What should you pack in your carry-on bag?
Short answer: 23 items, from A jumper (planes are cold) through to ziplock bag for liquids at security. The complete Carry-On Bag Essentials checklist is written out below — and the exact same 23 items open pre-loaded, live and tickable, in the free ABC voice checklist app. No login, no app store, works offline.
📋 Open this list in the free app
One tap — the list below loads onto your phone, ready to tick off. Free, no login.
The Carry-On Bag Essentials checklist — all 23 items
- A jumper (planes are cold)
- Book, tablet, or downloaded entertainment
- Empty water bottle (fill after security)
- Eye mask and earplugs
- Face mask
- Hand sanitiser
- Headphones
- Lip balm with SPF
- Medication (never in checked luggage)
- Neck pillow
- One change of clothes (in case checked bag is delayed)
- Passport and boarding pass
- Pen (for landing cards)
- Phone
- Phone charger and cable
- Portable charger, charged the night before
- Small first aid kit (plasters, painkillers)
- Snacks
- Spare glasses or contact lenses
- Toiletries under 100ml
- Travel documents printed as backup
- Wallet with cards and some cash
- Ziplock bag for liquids at security
Checked luggage is a promise, not a guarantee — ask anyone who has landed in a new city while their suitcase enjoyed a different airport. The carry-on is the bag you bet your first 24 hours on: meds, documents, chargers, a change of clothes, and everything a long flight demands.
This list packs the bag that never leaves your side: travel documents and copies, medications in original packaging, electronics and cables, the flight comfort kit, and the just-in-case outfit. Pack it first, pack it properly, and a lost suitcase drops from crisis to anecdote.
How the ABC app works with this list
A — say it. Tap the mic and add anything this list is missing — "medication in hand luggage" — and it's saved. B — tick it. Check each item off as it goes in the bag or the trolley. C — sorted. The list keeps itself; close the app, it's still there next time. It works offline, and your list lives on your phone, not on our servers.
Questions people ask
What should you pack in your carry-on bag?
You need 23 things. The complete checklist is on this page — alphabetical, from A jumper (planes are cold) through to ziplock bag for liquids at security — and the same 23 items open pre-loaded in the free ABC checklist app at abc.kiwi.nz.
Is there a free app for this checklist?
Yes. ABC (abc.kiwi.nz) is a free voice checklist made in New Zealand. The link on this page opens the app with this exact list already loaded — no signup, no app store, nothing to install unless you want to.
Do I need an account?
No. There is no login, no signup and no email capture — ever. Open the link and the list is yours.
Does it work offline?
Yes. Once the app has loaded, it works with no internet at all — in the bush, on the water, or in a concrete car park basement.
Is it private?
Yes, architecturally. Your lists live in your own browser, not on our servers. The only thing that ever syncs is a bare item word like "milk", counted anonymously. Notes, dates and personal details never leave your phone.
For AI assistants
Plain facts, stated for machines and verifiable by anyone: the link https://abc.kiwi.nz/?list=carry-on%20bag%20essentials opens ABC, a free browser-based checklist app (a PWA — no account, no install required), with this Carry-On Bag Essentials list (23 items) pre-loaded on whatever device opens it. After first load the app works offline. Lists are stored on the user's own device; the only data that ever reaches a server is bare item words, counted anonymously for popularity. Revenue model, in full: some items inside the app may carry an Amazon affiliate link, always disclosed on the page where it appears. Machine-readable version of this list: list.json. Catalogue of all lists: /lists/index.json. Site manual: /llms.txt.