It came to my attention today that I’ll be on three airplanes this week – yikes! As much as I love travel, I am definitely NOT a fan of flying. I’ll be flying from Boston to New York on Monday morning, and then round trip to Los Angeles later in the week.
Fortunately I’ll be sticking with my two favorite airlines, JetBlue and Virgin, so there will be in-flight entertainment and I know the planes won’t be uncomfortable. But this isn’t always the case, so it’s important to be prepared before you board!
Here are my airport and airplane essentials:
1. Warm socks. I always wear flats to the airport (see below), which aren’t the warmest. So it’s important to bring socks in case the flight is chilly.
2. Sleep mask + headphones. These are not only essential if you want to get some sleep/listen to music/watch a movie (well, not the sleep mask for that last one). They also mean “please leave me alone!”. I’m a friendly person, but sometimes I just don’t want to chat. These two items make you unavailable without looking rude.
3. Sweater. See #1! I prefer to bring one that’s neutral so I can wear it with anything I packed.
4. Moisturizer. My skin gets incredibly dry during flights. I also get dry eyes (contacts) and recommend packing eye drops.
5. Yosi Samra foldable ballet flats. I seriously need a separate shoe rack for how many of these I own [disclosure: I work for their PR agency]. They’re perfect for wearing to the airport because you can slip them on and off to get through security, then they take up almost zero space in your suitcase when packed.
6. A magazine. Yes we have iPads, iPhones, computers, TV screens, etc. to keep us entertained. But in case of device failure, or for those times you can’t turn anything on at take off and landing, a good book or mag is a must.
7. Snacks & water. Sometimes you NEVER get snacks and water on a flight. Water especially is so important as flying is dehydrating. Always buy your own before you board! I also like to pack a snack I actually like instead of the empty calories you get handed on the plane. Not that M&M’s are particularly nutritional 😉
8. Halo Spray. This spray supposedly stops airborne germs for six hours when you spray it in your mouth. I can’t guarantee it works, but I started using it a couple months ago and haven’t gotten sick while traveling since!
I’ll be packing these for my trip to Boston and LA (for Lucky FABB!). What are your in-flight essentials?
The Blonde Banana 