Hydrating eye gels
The plane air drys your skin out so much, so it's super important to moisturize. I love giving my skin a little spa treatment with a face mask or these under-eye gels when I get to my hotel in the evening. — Michaela Rutherford
Refreshing facial spray
A personal carry-on bag
It's so great to have a purse or tote that gives you easy access to everything you need. Having a slip on the back of the bag is key so that you can loop it onto your luggage and not hurt your shoulders lugging it around. — Michaela Rutherford
Oatmeal pouches
Airport food is expensive and sometimes it's hard to find healthy options, so bringing your own dry snacks that can go through security is a great idea. I love bringing oatmeal pouches for breakfast and getting free hot water from Starbucks when I'm ready to eat. — Michaela Rutherford
A portable charger
Every flight attendant owns a portable charger. Maybe you're stuck in an airport and every outlet is being used, or you get to your seat on the airplane and realize that there isn't an outlet for you to use. Keep your go-to device charged on the go. Long flights can be boring; make sure your portable entertainment never loses charge. — Justin Moyer
Packing cubes
Flight attendants basically live out of their suitcases and it's terrible when they're unorganized. I find packing cubes super helpful because you can have a different cube for shirts, shoes, chargers, toiletries, etc. and can just grab the cube you need. — Michaela Rutherford
An iPad or tablet
I used to bring my big laptop with me every time I went on a trip and it weighed my bag down so much and was too big and bulky to use comfortably on the plane as a passenger. I got an iPad and it's been honestly one of my best purchases! It's so compact and perfect to use in the hotel and also you can download shows on Netflix to watch on the plane. — Michaela Rutherford
Fragrant toilet spray
Have to go? It happens! So be prepared, even when on an airplane. Your fellow travelers and flight attendants will thank you! — Justin Moyer
A spacious cooler
This one is kind of niche to flight attendants since passengers can't bring liquids through security, but this lunch tote is perfect for packing meals to eat on your trips since we don't always have enough time to grab food in between flights. You can fit enough food for three days and can use ice packs or ice from the plane to keep your food cold. — Michaela Rutherford
A reusable water bottle
Bring the empty water bottle through security and fill it up while you're waiting for your flight to stay hydrated. — Michaela Rutherford
An eye mask
Traveling is exhausting and an eye mask is so great. It's helpful to sleep on the plane or even when your hotel room is too bright. — Michaela Rutherford
Sanitizing wipes
I always have alcohol wipes on me — ones that are safe for both surfaces and hands. They are the perfect germaphobe solution to TSA liquid restrictions. You can sanitize whatever surface you need to, and, if needed, they work great on your hands. These are the ones that both pilots and flight attendants use inflight! — Justin Moyer
A packable jacket
Packable down jackets are great because they squish down into a small bag to save you a lot of space when packing. Planes can be cold a lot of times so they are great to throw into your personal bag to have on hand. — Michaela Rutherford
