A very long lasting battery back for phone charging when out all day long.

European plug adapter.

A very thin but warm fleece/wool blend blanket that folds up really small as I always seem to be cold on airplanes.

ScottEVest trench coat with 40+ pockets. Like taking an extra piece of luggage onboard the airplane. Plus if I can’t even remember where I pt stuff in what pockets, how’s a pickpocket going to find it?! I’ve got at least five of their products that I’ve taken domestically and internationally over the last ten years - two trench coats, two vests, one short jacket. I can stick even my ipad in each of these and walk around without a purse. https://www.scottevest.com/collections/womens-jackets. Expensive but has been worth it for me. Almost feel like inspector gadget.

Noise cancelling earphones. Screaming baby and a jet engine depletes me of excitement before I touch down 😂😂

Credit card(s) for whatever airline(s) you will use most. Usually gets you advanced boarding, extra mileage, and some other perks.

A lightweight carry on roller bag.

AirTag for your bag.

A sticker or paint or something to make your bag stand out.

A rental rewards program membership for whatever car rental company you use most so you can skip the line.

Hotel rewards program and possibly credit card. If you are going to stay in Hiltons, their credit card gives you lounge access.

A kickstand phone case unless you will use your laptop during flights.

A Google Fi sim if traveling internationally. If your phone is dual SIM, perhaps a second sim from Visible or whatever towers other than your usual carrier.

A magazine app or Kindle app or a Kindle or iPad or Surface or MacBook Air (figure out what you will do during the flights).

A refillable water bottle.

TripIt Pro or FLIO app, apps for your airlines, and a flight board app.

Loungebuddy, Terminal Buddy, At Your Gate apps (airport maps).

TripAdvisor app.

White noise generator app in case your next door neighbor snores.

Download offline maps just in case you find yourself without service.

Airline Wi-Fi subscription plan (or cell service that includes it).

Snacks (in case you arrive late and hotel restaurant is closed).

In addition to what’s already been mentioned:

1. A small case/organizer bag with all the charging cables you might need. I always keep this packed and in my travel bag so I never need to remember to bring my chargers from home.

2. A portable usb battery pack.

3. A small backpack/bag to keep your computer/other valuables in case you need to gate check your carry-on bag.

4. Depending on the type of work you do, a small portable extra screen for your laptop.

5. If you’re traveling to Europe, a travel size clothes steamer. Lots of hotels there don’t have irons and if you need to go straight to a meeting this can be a lifesaver.

6. Download some movies/shows that you want to watch onto an iPad/tablet. I’ve been on 11 hour flights with broken ife and if you travel enough you’ll have seen everything you want to see on the ife anyway.

I do this as well but also have a second electric toothbrush that I keep with my travel kit. Part of my packing routine is to charge my travel toothbrush when I inspect my toiletries kit to make sure I've got everything I'll need, add any needed extra meds, etc.

1. Global Entry

2. Netflix account. Uber, Grab, Foodpanda, UberEats accounts. Most are global

3. Mobile roaming plan

4. Mileage plan and stick with one alliance. (I have Star Alliance and One World)

5. Personal one- Kindle (love mine)

6. Multi-country electric adaptor

Get TSA Precheck.

The TSA Precheck line is shorter, and you don’t have to remove belts, shoes, and jackets.

My Active Noise Cancelling headphones, comes clutch when taking those super packed buses or loud trains. Also actually allows me to enjoy music on the plane without hearing the engine noise

The best travel accessory I bought was an extension cord with three outlets and 4 USB charging ports. Many hostels didn’t have sufficient or convenient outlets, so it came in really handy to always be able to have my stuff close to me when it was charging over night.

My second favorite is an ugly travel vest with like 25 pockets in it...one of them big enough for a small laptop. It saved me several times in over-weight carry on fees when I was flying. I’d just stuff it with my heavy stuff and wear it on the plane.

Here’s a link. It must be popular because the price is more than double what I paid for it a year ago.

Not so much a travel accessory but a few hacks.

• I always carry a paper clip with me so I can pop out a SIM card and buy a local one
• Wet wipes and napkins. Clean hands and surfaces. I usually find myself eating somewhere and forgot napkins.
• Plastic bags for shoes. I don’t have packing cubes, but I keep the plastic bag my shoes come in and use them so my shoes don’t touch my clothes in my suitcase.

British Airways confiscated mine, the pricks. Every airline I have ever flown with has had no issues with power banks but them.

Anyway, greater portable charger, have had two of them! Always Anker

Depends on where you travel and for how long. When I travel international for a couple weeks buying a local SIM card is economical.

Waterproof phone case. Fits phone, ID card, bank card, hostel key, a little bit of cash, so I can go to the beach by myself and not have to worry about someone stealing my belongings while I swim. Plus, cool underwater pics.

ETA: I just remembered something else. This waterproof windbreaker folds itself into an inner pocket and you can use it as a travel pillow. The "pillow" format also has an exterior pocket for your phone or other small belongings.

Anker 543 and whichever figure-8 cable I need for the country I’m travelling to. Charges laptop, phone, headphones, etc without lugging loads of adapter plugs around. Airfly Pro to use Bluetooth headphones with IFE on flights.

Love my Tumi bags, have lasted years and they replace them if any damage pretty well. Want to get Rimowa luggage soon too.

A 65W power bank with a high capacity, including cable that is capable of charging my laptop and phone. Mine charges my phone 5x, and laptop once.

My Smythson briefcase.

A Chilly's insulated water bottle as I love cold fresh water and I can refill it usually.

My Vivaia flat pointed ballet pumps for running around airports.

On the way to the airport now!

Absolutely essentials for flights:

• Business class for any long haul overnight flight. Premium economy is actually fine for day flight to the US if the price differential is huge but obviously business is preferred. While on short haul business is barely worth it, it’s often only a couple of hundred extra quid so often do on short haul too, especially that sort of 2-4hr territory. Regardless of all of this, lounge access an absolute must - which you usually have from the ticket class or your airline loyalty programme.

Beyond that:

• Top of the range active noise cancelling over ear headphones. Worth every penny.

• An iPad - I want to watch my films not the plane’s.

For everything else:

• Airport transfers are almost always worth it regardless of cost as as a HENRY the cost is neither here nor there. The £100 you save by getting a train and bus or whatever versus being met by an executive driver - just not remotely worth the cost to you of time or hassle or thought.

• Similarly, car hire - don’t skimp, go with the big names with the in terminal car parks. Remove hassle wherever possible.

• Eating out - if you’re HENRY don’t even bother looking at the prices, they’re not going to bankrupt you (except the wine - watch that one)

• Visiting things - always pay for premium access. Like even at things like the Vatican you can pay £10 or whatever for a ticket or you can pay £75 for an after hours tour with a tiny group and the whole place including the Sistine chapel to yourself. You’re HENRY, £75 is nothing. Go for it.

• See a helicopter tour for £300 a head - do it. You never forget memories and these costs are tiny compared to your mortgage.

Basically throw as much money at travel as you can, you’ll never regret it.

Except super posh hotels. Really anything over £500 a night I struggle to see what I am getting for it to the extent I really wouldn’t bother. Once I’m actually rich rather than not rich yet, maybe that will change, but I just struggle to see the value there.

Yeah you’re totally right. I was thinking mainly leisure travel with big bags and unsociable hours and when arriving in unfamiliar places. Agree, ThamesLink to Gatwick is way better than a car. Elizabeth line or Heathrow Express way better. Unless it’s 5am and I’ve got multiple suitcases. But landing in somewhere unfamiliar, the removal of having to think after a long flight is priceless.

Decent headphones. I rock some Shure IEMs (315) that I’ve had for years. No battery to drain and comfortable in ears for a day (I fly regularly to Australia from London). Double up as ear plugs to sleep. I use AirPod Pros day to day, but for long flights these are my go to.

I keep a spare Anker multi adaptor charger that also does high current USB-C and a separate set of cables for travel. Means I don’t have to remember to pack chargers in the morning and can just pick up my bag and go. A cheap cable organiser sleeve from Amazon helps here.

Bag wise I rock a North Face backpack which has been around the world many a time and stores everything I need and a change of clothes for long haul trips, and find Antler to be a reasonable price / performance trade off (although my carry on is a beaten up Travel Pro) I’d love Rimowa but I seriously can’t justify it! My only Tumi luggage is my wallet (see Rimowa comment!).

Entertainment wise I love my iPad Mini, also usually have a Kindle with me.

Finally I have AirTags in all my cases and my backpack.

I know this sounds crazy but.... A dog collar. Like a medium size nylon plastic clip buckle collar from the dollar store. Has a million uses for travel, including: securing a coat to your bag hands free, buckling dirty or bulky shoes to the outside of your suitcase for a quick transfer, for clipping on the handle to visually identify your luggage in baggage claim, for clipping your bag to chairs or tables in cafes in areas prone to theft, latching your bag to a train/bus seat arm when you want to sleep on the way, etc.

Universal travel adapter Noise canceling headphones Packing cubes

Packing cubes

A smartphone was a game changer, compared to my trips pre-2009 when I didn't have one.

In Santiago, Chile almost every cafe had what were essentially dog collars bolted to the underside of every table- meant for clipping a bag or purse to the table! I wish that was everywhere!

So, my last international trip, I took a small extension cord. I only had to plug in one adapter/converter, and the extension cord to that. Then all of our electronics plugged into that. Didn’t have to wait for one to charge up, and then the next. Fire hazard? Maybe. Genius? Absolutely!

Wireless Internet dongle. Got one years back, travelled the world with it, pick up a sim everywhere we go and Internet as much as we need. One of the best things I've ever bought full stop!

Good, high quality, noise canceling headphones. I will never fly without them again.

A packable backpack so you don’t have to lug a full-size backpack around during your stay.

I used to travel with big, over-ear ones, but now I prefer something small so I can pack lighter and use them on the go, too. I use AirPods Pro and love them.

I got a pair of Sony Bluetooth over the ear headphones from Costco years ago. They have made it through 4 years at university and countless international trips. Any pair would work but some things to look for:

1. Over the ear, not in or on your ears. In ears fall out and also don’t cancel the constant roar of airplanes. Headphones that rest on your ears start to hurt after long periods of time.
2. look for noise cancellation
3. if Bluetooth, make sure they have aux cord availability, then you can use them when there is a good in-flight movie!

Actually just googled noise canceling headphones, and the updated Sony version is $80. Definitely recommend those!

The first pair that I had were Sony WH-1000XM3. They were excellent. The noise cancellation was top notch and they worked amazing on flights. When they broke, I replaced them with AirPods Max. I find the fit and construction of the AirPods Max to be better than the Sony’s, the noise cancellation on the Sony is slightly better than the Apple, and the overall sound for music and media is better on the Apple. The Apple headphones are much more comfortable. Either way, they’re indispensable. I’ve heard the Bose 700s are excellent as well. If anything happened to my current headphones, I would immediately replace them without hesitation.

Sony’s xm4, apple AirPods Pro or pro max, Bosé qc line. Owned Bose, then Sony (they are fairly even, would buy whatever is cheaper). I also own a pair of AirPods Pro which I mostly use to workout but the noise canceling is superb. Sometimes I use them in the morning if I wake up early due to street noise.

Where do you get an internet dongle? In states or when I arrive in Italy?

Bowers and Wilkins noise canceling blue tooth are my go tos

my turkish towel. i use it as a scarf, blanket/pillow on a cold plane, sarong if i go to the beach, actual towel when i need one, beach or pool towel, and can even turn it into a bag if i need to. very lightweight and cute, and not expensive

Kung international: travel insurance, powerbank, luggage scale, and ziplock or any waterproof case for your passport.

Besides the Universal adapter and powerbank you mentioned, I also bring water tumbler (empty), plastic holder for phones and bag, an existing roaming simcard, toothbrush&paste kit, cap/hat/sunglasses and sunscreen.

This is mine. Best I’ve used.

+1 on this. I always bring one with me

If carry on lang dala best to buy yung Omni 4-Gang Adapter (swing type) instead of the extension. 😂

you're right, need that when I'm bringing a laptop, ty

For neck pillow, I recommend the dupe for the trtl travel neck pillow. It seems awkward and not really a pillow but it works best if you really want to sleep. I use this for long haul flights and it really supports the neck.

For powerbank, I recommend the zendure supermini powerbank. It's really small so you can slip it even in crossbody bags. If you use your phone a lot, buy another one, the anker 621 powerbank (buy only the original one). It's just 5,000 mah so one cycle charge only since it's really only for back up of the zendure. Anker (or is it Aukey) also has a mini powerbank but I haven't seen it in person yet.

For travel adapter, I recommend the Zendure Passport 30W all in one travel adapter. This is really good but if you can't find one, the wanderskye one or the aukey PA-TA01 or TA07 universal adapter seem also okay.

I highly recommend also buying a foldable boston or duffel bag, the really large ones, so you don't have to buy another suitcase in case you get to buy a lot of pasalubong.

Buy compression bags. I just saw them recommended in this sub, the Kishu Design PH compression bags and I just bought one this Christmas. They're good quality.

Earplugs are not a must but good to have. The loop noise cancelling earplugs are ok.

I don't actually like bluetooth earphones or headphones when travelling as they're another gadget to charge. I buy those with type c connector (as an android user).

Edit: if going to europe, portable bidet 😂

Check out toiletry bags from matador or peak design as well.

If traveling during winter, lint roller. If you want portable, those electric lint remover from xiaomi. If you wear glasses, make sure it has anti fog properties, otherwise, bring contact lenses or buy anti-fog wipes.

If doing laundry abroad, bring zippered travel mesh laundry bags so your clothes are protected when being washed inside the machines.

For girls, sanayin na magpasties (recommend barebone) para di na madaming bra ang dala. For panties, buy seamless para less space.

For toiletries, decant your stuff to travel size bottles (muji have these) but tbh I only decant shampoo, body wash and conditioner. For skincare and cosmetics, still better to buy travel size of the products you use kasi nagiiba yung consistency kapag nadecant.

Compression socks if maraming lakaran, i used mediqtto. Isuot sa gabi kasi medyo masakit talaga.

For toothpaste set, I recommend the curapox set na may toothpaste na. Matigas kasi yung toothbrush ng colgate na travel set.

If going to a place with unpredictable weather, pocketable umbrella.

If going to be travelling a lot in trains or buses, buy a phone case with slot for the travelcard or magsafe wallet so you don't have to take it out all the time.

For me personally, an eye mask. It helps me sleep in any environment, and especially great on long plane trips.

I also stress at clutter, so packing cubes and makeup bags are a must for organizing my stuff. I also bring ziplocks for small wet items and a trash bag or two for laundry.

If you have a kid in a stroller, multiple large carabiners. We hooked our back pack, water bottles, hats, toys, anything to them. They helped for quick removal when we left the stroller for a rides/restaurants.

Wear shoes that can get wet (or at least bring some to the parks with you). I forgot to throw my flip flops in my back pack on the one day we had rain. My shoes and feet were soaked all day and stunk to high heavens.

Why didn't I buy some flip flops at the park? I'm cheap and didn't think to do so at the time of course.

Body glide or a similar generic to prevent chafing.

If your party will be separated at all, some kind of wearable tech (smart watch or Fitbit) that allows you to get text messages sent to your phone. That way if you have your hands full of food or kids or whatever, you can read a short text about where your party is heading next without having to dig around for your phone.

It's gotta be my Nintendo Switch. That thing always comes with me, it's a lifesaver when I have a few hours to kill.

My aeropress and coffee grinder.

I’m an IT nerd so I carry a raspberry pi or a Nintendo gameboy colour which is great fun when travelling and passing time. The raspberry pi can connect to the television also so your buddies or room mates can have fun too !

A cocktail dress and heels. Both take as little space as possible.