Flying with a personal item bag always feels like a strategy game. Airlines give you two spaces. Your carry on, which usually gets stored in the overhead bin, and your personal item, which must fit under the seat in front of you. The carry on is great for clothes and bulkier items you won’t touch until you land. The personal item is different. It lives in the small, under seat space and is the perfect place to keep the things you’ll actually use during the flight, the things you might need on short notice, and the things you definitely don’t want buried overhead or, worse, in a checked bag in the cargo hold.
Another reason to leverage your personal item, they are usually free on most major airlines, while some low cost carriers have started charging for carry-ons. That alone makes using the personal item wisely more important than ever.
Over time I’ve narrowed down what earns a spot in that under seat space. The result is a tight, reliable lineup that works for short hops, long hauls, and everything in between.
I carry the Aer Day Sling 3, a small bag that keeps my packing honest. I used to travel with a full sized backpack, but all it really did was tempt me to bring things I never used. The more I travel, the more of a minimalist I am becoming. I’m on vacation. I don’t need my laptop or the stack of accessories that follow it and there’s definitely no room for things that I have a low percentage chance of using. What I do need is something secure and easy to reach, especially when I’m moving through security and want a quick place to stash my wallet and passport.
A backpack never fits cleanly under the seat, especially if you want any leg room, and trying to reach into it mid-flight feels like a circus act in today’s tight seating. The sling solves that. It keeps everything close, accessible, and forces me to be intentional. When I’m moving through an airport or exploring a new city, I can swing it to the front for extra security or slide it to my back or hip when I want it out of the way and both hands free. Read on for a peek inside my sling bag.
Fast Charging Gear
A long flight or a long layover can drain your tech fast, and with so many airlines moving to paperless boarding, the last thing you want is a boarding pass stuck on a dead phone. One of the smartest changes I’ve made is standardizing everything I travel with to USB C. Every device uses the same cable. You’d be surprised how much space that saves in a small bag. Carrying one cable instead of a bundle cuts the clutter and keeps me powered up when it matters.
Anker Nano II 65W USB-C Charger
Small, fast, and reliable. One charger handles my phone, earbuds, and power bank without taking up half the bag. At 65 watts, it can fast charge most modern smartphones, taking you from dead to roughly half a battery in minutes. It earns its spot every trip.
Nitecore NB10000 Gen 3 Power Bank
Lightweight and slim. It’s powerful enough to top off my devices when there’s no available electrical outlet but small enough that I forget it’s there until I need it.
Comfort and Cleanliness
Clorox To-Go Wipes
Traveling can be pretty gross and who wants to be sick on vacation just because other people can’t be bothered to wash their hands? These babies are just enough for wiping down the tray table, armrests, or whatever looks like it hasn’t been cleaned since the late 90s.
EXTRA Gum
Helps with ear pressure and keeps my mouth from turning into a desert halfway through the flight. Peppermint or Spearmint for this guy.
Entertainment
Kobo Libra Colour
My main reading device. It has a built in reading light, the case doubles as a stand, and it’s fully waterproof. That means I can read by the pool at my destination without worrying about a splash taking it out. It’s also free from the Amazon ecosystem, which I prefer to avoid when I can. The Libra gives me all the features I want without locking me into anything.
Galaxy Buds2 Pro
Comfortable, compact, and great sounding with noise cancellation that cuts the cabin hum nicely. I’ve used the Bose noise cancelling headphones and they’re still the gold standard, but they’re too bulky for what I want to carry on a trip.
Twelve South AirFly Pro
For the in-flight entertainment systems, airlines still hand out those wired earbuds that feel like they were designed as a practical joke. They’re uncomfortable and the sound quality is rough. The AirFly fixes that by letting me use my own Bluetooth earbuds with the seat back screen. It’s simple, it works, and it instantly improves the whole movie experience. Plus, it’s nice not being literally leashed to the seat in front of you.
The Practical Stuff
Chipolo Tracker
I’m in the Android ecosystem, and Chipolo has been every bit as good as AirTags for me. Honestly, in some ways they’re better. I keep a Chipolo in all of my travel bags and suitcases, and having one in my personal item adds a little extra peace of mind in case the bag wanders off.
Custom Leather Passport Wallet
A handcrafted passport wallet made to my specs, from my friend who owns Great Lakes Leathercraft. It holds my passport, boarding passes, cards, and a few spare documents in a way that feels clean and organized. It’s sturdy, beautifully made, and one of the few items I look forward to carrying. It also has that real leather smell everyone loves.
It has taken me years of trips to finally admit that traveling with a small personal item bag doesn’t have to feel like a puzzle with too many pieces. You don’t need to pack the kitchen sink to have a smooth flight. A few well chosen essentials go a long way, and carrying less makes everything easier. It’s easier to get to your gear, easier to move through the airport, and easier to enjoy the trip without dragging around a bunch of things you never use. Keep it simple, keep it light, and the flight might end up being the easiest part of your vacation.
👉 If you had to cut your personal item down to just a few essentials, what would make the list? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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