Six travel items flight attendants always pack on a flight

Flight attendants share their favourite items to travel with on TikTok. Photo / @danidboyy1, @itskristinamariee, @flightie

Far from home comforts, the contents of one’s suitcase or carry-on bag have the ability to make or break a holiday.

When it comes to getting advice about what to pack, few people have more expertise than flight attendants.

Lucky for us, social media allows flight attendants to share their tips and tricks with a global audience, from packing techniques to essential accessories on an overnight flight.

If you’re jetting away soon (or are simply curious about what the pros swear by) here are six products flight attendants consider essential.

1. Silicon Travel Bottles

@flightie

Reply to @louiseproctor8 #travelhack #flightattendant #cabincrew #tiktoktravel

♬ original sound - Rebecca | Travel & Food

Some major airports are retiring the 100ml liquid limit but in the meantime, it’s standard practice. Fortunately, silicon travel bottles don’t just allow you to bring your favourite moisturiser, cleanser or foundation on board, it also saves precious luggage space as you don’t have to bring an entire bottle around. Plastic ones will do fine but one flight attendant swears by bottles made of silicon, as they can pack down better into your bag.

2. Apple Air Tags

Lost luggage. It’s a surefire way to ruin a holiday before it’s even really started, so it’s no surprise one flight attendant claims it’s a must-have in their suitcase. Given the rate of lost bags around the world, AirTags won’t be a foreign device to anyone who has planned or taken a trip in the last two years. However, there has been some confusion about whether airlines allow them, so it’s worth checking with your airline before packing.

3. Belt Bags

@itskristinamariee

The perfect on the go bag! #flightattendants #crossbodybag #lululemon #traveltiktok #aspiringflightattendant @lululemon

♬ original sound - Kristina Berru-Garcia

If you took a trip around Europe in 2022, you likely saw more than a few of these trendy belt bags. Aside from looking cool, one flight attendant claims they are the perfect travel accessory and can ‘fit everything” you may need on hand.

This is especially handy while moving around an airport or a city, as they can typically fit a phone, passport, cash, small portable charger and other little items like lip blams or pens.

4. Packing Cubes

A little material with a zip seems deceptively simple and unnecessary, but packing cubes go a long way in ensuring all of your clothes and items fit in your bag, according to Bernice Padilla. Even better, it makes grabbing things out of your suitcase super easy, as you can separate items by category to save you from rummaging through your whole bag for a pair of socks or a charging cable.

5. Carry-On Suitcase

@flightattendantlifewkai

The best carryon! #fyp #carryon #lifeofaflightattendant #flightattendantrequirements #flightattendant #travelpro #traveltiktok

♬ original sound - Kaitlyn Tritt

If you’re in the market for a new carry-on bag, Travelpro 22-inch Carry-on Bag is the suitcase of choice for flight attendant Kaitlyn Tritt. Large enough to hold all the essentials while keeping within carry-on limits, the bag also has a J hook attached to the top. This is the best feature according to Tritt, as it allows you to fix a smaller bag to the top of your carry-on, so you can roll it around the airport easily.

6. Laundry bags

Keeping your clean and dirty clothes separate in one suitcase can be a struggle, which is why this flight attendant says laundry bags are an “absolute must-have”. Keeping dirty clothes away from clean ones isn’t just great from a hygiene or smell perspective, it also makes it easier to see what clothes you have left to wear. Plus, it makes unpacking and doing laundry a breeze when you arrive back home.