Long Flight Tips – An Active Travelers Guide to the Carry On

I keep saying that I need to buy a bigger suitcase for some of these long trips. But the truth is I love being economical with my packing because it’s so much easier to haul around! I mean we were on the 4th floor in most of our Croatia stops and there wasn’t an elevator in sight! Learn how I pack a carry one for long trips!

Over the last few years, I have mastered the art of fitting in regular clothes alongside my beloved running gear for trips around the globe. I get a lot of questions about fitting it all in along with tips for surviving the long flights.

So today let’s have a little travel chat!

Long Flight Must Haves

First let’s talk about what needs to make it in to your survival kit for a super long flight! These are the things you need to make sure are in a back pack or easy to access. If you’re looking for more international travel planning tips, checkout this post!

Water Bottle

On long flights, they come around with water and drinks more often, but I just prefer having my own bottle. I don’t have to worry about a cup spilling, and I can have a sip whenever I want. Sipping frequently versus guzzling also means I might not have to bother my seatmates as many times for the bathroom…maybe.

Add some electrolytes to your water before landing, and this can help ensure you drink them and feel a little more alert and ready to go!

Snacks

Right, I know they provide meals, but honestly between getting to the airport, from the airport, and then the actual food…I need more. Unfortunately, on international flights you can’t take fruit or veggies (unless you are 100%) eating them before landing.

I like to bring aloha bars and trail mix because they’re great on the plane and once I land they make the perfect pre- and post-workout snack.

Additionally, you want to avoid foods that require heavy digestion when you’ll be spending hours in a less than ideal seated position. It’s part of why most meals they serve are carb-heavy (also helps induce sleep) and not fried or fiber-rich foods. If you can focus on eating lighter, high-protein meals, it might also help with jet lag!

A few other foods to carry: jerky, chocolate (this is a given right?!), mints and ginger chews to help settle the stomach.

Toiletries

You can bring along all your makeup and such, but usually most flights are overnight, so save yourself the space and just pack a couple key pieces. A toothbrush, travel toothpaste, eye drops, and maybe face wash.

I’ve also noticed if I have just these couple things, I can get away with NOT pulling them out during the TSA screening, which is extremely helpful when going through passport control to catch a connecting flight.

Sleep Helpers

Someday I’ll be uber rich and famous, luxuriating in a lay-down seat in first class. In the meantime, I’ve learned a few things that can make sleep a little easier…Note I didn’t say comfortable!

• Sleep mask – on the plane or in your hotel room the dark helps keep you sleeping (I like the domed mask, rather than flat against my eyelashes)
• Ear plugs – in tips for traveling to a race I mentioned how the engine noise can have a major impact, so pop these in when you aren’t listening to a movie or your music
• Pullover – sometimes you’ll get a teeny tiny fleece blanket and sometimes…no. Bring along a comfy sweatshirt or a big scarf which can also double as a pillow if the plane is warm.
• Thick socks – Taking off your shoes on a long flight can feel great, but it’s cold along the floor, so ensure you’ve got some great thick socks. And let’s be real, don’t go walking around in socks, the floor is gross, so wear slip-on shoes like Toms.
• Sleep aid – some people like to get a sleeping pill from their Dr, but I prefer something a little less intense so I’m not groggy. I use melatonin, which helps me sleep but doesn’t completely knock me out.

I’m a big fan of sitting next to the window for the potential to lean over a bit for attempting sleep. I love this graphic from Work The World of sleep positions.

Entertainment

Luckily, most international flights now have small TV screens in each seat back, which provides you with hours of moving watching. Especially if, like me, you’ve not been to the theater in ages!

• Book or magazine – You can absolutely go the digital route reading on your phone or iPad, but the light could keep you awake and that book will come in handy on the beach when you won’t have to worry about screen glare.
• Headphones – A lot of people love noise-canceling headphones, but I’m a conservative packer, so I use my running headphones that go over the ear and are fantastic.

• Pen and paper – it’s surprising all the things you suddenly think of when you are trapped in a seat for hours on end. You can also just open up a note on your cell phone, but there is something about writing that feels great
• Mobile charger and phone cord – many planes now have a plug in the seat on international flights for charging your phone, but not all! Might as well come prepared!

Best Way To Pack a Carry On

Step 1: Use the grooves

Once you find your perfect travel bag, take advantage of all the secret compartments and pockets.

In your bag, there are usually grooves from the handles coming into the suitcase. Start by filling those with small items like sports bras, bras, underwear, swimsuits, socks etc.

Step 2: Lay it Out or Roll it

For years I have been rolling my clothes because I was told that worked best, but after the last few trips I read that laying clothes out completely was better.

Results: rolling works best for summer packing because you can make things smaller. Laying things out works best for winter packing; you can press down and then fill in open spaces.

The layering process should look as follows:

• small items in bottom grooves
• next thin layer shirts, running shorts, tights
• then jackets or heavier tops/sweaters
• pants (alternate which side you lay the waistband on to keep stacking evenly)
• then shoes, makeup bags, hair stuff
• Finally, you’ll see if any space remains; then you can pull out the top layer and add some additional pieces

Step 3: Fill in

You will still wind up with room around the edges; start filling that in with shirts that are now rolled, a massage stick, hats, and electronic cables. If you have breakable items like a camera or shaker cup (yes, I brought my Tailwind), lift up a few things and nestle them in the middle for added protection.

Step 4: Travel Size it

Bag your make-up to keep you in check, use travel size for all liquids (even if checking, you save needed space), and get honest about what you really need. Rooms have blow dryers, maybe not as great as yours, but leaving it out is worth the weight and space.

Get one of the old school weekday pill boxes for things like allergy meds, probiotics, etc. Much less space than packing a bunch of bottles.

Step 5: Shoes

Now is the time to add shoes.

Partially because it makes you be realistic about what you will need and wear. I often only need the running shoes on my feet and 1 nice pair.

Wear your biggest shoes on the plane (either boots or running shoes) since it saves space.

Put shoes in a garment bag so they don’t track dust or dirt on the rest of your clothing. Or some bags may even have a spot for shoes, specifically keeping the rest of your stuff clean and odor-free!

Depending on your trip, your carry-on items may change a little. But there are a few key items that deserve a space in your bag whether it’s a vacation or a destination race.

These are just some of our tips and tricks for fitting everything in a carry-on. Is there anything you do to make sure you have the essentials all in one place when taking a long flight?

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