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Long Haul Flight Essentials: A Personal-Item Checklist by Stage
Christine Walek
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On a long haul flight, the thing you want is always in the bag you just squeezed into the overhead bin. Most long haul flight essentials lists solve this by getting longer. This one sorts the list by when you will reach for each item instead.
Use it to pack one personal item in three zones, then follow it stage by stage from the security line to the jet bridge.
Pack your long flight essentials in three zones
One home for everything. Liquids rule source: TSA.
Think of your personal item as three places, and give each item one home.
The liquids bag
TSA's 3-1-1 rule covers liquids, gels, and aerosols in carry-on bags: containers of up to 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters), in one quart-size bag per passenger. Toiletries, a small moisturizer, and a 3g tube of NasalGuard For Air Travelers all go here. Rules can change, so check TSA's site before you fly.
The seat-pocket pouch
This is the small pouch that comes out of your bag once you sit down. Headphones or earplugs, lip balm, a charger with a short cable, and your refillable bottle.
Under the seat
The rest stays in your bag at your feet: a light layer, a book or tablet, snacks, and a change of socks for the last hours of the trip.
The checklist, stage by stage
Five stages, each with its own short list.
Security. Keep the liquids bag near the top of your bag so it comes out fast. Keep your bottle empty until you are through.
The gate. Fill your bottle, charge your phone, and move your pouch to the top of your bag. This is a natural moment to apply NasalGuard, before you join the boarding line.
Your seat. Pouch into the seat pocket, layer within reach, shoes off if you like.
Midflight. Stand up, stretch, and freshen up. If you wash your face, reapply NasalGuard afterward.
Landing. Everything goes back in the pouch before the descent, so nothing stays behind in the seat pocket.
Plan around dry cabin air
A report from the National Research Council, published on NCBI Bookshelf, describes airliner cabin air as typically very dry, and as a mix of outside and recirculated air. You will notice the dry part most on a long flight, which is why lip balm and a small moisturizer earn their spots. Our article on gifts for frequent flyers has more ideas for a small kit.
Add the NasalGuard step
NasalGuard For Air Travelers is a simple, externally applied barrier step for everyday airborne particles at airports, on airplanes, and in other travel settings. The gel in the tube is milky white, and it goes on invisibly once spread.
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.
Our air travel guide covers timing across a full travel day. Use it as directed, and read the label on your version for its full directions.
Choose your tube
Unscented or Cool Menthol.Unscented has no added scent. Cool Menthol has a menthol scent, which is worth considering when you will be sitting close to other people for hours.
3g or 10g. The 3g tube fits a pocket or a liquids bag. The 10g tube suits one fixed spot at home, ready for your next trip.
Frequently asked questions
What are the essentials for a long haul flight?
Pack a quart-size liquids bag with toiletries, a pouch with headphones, lip balm, a charger, and a refillable bottle, and keep a light layer, a book or tablet, snacks, and socks under the seat. Sorting items by when you will need them keeps the most useful ones within reach.
Can I bring NasalGuard through airport security?
TSA's 3-1-1 rule lets each passenger carry gels in containers of up to 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) in one quart-size bag. The 3g and 10g NasalGuard tubes are well under that size. Pack the tube in your liquids bag, and check TSA's site before you fly in case rules change.
When should I apply NasalGuard on a long haul flight day?
A natural moment is at the gate, before boarding. 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, such as after washing your face.
What goes in a personal item for a long haul flight?
Keep what you will use in your seat in your personal item rather than the overhead bin: a liquids bag, a small pouch for the seat pocket, a light layer, and something to read. Check your airline's size limits before you pack, since personal-item rules vary from one airline to the next.
Holiday travel is close, so set your kit up now and leave it packed. Add one tube to your liquids bag while you are at it. 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.
Christine Walek writes for the NasalGuard editorial team about air quality, travel, and the everyday airborne particles we share space with. Articles are reviewed against current product labeling before publishing.
