BeforeGo
Carry-on packing list
Start with what you need for the days you’ll actually have: getting there, walking around, sleeping, and getting home. This carry-on packing list is a flexible starting point for a week away with laundry available.
The quantities below are editorial suggestions for one adult, not a baggage allowance. Change them for the weather, your activities, accessibility needs, children, and how often you want to wash clothes. For a list you can tick off and print, open the free packing list generator.
Check the bag before filling it
Look up the cabin-bag dimensions, weight and personal-item allowance for your operating airline and fare. Check each flight, including a connection on a different airline. A suitcase sold as “carry-on” is not a guarantee it fits your booking.
Weigh the bag after packing. Put the items you need during the journey somewhere easy to reach, and keep a small pouch ready for essentials if your larger bag has to go into the hold at the gate.
Documents and things you need to keep with you
- Passport or other required travel identification, plus the documents your route requires.
- Booking confirmations, accommodation address and a way to access them without relying on a new mobile connection.
- Payment cards and any cash you have decided to carry.
- Essential medication and the paperwork that applies to it.
- Phone, glasses or contact-lens supplies, keys, and essential accessibility equipment.
Medication and entry requirements depend on your destination and circumstances. Check the relevant government or consulate rather than assuming an item permitted at home is permitted abroad. This list does not set medicine quantities or give medical advice.
A small clothing plan for a week
Choose clothes you can combine, then plan a laundry day. Wear the bulkiest useful pair of shoes on the journey. An outfit for a hypothetical event takes up the same space as one you know you’ll wear.
| Item | Starting point | Adjust for |
|---|---|---|
| Tops | 3 or 4 | Heat, exercise and laundry access. |
| Bottoms | 2 | Activities and how often you rewear them. |
| Underwear and socks | Enough until laundry day, plus a spare set | Your comfort and the time needed for things to dry. |
| Sleepwear | 1 set | Climate and accommodation. |
| Warm or rain layer | 1 useful layer of each if needed | The actual forecast, not the season’s name. |
| Extra shoes | Only if an activity needs them | Beach, hiking or a specific event. |
Add activity-specific items such as swimwear only when they belong to your plan. Keep a lightweight bag for worn clothes so the return journey is easier to pack.
Toiletries, with the liquids rules checked
Start with your toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, skin and hair care, sun protection and personal hygiene supplies. Pack the amount you’ll use, and check what your accommodation provides before carrying duplicates.
For U.S. security screening, the TSA’s standard 3-1-1 guidance limits ordinary carry-on liquids to containers of 3.4 ounces (100 ml) or less in one quart-sized bag per passenger. Exemptions need their own check; do not use a general toiletry list as guidance for medication or infant supplies.
Rules differ by airport and route. The UK government’s liquids guidance specifically tells travelers to check departure and transit airports, including the return journey. Read the rules for your actual airports before filling the toiletry bag.
Electronics you will use
- Phone and charging cable.
- A suitable charger, and a plug adapter if your destination needs one.
- Headphones, if useful for the journey.
- Laptop, camera or other equipment only when it has a purpose on this trip.
- A power bank, if permitted by your airline and applicable battery rules.
A plug adapter changes the connection, not the voltage your device accepts. Check the device’s own power label and the destination’s electrical supply.
The FAA’s lithium battery guidance says spare lithium batteries, including power banks, belong in cabin baggage with terminals protected. Remove them if your carry-on is gate-checked. Capacity limits, approval requirements and airline restrictions still apply; check the official guidance and your airline for your particular item.
Keep a last-minute list
Some things cannot go into the bag the night before: the phone charging by your bed, the toothbrush you still need, or the glasses you’re wearing. Give these their own short list and check it before leaving home.
Lay everything out once, remove the duplicates, and check that the packed bag still closes comfortably. Leave space for the things you will carry home. If the list changes with every destination, the destination-based packing guide explains what to adapt.
Make the next trip easier: after you return, note what you never used and what you missed. BeforeGo can carry forgotten items into the next packing list, alongside destination-based preparation and departure reminders.
Official sources and scope
Checked on : TSA Travel Tips (U.S. screening), GOV.UK hand-luggage liquids guidance (UK airports), and FAA PackSafe: lithium batteries (U.S. aviation guidance). Follow the rules for your own route and airline, including connections.
Questions before you go
What should go in a carry-on bag?
Start with travel documents, essential medication, payment methods, your phone and charger, then add clothes and toiletries suited to your trip. Use your own needs, weather forecast and laundry plans to adjust the list.
Is there one carry-on size that every airline accepts?
No. Check the dimensions, weight, number of bags and personal-item allowance for your operating airline and fare. Check every flight on the trip, including connections.
Where should I check liquids and power bank rules?
Check the security authority for each departure or transit airport, your airline, and the FAA PackSafe guidance where applicable. This packing list is a planning aid, not permission to carry a particular item.