Ultimate International Travel Packing Checklist

Whether this is your first trip or your hundredth trip, it’s always helpful to have on your refrigerator or stick on your dressing table mirror so you have a travel checklist when you ready to travel.

Step 1: Collect Important Travel Documents, Cash, and Credit Cards

Buy a small convenient travel kit or pouch, so when you ready to travel just grab it ad ready to fly. It should include a passport, ID, seven credit cards, coins, documents, a boarding pass, and a pen.( when you back from any trip please take five minutes time and remove old boarding passes and make sure you have all document in kit or pouch ) Think about including the following documents:

Info about your consulate at your destination country address, email, phone number.
Passport/visa(s)
Personal ID, including a student ID card if you have one
Frequent flyer card(s) and other loyalty program cards such as a hotel or hostel
Cash and credit card(s)
Health insurance cards/document(s)
Travel insurance info
Reservations and itineraries
Hotel and/or tour contact information
Transportation tickets (plane, train, bus, car, etc.)
Emergency contacts and important addresses

It’s a good idea to double-check your passports and IDs aren’t expired. You’ll also want to inform your bank if you’re traveling abroad so they don’t assume fraudulent activity and freeze your card. You may also want to email yourself a copy of your passport, driver’s license, medical card and itinerary, so if anything happens to them you’ll be able to access them online in case if you lost and need a copy for getting new from the consulate.

Step 2: Your Personal Item Carry-On Bag

Prepare your personal item carry-on bag with anything you’ll want with you on the flight. It’s always a good idea to make sure you have one extra outfit and a few essential toiletries in your personal item just in case your luggage is lost. But remember, you’ll be carrying all of this, so keep it light.

Please consider using a small daypack or backpack as your personal item. Here are some good things to include:

Technology

Mobile device and charger
iPad or e-reader and charger
Headphones (consider noise-reducing headphones if you’re sensitive to sound)
Camera and/or a video camera, memory card, and charger
Electrical converters and adapters

Travel Comfort, Entertainment, and Information

Travel pillow, blanket, eye mask, and ear plugs
Travel journal and pen
Books and magazines
Games
Guide books, travel guides, maps, language guides, etc. (if you will need any of these upon arrival at your destination, put it in your carry-on)

Health Items

Hand sanitizer or wet wipes
Prescriptions in original packaging (you’ll want to make sure you have these in your carry-on bag just in case something were to happen to your checked luggage)
Glasses and case

For more inspiration about what to bring with you in your airplane personal item, read this post from travel writer Kelly O’Reilly.

Step 3: Choose Your Main Bag

Whatever you’re planning, we recommend luggage that is versatile, lightweight and big enough to hold all your essentials. The most important decision you’ll make as far as luggage is finding a piece that’s versatile and can fit lots of gear while also being easy to carry. If you’ll be going through different types of terrain, or switching from airports to cobblestones, having a bag with the option to roll it or carry it like a backpack or duffel is handy.

For more information about how to pick the right bag, read our buying guide for luggage, travel packs, carry-ons and duffel bags.

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Step 4: Organize Your Stuff

Keeping everything organized can be a challenge in your suitcase packing. One of the best things you can do when you’re packing for any trip, especially one that requires you to pack lots of layers, is to make sure you use packing organizers. Keeping your suitcase organized with packing organizers will make it easy to get from one place to the next without having to rearrange your entire bag every time you reach a new destination. Find out Best Fashion Sneakers Review.

You can keep clothing organized in compartments based on outfit type or activity type using packing cubes. These are zippered organizers that make it easy to keep your bag organized and neat and provide quick access to all the different things you’ll need during your trip. You can use Pack-It™ Compression Sacs or Pack-It™ Specter Compression Cubes to reduce the volume of your clothes by up to 80%. This is especially convenient for bulky items such as sweaters and jackets.

Here are items you don’t want to forget:

The Basics

Lightweight clothing that can be layered
Shirts
Pants and/or shorts
Socks
Sweaters
Jacket
T-shirts
Belt
Pajamas/sleepwear
Underwear
Sunglasses
Comfortable walking shoes (click here for advice about finding the right travel shoes)
Dress(es)
Jewelry
A swimsuit or swim trunks

You’ll want to pack lots of clothing options if your trip will take you to a variety of places. Having options doesn’t mean you’ll need to over-pack. Just pack smart. Include clothing that can be worn on your adventures and then dressed up slightly with a different pair of shoes and a scarf. You may want to try creating a capsule wardrobe – Lady Light Travel has some great tips for how to plan a travel capsule wardrobe. A capsule wardrobe allows you to pick versatile clothing pieces to mix and match so you don’t have to bring separate pieces for each outfit.

Learn more about choosing the right packing organizers.

Step 5: Pack Your Toiletry Bag

If you’re carrying on, keep your toiletry bag light and TSA-compliant. The TSA’s 3-1-1 rule makes it easy to remember: liquids, gels, aerosols, creams, and pastes must be 3.4 ounces (100ml) or less per container and they must be in a 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag. To make this as easy as possible for you, we have a set that includes four 3-ounce silicone bottles in a quart-sized clear pouch that are wipeable and has a water resistant zipper. Click here for more info about TSA rules regarding what you can pack.

Don’t forget the following for your toiletry case:

The Toiletry Bag Basics

Toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, mouthwash
Hair brush or comb, hair ties, barrettes/bobby pins Deodorant
Shampoo and conditioner
Sunscreen
Make up
Face wash and/or makeup remover wipes Moisturizer
Lotion
Lip balm
Personal hygiene items
Feminine hygiene products
Extra contacts, solution, and case

Toiletry Bag Extras

Mirror
Cologne/perfume
Hair products
Clothesline and detergent
Shaving kit and extra razors
Sewing kit/clothing care kit
Facial tissues
Scissors, nail clippers, and tweezers (must be in checked luggage)

Travel Health

First aid kit (bandages, gauze, adhesives, etc.)
Personal prescriptions (copies of scripts)
Pain and fever relievers (also children’s strength if you are traveling with kids)
Thermometer
Cold medicines and throat lozenges
Diarrhea/laxative medicines
Allergy medicines
Hydrocortisone cream/antibacterial ointment
Multivitamins
Sunburn relief
Insect repellent/mosquito net/sting reliever
Motion sickness pills or bands
Eye drops
Moleskin
Medicines and vaccinations specific to the region/activiy

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Step 6: Pack Your Day Bag

A lightweight, versatile day bag can be used in a variety of ways and help you stay comfortable and prepared. Let’s find Deep Fryer Reviews at Janeskitchen.com

Step 7: Consider Travel Security

In most large cities, travelers should always be on the lookout for pickpockets. The easiest way to keep your belongings safe is to keep them hidden and close to you. One way to do this is to stash your valuables underneath your clothing. You can do this with a money belt, hidden pocket, neck wallet, undercover bra stash, leg wallet, or holster. Find out Outdoor Gear and Camping Equipment Reviews at GearWeAre.

All of these options let you keep your valuables, such as passports, credit cards, and cash, close to your body and away from prying hands. You can review the different styles here to choose one (or more) that works best for you and the type of travel you’ll be doing. You may also want to consider choosing one that has RFID protection. RFID protection keeps your passports (issued after 2006) and credits cards/debit cards safe while traveling. Identity theft can occur when someone is able to “read” through your purse or pocket because these items contain microchips with information stored on them. You can learn more about RFID safety from Scott Shelter, freelance journalist, and frequent traveler.

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Step 8: Prepare Your Home

Have post office hold mail
Stop newspaper delivery
Set up an email autoresponder
Arrange care of pets, lawn, and plants
Pre-pay bills
Prearrange school absences for children
Empty refrigerator
Unplug appliances
Turn off heater/air conditioner
Turn down water heater
Turn off washing machine taps
Lock all doors and windows
Set up timed light system
Store valuables in a safe place
Leave house key and trip itinerary with a trusted friend Leave flight and hotel itineraries with a relative
Reconfirm/check-in online with airline

Ultimate International Travel Packing Checklist – Essential Guide