<figure><img src="https://i.insider.com/6ab4432ad15f8a5729749d25?format=jpeg" height="1500" width="2000" alt="Split view shows a person on an airport tarmac beside a Dreamliner and a lit airplane cabin interior."><figcaption>Long-haul flights can be easier if you pack comforting and entertaining essentials in your carry-on, according to Business Insider's travel reporter.<p class="copyright">Joey Hadden/Business Insider</p></figcaption></figure><ul class="summary-list"><li>On long-haul flights, your carry-on is more than a bag — it's a survival kit.</li><li>It should include everything you might need to stay comfortable, entertained, and refreshed.</li><li>My packing list could make a long journey feel a little shorter.</li></ul><p>Focus on what you can control and let the rest go. I've heard countless versions of this advice throughout my life, and it gets me through my most stressful moments.</p><p>Enter the <a target="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/long-haul-flight-economy-travel-tips-2026-9">long-haul flight</a> — my least favorite part of any faraway vacation. I can't make planes leave on time. I can't change the crowds in the terminal, the size of my seat, or the turbulence of the air. But I can decide <a target="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cruise-packing-list-what-to-bring-in-carryon-2022-5">what's in my carry-on</a>.</p><p>Taking <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/long-haul-flights-not-worth-it-shorter-trips-2024-1">flights six hours or longer</a> from my home in New York City to Germany, Switzerland, Canada, and the Pacific Islands taught me exactly what to pack to make the trip as smooth as possible.</p><p>After 190 hours of long-distance flying, these are the things I'll always bring with me, no matter the destination.</p><div id="slideshow"><div class="slide"><div class="slide-title">A refillable water bottle is a must.</div><div class="slide-image"><figure><img src="https://i.insider.com/5e17972449878c6b141326e2?format=jpeg" height="1500" width="2000" charset="" alt="pathwater refillable water bottle"><figcaption><p class="copyright">Joey Hadden/Business Insider</p></figcaption></figure></div><div class="slide-content"><p>Low humidity and high altitudes can <a target="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/long-flight-worst-things-to-do-mistakes-flight-attendant-2026-5">cause dehydration</a> in aircraft cabins. I feel that acutely on longer flights. A reusable bottle will help you save money and plastic on these journeys.</p></div></div><div class="slide"><div class="slide-title">To keep your skin hydrated, I recommend slipping some lip balm and lotion in your carry-on, too.</div><div class="slide-image"><figure><img src="https://i.insider.com/5e17942249878c68b050da54?format=jpeg" height="1500" width="2000" charset="" alt="carry-on items"><figcaption><p class="copyright">Joey Hadden/Business Insider</p></figcaption></figure></div><div class="slide-content"><p>Some long-haul flights I've taken have had lotion and face mist in the cabin bathrooms, but I wouldn't count on it. And since lip balm is so small, I typically bring two or three in case I lose one.</p></div></div><div class="slide"><div class="slide-title">You should also bring Advil.</div><div class="slide-image"><figure><img src="https://i.insider.com/5e179a3149878c6b901684f3?format=jpeg" height="1666" width="2221" charset="" alt="medical tools doctor hospital nurse injury aids STD doctor's office tylenol blood bandaid syringe, advil"><figcaption><p class="copyright">Crystal Cox/Business Insider</p></figcaption></figure></div><div class="slide-content"><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/flight-travel-tip-carry-aquaphor-vaseline-to-stop-nasal-dryness-discomfort-2019-3">Dry air on planes</a> could cause migraines so it's important to bring medicine, in case your headache is unbearable. That is, if you take meds for stuff like that.</p></div></div><div class="slide"><div class="slide-title">Don't forget your toothbrush.</div><div class="slide-image"><figure><img src="https://i.insider.com/5e179af849878c0ad55994b5?format=jpeg" height="1312" width="1749" charset="" alt="toothbrush"><figcaption><p class="copyright">Ross D. Franklin/AP Images</p></figcaption></figure></div><div class="slide-content"><p>Some of my trips have been so far away that I had to take <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-endure-long-distance-flights-make-most-long-layovers-air-2020-1">three long flights</a> over a 24-hour period. I don't normally go 24 hours without brushing my teeth, and if you don't either, I'd suggest bringing a toothbrush.</p></div></div><div class="slide"><div class="slide-title">Though it won't satisfy a craving for clean teeth, a pack of gum is always helpful for fresh breath.</div><div class="slide-image"><figure><img src="https://i.insider.com/664e032714fb5b23cc5f111aformat=jpeg" height="900" width="1200" charset="" alt="gum"><figcaption><p class="copyright">Roman Samokhin/Shutterstock</p></figcaption></figure></div><div class="slide-content"><p>Gum also helps combat ear-popping during changes in air pressure.</p></div></div><div class="slide"><div class="slide-title">I recommend bringing a change of clothes if your trip has layovers.</div><div class="slide-image"><figure><img src="https://i.insider.com/5e17940c49878c099b67d9c8?format=jpeg" height="1500" width="2000" charset="" alt="carry-on items"><figcaption><p class="copyright">Joey Hadden/Business Insider</p></figcaption></figure></div><div class="slide-content"><p>You may get sweaty or spill something, so it's best to be prepared with a fresh fit.</p></div></div><div class="slide"><div class="slide-title">In the same vein, deodorant is essential for these long trips.</div><div class="slide-image"><figure><img src="https://i.insider.com/5e1799d849878c1c701320df?format=jpeg" height="667" width="889" charset="" alt="deodorant"><figcaption><p class="copyright">Volkova Vera/Shutterstock</p></figcaption></figure></div><div class="slide-content"><p>Flights force us to sit closer together than we normally would, so don't be the person with an odor in the crowded space.</p></div></div><div class="slide"><div class="slide-title">Long flights can be the perfect time to sleep, if you bring some comfort.</div><div class="slide-image"><figure><img src="https://i.insider.com/5e1cad9e49878c46aa4deef0?format=jpeg" height="1337" width="1783" charset="" alt="neck pillow selfie"><figcaption><p class="copyright">Joey Hadden/Business Insider</p></figcaption></figure></div><div class="slide-content"><p>Thankfully, my step-grandma gifted me this neck pillow for Christmas. And it isn't your average neck pillow. It wraps around your neck 1.5 times. This makes it much easier to find a comfortable sleeping position in a tiny plane seat.</p></div></div><div class="slide"><div class="slide-title">If a pillow doesn't do the trick, a sleep mask is a total game-changer.</div><div class="slide-image"><figure><img src="https://i.insider.com/664e03e020abc1efe8fc57f6?format=jpeg" height="3419" width="4559" charset="" alt="A passenger wear his special edition eye mask during a path of totality Delta Airlines flight from Dallas to Detroit, at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport."><figcaption>With a sleep mask, I can pretend I'm at home in bed.<p class="copyright">Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images</p></figcaption></figure></div><div class="slide-content"><p>This is especially helpful for daytime air travel. But even on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/flying-budget-norse-atlantic-airways-red-eye-flight-photos-2023-2">red-eye flights</a>, sleep masks help block out the lights coming from passenger seat-back screens.</p></div></div><div class="slide"><div class="slide-title">If you're unable to nap, bring entertainment, as some flights don't have screens on the backs of seats.</div><div class="slide-image"><figure><img src="https://i.insider.com/5e17941e49878c099e59d3c8?format=jpeg" height="1337" width="2000" charset="" alt="carry-on items"><figcaption><p class="copyright">Joey Hadden/Business Insider</p></figcaption></figure></div><div class="slide-content"><p>I suggest downloading movies and shows onto your phone or tablet.</p></div></div><div class="slide"><div class="slide-title">Watching TV for hours on end might get boring, so I also recommend downloading books and podcasts.</div><div class="slide-image"><figure><img src="https://i.insider.com/5e17941d49878c09d03d5c24?format=jpeg" height="1337" width="2000" charset="" alt="carry-on items"><figcaption><p class="copyright">Joey Hadden/Business Insider</p></figcaption></figure></div><div class="slide-content"><p>I typically download books across genres, from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-places-in-world-to-visit-from-travel-guidebook-writer-2024-1">travel guides</a> and memoirs to spooky novels and comics.</p></div></div><div class="slide"><div class="slide-title">With all this power being used, be sure to pack an external battery charger.</div><div class="slide-image"><figure><img src="https://i.insider.com/5e18eb8f49878c1682721a79?format=jpeg" height="2334" width="3112" charset="" alt="portable phone charger"><figcaption><p class="copyright">Eduardo Munoz/Reuters</p></figcaption></figure></div><div class="slide-content"><p>Most long-haul flights I've been on have had outlets at each seat, but I always bring a battery just in case.</p></div></div><div class="slide"><div class="slide-title">Long-haul flights are typically the most grueling and boring part of my trips, but these items make them a little more bearable.</div><div class="slide-image"><figure><img src="https://i.insider.com/5e17948f49878c68cc022483?format=jpeg" height="1500" width="2000" charset="" alt="airport guam selfie"><figcaption><p class="copyright">Joey Hadden/Business Insider</p></figcaption></figure></div><div class="slide-content"><p>In my experience, long-haul drives can be just as grueling as flights. So check out these tips for <a target="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/road-trip-packing-list-tips-for-smooth-ride-2023-6">packing for a road trip</a> to make your journey run smoothly.</p></div></div></div><div class="read-original">Read the original article on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/carry-on-packing-list-for-a-long-haul-flight-2026-9">Business Insider</a></div>
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