8 Things That Are Always In My Carry-On

1. My no-foreign-fees debit card

It’s always important to be able to get cash out wherever you go on vacation, as many places around the world are still cash-driven societies – especially when it comes to transportation. Carry a debit card with you that won’t charge you a fee every time you need cash abroad, so you can have easy access to your cash. My NB debit card from Needham Bank  is a life-saver when it comes to taking trips abroad. Whereas most banks charge astounding fees like $5 every time you go to an ATM that’s not their own (whether in the states or abroad), Needham Bank refunds you any foreign ATM fees, essentially making every ATM in the world a Needham ATM, and making it so you can get your cash anywhere you are in the world, as fast as possible. So you’ll never never again have to experience that moment when you realize you’re out of pesos juuuusst when you were about to get the most life-changing street churro of your life.

2. A reusable water bottle

I know, I know, I preach about my bkr glass water bottle way too much. But let’s face it, travel dehydrates you so much!!! I don’t know about you guys but the second the plane takes off I get so, so thirsty. So I always fill up my bkr at the airport and have it for the whole flight to stay hydrated. Say goodbye to those airplane-baby-sized cups of water for.ev.er.

TUTU BIG BOTTLE 1L (32OZ)

3.Gotoob+ travel bottles of liquids

I love GoToob’s patented soft silicone travel bottles for storing 3 oz’s of all of my liquids when I travel in a carry on. They have large openings, making them easy to fill and clean, and they’re even food safe!humangear GoToob Refillable Silicone Travel Size Bottles with Locking Cap for Women

Glossier's Balm Dotcom Trio

4. Lip Balm

Dehydration while traveling affects more than just our thirst! I’m always applying my favorite lip balm (Glossier’s Balm dotcom) throughout any flight to keep my lips from getting dry. It’s also a do-everything salve which means it’s nourishing for lips, elbows, cuticles, anything!

5. Snacks, snacks, and more snacks

I’m a pretty healthy (and picky) eater, and long flights and airplane/airport food just doesn’t do it for me. I’ll plan my meals ahead of time, and pack a big “food bag” for the flight. It depends on the length of the flight what I bring, but I’ll bring anything from RX bars and raw almonds, to fresh-popped popcorn, to full-on sandwiches and quinoa salads in tupperware (quinoa salads keep so well on planes!)

RXBAR Protein Bars

I also always bake my Plane Cookies before every long flight I go on. Baking is something I loooove to do anytime I’m not traveling (all of my friends can attest that I always show up to any party or even just a movie night with fresh baked chocolate chip cookies), so I’ve made baking my favorite cookies before I take off a travel tradition!

My ‘plane cookies’ are oatmeal chocolate chip with sea salt, and they make for the perfect in-flight snack – they’re relatively healthy for cookies, and the oatmeal fills you up while the ooey-gooey ghiradelli chocolate chips are the perfect sweet treat for a long flight, and the sea salt hits the spot when you’re high up in the air. I can’t even tell you guys how much having a sweet treat like this comes in the clutch when you’re on a long flight like SFO to Bali – 22 hours of travel! And, although I’ve kept the recipe a secret ’til now, you guys can check out my recipe here!

6. Entertainment

I’m a big fan of the nice airlines with endless movies and entertainment, but, you can’t always count on that! I like to have pleeeenty of entertainment to keep me occupied throughout a flight – I’ll usually have some good podcasts downloaded before every flight (My favorites are How I Built This, Armchair Expert with Dax Shepherd, Almost 30 Podcast, Skinny Confidential, and if you’re looking for some podcast episodes that I’ve been on, Check out Extra Pack of Peanuts, and Start Here Never Stop!), and I’ll bring along my kindle downloaded with some new books to keep me busy.

7. Sleep Kit: earplugs, an eye-mask, & melatonin gummies!

It’s good to always have a pack of disposable earplugs with you in your carry-on, because when you need ’em, you reeeeally need ’em. And when it comes to getting quality shut-eye on red-eyes, as well as fighting jet-lag once you hit your destination, I swear by a good eye mask (this one is my favorite) and some Zzzquil melatonin+ gummies (there are no drugs in these, just a blend of natural sleep-enhancing herbal cures – & the gummies taste so good!!)

ZIMASILK 100% 22 Momme Mulberry Silk Sleep Mask

8. A swimsuit & a change of clothes

Seriously, I’ve lost my checked bag way too many times to not always have a swimsuit with me in my carry-on if I’m going somewhere tropical. The airline may take days to get you back your bag but at least you’ll be on the beach with a piña colada in hand when they do.

Shop this blue bikini here.

*This post was partially sponsored by Needham Bank. Needham Bank is a member of the FDIC and a member of the SIF. As always, the views expressed are mine alone and based on personal experiences I’ve had with these products! If you have any questions at all, please see my advertiser & affiliate policy page here.
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Christina is a leading luxury lifestyle and travel blogger with over 2 million readers. Follow her on instagram @jetsetchristina.

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