Ultimate packing list for international flights
Essential packing list for international travel
Included:
Carry-on luggage
Miscellaneous travel essentials
Essentials for scuba diving trips
The stress of packing or planning for an international trip can dampen your enthusiasm especially if this is the first time you are venturing halfway around the world or even to one of your neighbouring countries.
I have travelled internationally for 30 to 40 years and I had it down to a fine art – until the 2019 pandamnit (stole that word from a travel blogger friend – thank you!).
We travelled to Australia from South Africa at the end of 2022 after a hiatus from international travel for a few years. Thankfully I have a list of essential items that I have always taken with me on previous trips overseas. Naturally I referred to that list, to refresh my memory and did not forget some vital necessities.
I would like to share those lists with you so that your planning can be stress free. I have adjusted the lists to be more universal, so I trust they will be useful to you.
Travel must be convenient and comfortable for you. Take what you need, take what makes life easier for you but do not overcompensate and overpack.
I prefer to travel as lightly as possible, especially regarding my carry-on luggage. I want to be comfortable but I also don’t want to pack 101 things incase I need them and then forget them in the pockets of the seat on the plane. The less I have the less chance there is for things to get lost.
I also feel bad if I am walking down the aisle of the plane and there is the potential of bashing other passengers on the head with my superfluous hand luggage. Besides, there isn’t always enough space in the overhead lockers if they are filled with baggage that could have been checked in.
Also consider what your transport is going to be at your destination – taxi, bus, train, walking to your accommodation or a further transfer by boat.
Essential items for international flights and travel
Here is my list of essential luggage to carry onto the plane:
Passports, I.D. documents, visas and copies of both, whether printed or digital.
Plane ticket or at least the reference number. Have a digital or printed copy of that.
Confirmation of bookings and/or Itinerary.
Foreign currency for your destination or credit/debit cards.
Maps, apps or books about your destination.
Personal medication/Small first aid kit.
Cellular Phone
Passports and visas speak for themselves. You need them if you are crossing borders. If you have your passport, visa and cash or credit card then you are halfway there. I like to have a copy of my passport and visa either by sending them via email so I can save them on my cellular phone or on a memory card/hard disc. As a travel couple we are in the habit of sending each other copies as well as an extra measure.
In the digital era most of us have our plane tickets and boarding passes on our cell phones. Once again as a travel couple we will have a copy of each other’s information.
Many people do not even bother with a small amount of cash relevant to their destination. We do prefer to have a little in case there is an issue with our credit/debit or travel cards and we cannot use them. If your bank card requires a pin number to use it make sure you know it or have the number in a safe place to refer to if you forget what it is. We usually need to notify our bank that we will be using our credit card internationally or it can be blocked.
If you need to find your way around at your destination it is useful to have maps and apps. Offline maps are useful if you don’t have data at your destination. Some people prefer paper maps and books for that purpose as well.
I always carry at least some personal daily or chronic medication and a small first aid kit with me on the plane. If your checked in luggage for some reason does not get to the destination at the same time as you, at least you will have your medication with you for a few days.
These days one cannot move without a cellular phone. It is a minicomputer with all your personal information as well as other important documents. It also has a built-in camera and a few other extras – but then I don’t need to remind you off all that!
Other essential items to have on the plane:
Housekeys
Entertainment and reading matter or music for the plane.
Valuables such as jewellery, watch or smartwatch.
Camera and/or binoculars
Laptop, tablet, Kindle or Kobo
Chargers, power bank, memory cards or flash drives
Electric or electronic Adaptors / Converters
Pen
Headphones/noise cancelling headphones.
Spectacles, sunglasses, reading glasses or contact lenses.
Change of undies
Lip balm/lipstick
Toothbrush/toothpaste
Housekeys are vital to have when you return home. I prefer to keep mine with me as carry-on luggage.
Entertainment and reading matter or music for the plane. If you do not like watching in-flight entertainment it is a great idea to download some music, movies or books on your tablet. If you are taking a printed book, a lightweight one is a better option than carrying around a tome. For kids it is a great idea to have some extra games or movies for them to watch even though airlines often hand out entertainment for them.
Valuables such as jewellery, watches or smartwatches. Some of these you will wear but you may want to take a few extra items with you. It is advisable to carry it with you on the plane, preferably in a secure place or locked in your hand luggage.
If you prefer to have a separate camera I would suggest that you take it as hand luggage. Binoculars are optional and we often have a small set as well.
Electronic equipment such as laptops, tablets, chargers, power banks, memory cards or flash drives and spare batteries as well as electric or electronic adaptors or converters. Who can live without these?
A pen sounds pretty obvious but not everyone remembers to take one with them. Invariably one has to fill in a travel or immigration card on the plane even if you are just visiting the country of your destination.
Headphones and even noise cancelling headphones are very useful and more comfortable than those you get on the plane.
Spectacles such as reading glasses, sunglasses or contact lenses are vital for some people. If you have a spare pare it is recommended to bring that with if you rely heavily on them.
Getting personal here, but I always like to carry a spare set of undies. It just makes me feel better.
Lip balm is one of my most important beauty products to take on the plane. Even if I stay hydrated I always need to reapply my lip balm regularly.
Some major airlines often give you a toothbrush and small tube of toothpaste on the plane for your convenience, but I usually have mine in my hand luggage because I use an electric toothbrush and don’t like to put it in my checked in luggage. A small tube of toothpaste no more than 100ml can be put in your carry-on luggage as well. Some airlines still like you to put all your liquids in a small transparent plastic bag so check their regulations.
In general, the containers for liquid, aerosol or gel items must be in containers of 100 millilitres or 100 grams or less. These must be placed in a transparent re-sealable plastic bag of 20 x 20 or 15 x 25 cm.
One bag per passenger is allowed with exceptions for carers. Any container that is larger than 100 ml even if only partially filled will be confiscated. Even a 200 gram toothpaste tube that is only half full will not be permitted.
All these will be checked at screening points at the airport.
Optional extras for your flight:
Snacks – whilst I tend to eat the food and snacks on the plane some travellers prefer to bring their own snacks for themselves or their children.
Gum – sometimes it helps to have some sugar free gum to freshen your breath if you cannot brush your teeth.
Travel neck pillows for plane – Do you or don’t you use the pillows provided on the plane? Even with those who hasn’t eventually dropped off to sleep to have their head flop forwards with a jolt which wakes you up again and is of course not so great for your neck? Just to start the whole process all over again. Inflatable or memory foam neck pillows are worth packing, as long as they are easy to get to.
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Must do before a trip:
Make sure your flights are confirmed.
Arrange foreign currency, travel cards or make sure your bank cards can be used internationally. You may have to notify your bank that you are traveling and will be using your card at your destination.
Arrange medical insurance for yourself with your health provider.
Arrange travel insurance e.g. in case your flight is delayed or your baggage is lost.
Prebook your seats and check in online 24 hours before your flight.
Download any offline maps, destination or transport apps as well as entertainment such as books, movies or music.
Make sure your electronic equipment is fully charged. There often are charging points at airports or on planes but I prefer to start my journey with batteries that are fully charged or close to that. Sometimes one can be in a rush and there is no time to plug in between flights or while waiting to board.
A spare battery pack or bank is extremely useful, especially if you are unable to charge your electronic equipment for a long period of time. Make sure the battery pack is fully charged too.
Miscellaneous items to pack:
These tips or items can be either for check in or carry-on luggage.
Make sure your travel bag, suitcase, day bag or backpack is sturdy. It is personal choice whether you want a suitcase on wheels or prefer using a backpack, but make sure it is strong. Even carry-on luggage gets bashed around when other travellers are trying to squeeze their bulkier bags into the overhead locker.
Luggage locks – we always lock our check-in baggage when we travel.
If you prefer to wash some smalls by hand it is worth packing a travel washing line and a small container of washing powder.
An empty, refillable container or bottle for drinking water can be taken on the plane as hand luggage.
Often toiletries can leak, so I prefer to put them in a plastic bag, preferably resealable. A couple of plastic bags for dirty or wet clothing also come in handy.
For the ladies, you might want to pack a small clutch bag for the evening.
Have you ever had a button pop off or a seam split? A small sewing kit is worth having in your luggage for those mishaps. A couple of different size buttons, black and white cotton and a few needles should do.
At your destination you might find the electric sockets and plugs differ. A universal plug is handy.
Come sun or snow I always have lip balm and moisturiser. Chapped lips and dry skin can happen in any climate. Icy wind dries out lips and skin as much as sun does. Sunscreen is vital to have if you are going to be exposed to the elements. I prefer to use my own choice of shampoo, conditioner and body lotion as well.
What clothes to pack?
In my opinion clothes are a personal choice. Pack what you are comfortable with and what is practical for your destination and its climate.
For example:
Ladies: some prefer dresses & skirts. Others are more comfortable in shorts, jeans or sweatpants.
Beachwear: Always have a sunhat. Swimsuits or something for lounging on the beach or next to the pool? It depends how active you will be.
Skiing holidays differ greatly from a beach holiday – I don’t need to explain that one. I cannot recommend anything for a skiing holiday but I can for a scuba diving trip. I’ll get to that later.
Adapt your list for the destination:
Beach Winter holidays
e.g.
sarong for beach Scarf for winter holidays
Sunhat Woollen cap, warm jacket, gloves
Comfortable sandals Winter snow boots or shoes
Shorts and t-shirts Jeans and cardigans or warm tops
Once again for the ladies, accessories like a sarong or scarf can double up as a blanket on the plane or a coverup at the beach. It can also be used to cover shoulders and head on a cool evening or if you have to dress more appropriately at a mosque or temple.
Casual clothes or dress suits and shoes? Sneakers or hiking boots? That depends on your destination, schedule and choice of activities. Have an idea of your itinerary and activities. Footwear plays an important part in travel. They also can take up a lot of room and weight in your baggage allowance. Make sure they are comfortable, tried and tested.
Travel & scuba dive
Traveling on a plane to a scuba diving destination? That takes some careful planning. We’ve done it a few times. Some airlines allow you to take extra ‘sports baggage allowance’ so use it if they do.
On some of our scuba diving adventures we took most of our soft gear. Madagascar only required wetsuits, masks, snorkels and fins. In Egypt we spent 5 days on a liveaboard. Including the dive gear that we took to Madagascar, we also took our BC’s and regulators as well as our belts without the weights.
It is impossible to take everything such as dive cylinders or weights on the plane. It is also expensive to hire all the dive equipment especially if you are a family of four or five. Consider what budget you have for traveling as well as all the extras. Do not be too hasty and buy every single bit of equipment unless it is required. Scuba diving in the Red Sea on a liveaboard is very different to a few island resort dives such as the Maldives or Seychelles.
We could dive 3 to four times a day for five days in a row in the Red Sea. Some places would allow you to hire for the whole day such as at a resort but on a boat it is not always possible. At a resort you might scuba dive occasionally between sightseeing so it is more practical to hire the equipment.
Scuba Dive Gear:
Wetsuit/booties/gloves
Mask/Snorkel/Fins
BC/Regulator/Weight belt strap only
Dive computers
Dive torches/Batteries if required – night dives
Spares & repair kit
Logbook and dive card – digital or paper
Folder/file to keep all documents together
Seasick medication if you suffer from motion sickness
Lens cleaner/alternatively use baby shampoo
Swimsuits
Body glove/rash suit/SPF protection swimwear
Shoes suitable for rocks
Slipslops/thongs (on scuba diving or sailing boats we often were barefoot)
Black plastic bags for wet dive gear
Swimming towels if not provided
Shampoo/conditioner/body lotion
With these lists you should be well prepared for many international trips and flights. If you have any other suggestions I would love it if you put them in the comments below or even send me an email at rmngfox@gmail.com
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About the Author
ALMA VAN AS | ROAMING FOX
Alma is a South African travel blogger and writer. She hopes to inspire you with facts and fables about her adventures, road trips and international travel.
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