Southern Travel Advisors Spill About the 8 Essentials They Pack for Every Single Trip

Whether you check a bag or carry on, there’s only so much real estate that you can fill with items to pack for vacation. (If only we could fit our entire closet and a cabinet of snacks in our suitcases Mary Poppins-style!)

To help you make the most of every inch, we’ve previously revealed the 10 things Southerners always bring on a road trip and 12 items you should pack for every cruise, but how about for flights? We tapped four veteran Southern travel advisors to open up their bags and run down their “items to not forget to pack list” that they share with clients.

Let’s start with the essentials: You can’t pack a bag if you don’t have the bag, and our expert panel agrees that a sturdy rolling bag and a carry-on bag with a trolley sleeve (a band that loops over the roller bag’s handle to allow you to move both bags as one cohesive unit) are an ideal dynamic duo. 

“You will never regret giving yourself an extra hand while walking through the airport,” says Mary Helen Law, a Rome, Georgia-based founder of Law Luxury Travel, who has more than six years of experience professionally planning trips in her role as a luxury travel advisor.

From there, you’ll probably want some hand sanitizer, too, since you never know what grime you’re going to run into, as well as any necessary medications.

And don’t forget your I.D.; your driver’s license if you’re staying stateside or your passport if you’re going abroad. (Make sure to check that neither is expiring within six months, suggests Jonathan Alder, a Winter Park, Florida-based luxury travel advisor and founder of Jonathan’s Travels. Being too close to the expiration date can potentially lead to challenges at immigration.)

Now that we’ve reviewed the essentials, it’s time to cover the fun—yet still very important—stuff.

What To Pack for Every Vacation, According to Southern Travel Advisors

Every traveler swears by different items, true. But these six come in handy for pretty much every air traveler, our travel advisor experts agree.

1. Your Chargers

This packing list item was unanimous. All four pros say that a portable phone charger is on them at all times, and they remind clients to toss in any other chargers they’ll need. Think slim like Law, who loves a pint-sized charger, or follow the lead of Emma Major Schroeder, an Atlanta, Georgia-based luxury travel advisor and the owner of Major Traveler, and invest in an entire tech kit that corrals all of your plugs and cords in one efficient case.

“These days, everything seems to require a charger, from phones to computers, baby monitors to Kindles, headphones and more,” Schroeder says. “I love having a kit that keeps everything organized in one place.”

If you’re jetting outside of the U.S., check your destination’s power source, and pack an international adapter (Adler adores this power bank) “so you can plug it in at any available power source no matter what country you’re in,” Adler says.

2. A Pharmacy Bag

Beyond your daily medications, it’s wise to stock a few basic over-the-counter items, just in case something comes up and you can’t find a pharmacy, Adler suggests.

Consider including:

• Neosporin
• Band-Aids
• Benadryl
• An anti-inflammatory or pain reliever, such as ibuprofen or aspirin
• A cold medication, like Sudafed, DayQuil/NyQuil, or Zicam
• A food poisoning medication, such as Pepto-Bismol or Imodium

3. A Bluetooth Audio Transmitter

No matter what class of service you’re flying in or what airline you booked with, plane headphones are a pain, confirms Haleigh Scott, a Dallas, Texas-based owner and luxury travel designer with Next Exit Travels.

“A Bluetooth transmitter allows me to connect my own wireless headphones to in-flight entertainment systems or other audio sources that only have a headphone jack,” Scott says. “It’s easy to use and can pair with two sets of headphones simultaneously.”

4. A Comfortable Wrap

Schroeder and Law agree that a versatile travel wrap can come in clutch “to keep warm on planes, feel cozy if trying to take a snooze in the car, and keep you warm on a cool day or night in your destination,”  Schroeder explains. 

You can also use this scarf as a head wrap or shoulder covering if you’re entering certain religious facilities around the globe, Law adds.

5. A Reusable Water Bottle 

Depending on which experts you ask, about half to three-quarters of Americans are dehydrated at home. Trips, be they for fun or business, often involve active schedules and less convenient access to water taps, so we imagine that statistic is even higher for folks on-the-go. 

With that in mind, and to save money while traveling, Schroeder relies on a reusable water bottle. 

“This is a must for both convenience and sustainability purposes. Water is so overpriced at the airport. I love having a reusable water bottle that fits in my specific tote bag and allows me to keep up with my water intake during travel,” Schroeder says.

To avoid any potential contamination to the mouthpiece, consider a bottle that keeps that portion completely covered. (YETI and S’well both have several options, and this LARQ bottle has a cap and can purify the water inside.)

6. An Eye Mask

Another thing that’s challenging on long-haul flights and in another time zone: scoring adequate shut-eye. Since Scott admits that “sleep is my second favorite hobby outside of travel,” an eye mask is a must in her travel bag. She recommends that her clients look for one that’s adjustable, soft, and contoured to ensure a comfy fit.