How to Outfit Your Carry-On

Checked suitcases and other pieces of luggage can often be misplaced or lost in the shuffle from airport to airport. For this reason, the carry-on is a traveler’s last line of defense and best friend. Knowing how to pack it correctly can help if disaster strikes. It is important to not overpack. Be concise and smart, but also don’t be lost without essentials.

What Type of Bag

While each airline has its own size restrictions for carry-ons, most need to be able to fit under the seat in front of the passenger. Soft bags work the best because they are more malleable and can be contorted to fit under seats and in overhead bins.

The Essentials

Besides your itinerary, passport and tickets, an extra change of clothes is most important. If you have a checked bag with most of your belongings, pack only an extra pair of underwear, socks and shirt in your carry-on. Do not, however, pack pants as they take up too much room. Other valuable items include a stick of deodorant and a toothbrush — you can bring toothpaste too, but only if it fits in a small plastic baggy as per the 3-ounce rule. However, a dry toothbrush would work in a pinch by itself if you don’t want to go through that hassle.

Other Smart Choices

Pack liquids at the top. You’ll have to show these to airport security to get them through, so you want them front and center. Also, with all this technology at their fingertips, travelers often do not appreciate the value of a book. Books don’t require the airplane’s ever-finicky WiFi to use, and you don’t have to put them in airplane mode.