Carry-on bags for long flights

The photo idea is a good one will remember that, though we usually just have a carry on if our stay is a week or less. Awkward with the liquids but not impossible.

Coming back from our recent trip to Estonia I didn’t bother with the usual stuff in my carry on bag - and regretted it. We were stuck in a hotel five miles outside Amsterdam in the middle of nowhere and I hadn’t bothered to pack my usual spare undies. Three days of washing out knickers and socks each night and sleeping in the nuddy. The hotel only provided a toothbrush and a tiny tube of toothpaste.

Usually my carry on bag contains:
A complete spare change of clothes,
Spare shoes (I wear the biggest shoes/hike boots and once arrived in Las Vegas wearing winter weight clothes and hike boots. Not really the best for hot weather)
Essential medicines for the whole holiday,
Make up (I don’t take much),
iPad,
Phone,
Camera,
A bag containing the chargers for all of them,
Book,
And anything else of value which I don’t want to go astray.

I don’t carry a handbag, just a bumbag or money belt for passport, cash, cards, etc. And we also divide our clothes between the hold bags in case one goes missing. I don’t travel light!

Oh, and I take a picture of our bags while we’re standing waiting to check in. It comes in handy if a bag doesn’t arrive and they ask what the bag looks like.

Cari
The 'special dietary requirements' food on our last flight seemed to encompass everything - my gf meals seemed to be also dairy-free, vegetarian, salt-free, sugar-free, bland, you name it they left it out so I was served a tasteless tray of cardboard and cotton-wool.

Although I usually travel with as small a bag as possible, last year I had a three flight journey (23 hr total) to attend my son's wedding. Being terrified of luggage not arriving I bought a small wheeled carry-on case into which I managed to get, my dress, shoes, handbag, dress for the evening do, other handbag, all my cosmetics, all necessary undergarments, four tartan ties for the groomsmen, cake topper for the cake, pashmina for the evening, kilt hose for son, ghillie shirt for son to wear in evening, along with all the usual documents, phones, etc.

Never was a case so well guarded through three different airports etc. As it happened, my big case arrived exactly as it should.

so perhaps only moisturiser of choice.
I would add toothpaste and deodorant, as hotels, airport lounges don't usually provide those and the tubes of toothpaste given on the plane are enough for one clean!

Having spent 20 years of my life taking long haul flights, 16 of them with children, I would recommend a minimum of clean undies and possibly a t-shirt. If you get stuck in a hotel overnight there are normally toiletries available so perhaps only moisturiser of choice. If travelling with the children I took far more, spare clothes, nappies, snacks and so on.

I also take any valuable items in my carry on bag - jewellery, iPad, Kindle - plus a hand bag. I have a reasonable sized tote bag for all that, don't get me started on those small, rolling suitcases.....!!!!

Most frequently left behind on aircraft is wallets (assumable men who take it out and put it in the pocket of the seat in front of them) --
However, ladies please be wary, even on a plane you can have someone lift your passport and wallet - off you go to the WC and you have no idea who can pick up something from your bag -- always put your passport into a passport holder on your body!

I like those Lewie - much nicer than the boring black ones!!
The trial tubes of toothpaste are very good because the ones the airlines give you are scarcely enough for a good clean.

Useful packing tips here, thanks. I also take most of what has been already mentioned but also have the foreign currency money in a separate purse so I am not faffing about trying to find it when we arrive. I've never packed my travel adapter though but it makes sense to include it. I keep small toiletry bottles topped with cleanser, sun lotion (useful to have in handbag instead of a heavy one) etc. Often when at the dentist you can ask for a trial size tube of toothpaste - which also goes in.

I take everything everyone said. And chocolates as gift for family member.

Having just returned home after a 6.5 hour flight, I would also add 'DVT flight socks'. Mine were brilliant! I chose a jigsaw pattern for a bit of fun

Certainly didn't mean to offend anyone with my 'mini suitcases comment, Grannyfirstlight and folk like you with specialist equipment must of course be able to take it as cabin baggage. However, there is not enough overhead space for all passengers to do this and the travellers I was referring to were the ones who use small cases to top up their baggage allowance.

I always travel with just hand luggage for every holiday/ visiting my children abroad. Delta allow a cabin suitcase and a handbag so that’s plenty for a week to ten days. I can’t travel without my knitting or crochet projects though, especially on a long flight.
Since my boys were little I have always had a packing trick. When I replace underwear, I always keep the old sets, use them on holiday and throw them away. Also if it is a casual holiday I take t shirts that can be ditched as well.
Used to save me washing a large number of pants etc when on holiday with 3 boys!
I also keep my last bits of make up when I’m getting near the ends of bottles and tubes, then use them up on holiday and throw the empties away.

On a flight from Auckland to Hong Kong, I was amazed at passengers carrying on cartons containing wide-screen TV sets as hand luggage. Air New Zealand was evidently very accommodating!

I have to take friendly and polite exception to Nanny27’s comments about people with “mini suitcases” in the overhead compartments. That’s what those compartments are for. We’re each allowed one and I use that allowance fairly.
I am a photojournalist. And I am always traveling alone. My “mini suitcase” contains my cameras, lenses, audio equipment, computer, drives, chargers, etc. That “mini suitcase” carries my life’s savings and my livelihood. It’s my office-away-from-home. It never leaves my sight! No way could it go through regular baggage. It also includes a folder with copies of flight and travel documents, some spare underwear, tiny hairbrush, toothpaste and brush (well wrapped)
My carry-on purse then contains a phone, RX meds, ibuprofen, minty gum, Kindle, notebook, another set of travel docs, totemic pics of the grandbabies, good water bottle (filled at airport fountain) a sandwich and some snacks.
Also, because I am an optimist and wilderness first responder, I always carry a good compass, a loud dog whistle, small mag light, and a magnesium fire starter just in case the plane goes down and we somehow survive and I have to lead a bunch of video obsessed couch people to safety through the wilderness.

Can't help feeling a bit cross with people who board with mini suitcases and proceed to fill up the overhead lockers so others can't use them.
I've rarely seen anyone with less than a hand-luggage size suitcase or bag on a long haul flight!
And there always seems to be plenty of room in the overhead lockers for them.

Not on Ryan Air though - lock your hand luggage as they may put it in the hold.

It does depend where you are going and what type of holiday!Swimming costume would have been no help on some of mine!

They do provide showers and toiletries in the transit lounges at the airport, but I like to take my own small bottles.

As we often travel 13+ hours followed by another flight with a few hours in transit, I take quite a lot, in fact probably all of what other posters have said they take.
Using a soft fabric bag isn't possible if you have 7 hours in transit so I use a 4 wheel trolley case which is easy to push around plus a handbag.

Every time I say that I must try to travel lighter but it never seems to be possible.

I take a very large handbag but have never thought of packing spare pants. I will now! I carry a book, specs, medication, tissues, wet wipes, purse, a bottle of water, lip balm, sunglasses (for the journey to the hotel), sweets, and a pen.

I have arrived on many occasions to find my suitcase has not travelled with me (worst case a 7 day river cruise when the baggage arrived on day 7). My carry on baggage therefore includes 3 days of underwear, shorts, long trousers, 3 tops, 3 dresses, cardigan, nightie, sandals, socks, shoes, bikini, spare spectacles, sunglasses, scarf (to cover hair in Muslim countries and as a sarong poolside).
For immediate use handkerchiefs, toothpaste and toothbrush, moisturiser, lip balm, medication, comb, iPad, phone, books, pen, snacks or even a packed lunch if it's a cheapo airline. These go in a bag which I remove from my carry on luggage and place under my seat to use during the flight. I hate people rummaging in the overhead locker mid flight, so dangerous.

Take a fabric soft bag as carry on as it crumples to fit a small space, always a swimming costume and a sarong/wrap. If your hold luggage gets lost then you can lie by the pool, swim and as an earlier poster wrote double as a dress. Knickers and bra you can hand wash. Your soft bag will take your handbag, cards, passports, comb and a face moisturiser. SWIMMING COSSIE essential

Having had my luggage mislaid on several occasions, I take a spare pair of sandals, complete set of clothes (summer ones) + my toiletries. Only do this on the way out, push everything into the case for the return, as in my youth I was without any change of clothes for a week but other girls were very generous in lending me their stuff. Then DH and I had our luggage stolen from the car on the way from Malaga airport to Seville so had nothing but my overpacked hand luggage. You really need an M&S when all your knickers have been nicked!