Top 16 Travel Must-Haves for Flight Attendants in 2024

If you aspire to improve at something, it often proves beneficial to consult a specialist for assistance. Looking to lower your mile time? Seek advice from a running coach. Want to enhance your culinary skills? Enroll in a cooking class led by a chef. With the New Year approaching, we are aiming to become even more proficient travelers in 2025, thus we are reflecting on the most effective expert-backed travel strategies and product suggestions we encountered last year. Unsurprisingly, many originated from some of the most proficient and skilled travelers globally: flight attendants.

If you’re eager to elevate your travel experiences in 2025, continue reading for the 16 best, most favored products endorsed by flight attendants that we found last year, featuring the brilliant Amazon items they utilize to facilitate smoother trips. We are also sharing some treasured tips from flight attendants, such as employing Apple AirTags for tracking checked baggage or pulling out mini fans to keep cool during taxiing (brilliant!).

Fyy Travel Electronics Cable Organizer

If you travel with various devices, you are probably aware of how bothersome it can be to keep your charging cables from becoming a jumbled mess. Rather than tossing your cords into your carry-on and crossing your fingers, safeguard your tech necessities in order with this compact $8 electronics organizer by Fyy. Offered in 19 colors, this slender, zippered wallet includes eight distinct pockets to maintain your cables, memory cards, spare chargers, and small gadgets orderly and neat. One flight attendant claims that this compact organizer is the “ideal system” for keeping chargers consolidated.

Matein 40L Carry-on Backpack

This oversized carry-on backpack is loaded with individual pockets and compartments to assist in keeping your essentials organized, featuring a zippered shoe section, a padded area for laptops, and a concealed rear pocket ideal for storing travel documents or other small valuables. This travel backpack has garnered nearly 4,000 five-star ratings, including one from this flight attendant who appreciates its “spacious” and “resilient” design, stating it has been “fantastic” for holidays. Currently, you can purchase this practical backpack at an impressive 44 percent discount, plus an additional 10 percent off with an on-site coupon.

Dot&Dot Twist Memory Foam Travel Pillow

This is not your ordinary travel neck pillow. Differing from standard donut-shaped varieties, this tubular memory foam pillow features a flexible inner core that allows it to twist and bend, providing support for the neck, shoulders, chin, or head. “As a flight attendant, I’ve journeyed extensively throughout the years and could never discover a neck pillow I appreciated,” shares one flight attendant. “You can modify it to any position you require, and it remains until you alter it. This pillow is exceptional!” It’s accessible in 14 colors, and currently, it’s available on sale for $25.

Iniu Portable Charger

Regular travelers are well aware of the significance of maintaining a fully-charged phone during hectic travel days. Carrying a spare power bank — such as this flight attendant-approved Iniu charger, available for $18 — can be invaluable during trips and long-duration flights. Compact and lightweight, this powerful charger is equipped with two USB-C ports and one USB-A port, enabling simultaneous charging of three devices. An impressive 53,000 Amazon customers have provided this portable charger with a stellar rating, and one flight attendant mentions that they utilize it “pretty much every day,” stating that of all the portable chargers they have used throughout the years, it’s the “best one yet.”

Apple AirTag 4-pack

Losing your checked baggage is a travel horror story we would not wish on our worst adversaries. One of our favorite tricks, endorsed by flight attendants, for monitoring lost luggage is to use an Apple AirTag as a luggage tracker. Apple AirTags work as compact GPS tracking devices that connect directly to your iPhone’s Find My app, which provides location information on your phone. One flight attendant notes that they enjoy placing one inside their checked luggage, adding that they have purchased additional Apple AirTags as presents for their parents and in-laws.

Bagail 4-set Compression Packing Cubes

While conventional packing cubes are excellent for organizing your garments, compression packing cubes take it a step further by extracting superfluous air and compacting your clothing to a minimal size. We adore how these Bagail compression packing cubes preserve precious luggage space, so it’s no surprise that flight attendants value them as well. These practical cubes have received numerous favorable reviews from flight attendants: one referred to them as “go-to packing cubes,” while another labeled them as “flight attendant-approved.”

Basic Concepts Foot Hammock

Remaining seated in an airplane for a prolonged duration can cause your calves and ankles to swell, resulting in possible foot discomfort. A simple, flight attendant-recommended solution to alleviate this discomfort is by raising your feet using an airplane footrest. This $15 product from Basic Concepts attaches to your tray table, forming a swinging hammock that offers relief to weary, swollen feet. One flight attendant with over 25 years of experience reports that it’s “ideal” for economy seats that provide additional legroom, whilst another flight attendant states that it’s a “lifesaver” and “creates a more comfortable flying experience.”

Addalock The Original Portable Door Lock 2-pack

Flight attendantslayovers to contend with, as well! For extensive journeys and overnight flights, crew personnel generally receive individual accommodations at airline-sanctioned hotels. This is the reason many flight attendants opt to carry travel safety gadgets, such as these portable door locks from Addalock. This metallic lock features claws that latch onto the door’s strike plate, securing the knob in position once the door is shut. “I am a flight attendant and stay in hotels 15 days each month,” states a five-star reviewer, adding that “this is an excellent item to have when you seek an additional layer of safety.” Another flight attendant mentions that it’s simple to set up, durable, and that they’ve decided to acquire more to distribute to coworkers.

TPRC Smart Underseat Carry-on Luggage

With overhead bin space becoming a ever-increasingly sought-after — and limited — resource as checked baggage costs keep rising. This bag is sufficiently small to fit beneath the aircraft seat in front of you, should the overhead compartments fill up quickly during your next flight. Priced at $50, this rolling carry-on is fully outfitted with practical features, such as a telescopic handle, a completely-lined and pocket-filled interior, a luggage trolley strap, and a USB charging port. One flight attendant awarded this carry-on a perfect five-star rating, mentioning that it’s lightweight, provides ample pockets, and, as advertised, effortlessly fits under a seat.

Epicka Universal Travel Adapter

Are you limited to one power outlet? Not an issue, as long as you possess this Epicka Universal Travel Adapter. Ideal for both international and domestic adventures, this powerful wall plug adapter — available currently for $23 — features four different plugs that work with outlets in over 150 nations. It includes four USB ports, one USB-C port, and one AC socket, enabling you to recharge up to six devices simultaneously. This flight attendant referred to the Epicka Universal Travel Adapter as one of their “essential travel items,” while another described it as “incredibly convenient” for travelers who often venture abroad.

Morfone 16-set Travel Bottles Set

Skip the travel-sized aisle at the store. Instead, take your preferred products from home utilizing this Morfone travel bottle set. For merely $10, this collection comes with 10 TSA-approved squeeze bottles and containers capable of holding your shampoo, conditioner, sunscreen, lotion, and facial serum. “I’ve had a difficult time locating small containers that don’t deteriorate or leak,” reveals one flight attendant, who awarded this toiletry kit a flawless five-star rating.

Nesugar G3 Clothing Steamer

Given their erratic schedules, airline personnel must be prepared to board instantly. This is the rationale why some flight attendants choose to invest in a portable travel steamer to maintain their uniforms wrinkle-free while away from home. This Nesugar G3 steamer, currently priced at $36 with an additional 10 percent off coupon, weighs less than a pound and heats up in just 15 seconds. This flight attendant claims that it’s “undoubtedly one of the best travel gadgets.”the best acquisitions I’ve made for my travel requirements,” noting that it’s stylish and simple to pack.

MQ Motion Sickness Patches 10-pack

If you’re aware, you understand: motion sickness can be a significant travel annoyance. Fortunately, we have discovered a possible remedy that doesn’t involve obtaining a last-minute prescription for anti-nausea medications: the MQ Motion Sickness Patches, acknowledged as “Best Patch” in our 2024 compilation of Best Motion Sickness Remedies. These topical patches adhere to the rear of your ear or around your navel, releasing a natural mix of essential oils to alleviate nausea. “I acquired this when I initially got hired as a flight attendant to assist when I have more than five flights daily,” mentions one flight attendant, adding that they function “exceptionally well.”

Master Lock Portable Small Lock Box

This compact portable lock box features a four-digit combination and is sufficiently spacious to accommodate your passport, keys, cash, and valuable jewelry. One flight attendant awarded it a five-star review, stating they “highly endorse” it for safeguarding your belongings while on the move. Currently, it’s available for $23, but the assurance it offers is invaluable.

Jisulife 3-in-1 Handheld Mini Fan

Taxiing aircraft can quickly become uncomfortably warm and stuffy. An ingenious method that some flight attendants utilize to stay cool from takeoff to landing is with a portable mini fan, like this $14 model from Jisulife. This rechargeable fan also functions as a mini flashlight and possesses a USB charging port that converts it into a portable power bank. Hold it in your hand for instant relief, or set it on your tray table for hands-free cooling. “This item has rescued me numerous times,” shares one five-star reviewer. “As a flight attendant, the rear of the aircraft can be excessively hot during summer. This fan has been a crucial aid. I never leave home without it!”

Yamiu Travel Shoe Bags 4-pack

Shield your tidy travel garments from odorous sneakers and filthy boots with these waterproof, flight attendant-approved shoe bags. Nearly 9,000 Amazon customers have bestowed these Yamiu shoe bags a five-star score, with one flight attendant revealing that they’re robust, lightweight, and an overall “fantastic discovery.”

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