No one knows packing better than a flight attendant. Whether it’s a weekend getaway or multi-week vacation, these frequent fliers know how to pack strategically.
But even they can admit that personal items are tricky to pack. They’re small, but need to hold everything you want within reach during a flight, and still fit underneath the seat in front of you.
To figure out what deserves priority, two flight attendants shared their expertise with Travel Bulletin. Together, they shared five items they always pack in their personal items.
In this article
1. A Tennis Ball to Ease Pain Points Midair
CiCi has been a flight attendant at a major airline for eight years. Today, she documents her life on Instagram, where she shares flying, packing, and traveling tips; she asked to omit her full name and airline for privacy reasons.
And before CiCi was a flight attendant, she was a licensed massage therapist. During that time, she “always used a tennis ball to work my own trigger points.”
The trick stuck, and years later, you can spot her pulling a tennis ball out of her personal bag mid-flight to work a pain point on her back, hip, or even foot.
“A tennis ball has probably been my biggest lifesaver recently,” she said. “You can just use it in so many different ways.”
With sciatica issues, she’s been using it in her hip area to ease pain. She added that you can also find harder, massage-specific balls that serve the same purpose, but a tennis ball has always worked for her.
2. One Flight Attendant Said She Never Leaves Without Aquaphor
Madison Wooley is a flight attendant with another major airline (she requested we omit the name for privacy reasons) and knows firsthand how dry airplane cabins can be. The humidity levels in a plane cabin are lower than most places on the ground, which can cause dehydration and dry skin.
“I don't have the energy to lug around a bunch of products with me,” she said. So she’s found one product that serves multiple moisturizing purposes, an Aquaphor Healing Balm Stick.
The affordable product is great for traveling. It’s mess-free thanks to its twistable stick design. It can be used on your lips, hands, and anywhere that needs a moisture boost.
3. A Spare Set of Clothes in a Vacuum-Sealed Bag
When it comes to packing clothes, Wooley said she always likes to keep at least one set of clothes in her personal item, especially if she’s checking a bag. That way, if she makes it to her destination and her bag doesn’t, she has something clean to wear.
To maximize space in her personal item, she’s turned to vacuum-sealed bags.
“My vacuum-sealed bags have absolutely revolutionized my life and the way that I pack,” she said. Wooley found Vacbird, a travel-friendly set of reusable bags. The bags come in smaller sizes along with a rechargeable pump.
She’s loved them so much that she’s recently convinced her parents to take them on their upcoming trip to Iceland.
4. Both Flight Attendants Come Prepared With Chargers
It’s no surprise that a charger is in both flight attendants’ personal items. However, they do have some tips when it comes to packing them.
“I don't play the game of moving my home charger from bag to bag or place to place,” she said. Instead, she has a dedicated charger in her personal item. Its tri-fold design allows her to charge three devices at once.
CiCi also keeps a charger in her bag, but she prefers a portable one. That way, she doesn’t have to rely on the airplane having a working outlet or seatmates hogging one.
5. Headphones and Earplugs Are Also a Must
Airplane cabins can be loud and distracting, and there’s one item each attendant swears by to combat the noise.
“I couldn't live without noise cancellation headphones,” CiCi said. A pair of headphones during a personal trip helps her drown out noise and relax.
Wooley, on the other hand, opts for earplugs. If she’s awake, she wears Loop Engage Earplugs. These earplugs filter out background noise by 16 decibels, while still allowing her to hear conversations.
“I genuinely think just social earplugs like that would help other travelers enjoy their time more,” she said. “That decibel of noise for long periods of time really does wear on our psyche and our ability to process things.”
If she’s trying to sleep, she reaches for Loop Dream Earplugs, which block out even more noise. That, plus an eye mask, allows her to get some rest mid-flight.
The Shortcut
Flight attendants are experts when it comes to packing.
Even in the smallest personal items, there are items that flight attendants say you should always bring onboard any plane.
Items like tennis balls and moisturizer can help you feel refreshed and prepared when you land.
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