Even in Business or First class I still always like to have my own amenities. The airline ones are never as good as your own. You can find all the recommended products links at the bottom of this page.
In this post:
My top travel essentials
Eye Mask
Most airline eye masks are not molded although you will probably get some padding around the nose in the First class ones. I find most of the airline ones press against my eyelids which I find irritating. I now always have a pair of moulded eye shades with me which are much more comfortable and block out the light really well.
TSA suitcase locks for the US
These are an essential for travel to the USA in my opinion. If you have another type of lock on your suitcase, it will be broken by the TSA if they need to search your case. I have had my case opened several times as this is a fairly routine occurrence. As this is done behind the scenes you will not be aware of it and your suitcase will carry on unlocked if you don’t have a TSA lock. The locks below can be opened and closed by the TSA. They will also show you if your lock has been opened. You can get ones with a key rather than combination but I prefer not to have to worry about losing the key.
Ear Planes
If you have ever suffering blocked ears after coming in to land you know how excruciating that can be. So I always carry a pair of these with me. If you are the slightest bit blocked up or just want to be on the safe side pop these in and you will not have any issues. EarPlanes consist of a silicone ear plug which acts as an airtight seal between the ear plug and the ear canal. A pressure regulator inside is the magic which stops your ears hurting. Make sure you put them in about 45 minutes before landing or top of descent for them to work correctly.
Ear plugs
I always seem to end up seating near someone who snores like a warthog with a bad cold! I have tried lots of different ear plugs and these seem to have the best balance between comfort and efficiency. They reduce noise by 32 decibels.
Noise cancelling headphones
I personally find even the business or first class headphones uncomfortable to wear after a while. I therefore always carry my own. There are many different types of noise cancelling headphones and ear phones on the market and a lot depends on personal taste. I like the on the ear type as I find them less uncomfortable to wear. Also when they ask if I would like a drink top up I can still just about hear them without taking them off! You may prefer an over the hear type if you prefer to have greater noise block out. Earphones are better if you like to sleep in them as they are less bulky.
Cold prevention – ColdZyme
If like most people you often get a cold when flying, this product is highly recommended. Rather strangely it is made from enzymes found in cod but it doesn’t taste of fish. I discovered this when I started a cold the night before flying to Hawaii. They had this in the airport and I was surprised when less than 24 hours later my cold had disappeared. I have since used it again and the same happened. If you have tried the Vicks Cold Defence and didn’t like the stinging sensation, give this a go. This is much more pleasant as you spray it at the back of your throat and it doesn’t really taste of much.
