They may seem simple, but these creature comforts and tech tools are frequent flyers’ secret weapons to smooth flying, from your front door to your final destination…
The perfect carry-on case
For frequent travellers, having the right carry-on luggage is essential and today’s carry-on cases do a whole lot more than conforming to carry-on case dimension requirements. Invest in a bag with enough space to cleverly store your technology (some cases are even inclusive of technology), healthy snacks, vital toiletries, a spare set of clothes – and everything else on this list.
Tech toys
From your laptop or iPad to a smart pen for those who like to scribble down their ideas and inspiration on the go, your favourite tech toys can make being away from home that little bit easier. Long-haul flights are also a fantastic opportunity to close the laptop and rediscover a good book. Pack an e-reader to enjoy your literature on a screen or escape into an old-fashioned book.
BYO wi-fi
If you don’t fancy being beholden to hotel or airport wi-fi, it pays to invest in your own wi-fi hotspot, so you can stay connected anywhere, anytime.
Essential apps
Take advantage of apps such as Passbook to keep your tickets, boarding passes and booking confirmations close by and paper free. Apps to photograph and record receipts are incredibly handy, especially when it comes to minimising the hassle of claiming your expenses once you get home.
Water
Yes, we know you can’t take your water on board an international flight from home, but a water bottle with a filter makes scrambling around to buy water at inopportune times a thing of the past.
Portable power
From a simple portable phone charger to a full power station, life on the go is smoother when you’re not subject to last-minute battery fails. Be sure to bring a multi-country global adaptor for your hotel room too, just in case one’s not provided.
A first-aid kit
Having to track down a late-night chemist when you desperately need one is time-consuming and frustrating, so a compact kit containing first-aid essentials such as pain relief, band-aids, blister covers, vitamins, throat lozenges, anti-histamines, rescue remedy or sleep-aids, antiseptic lotion and medication for gastro-intestinal upsets will save you time and money.
Headphones
Comfortable noise-cancelling headphones can be a lifeline on a plane, where entertainment sound systems can be notoriously low quality and difficult to hear.
