International travel: carry-on suggestions

I travel often, and I’ve learned that there’s a direct correlation between the weight of luggage and the amount of stress involved in transporting that luggage. I travel only with a carry-on, and I find laundry detergent sheets, like Earth Breeze, a crucial part of my pack while requiring negligible space. If you check luggage, having a sheet in your carry-on means that, if your checked bag is lost, you can wash whatever clothes you still have in a hotel sink. Lost luggage aside, if you pack light, you can wash and rewear clothes during your trip. As a bonus, since these sheets aren’t liquid, they can be packed anywhere in your carry-on! —Rachel Aukes
I have traveled to Seoul from NYC 2–4 times a year for the past 7 years (to oversee care for aging parents). To avoid headaches and mitigate jet lag, you need to drink more water than usual because the cabin has low humidity. In addition to drinking lots of water, I recommend bringing some of your favorite hand cream. More frequent trips to the bathroom require more handwashing. Hydrating your hands provides an extra layer of comfort. —Stacy
One of my favorite carry-on items is a foot hammock. It slides over the tray table and gives you more options for shifting your feet and legs around for comfort on long flights. They are less than $20 and take up very little space. —Jessica Snyder
Noise canceling headphones. I don’t know how I lived without them. Especially for really long plane trips. —tealmc
For international travel, be sure to bring a couple weeks’-worth of extra pills for any medication you take. If you get stuck anywhere in the US (airline strike, bad weather back home, whatever) you can always have your MD call in a prescription to a pharmacy in the American city you’re stuck in… but an American doctor can’t prescribe drugs to be picked up in a foreign country. Ask anyone who got stuck in Israel for twelve days this summer while Iran was bombing and the airport was closed. Or anyone who was supposed to fly back to NY from somewhere abroad during hurricane Sandy. You could get stuck someplace for dayyyyyys. Extra pills take up no room. Bring them! —Susan Kleinman
Chapstick. —Grace Burrowes
My suggestion may not be quite answering the question because it’s a good idea for non-international travel too and also for a particular demographic, such as me. And that item is: a seat belt extender. You can of course get them from the flight attendants when you take your seat, but if you’re a little coy about that you could more easily just have your own ready to go, snap it in, and you’re all set. —Wayne Jones
A self-inflating seat cushion makes any airplane seat more comfortable, can be adjusted to vary pressure points, and is essential for any airport layover. —Todd Butterworth
My vote is a self-inflating seat cushion like this one. It keeps me comfortable on long flights like to Australia and New Zealand. I was skeptical but the added cushion really helps. And it rolls up, so it fits easily in my carry-on. —Jennifer Kelly
I have used a small cloth pocket with a strap that fits around my neck. Just large enough to hold my passport, cell phone, ID, and boarding passes. It has saved me an immense amount of time not having to fumble through my luggage looking for this while going through security. —Michael Preston
This is a stretch but... skip first and business class and book your hotel room to start the day before you arrive. Skip the fight to get checked in early. That way when you arrive, you immediately have a place put your luggage, shower, power nap, and get started your vacation started right (h/t Samantha Brown). —Todd Sattersten
If you’re flying international (or just want to avoid looking like a hot mess in customs), you need a PORTABLE STEAMER. And honey, it’s cheaper than that sad airport salad they try to sell you for $18! Picture this: You land in Milan after 14 hours, your silk shirt looks like you wrestled a bear in economy, and you’ve got 45 minutes before your museum tour at La Scala. No. You cannot show up looking like crumpled tissue paper! A $25 steamer fits in your carry-on like Louboutins fit in my prenup clause. Plug it in, zap those wrinkles, and bam—you’re suddenly camera-ready for your Italian debut. I’ve seen travelers ruin entire trips over wrinkled linen. It’s a sartorial tragedy! You think elegance ignores armpit creases? Please. This isn’t just about fabric—it’s about self-respect. Look polished, feel powerful, and never let baggage claim sabotage your aura. (Jetsetter Tip: Get one with dual voltage. And if it saves you from looking like a “fugly tourist” in St. Tropez? That’s not travel advice—it’s self-preservation. Now steam your life together, darling! 💅✈️) —Glen Loveland
After 30+ yrs of international travel I still believe the most important item to have in flight is a small bag of essentials: socks, undies, toothpaste, comb, deodorant, dry shampoo, and wet wipes. Plus, your luggage doesn’t always arrive when you do. We take for granted our 24 hr Wal-marts and convenient stores, and well-stocked hotels. These are not the norm in many other countries. That being said, a pair of noise cancelling headphones can also be a godsend on long flights. —Dollie Poynter
International travel carry-on essentials: For music or podcast listeners: phone/earbud charger with a USB-A connector (I see these outlets most often between plane seats) or a powerbank and maybe wired headphones that connect to your device (in case you can’t recharge your earbuds). —Kelly Turner
1. “Airplane Pockets” (so your stuff, like phone, eyeglasses, ear buds, etc.) aren’t inserted/don’t get forgotten in germ-laden seat back pocket. $29, but often on sale. Takes up teensy amount of space, perfectly sized to be slid over tray table, will get adjacent seatmate asking you about it. 2) Learn a few words of the language; it will connect you to locals and transform your experience. Here is a FREE YouTube series that helped me learn Spanish more than paid apps including Duolingo, Pimsleur and Babble (I’m sure there are others available; I settled when I found what works for me). 3) If you have an Away carry-on or other suitcase with compression straps, compression packing cubes just add more weigh/volume (unless your enjoyment of grouping outfits/clothing items by category outweighs this benefit). —Pat Mastors
Hard to answer because international is such a broad area. Some of what I think are important to have: Apple AirTags. Adapters for outlets. Charging stations/plugs (also with adapters) with USB ports. Bestek makes a nice one. I have a passport wallet with a 'find me' feature. Magellan’s catalog has a lot of good things, like RFID purses with steel-lined handles so they can’t be cut. —Terry Odell
Travel tissues—in addition to their intended purpose, they’re handy as napkins and cleaning up spills. Some kind of lip balm because the air on airplanes always dries out my lips. Ibuprofen or some such to help with headaches, etc., because the pain relievers in the airport stores are expensive. On the topic of medicine: always carry all your meds with you, never put them in your checked luggage because sometimes the checked luggage doesn’t arrive. A refillable water bottle—just remember to leave it empty to get through security. I guess this qualifies as “inexpensive” if you already own it? A sweater, because I think airplanes tend to be chilly. See “inexpensive” caveat above. A lightweight scarf. It can be used to keep the chilly wind off your neck or the sun off your shoulders. A paperback for something to do if your devices run out of juice while you’re waiting for the inevitable delayed flight. —Scott Gilbertson
A C-to-HDMI cable for connecting my laptop or phone to a hotel TV input. Skip having to (laboriously, frustratingly) log into the TVs streaming services and just pipe it in from your device. 6' or longer is recommended. —Dave Elvin
For international travel you need a plug adapter, and be sure it will work with different voltages. Bon voyage! —Bea Vargas
This may sound weird, but I recommend pairs of old socks. First, I've found changing socks often reduces the chances of blisters and damp feet in the same shoes while walking on trips. Second, they’re old, so when I need more room in the suitcase, poof, I’m not upset about throwing them away. Third, they’re old so they’re comfy plus walking on questionable hotel carpet or airline floors aren’t an issue. I also don’t need to pack slippers. Again, I’m saving room in my suitcase for other things. —K8