favourite flavour is hands down the strawberry one!!
Melatonin – If I want any chance of sleeping on a flight, this is necessary. I’m obsessed with the Lemme Sleep Gummies. I took two sleep gummies on my most recent and managed to get 8 hours of sleep, that’s unheard of for me.
Electronics (Kindle and iPad) - Obviously. Whether it’s a thriller or a romance novel, I need my reading options on hand. I also prefer travelling with an iPad instead of my laptop for two very important reasons: First, I can download all my shows from Netflix, Prime, and Disney Plus ahead of time, which makes for seamless, offline entertainment—no relying on dodgy inflight WiFi. And second, you don’t have to take your iPad out at airport security, but most of the time they make you remove your laptop. That’s just one less thing I need to be fumbling with while trying to get through security efficiently. The fewer items I have to unpack and repack, the better.
Personal headphones – Ever since the pandemic, I have tried my best to bring my own things on the plane whenever I can. I invested in the Bose QuietComfort headphones and I am absolutely obsessed with them. They are super soft and over the ear so I can genuinely wear them for the entire flight and a huge bonus is that it come with an airplane adapter attachment, so I can plug them in and use them for inflight entertainment, also the noise cancellation is a total game-changer.
A Quick Note on Skincare
You might notice skincare is conspicuously missing from my list of inflight essentials, and yes, that’s intentional. After a truly traumatic experience and some stern advice from my dermatologist, I will never do skincare on a plane again.
I know those aesthetic plane selfies with sheet masks look cute, but here’s the reality: planes do not have the cleanest air, and your skin is more vulnerable than you think. Back in July 2022, we were on our way to Milan, and I decided to do my full skincare routine on the plane and use under-eye patches mid-flight…seemed harmless, right? Over the course of our two week trip, I noticed a tiny blackhead appear under my eye. Have you ever gotten a blackhead under your eye? Because I hadn’t. A couple of days later, a painful, angry, under-the-skin cystic pimple appeared. It was rock hard, extremely painful, and never came to a head. When I came home, I had to see my dermatologist to get it drained, and she confirmed what I suspected: the skincare on the plane caused it.
Lesson learned the hard way. I now do my skincare before I leave for the airport and my face will only get touched again when I back on the ground (if I am in transit somewhere I will pack a face wash and moisturiser).
So… travel days don’t have to be chaotic, stressful, or leave you feeling completely drained before your trip even begins. With the right preparation and essentials, you can actually enjoy the journey…not just endure it.
These are the things that work for me, the products I swear by, and the routine I’ve perfected over countless flights. Some of it might seem a bit extra, but if it means I arrive at my destination feeling calm, comfortable, and ready to dive into my trip? It’s worth every single item in my carry-on.
So whether you’re a seasoned traveller or gearing up for your first long-haul flight, I hope this guide helps you find your own travel day rhythm. And if you try any of my recommendations, I’d love to hear how they work for you!
Safe travels…Little sister x
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Have a trip coming up and this will be printed the night before to save me!!! THANKYOU🙏🙏🙏
I love this and am absolutely coming back to reference it before I have a 8 hour flight this summer 🙌