31 of The Best Inflight Essentials

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Last Updated on October 29, 2023 by sydabroad

If you are looking for the best inflight essentials, this article is for you! 

Being prepared for a flight is a must. Especially a long-haul flight. There is nothing worse than being uncomfortable or forgetting something important on a long-haul flight. I’m sharing all of the inflight essentials you need to bring along on every long flight in this article.

Not only am I sharing inflight essentials but also a few tips about how to beat jet lag. Alright let’s get into the guide – here are the best long-haul flight essentials you need to survive your next trip. 

Looking for more helpful travel guides?

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• The Ultimate Hostel Packing List
• The Best Travel Beauty Essentials I Can’t Live Without
• 5 Tips on How to Pack Light and Fashionable for Europe

Keep reading to discover the best inflight essentials. 

The Best Inflight Essentials

1. The Perfect Carry-on Bag

Okay, to start off this inflight essentials list, you need to have the perfect carry-on bag. I absolutely love my Beis Weekender bag to fit all of my carry-on/inflight essentials. It holds so much and fits right under the seat. 

This backpack from Amazon is also great for traveling – it holds about 40 liters and has many pockets. 

Read all about my favorite bags for traveling here. 

2. Kindle 

A Kindle for traveling is a game changer. I was always anti-Kindle. I wanted to have a real book in my hand. But let me tell you, I got a Kindle as a gift, and I’m addicted. 

It’s so nice to bring along with you on trips. You can read whatever you want and you don’t need that little reading light on the plane to see. A Kindle is a travel must-have. 

3. Noise-Canceling Headphones 

Good quality noise-canceling headphones are certainly a long-haul flight essential. Beats headphones are wonderful and of course, the Apple Airpods Max are great too. Bose also makes great noise-canceling headphones. 

4. Laptop or iPad + Charger

I typically will always have my laptop with me to watch downloaded movies or catch up on work. Make sure to download music, movies, and podcasts before your flight. 

5. Portable Charger 

A good portable charger is a travel essential. Especially on a long-haul flight. You just never know when you’ll have a working outlet. Here is one of my favorites. 

6. Universal Travel Adapter

Depending on where you are going you will probably need a travel adapter. Make sure to throw it in your carry-on just in case you need it at the airport. 

7. Local Currency 

This is optional as you can get currency when you arrive at your destination but sometimes it’s just nice to already be prepared. If you go to your local bank they can typically order the currency you will need. Just do this a few weeks to a month ahead of your trip. It could take a while.

Tip: don’t exchange your money in the airport, these money exchange booths rip you off with the terrible exchange rate. If you are getting local currency make sure to use an ATM. I always travel with the Charles Schwab debit card because they will reimburse you for ALL ATM fees. It’s incredible. 

8. Propolis Throat Spray

This throat spray from Beekeepers Naturals is truly one of my favorite travel wellness essentials. 

9. LMNT Electrolytes

Electrolytes are a must for staying hydrated. Especially since you won’t be drinking enough water on the plane. 

10. Snacks

I cannot get on an airplane without bringing my own snacks. Chomps, Perfect Bars, Smart Sweets, and Macro bars are a few of my favorite travel snacks. 

Click here for a list of all of the best snacks for traveling. 

11. Sleep Aid

I don’t know about you, but I can never sleep well on airplanes. I always bring some sort of sleep aid with me and right now I’m loving the Olly sleep gummies. Not only do they taste good, but they really work. 

12. Sleeping Mask 

You can’t board a plane without a cozy sleep mask. I really like this one from Kitsch. 

13. Fuzzy Socks

Fuzzy socks are another inflight essential. It can get cold so I like having socks to keep my feet warm. 

14. Hoodie 

As I said above, it’s usually freezing on the airplane so you’ll definitely want to pack a cozy hoodie. Having a hood is nice if you don’t want your hair to touch the airplane seat. 

15. Neck Pillow 

Honestly, I haven’t found a neck pillow that I absolutely love. But I recently got this one from Amazon for my trip to Asia and it was pretty nice. 

16. Blue Light Glasses

Sometimes I’ll work on my computer or watch movies. I like having blue light-blocking glasses handy to help with all of the screen time. 

17. Pen 

Having a pen is essential for filling out customs forms and other documents. Also, make sure it’s black. There have been a few times where I had filled out a form with a colored pen and some countries wouldn’t accept it. So don’t risk it and just use a black pen. This recently happened to me in Japan. 

18. Hand Sanitizer

Planes are gross, you’ll definitely want hand sanitizer.  

19. Travel Document Organizer 

It’s important to have all the required travel docs such as your passport, photo ID, vax card, and anything else you may need. I also suggest having copies of all these important documents. 

20. Compression socks 

For long-haul flights compression socks are essential. They help by regulating your blood flow. 

21. Peppermint Essential Oil 

Essential oils are amazing to travel with. Specifically the peppermint. If you have a headache, rub some on your forehead or the back of your neck and it relieves pain almost instantly. 

22. Eye Gels 

If you want your skin to feel refreshed before landing pack some under-eye masks to pop on before you land. They feel amazing. 

23. Wet Wipes

Try to avoid the germs. Pack wet wipes. 

24. Reusable Water Bottles

A reusable water bottle is certainly a long-haul flight essential. You want to avoid purchasing overpriced water at the airport. 

25. Summer Friday’s Jet Lag mask 

I absolutely love this product. It so moisturizing I will either put this on during the flight or before. I leave it on as a moisturizer and it feels so nice. Your skin will feel amazing when you wake up. 

26. Hand Cream

Pretty self-explanatory – the plane dries out everything so a good hand cream is a travel must-have. I love the La Roche-Posay hand cream. It’s so hydrating. 

27. Lip Balm

 There are so many great lip balms on the market but my favs are the Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm and the Laneige Lip Balm. 

28. Clear pouch for organization 

Having a clear pouch to organize all of your tech and beauty essentials is a must. It makes staying organized so much easier and staying organized is so important when traveling. I love this double-sided pouch from Amazon. 

29. Deodorant wipes 

I love having these on hand to freshen up when needed. The wipes are great during or after a long flight. I also love having a mini deodorant to throw in my bag. 

30. Toothbrush and Toothpaste

A long-haul flight must-have. Alternatively, the little wisps are great too because you can throw these away after use. 

31. Facial Spray

Nothing better than a quick facial spray for a mid-flight refresh. 

Jet Lag Tips

Change the time on your phone

Prior to taking off, set your phone to the time zone that you will be landing in. This puts you in the mindset of your destination’s time zone. 

Get busy once you land 

Traveling is exhausting. It’s tempting to go straight to nap once you land but keep yourself busy so that you have a better chance of sleeping through the night. 

Go pick up a coffee and start wandering around the city. 

Time your meals 

On the day of your flight, time your meals around the timezone you will be landing in. This can help get your body used to the time timezone. 

Hydrate! 

Planes dehydrate your body. Make sure to stay hydrated – drink plenty of water and electrolytes. 

Long Haul Flight Tips

• Stretch as much as you can.
• Wear layers, most planes tend to be cold but it’s always good to wear layers on planes.
• Don’t forget to drink water! This will help with jet lag and just make you feel so much better when you arrive.
• Change before your longest leg of the trip – you’ll feel so much cleaner.

And that wraps up this post with all of the best inflight essentials. If you have any questions, comment below, DM me on Instagram, or email me at sydabroad@gmail.com. 

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