When coffee shops release pumpkin flavored everything we all know that times a changin! And the most exciting thing about this time of the year, besides scarves and boots and football and baked goods is that the holiday season is upon us! And the most exciting thing about holiday season is SHOPPING!

So, don’t be a procrastinator and wait until December 24th to buy the traveling lady in your life a gift or seven – do it now!

Then boast a little bit about how you’re the best husband/boyfriend/brother/sister/mother/father/friend
around because you went shopping early!

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read the disclosure policy for more information

Written by: Stephanie

Gifts under $25

Passport holder

Passport holders are always a brilliant gift idea! This one is nice because it can hold several passports, cards, a phone, a pen, and more. We all know that women end up carrying most, if not all, of the important documents when traveling with others so this is a great way to stay organized. No one wants that sinking feeling when you think you’ve lost a boarding pass or even worse – a passport! AND this particular wallet comes in a black, gray, and a fun pink!

Jewelry organizer

Jewelry rolls are a great gift as well. All or at least most women travel with some sort of jewelry.  And if she’s found that traveling with jewelry is a nightmare because let’s be real. There isn’t really a great way to organize things…or to keep necklaces from being tangled or earrings from getting lost – enter the jewelry organizer! This will keep all of her accessories separate and untangled, and roll up nice and small to fit perfectly in her tote bag or suitcase.

Water bottle

These are like the coolest water bottles ever! I bought one for Pete for his birthday last year and we use it all the time. It’s made of a BPA free foldable, freezable, and packable material that is easy to transport anywhere. It comes in the 0.7 and 1.0 L size AND it has a clip that easily attaches to her bag! Women love things that pack nicely, are small, and hands-free. 

Journal

What better way for the woman in your life to document her travels than to journal about them! I love keeping all sorts of things from my travels – tickets, brochures, boarding passes, photos etc and while all of that is nice…she won’t remember all the little details unless she writes them down!

Sort of a journal…

So I just mentioned how fun it is to journal about traveling because things quickly slip into the inner pits of the brain and are unfortunately forgotten. BUT it’s sometimes really hard to come up with topics to journal about. If the lady in your life loves to relive her travels but doesn’t even know where to start documenting GET HER THIS BOOK! This listography journal gives her topics to jog her memory…things like best beaches, foods to try, world heritage sites, countries to explore and so. much. more. 

Coffee mug

I LOVE Hydro Flask! Last Christmas, Pete bought me the little Hydro Flask wine tumbler and I use it allllll the time! Not always for wine (mostly for wine). But this big guy is perfect for her coffee or tea because it’ll stay hot for a long time. And if she doesn’t like the foldable Vapur bottles, this is a great alternative for water.

Power Bank

There are few things worse than a dead cell phone battery while out and about on your travels. Prevent that from happening by always carrying a power bank! I can’t even tell you the number of times I was using my GPS or my camera and was dying a little inside every time my battery percentage dropped. So, don’t let that happen to her and gift her this little guy. 

Memory card holder

This little traveling case is the perfect place to hold all the extra memory cards that are otherwise just laying around in the bottom of her camera bag. If she shoots on anything other than a cell phone then she’s bound to have a handful of cards laying around. AND if she brings multiple cameras like a GoPro and a DSLR on the trip, they will take different sized cards. Help keep her organized and keep all those precious travel photos safe by gifting her this travel case.

Travel bottles

These travel bottles are quite honestly the greatest travel accessory known to man. Seriously. They are a bit expensive when compared to the cheapos you can buy at Target, but they are the bomb. GoToobs are soft and squishy and seem to hold endless amounts of products. They are flip top (YAY no leaks!) have large openings (YAY easy fills!) and are dishwasher safe (YAY we can be lazy!). Once she’s experienced the glory of GoToobs she’ll never buy anything else. 

Sleep mask

A sleep mask ranks up there in being one of the most essential travel items, especially on long-haul flights. I’m sure anyone can relate to having seat neighbors that leave their lights on even at 3 am. This mask is really nice because it’s soft and breathable and the adjustable strap won’t get caught in her hair. 

Luggage Tags

Luggage tags are such an easy and much-desired travel accessory. Everyone knows how bags look the same and instead of tying handkerchiefs onto the handle, let her accessorize her bag with a cute tag instead!

Luggage locks

Another no-brainer gift for the traveling lady in your life is a luggage lock. Simple, practical, and easy to use – all things women love! These locks are TSA approved and so cool that if her bag happens to be inspected a little red indicator will pop up letting her know to inspect her belongings to make sure nothing is missing. ALSO, in order for the TSA agent to remove their key, they must secure these locks again…which most locks allow the removal of the key without re-securing the bag – making the lock pointless.

Travel coloring book

A couple of years ago adult coloring books took the world by storm. WHY can’t adults enjoy coloring just like kids do?! If she is artistic and loves being creative this coloring book is a great addition to her life. AND there is no coloring book cooler than this ultimate travel one. I actually bought the real Lonely Planet Ultimate Travel book for Pete (mostly for me) last year for his birthday and it is one of the best coffee table books I’ve ever seen. Just dripping with beautiful travel inspiration.

Waterproof speaker

This waterproof speaker is definitely not a necessity, but it is nice to have while traveling. Who doesn’t love listening to music in the shower or having access to music while laying on the beach? This little guy lasts for hours, has a carrying hook and a suction cup and she can easily change songs, adjust volume, or even answer phone calls from it.

Travel coffee table books

I LOVE travel books because they are a constant source of inspiration. Pinterest is also a great source, but sometimes it’s nice to have a tangible guide to help plan upcoming travels. If she loves aimlessly flipping through pages and pages of juicy travel then this book is a must buy. National Geographics travel writers compiled a list of their favorite journies from the popular ones all the way to the lesser known destinations. Other great coffee table books include the destinations of a lifetime, United States travel, and my beloved Lonely Planet ultimate travel.

Essential oils

Essential oils are easy and wonderful gifts to give to any lady. Trying to sleep on the plane? Rub some lavender oil. Anxious about traveling somewhere new? Try the serene blend. Feeling stuffy from the dry air on the plane? Try the cleanse. This set comes with 8 different scents in 10 ml roll-on bottles that will last her a long time! If she loves essential oils, maybe a new diffuser for her home is a great gift?

Packing Cubes

I am constantly talking about my love of packing cubes! I bought this exact set a few years ago and have added a couple other sizes to the mix since then. These guys have gone everywhere with me and have held up perfectly. If she is constantly trying to shove clothes into small suitcases and is frustrated with the lack of space and disorganization then these are a must buy. The large ones are perfect for jeans and outerwear, while the medium sizes are great for tops. Use the smaller ones for underwear, swimsuits, tanks etc. They come in tons of different colors too so each member of the family can have their own color. Organization win.

Dry Bag

Dry bags are so uber useful, especially if she is taking a beach vacation or plans to spend any time on a boat, kayaking, or snorkeling. And these Sea to Summit bags are, in my opinion, the very best out there. They range in size from 1 to 35 liters so plenty of space to pack wallet, keys, cell phone, sunscreen, towels, flip flops etc.

Travel towel 

If you’re buying her a dry bag you may as well complete the gift with a travel towel! These towels are perfect for traveling or any outdoor activity because they are small, lightweight, fast drying, and have a hanging hook to stay out of the way.

Cable organizer 

Isn’t it amazing how much smoother trips run when things are organized? One of the more frustrating things about travel is the ease at which things can become a huge mess in the bottom of a suitcase – especially little things like cables and headphones. Don’t let that happen to her! Cable organizers are perfect for wrapping up phone chargers, camera chargers, headphones, dongles, batteries etc. Some of the larger ones will even store power banks and ereaders.

DIY cocktail kit

These cocktail kits are definitely one of the more hilarious travel items I’ve seen floating around. I bought this old-fashioned kit for Pete last year and we took it on our trip to Morocco. The kit includes everything she’ll need to make two cocktails, minus the alcohol, of course.

Camera Strap

Now, how adorable is this camera strap!? Gift her this pretty thing so she can finally replace the boring black strap that came with her camera! This strap can be worn cross-body or around her neck and if she doesn’t like flowers there are tons of patterns and colors to choose from. 

Shoe bags

If the lady in your life loves to bring along several pairs of shoes then she’ll definitely appreciate these shoe bags! These bags are great because they can fit various types of shoes and even multiples if they’re small enough. The perfect way to bring shoes and keep the rest of her suitcase clean.

Travel steamer

Travel sized steamers are like the best thing ever. Even if she uses packing cubes to organize and condense space in the suitcase, things sometimes still come out wrinkled. And who has time to iron? And who besides my husband even irons anymore? I bring this steamer on every trip and it’s worked perfectly anywhere in the world. Be sure to use it with the voltage converter so it doesn’t break!

Gifts under $50

Power Converter

This power converter is another product that I am constantly raving about! When I took my very first trip abroad way back in 2011 I carried like 7 plugs and a voltage converter that weighed like 4 pounds – no joke! After that trip, I said there is no way I am doing that again. Now, I’ve gotten wiser and bring this power strip with me. It’ll charge and convert voltage for 7 devices allowing her to bring whatever she wants and know that it’ll work anywhere in the world. I’ve given this out as gifts and have even let people borrow it and everyone’s opinion is the same – THEY LOVE IT!

Travel scarf

We mentioned passport holders earlier, but if you or the lady in your life doesn’t want to carry around a clutch, this scarf is a great alternative! And it’s stylish to boot!

These passport scarves are multifunctional and super cute. This is an infinity scarf with a sewn in secret pocket, large enough to hold a phone, passport, cards, cash, keys etc. So let her leave that bulky purse behind and carry her necessities around and look adorbs at the same time.

Toiletry Kit

Sometimes it’s nice to travel carry on only, but other times you just need your sh**. This bag is for the latter. This bag has a large main compartment, side pockets, zips, elastics etc. And it’s large enough to hold alllll the cosmetics for multiple people. So, if the lady in your life is a mom who is tasked with carrying all the things for her family, this is perfect. 

Scratch off map

This map is awesomeeeee! I think I’ve bought like 27 scratch-off maps for people in my life. Oh, you like traveling? BOOM! Scratch off map! I really love this one because there are individual state markings for the US rather than the entire continent. This is the most perfect conversation starter around and she’ll love having this as a reminder of her past travels and inspiration for future travels!

Tote bag

I swear there is no better gift than a tote bag. Butttttt, I do admit that I have a bag obsession – not purses or anything, but travel totes and suitcases. If you or the lady in your life is the same way then feed that obsession and get her this bag! When purchasing a new tote bag I always make sure that it has a cross body strap for ease of carrying. This one is also really nice because it is carry on size for *most* airlines and it has a little sleeve on the back that slides over a suitcase handle. Winning.

Tile Mate

This might be the absolute coolest thing ever! Coming from someone who always loses her keys or cell phone, I know how scary the feeling is! This little tile attaches to a keychain or anything that she doesn’t want to lose. It then gives her the ability to ring her things when she can’t find them. She puts it on her keychain and then uses her phone to call her keys. And if they’re really really lost and not in the bottom of her bag, she can enlist the help of others in the tile community to find them. Can’t find the phone? Press the button on the tile to make the phone ring, even if it’s on silent! Mind blown.

Gifts under $100

Noise canceling headphones

I think literally everyone can appreciate the fact that flying sucks, amirite? Whether it’s a screaming baby, barking dog, or the annoying neighbor playing games – it is hard to have peace and quiet on a plane. This is especially painful on overnight flights to Europe when she needs to be sleeping. Save her the exhaustion and surprise her with these headphones! And these are a lot cheaper than the Bose or Beats because who has a million dollars to spend on headphones?

Travel tripod

If she loves taking photos while traveling (I mean, who doesn’t?) and wants to take the best photos possible (also, who doesn’t?) then having a tripod is a must. Tripods are usually big, bulky, and often times too heavy to shove in a suitcase. However, this travel tripod weighs less than 3 pounds and is barely over a foot long when fully packed. That sounds like a no-brainer! And it also turns into a monopod for all those selfies! 

Packable rain jacket

Everyone knows that packing outer-wear can be such a hassle! Jackets and vests tend to take up so much room because they’re just not packable. But if she’s traveling somewhere wet and cold then having a jacket is a must. So what’s a girl to do?! That’s where this jacket comes in. I LOVE this packable rain jacket from Columbia! This jacket has an attached hood, zippered vented pockets, and is made with Columbia’s Omni tech which will keep her warm and dry. 

Carry on suitcase

I recently purchased this gorgeous and fun carry on suitcase and am totally in love! It’s the perfect size so it fits easily into overhead bins but has tons of space on the inside, has the wheels that rotate 360 degrees which makes rolling it a breeze, and it’s totally adorable. The only thing I don’t like about this is it scratches easily so I wouldn’t buy one that isn’t carry on size or the baggage guys will destroy it.

External hard drive

This is obviously not the most glamorous gift on the list, but it is definitely one of the most practical. If she loves traveling and taking photos and videos backing those up onto her computer is unfortunately not enough. Computers crash and burn all the time and how heartbreaking would it be to lose all the vacation photos from potentially many years? I can’t even think about that! haha. Especially if she has kids- moms always have 5 million photos of their kids and never want those to be lost. Give her peace of mind with an external hard drive!

Cute sneakers

If you’re feeling really brave how about picking out a pair of cute sneakers for her? Traveling usually means early mornings and late nights, most often spent on her feet. If she has to wear sneakers to be comfortable at least these make her look less like a tourist! Adorable, comfy, breathable travel shoes – doesn’t get better than that!

Gifts over $100

GoPro Hero 6

If you’re looking to splurge a little on the lady in your life then buying her a new camera is one of the best gifts evaaaa! I’d been eyeing the GoPros since they first came out a thousand years ago and never bought one until recently. And I’m glad I waited because the Hero6 is just so cool. If you don’t know anything about GoPro lemme tell ya – these guys are marketed as action cameras which means they are small, durable, and waterproof. So if she loves to go hiking, snorkeling, skydiving, you name it the GoPro has the capabilities to beautifully record everything. The Hero6 has great image quality, stabilization, voice commands, a nice touchscreen that is easy to use plus so much more. If she plans on taking the GoPro in the water then get some cheap insurance by way of a floaty strap!

Nikon Coolpix

If you think the GoPro might be a little too intimidating for her, then going with a traditional camera might be a better idea. I bought this Nikon camera years ago because I have a Nikon DSLR and love it, but I didn’t want to purchase waterproof housing for it. This Coolpix is an incredible camera in or out of the water. This guy is obviously waterproof, shockproof, and dust-proof and it produces beautiful high-resolution photos and 4K HD as well as time-lapse videos. And same goes for this camera – if she plans on bringing the camera into the water always always keep it on a floaty strap.

Kindle

If she loves to read then save the precious space and weight by gifting her a Kindle! Small, lightweight, and easy to carry, these ereaders are perfect for long flights, train or car rides. If you’re feeling extra generous give her an Amazon gift card so she can purchase a few books before her travels!

Travel Insurance

Another gift that isn’t so glamorous but kind of a necessity is travel insurance. Just like with every insurance in life – health, dental, car, home etc you hope you’ll never need it, but when you do it’s so good to have. World Nomads covers emergency illness, disaster evacuation, trip interruption or cancelation plus so much more. Small price to pay for peace of mind.

Health tracker

People only track their steps so they can eat more dessert, right? I think that’s sound logic…especially when traveling! If the lady in your life wants to know how much dessert she can eat but doesn’t want to wear an ugly Fitbit – this Bellabeat Leaf tracker is the perfect alternative! This little beaut tracks steps, distance, calories, sleep, reproductive health, and will even wake her up in the mornings and harass her when she’s been sitting too long. And if she’s already techy and has an Apple watch or Google Fit, this will easily pair with them. 

Tinggly experience

And if you hate all of that stuff go ahead and gift an experience instead of stuff! Tinggly has hundreds of things to choose from with experiences located all over the world! Fancy a wine weekend in California? Or a gondola ride in Venice? Maybe a dinner cruise in Prague is more her speed? Tinggly has it all! What you do is purchase a gift box and the recipient can choose something from anywhere in the world and then has 5 years to complete the experience.

Read Next: An oldie but goodie traveling gift guide

Read More:
How to plan your next vacation
How to pack an overnight carry on bag like a boss

Be sure to pin this for later!

Stephanie

Founder of Packing for Plenty in July 2017. Along with her husband, Pete, she is on a mission to visit most countries. And wants to take y’all along as well! On PFP Steff provides travel itineraries ranging from a weekend trip nearby to 2 weeks living abroad like a local…detailed destination specific travel tips that aren’t readily available elsewhere…and unique and interesting bucket list worthy experiences.

One of the more stressful things about traveling can be deciding what to pack, especially on those overnight flights.

It’s sort of a catch 22 – you want enough stuff to keep you comfortable, cozy, and entertained, but not too much that you’re cursing yourself for the weight of your bag. 

Surviving a long-haul flight can be a challenge. But by making sure you have the right things packed and with you will make the start and end of your trip much more pleasant.

So, are you wondering what the essentials for a long haul flight are?

Check it out below!

*This guide does assume that you have checked a bag for your trip. I will write a full carry on guide one of these days!

 This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy for more info.

Written by: Stephanie

Long haul flight essentials

I am a self-confessed suitcase lover. I have SO many bags of various shapes and styles because I can never figure out which ones I think work best for each type of travel. I like the idea of backpacks, but think they can be a little small. Duffel bags are nice cause there is more room, but they tend to be heavier and more cumbersome. If you’re checking a bag, having a second wheeled suitcase isn’t always the most manageable.

I’ve used all of those options and still don’t have a surefire system, it’s still situation dependent. I think you are flying abroad and have a checked bag the smartest thing is to either use a backpack or a cross body bag. Be careful not to overstuff your cross body bag because after 20 minutes you’ll be sick of lugging it around.

Carry on suitcase

I don’t have the following bags, but use something very similar to them –

Just for organization and storage purposes, I would definitely recommend a bag that has pockets on the outside. I love to stuff phones, wallets, headphones, boarding passes etc in there. Easy to find and out of the way.

Now that we have a suitcase, we’re gonna get super organized. In order to stay sane, all of your items need to be grouped together by similarity and placed in their own respective bags. Before I became overly organized I used to just throw everything in together and all the little stuff would end up at the bottom and it was always such a disaster.

Packing Cubes

One of the best long-haul flight hacks I’ve ever discovered is the brilliant packing cubes! These make packing and organizing so stupid easy that you’ll feel like the most brilliant person on the planet. 

The easiest thing to pack first is your extra change of clothes. This will sit at the bottom of the bag since you won’t need most of this while in flight. What you’ll want to bring is at least one set of clothing to change into once you deplane your overnight flight, and something cozy to sleep in.

Or if you want to pack extra light, just bring a change of clothes and wear something cozy to the airport. I usually do option two, I’m not one of those girls that wear heels and fancy outfits to fly in. Who has time for that?

My tried and true flight outfit usually includes some variation on this:

• Comfy pants or leggings
• A couple t-shirts or an oversized sweater – it does get cold on the airplane, especially at night
• A couple pair of underwear/bras or other under clothes
• One or two pairs of socks – If you plan on wearing sandals on the flight, make sure you have an extra pair of socks handy because if you don’t have TSA precheck you’ll have to take off your shoes and walk barefoot across the floor and that. is. so. gross.

Having one extra set of clothes is nice for either

• Canceled flights
• Lost luggage
• Simply wanting to change into something so fresh and so clean clean after your overnight flight

All of this extra clothes will fit perfectly into a packing cube. If you’ve never used these before you’re seriously missing out! I find that they give maybe a little more room in suitcases because you can shove so much into them and then compress them down.

But the biggest thing for me is the organization of it. Everyone knows how annoying it is to open up a suitcase and have everything piled on top of other stuff, wrinkled, unorganized etc etc.

I’d recommend a couple sets of cubes per person, this set here has various sizes that work well for all types of clothing. I like using the large ones for pants, vests, big sweaters, maxi dresses etc. The medium size is perfect for tops, workout gear, shorts, sundresses and other smaller clothing items. The smallest one is a great way to organize underwear, socks, bras, headbands and other small loose clothing.

I have this mix set from ebags and have used them repeatedly for years and years. I’ve never had any problems with tears or broken zippers and I’ve packed them to the seams, especially that larger one.

This 6 piece set is pretty nifty too, I’m thinking about buying these before we take our trip abroad this year. I have a couple of the slim bags and I love those for other smaller clothing items like tank tops, camis, yoga gear etc. These would be great for baby or toddler clothes, undergarments, headbands, socks – you name it.

So grab whatever size ebag you think is sufficient for your overnight clothes and fold everything nicely and place that in the bottom of the bag.

Electronic gear

You could check most of this stuff if you wanted, but I always like to keep these with me. If you plan on checking electronics, make sure they don’t have lithium batteries…if so, you’ll wanna pack that in your carry on bag. If you have an extra slim ebag laying around you can use that to organize all of your electronics. I personally keep mine in one of these bags-

Similar to the ebags, but this one is from Eagle Creek. I find that it’s the perfect size to hold

• Cell phone charger
• Camera charger
• A small point and shoot camera or GoPro
• Laptop charger
• Headphones, this is the extra set – keep your main set out with you if you plan on listening to music or watching the in-flight movies

I have a second bag like the one above that I use for my power converter and the adapters. It fits perfectly and keeps the various plugs out of the way unless I need them. And they’re all together so they don’t get lost either at home or while traveling. I also like to put my car and house keys in this bag as well. You know, all about organizing.

This is the converter I’ve used to travel abroad for the last 3 or 4 years. It works everywhere and I’ve only ever had one thing plugged into it that didn’t work. A travel steamer in a Lisbon hotel, which is bizarre because I’d used the steamer before and the converter worked with other things in the hotel.

As far as cell phones, laptop chargers, camera chargers, hair appliances etc they all work beautifully with this.

You can wrap all the cords up nicely and pack them in or use these little guys to wrap around the cords to keep them all contained. Rubber twist ties are one of the best inventions ever. I use the long ones all over my house too so they’re not just for travel.

Now we have your bag filled with-

• A packing cube with one change of clothes
• Two small packing cubes, one with cords and electronics, the second with the converter

Travel documents

Let’s organize all of your travel documents and put those in your carry on. You want something that will hold the following-

• Color copy of your passport – not something you want to lose abroad, but if you do, having a copy of your first two pages makes getting your passport back easier. Not speaking from experience – I always keep mine on lockdown
• Flight information – it’s also handy to have on your phone, but just in case your battery dies it’s nice to have a hard copy
• After you’ve boarded your plane you can stick your passport in here too. Or just keep it in one of the side pockets for easy access
• Throw in a couple ink pens for filling out the customs forms
• Future and used boarding passes as well as your check baggage tag
• Hotel address and confirmation – you’ll need this for customs forms

You can also keep your money, cards, or your entire wallet in here if you like. I typically leave mine in the side pocket because I always get self-conscious I’ve lost it. If you’re less paranoid than I am, keep it in here!

I don’t have these exact organizers, but I use something similar. Really anything would work well.

Tuck the document envelope into your carry-on and let’s pack all the cosmetic and beauty products!

Long haul flight beauty essentials

I use/love/highly recommend GoToobs. Like I said in my travel gift guide I’ve used all sorts of brands before and these are hands down the very best. I have two sets of these large ones but am thinking about buying a third set. They are perfect for throwing in your purse or car as well.

If you don’t fly much or have never flown before, you should know that the TSA regulates size and quantity of liquids, gels, and aerosols that you can carry on board. Everything must be partitioned out to 3 fl oz or smaller and fit into a 1 qt clear bag.

I recommended packing the following in your liquids cosmetic bag

• Your favorite lotion – plane air is SO dry
• Eye drops – your eyes will appreciate some moisture
• Oil to tame frizzy hair
• Dry shampoo if your hair gets greasy after a night
• Travel sized toothpaste – I’ve seen those little things at the airport stores called wisps, I think? I hate them so I bring my own brush and paste
• Mouthwash if you use that
• Deodorant
• Perfume if you wear it, or just use lotion
• Chapstick
• Lightweight foundation or BB cream
• Mascara
• Any liquid medications for the trip, not just overnight. Make sure you have enough medication to last several days in case of lost luggage
• Contact solution if you wear those

A couple of my favorite products from the list above –

This lotion from Aveeno is wonderful. It is super moisturizing, lasts a long time, and has the perfect amount of coconut scent. I just ordered another bottle of this since the one on my desk is getting low!

Another one of my favorite lotions is this cocoa butter one-

These eye drops are amazing. They seem to be more viscous or oily than other ones I’ve tried. I feel like they really get in there and coat your eyes which is always a welcome relief after being on an airplane. I put them in at least at the start and end of the flight, but if I wake up during the flight I’ll pop a couple in as well.

This Bumble and Bumble hair oil is like my dream come true. I first started using this a few years ago when I was doing those monthly beauty product boxes, like ipsy and birch box. It is expensive so I’ve gone in waves of using and not using it, but lemme tell ya, when I do put it on my hair it’s fabulous!

It works for dry and damaged hair so you wanna concentrate the product at the ends. It smells utterly amazing and keeps your hair shiny and healthy for a long time. They also have this line in shampoo or conditioner, I haven’t tried those but I’m sure they’re to die for.

Before flying, you can move the hairdresser’s oil into one of these little squirt bottles. How much you wanna bring depends on your preference. Either put just a little bit in the travel bottle and pack the full bottle or fill up the squirt bottle and just use that for the trip.

My preference would be to fill up the travel bottle and leave the big one at home- because fewer bottles = less crap to pack.

If you don’t regularly use dry shampoo you can skip this next part. I don’t wash my hair every day so this is nice to spray near my roots to keep my hair looking fresh. So between the dry shampoo and hair oil, your hair will be looking great after your long-haul flight.

I have all three of these brands at home and use them interchangeably…I don’t think I have a favorite.

If you’re looking for a good chapstick these guys by EOS are my favorite. I’ve never actually used a full tube of chapstick before I started using these. They just taste so good!

Feel free to add your favorite liquid makeup products, mascara, deodorant etc. Keep all of your dry makeup products like blush and bronzer in a separate bag that I’ll talk about below. All of these liquid products will fit perfectly into one of these bags.

I don’t have this exact one, but it’s pretty similar to it. You can even use a 1 qt ziplock bag if you’d like. However, I prefer these since they are zip top and cheap.

You’ll want to keep this bag with your liquids easily accessible when you check into the airport. If you don’t have TSA precheck you’ll have to pull it out of your bag when going through security.

Nonliquid cosmetics

For all of the non-liquid cosmetic products, I really like these types of bags-

I love that there are little side pockets and that the top of the bag has a zipper which keeps everything nice and contained. And it has a cute little handle which makes it easy to carry to the airport bathroom or the bathroom on the plane.

In the side pockets I put enough cotton balls and q-tips to last the entire trip, these are both handy for makeup application and removal. Inside the bag, I like to put

• Face wipes to remove makeup and to wash my face in the morning after the flight
• Panty liners – an easy way to stay fresh and clean after a long night
• Toothbrush
• Tissues
• Sanitizing wipes – airplanes are so gross. It’s always nice to wipe down your seat and table before eating on it or touching anything
• Hair ties
• Medications – I always bring something for headaches and some Benadryl if I have trouble sleeping. And like the liquid medications, put any other pills you take daily in this bag as well
• Any dry makeup or brushes you need – if you care about putting on makeup after your flight, sometimes I bother, other times I wait until I’m at my hotel

A couple of my favorite products from the list above –

I love love love these face wipes. I’ve tried a few other brands, but still think this yellow pack from Burt’s Bees is the best.

I usually just pack my at home toothbrush in this bag. I have one of the Diamond Clean brushes by Phillips and I’m not sure if it has a lithium battery or not so I always leave it in my carry on. You could pack a cheap manual brush in your carry on and your electric one in your checked bag if you know it’s safe down there.

What I typically do is this –

If I leave my home airport and go directly onto the overnight flight, about 30 minutes before boarding I take out my liquid and dry cosmetic bag. I go to the bathroom and basically go through my home night routine. Even if it’s at 4 pm. So, wash my face, brush my teeth, change into jammie pants – basically just get comfortable.

Once I’ve finished getting ready for the evening, both the liquid and dry cosmetic bags go into my carry on. Then when I land, I’ll go back to the bathroom with the cosmetic bags and my change of clothes and go through my morning routine.

On the other hand, if I leave my home airport and have a 1-2 hour flight to another airport in the states, both of those bags go into my carry on until I am about to board the overnight flight. If that connecting flight leaves little time you can always take your two bags into the airplane’s bathroom, but it’s a tight fit and is more difficult to change, but it can be done.

Let’s recap up to this point – In your carry on you have

• Packing cube with at least one change of clothes and something comfy to sleep in
• Little packing cubes for electronic devices
• Document folder
• Clear bag for liquids
• Cosmetic bag for other cosmetic products

Long haul flight accessories

You can either add the following inside the suitcase or stuff things into the side pockets for easy access.

• A pair of nice headphones or earbuds
• Snacks, gum, mints
• Magazine, tablet, book, kindle etc
• Compression socks – you’ll want to wear these before your overnight flight. They’ll make your legs feel better and decrease the chance of blood clots
• Eye mask
• A nicer pillow if you want
• A scarf – it does get cold on airplanes
• Empty water bottle

Some of my favorite things from the list above-

Any sort of earbuds will do. I’ve tried various brands and I don’t have a favorite. They all work well for about the same amount of time.

I started wearing compression socks when I was working in the hospital. After standing for long periods of time I was finding my legs were kinda achy. Same goes for desk jobs and sitting a long time. Average compression socks have about 20-30 mmHg compression and that is sufficient for overnight travel. Plus, they’ll keep your legs warm.

Eye masks are one of the greatest inventions when it comes to overnight travel. As luck would have it, I am always sitting near someone that refuses to shut their light off…even if they’re asleep. It’s mind-boggling.

I linked this eye mask on my gift guide too, I think it’s just one of those essential travel items.

This is probably the best travel pillow for long-haul flights. I have several different styles and usually will bring one of them along. But sometimes I just don’t want to deal with it and will use a scarf or something as a makeshift pillow. But if I had to choose, I think that this Therm-a-rest is my favorite. It’s pretty comfortable and packs up fairly small. It’s also a good pillow to take camping.

My latest water bottle obsession is these super cool Vapur bottles. I’d seen them on Amazon for the longest time but thought there was no way that would actually work. I bought one for Pete a few months ago and we took it to Morocco and it ended up being a great bottle! It’s nice because you can fold it up when it’s empty and then clip it to another bag when it’s full.

There you have it! My recommendations for a super comfortable and organized bag for all your long flight essentials.

Related:  22 items every traveler should own!

Be sure to pin this for later!

Stephanie

Founder of Packing for Plenty in July 2017. Along with her husband, Pete, she is on a mission to visit most countries. And wants to take y’all along as well! On PFP Steff provides travel itineraries ranging from a weekend trip nearby to 2 weeks living abroad like a local…detailed destination specific travel tips that aren’t readily available elsewhere…and unique and interesting bucket list worthy experiences.

The holidays always bring out one of two emotions in people: pure bliss and excitement or sheer horror. That horror usually manifests itself as you curling into a fetal position and crying from Black Friday through Christmas day. I love holidays, giving gifts, and receiving gifts (obviiii), but I usually fall into that second category. There’s just something about Christmas that always sneaks up on me for some reason. One day it’s May 11th and then overnight it’s Christmas Eve and I’ve bought 1.5 gifts and am left scrambling on Amazon Now.

Not this year, though! Gift guides are really great for the holidays, but they’re also useful all throughout the year. Everyone knows someone who loves to travel and that someone always has a birthday, or an anniversary, or graduation, or needs gifts for other holidays.

So I’ve put together my 22 favorite unique travel gifts for everyone on your list! These are things that I’ve found make my travels easier and more comfortable and those that I’ve personally given as gifts with great feedback.

Gifts travelers actually want:

 This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy for more info.

Written by: Stephanie

Packing cubes are a wonderful invention. I have a couple sets from ebags and they’ve made suitcase organization a breeze. A couple years ago I began looking for ways to pack lighter and smarter. I was continually seeing these bags pop up on Pinterest and Youtube videos as the best packing cubes so I figured I’d give them a shot. These ebag ones are great quality and have served me well over the years. I use the large one for pants or heavy tops/vests and the medium for blouses and light shirts. The smaller ones are great for socks, underwear, headbands etc.

Shop packing cubes here!

Related: How to pack an overnight bag like a boss!

Power converters and adapters are essential when traveling abroad, obviously. Unless you wanna fry your electronic device. My first couple trips abroad I was using a little plug and voltage converter. That was an okay system, but the voltage converter is HEAVY. I was browsing Amazon and found this guy. I bought it eons ago and have used it multiple times across several countries. It is SO nice to be able to take one device knowing I can charge/use anything while abroad. I keep the converter and the additional plugs and cord in one of the small ebags which keeps me nice and organized. The only time I had trouble with this was most recently in Portugal. For some reason, it was not compatible with my travel steamer. So, I don’t know. Other than that it has a little fan that runs while it’s turned on and I’ve heard that annoys some people.

Shop for the power converter here!

These are the VERY BEST silicone travel bottles. I have tried other sets from various companies and always end up with leaks. I held out on the Gotoobs because they are expensive, but trust me, they’re worth it.

Shop for GoToobs here!

This kit from Lewis & Clark is my first and only toiletry kit. It is starting to look a little worn after several years, but it still serves its purpose. Before I was traveling that much I used to put my toiletries into ziplock bags and those would collectively go into a plastic grocery store bag. I know, right? I bought this on a whim because I figured I needed a better system and I could not be happier with it. It is cheap, compacts nicely, very durable, hangs, and gets the job done.

Shop the toiletry kit here!

I had seen these floating around Amazon for quite some time but for some reason always decided I didn’t need one. I recently did 33 gifts for Pete’s 33rd birthday and this was one of the gifts. We took it on our trip to Morocco and actually really liked it. It packs up nice and small, doesn’t leak when full, and has a carabiner to clip onto a bag. Water bottles are always such a pain to take traveling because they are so big, so this is a nice compromise!

Shop the sweet water bottles here!

I have had my eye on some beats headphones for a while and even though I don’t personally own these, I know several people who do and they love them. I have used the beats earbuds before and enjoyed those. Having a pair of headphones or earbuds for any flight, especially those long-haul overnight ones is absolutely essential.

Shop for headphones here!

An eye mask ranks up there with headphones in giving you the best odds of getting semi-decent sleep on a flight. No matter what, I am always next to someone that insists on leaving their reading light turned on. At 3 a.m. With-their-eyes-closed. Having an eye mask makes that annoyance a little more tolerable.

Shop for an eye mask here!

I’ve given this as a gift to a couple people (my sister twice, oops!) and everyone has loved it. It’s such a fun way to track your travels and set some inspiration for future trips. I have seen the little scratch off journals and those are super cute, too.

Shop the scratch off map here!

I LOVE this camera! I’ve had it for a few years now and have taken it snorkeling, kayaking, camping, skiing, you name it. It is truly waterproof, drop proof, and accident proof. It’s a great size to throw into a small bag and take with you on all your travel or outdoor adventures. Make sure you put a floaty strap on if you plan on swimming with it! Check out the time I swam with manatees and used this camera to document that bucket list adventure!!

Shop the best adventure camera here!

I am a list lover and travel lover so this book is probably the greatest of all time. I bought this for Pete’s birthday, but I really bought it for myself. It is 500 of the best places in the world, all ranked, and all with descriptions. It also includes a map with the top 100 places. It’s a great coffee table book and killer inspiration for future travels.

Shop this fun coffee table book here!

24 slots is probably a bit overkill, but a memory card carrying case is an absolute must-have. I have a couple cameras that always come with me on trips and each camera has a few designated memory cards. Memory cards house all of your precious photos and videos and until those are backed up, those cards are like gold. Everyone knows they are small and easy to lose so cards rolling around luggage is not an option.

Shop the memory card case here!

Power banks…self-explanatory…these are totally essential to daily life, much less travel life. I don’t know how many times I’ve been at the airport and can’t find a power outlet. And, not all airplanes have outlets near the seats, so it doesn’t hurt to be prepared. There are few things worse than arriving in your new country only to discover your battery is dead and you have NO clue how to navigate to your Airbnb. Maybe that has happened to me before…

Shop for power banks here!

I love drybags and have one in every size imaginable. These are great to take on trips for when you plan on being near or in the water. Throw in a towel, camera, water bottle, and sunglasses and you’re good to go! I have several brands, but the sea to summit bags are my favorite.

Shop dry bags here!

I mostly use travel towels when I am out camping, but they are quite handy for actual travel purposes as well. Who knew?! Especially if you like to stay in hostels. I’ve never stayed in a hostel, but I’d imagine one would want their personal towel. Also, if you tend to do any water activities on your travels I would recommend having one. We were on a day trip to a cenote while in Mexico and after we were finished swimming we found out there were no towels available. Whomp whomp.

Shop travel towels here!

I’ll be real, carry on luggage is still a point I struggle with. I have rolling bags, crossbody bags, duffel bags, and backpacks, but I still haven’t figured out which one works best. I like backpacks for their ease, but rolling bags definitely have their perks too…like Pete not having to listen to me whine because my bag is too heavy. This bag is great because it is a good size, lightweight, and has multidirectional wheels. I think next time I travel I will be bringing a rolling bag and a small tote bag.

Shop carry on bags here!

 This external hard drive was actually on my Christmas list last year. I’ve started backing up my childhood and more recent photos in a more secure location than the cloud or Shutterfly. I think it’s a great idea to have two hard drives going at once, just to have a working drive and a backup, backup drive. Like most people, photos and videos mean everything to me and I would be devastated if I lost them all. Plus, in the event of an emergency, this is a lot easier to grab than 17 photo albums, 23 home movies, my computer, AND my dog. I’d never get out of the house at that rate.

Shop hard drives here!

The Thule DSLR travel bag was also on my Christmas list. I recently watched some travel videos and a couple people had this bag and greatly recommended it. Just like carry on luggage, I struggle with camera bags. I’ve tried various types of brands and everything has just been fine. I haven’t quite fallen in love yet, but it could be this one. This bag will fit a DSLR, multiple lenses, a flash, a drone and its accessories, plus a laptop and iPad! This is definitely the travel photographers dream bag. Plus, Thule rocks.

Shop the Thule bag here!

Just like organizing your clothing into cubes, your cords should be corraled into one central location. Before I learned what I was doing, I would haphazardly throw cords and cables into my bag and into random pockets. This obviously leads to a lot of frustration, tangled cords, and occasionally misplaced items. This particular organizer has multiple pockets, loops, and pouches to keep everything tidy.

Shop cord organizers here!

Everyone needs a nice luggage tag..they add some character to the seemingly endless stream of black luggage bags. I have a lovely leather one with my favorite quote on it. I am thinking about buying these as well because they’re just adorable and it never hurts to have options.

Shop luggage tags here!

These carry on cocktail kits are the absolute cutest things ever! Each little kit comes with everything you need for a particular cocktail, minus the alcohol. Once you’re up in the air, go ahead and get those mini bottles filling up your tray, and mix yourself a drank. The only one we’ve tried was the old-fashioned and it was great. The mule and champagne ones are on my list.

Shop cocktail kits here!

Getting great photos is a must when traveling. Why else does anyone travel if not for the ‘grammmm? I kid, I kid. Sort of. I used to travel alone quite frequently and if I wanted a picture of myself in front of something, I would have to use the dreaded selfie stick. Tripods totally eliminate that. They can, however, be a hassle to deal with.  This particular one is really nice, folds up small, and is super lightweight.

Shop tripods here!

This scarf would be a great addition to any woman’s wardrobe. I love scarves and often wear them year round. They are hands down my favorite traveling accessory. They provide an extra layer of warmth on the plane and extra style once you arrive at your destination! This particular scarf has a large hidden zip pocket that can house a phone, passport, money, credit cards, keys etc. The scarf comes in several fun colors, including a mountain scene and a watercolor world map.

Shop travel scarves here!

Read Next: How to plan the perfect vacation

Read More:
The ultimate week in Morocco
Explore the garden island paradise of Kauai
The best 10 day Ireland itinerary
Escape winter and spend 4 days in Playa Del Carmen

Be sure to pin this for later!

Stephanie

Founder of Packing for Plenty in July 2017. Along with her husband, Pete, she is on a mission to visit most countries. And wants to take y’all along as well! On PFP Steff provides travel itineraries ranging from a weekend trip nearby to 2 weeks living abroad like a local…detailed destination specific travel tips that aren’t readily available elsewhere…and unique and interesting bucket list worthy experiences.