Gifts for Frequent Flyers: A Carry-On Kit That Fits 3-1-1

The frequent flyer on your list already owns a good suitcase and has opinions about it. What they often do not have is a carry-on kit that is already sorted, sized for the security line, and ready to grab on the way out the door. That is a gift they will use on every trip.

Here is how to put together one of the more useful gifts for frequent flyers: a four-part carry-on kit, what goes in each part, and where a small travel tube of NasalGuard fits.

Start with the liquids bag

Every carry-on kit is built around the security rules for liquids. According to the TSA, each passenger may carry liquids, gels, and aerosols in travel-size containers of 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters, and each passenger is limited to one quart-size bag of them.

That makes a sturdy, clear, reusable quart-size bag the anchor of the gift. Fill it with travel sizes your person actually uses:

• Toothpaste and a folding toothbrush
• Hand lotion and lip balm
• A small tube of NasalGuard® For Air Travelers (more on that below)

Leave a little room. Frequent flyers like to add their own favorites, and a bag that zips easily gets through the bin faster.

Add a grab pouch for the seat

Once the liquids bag is through screening, a few items are more useful within reach than buried in a backpack. A small zip pouch solves that. Good contents:

• A pen for customs or arrival forms
• Lip balm
• The 3g NasalGuard tube, moved over from the liquids bag after screening
• A hair tie and a few hand wipes for spills

Pick a pouch in a bright color. It is easier to find in a dim cabin and harder to leave behind in a seat pocket.

Round it out with a rest kit and a tech pouch

Rest kit

An eye mask and a soft scarf or wrap cover most of what a long flight calls for. Foam earplugs take almost no space and help with a noisy row.

Tech pouch

One charging cable that matches their phone, a compact plug adapter if they fly internationally, and a short cable for the seat outlet. Keeping all of it in one zip pouch means one thing to pull out at the gate instead of three.

Where NasalGuard fits in the kit

NasalGuard® Airborne Particle Blocker For Air Travelers is a simple, externally applied barrier step for everyday airborne particles at airports, on airplanes, and in other travel settings. It is an invisible, drug-free gel applied around the outside of the nostrils and above the upper lip.

For a gift, the 3g tube is the right size: small enough for the liquids bag, then easy to move to the grab pouch. Two choices to make:

• Scent: Unscented for someone who prefers nothing to smell, or Cool Menthol for a fresh, cool feel.
• Quantity: a single 3g tube for one traveler, or a 3g pack of 2 for a couple who fly together, or for one tube in the carry-on and one in a coat pocket.

Include a short how-to card so they can use it on the first flight without hunting for directions:

Place a small amount on a fingertip, spread it between the thumb and finger, and apply around the outside of the nostrils and above the upper lip. Reapply according to the current directions and after the area becomes wet. In the tube the gel is milky white; once spread, it goes on invisibly.

Wrapping it up

Put the four parts in one larger travel organizer or a tote they can reuse, so the packaging becomes part of the gift. Label each pouch with a small tag if you like: liquids, grab, rest, tech.

Two small touches make the kit feel personal. Match the pouch colors to their luggage, and tuck a note inside with one tip from their next destination. If they are flying for the holidays, give the kit a week or two before the trip so they have time to pack it.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good gift for someone who flies a lot?

Something they will use every trip and do not want to assemble themselves. A ready-made carry-on kit works well: a clear quart-size liquids bag with travel sizes, a small grab pouch for the seat, a rest kit with an eye mask and earplugs, and a tech pouch for cables and a plug adapter.

Can you bring NasalGuard in a carry-on?

Yes. The 3g tube is a travel-size container well under the TSA limit of 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters. Pack it in your quart-size liquids bag for screening, since the TSA limits each passenger to one quart-size bag of liquids, gels, and aerosols. After screening, move it to a pocket or pouch.

Which NasalGuard should I give a traveler?

NasalGuard Airborne Particle Blocker For Air Travelers in a 3g tube fits a carry-on liquids bag. Choose Unscented if they prefer nothing to smell or Cool Menthol for a cool feel. A 3g pack of 2 suits couples who fly together or anyone who wants one tube in the carry-on and one in a coat pocket.

Ready to build the kit? Start with a NasalGuard For Air Travelers 3g pack of 2, add a clear quart-size bag, and write the three application steps on a small card. For packing and timing on the travel day itself, see our air travel guide.

Sources:

• TSA, Frequently Asked Questions