Top 10 2018 Travel Essentials
Rookie to expert: Travel must-haves for the frequent (or infrequent) flyer
The busiest travel season has arrived.If you're not traveling for work the next few months, you'll probably travel to see family or friends for the fast-approaching holidays. (Thanksgiving is only three weeks away.)
Traveling can be a real drag if you aren't prepared. We've put together this list of products and tips on how best to keep your time in airports and on planes as stress-free and enjoyable as possible.
1) Headphones. Duh! But the proper headphones. Bluetooth headphones are awesome to travel with until you want to use the TV in the back of the seat in front of you. You can't use Bluetooth headphones because they don't have a cord and a jack. The best solution is to travel with two pairs, especially since they don't take up much space anyway. Here are a few of our favorites:
Cowin E7 Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones
MAXROCK Sleep Earplugs - Noise Isolating Headphones (perfect for sleeping or listening)
That brings us to our next must-have.
2) In-flight entertainment. One of the best parts of any flight is being unreachable and having nothing to do except binge your favorite show or read a new book. If you're an avid Netflix user (who isn't?), make sure to use their download feature so you can watch shows and movies without having to use data or be connected to Wi-Fi.
If you happen to have a library card, check out the app Overdrive, where you can borrow e-books and audiobooks using your local library membership.
3) Travel pillow. Many travelers resist this for a long time because they don't want to carry yet another thing onto the plane. But trust us on this—it's so worth it. Here are a couple we really like:
LANGRIA Memory Foam Neck Pillow
4) External charger/charging cable. A must! Not all planes have outlets yet, and they can be hard to come by when you're waiting in the terminal because they're a hot commodity. With an external charger, you never have to worry about being without means of communication or entertainment.
5) Light jacket. Nothing is worse than being stuck on a cold airplane with no relief. Most people don't know that not all airplanes keep blankets on board, especially if its a daytime flight. Even if you're headed somewhere warm, wrap a light sweater or jacket around your waist just in case.
6) Snacks. If you can plan ahead enough to do it, you'll be glad you packed a couple small snacks. Airport food is expensive, and there aren't many options in-flight besides the standard cookies and pretzels. Food will never get taken away at security, so don't be afraid to fill up your bag.
7) Refillable water bottle. There are a few reasons for this. One we've already mentioned: airport concessions are pricey, even bottles of water. The second one seems silly, but it can be a problem. Keeping a cup of water or soda on your seat tray can be worrisome. It could spill, or even worse, it keeps you from laying your head down. You can stash a water bottle, so it's much more convenient. Just remember not to fill it up before security, because they'll make you dump it out.
The Kleen Kanteen insulated bottle is our go-to.
8) Facial cleansing wipes and moisturizer. This might be personal preference, but we love a fresh, clean face after being on a flight, especially a long one. Luckily, facial wipes come in small packs that are easy to bring along. Here a couple favorites:
Simple Kind to Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes
Pacifica Pineapple Wipeout Oil Cleansing Face Wipes
According to dermatologist Melissa Kanchanapoomi Levin, most airplane cabins are about 20 percent humidity. If that doesn't mean anything to you, our skin is typically content at about 40–70 percent humidity. This can result in dry, irritated skin. Even worse, when our skin isn't receiving the moisture it needs, it will overcompensate with oil, and no one wants a greasy face.
Our favorite oil-free moisturizer is Image PREVENTION+ Daily Matte Moisturizer. Best of all, it isn't so big that it won't pass security.
9) Hand sanitizer + PhoneSoap 3. You can catch a lot of viruses due to a lot of traveling. When you're on a plane, especially for a long period of time, you're constantly breathing in the same, stagnant air, making it easy for germs to attack. We recommend lots of hand sanitizer (click here for travel-size bottles) and a PhoneSoap 3 UV-C sanitizer for your third hand: your smartphone. PhoneSoap 3 uses germicidal UV-C light to kill 99.99% of bacteria and viruses* on your device.
10) Tide to Go Pen. Last but not least. You'll want to add this to your packing list for those inconvenient moments when you spill something right down the middle of your shirt. You'll find your Tide To Go Pen comes in hand more often than you'd think.
Extra tip: If you're traveling internationally, make sure to keep a color copy of your passport in case it gets stolen or lost.
What are your travel tips and packing list essentials? Share them below.
*PhoneSoap 3 has been tested by an independent, third-party laboratory to be 99.99% effective against Salmonella, E. coli, MRSA, H1N1, Coronavirus 229E, Staphylococcus, Rhinovirus, Rotavirus. It has been tested on actual phones, Apple™ watch, headphones, credit cards, and keys. PhoneSoap 3 has also been tested to be 99.99% effective against Salmonella, H1N1, rotavirus, and rhinovirus using a modified ASTM E1153 and ASTM E1053-11 for efficacy of UV light on general hard non-porous surfaces such as glass, metals, and plastics. Real-world results may vary depending on size, shape, and material of phone or phone case.
