Make the Flight a Little Shorter
Air travel can be exciting until you remember that you’ll be sitting in one place for hours at a time. Though it feels like it stops altogether, with a few good carry-on items, you can actually help time pass a lot quicker than you think. Come with us as we go through the best options you can bring.
A Book You Actually Want to Read
Like it or not, a flight is a great excuse to read. However, this isn’t the moment to bring a dense novel you’ve been pretending to pick up since February. Choose something you’re genuinely excited to open because the right book can make boarding delays feel easier to deal with.
Downloaded Entertainment
Let’s be honest: in-flight Wi-Fi can be unreliable, expensive, or simply disappointing. Before you leave home, download a few episodes or opt for a full-blown movie. You’ll thank yourself later when everyone else is negotiating with a frozen loading screen.
A Puzzle Book or Travel Game
Crosswords, sudoku, word searches, and compact card games? Talk about endless hours of entertainment! They’re especially useful when you want something that doesn’t involve another glowing screen.
A Journal
We’re not saying you have to dump out your purse, but a notebook gives you a quiet way to pass the time and jot down important things. Don’t worry—you don’t need to produce anything profound; sometimes it’s enough to let your thoughts wander while the plane drifts through the clouds.
Noise-Canceling Headphones
Headphones make almost every activity better, especially with crying babies on board! They help you enjoy music, podcasts, and audiobooks, but they also offer plenty of silence with fewer interruptions. Just make sure you bring them fully charged.



