Today, I am excited to share my ultimate carry-on bag packing list for long-haul flights. This June, I will fly from Sydney to Toronto. Consequently, it feels like the perfect time to reveal what I pack for my journeys. My itinerary includes a 9-hour flight, followed by a 5-hour layover, and then a 15-hour flight. Therefore, preparation is absolutely key. This list includes everything you need for a comfortable journey in economy. It ensures you stay within luggage restrictions while enhancing your travel experience. Over the past 3 years, I have been backpacking and constantly flying with my belongings. As a result, I have become a bit of a pro and this is my ultimate carry-on bag packing list for long-haul flights in economy.
Step 1: Understand your baggage allowance.
I am flying from Sydney Australia to Toronto Canada with a layover in Hong Kong in a couple of weeks so I will use this as my example. Most long haul and international flights abide by similar baggage rules. These are as follows:
- One piece of checked luggage up to 20kg
- One Carry – on up to 7kg
- One personal item that fits under the seat in front of you
Understanding your baggage allowance is really important and it will influence how you pack, and how you pack will influence how good your flight it.
Step 2: Choose your Bags
Let’s start off with the carry-on bags. Even though the limit is two bags in the cabin, I always sneak on a third to make things easier. One duffel bag that can be folded away as my main carry-on bag, one small backpack that I use as my personal item and one crossbody bag that I can hide under a jumper for a bit of extra storage
For my duffel bag I use this Mountain Warehouse one. It is specifically designed to fit on any plane as it doesn’t have a rigid structure to it, making it ideal for doing lots of travel through different airlines.
I use a backpack from TYPO as my personal item. It is just the right to size to comfortably fit under the seat and is the perfect size to carry all my inflight entertainment.
For extra room, I use a bum bag / crossbody. This is where I keep my passport, cash, cards, and anything that I always want on my person. Moreover, I find these comfortable enough to wear for the entire plane journey, and additionally, I can always keep bits like hand sanitiser and disinfectant wipes in there for easy access.
Step 3: Pack your Bags
Bag Number 1 – The Carry-on
Your carry-on bag should contain all of your favourite items. Tech that you won’t use on the plane and anything necessary to your holiday. Unfortunately checked bags can get lost on planes. If that does happen to you, your carry-on may be all you have for a while. It is important to consider this when packing and I really recommend packing your carry-on with as much as physically possible.
In my carry-on bag, I tend to pack my expensive / precious items. Things like my hair straightener, make up bag, and favourite outfits all go in my carry-on. I also make sure I have enough socks and underwear to last me for a few days too.
Other carry-on items include my wireless speaker and my spare phone for travel. As these items hold a charge and therefore must fly with me for safety reasons. I also keep a printout of all of my important travel documents. Visas, ESTAS, insurance and a scanned copy of my passport all always stay with me. Good luck getting through immigration without these! (and don’t just rely on digital versions).
A big cozy hoodie is also a must and best of all you don’t even need to pack it. Just lay it between the straps of your bag and you are good to go!
My biggest piece of advice to you is to pack some ‘aeroplane pyjamas’. Not actual pyjamas, but some comfy clothes you are going change into after eating and before sleeping to signal to your body that this is rest time. I always bring a baggy t-shirt, some light linen trousers with an elastic waste, compression socks and slippers just to be extra. Keep these in your carry on so you have to physically get up to get them and put them on.
I have this amazing large clear toiletry bag that zips up. I keep my change of clothes for the flight in there alongside my toothbrush, toothpaste and any other bathroom bits I may need. This means I can easily pull it out of my carry-on that above my seat and I can put the clothes I was wearing straight back in there. No awkwardly carrying clothes through the aisle back to my seat! And I can just throw it back in the overhead until I get changed again towards the end of my flight or in the airport. This is sort of the start of my sleep routine for on the plane and gives me some structure.
I will do a post on how I time block my flights soon so keep an eye out for that!
Carry-on bag packing list
Bag Number 2 – The Personal Bag
Your personal bag should be packed full of all the things you will need during the flight. The biggest problem with long haul flights is that you are just stuck there. watching that little image of a plane slowly moves forward towards your destination. The only way to make the time fly (pun intended) is to keep yourself busy. Bonus points if you can distract yourself from how uncomfortable the plane seat is.
The first thing to pack is noise cancelling headphones. I shed out some money for some Bose ones a few years back and it has changed my life. They drown out the noise of crying babies, grumpy plane neighbours and even scary engine sounds. I put these on and I feel like I am living in a dream.
Only downside with noise cancelling headphones is they can get a bit too much and cause headaches. Just in case I always bring a pair of wired earphones too! Also make sure you pack an adapter for your headphones so you can connect them to your phone or screen.
Make sure you back a power bank as well. The last thing you want is a dead phone with your boarding pass stuck on it. (This must be in the cabin with you)
It is important not to be staring at screens all day on the plane as well. I feel as though it ruins any chance I have of sleeping. So, make sure you have some analog activates to exercise your brain. I always back a puzzle book, like Sudoku or Crosswords and you can always buy these in the airport.
Be sure to pack a couple of pens and pencils too as these always come in handy. A good book is a must and as easy way to waste away an hour or two.
I always pack my life planner in my personal bag. In the days coming up to a big trip I usually don’t have as much time to plan things or journal. So, I make the most of being stuck 3500 feet in the air and plan all the things I want to do on my holiday and record all the things I’ve been doing leading up to it and make it look pretty with stickers. I also pack a notebook or just some pieces of blank paper to do a bit of a brain dump or come up with some post ideas!
Apart from items to keep you busy, you’ll also need some in flight essentials that you can grab quickly and easily.
Personal Item Packing List
Bag Number 3 – The Essentials
When packing your essentials for a long-haul flight, it is important that you only pack essentials and not the ‘just in case’. Not only will this save you room, but you also won’t have to look through too much stuff for just one thing. I like to pack my essential item into a small purse that I can move from my bag into the pouch on the seat Infront of me. Then I can get to them quickly without bothering anyone.
Any essentials that don’t fit into the purse, or that I want to keep more discreet go into my crossbody. Like I said earlier, I find mine comfortable to wear during the entire flight and there is piece of mind in knowing my passport is physically strapped to me all flight. Some airlines may ask you to remove the bag if it is around your waist during take – off and landing as it disrupts the air hosts view of your seatbelt, but if you have it across you or under a jumper there is never an issue.
In flight essentials packing list:
Extras to Consider
Other essentials include an inflatable travel pillow. The one I have can be easily blown up once I’m on the plane. Not only is it a great pillow but it is perfect for sitting on. If your bum starts to hurt after being sat down for a few hours this is a game changer, instant relief guaranteed.
Bring your reusable water bottle empty through security and then top it up before you head to the gate. Then keep it in the pouch of the seat Infront of you with all your other essentials so you don’t need to bother the flight attendants for water while everyone is sleeping
Don’t buy a foot hammock either. Pack a scarf and just tie it around the seat table in front of you. Not only does this stop you buying unnecessary stuff, but, like the hoodie, it’s a bonus item. Wear the scarf through the airport and it won’t count towards your baggage allowance.
I hope this ultimate packing list for long-haul flights in economy has been helpful to you. I will see you soon with more travel content and tales of my adventures around Toronto. Until next time!
Find more travel content here:
- My Ultimate Packing Guide for A Trip to Australia
- How to keep your make-up bag light
- 6 ways you can be a more eco-friendly traveler
