Unlike a century ago when a long-distance trip meant saying goodbye to all of your friends for five years, or possibly forever, today’s travel doesn’t demand much. Delays, long lines, intrusive security are all headaches, but are easily survivable. Our ancestors may have needed pack animals to carry their stuff across the frontier, but all we need is a luxury travel kit. This is a kind of carry-on go-bag filled with all the items you need to stay comfortable and clean while traveling. The luxury travel kit can make all the difference between a mild inconvenience or something happening that ruins your entire trip.

We’re going to break down all the types of items you will want to consider putting in your luxury travel kit. In a way, everyone does this already. Who among us hasn’t scrambled around tossing stuff we think we’ll need, late for a trip. Of course, usually you find out you forget some essential things when its too late. That means you either have to do without or replace it, spending your travel money on something you already own. We’ll tell you what you use a luxury travel kit for, why you need it, and how to put it together. 

Up until now, a luxury travel kit may sound kind of like a carry-on bag. If this is the case, your instincts are not incorrect. However, the difference between the carry-on bag and the luxury travel kit is the amount of planning that goes into it. Think of the below items like a checklist. At the very least, they represent questions you should be asking yourself about what you might need. Not ever trip requires the same things, so there are some variations. But ultimately the luxury travel kit is your guarantee that no matter what happens, your needs will be met.

A luxury travel kit is basically an easy-to-access bag that has all of your travel essentials in one place. It is your go-to item that contains a number of necessities that are vital for your comfort, convenience, and sanity. You will need some kind of travel bag, so make it one that an accommodate all you need it to but still meets the carry-on size regulations. If you end up checking your luxury travel kit, that sort of defeats the purpose. Luckily, most of what you tuck in your carry-on will be represented on this list. If you want to come up with your own list, just do your best to anticipate your needs. And ask yourself the most important question any traveler can: What could go wrong?

The luxury travel kit is one of those things that, if all goes well, you really won’t use it much. Once you get settled, you pop on your headphones. You pick a movie or some music and a book. Next thing you know, you’ve arrived, and it’s time to pack everything up. If only travel were that easy. No, a luxury travel kit is your insurance policy that even if things go wrong, you’ll still be comfortable and clean. Get stuck in the airport overnight, and you can turn to your luxury travel kit to clean up, stay entertained, and eventually get some sleep. Done right, your luxury travel kit is where you go for whatever you need during your trip. 

Still, this isn’t some bag full of first aid and extra pairs of socks. A luxury travel kit addresses needs of comfort and convenience. Yes, you will want to pack any medicine you have to take regularly, but you also might want to pack a back up pair of Bluetooth headphones, so nothing will interrupt your perfect playlist. That’s what makes it a luxury travel kit. It’s about pampering the inner-impatient child we all have inside of us when we travel.

Your luxury travel kit is absolutely for any traveling you do, even if it’s just a day trip. However, what specific things you put in it should vary depending on a number of factors. First, you have to consider how you will be traveling. Your luxury travel kit for a flight to Hawaii would be different than the one you’d need for a train trip through New England. The items on this checklist are more or less categories of things you need. Some are straightforward, like bringing a pair of headphones or a travel pillow. Others are more dependent on your destination, especially if the weather there is drastically different than where you left. Still, with a little preparation, you could put together a luxury travel kit for any situation in just a few minutes.

The real trick to this is simply anticipating your own needs. It’s also learning from mistakes. Did your phone and music player run out of juice on your last trip? Throw a charging cord or spare battery in your kit, and it’ll never happen again. You can’t anticipate everything of course, but hopefully the luxury travel kit covers enough to make any situation tolerable. But, you also can’t bring too much. If you are saddled with a bunch of stuff, half of which you don’t even use, your luxury travel kit is more of a luxury albatross around your neck.

In order to assemble the perfect luxury travel kit, you need to ask yourself four questions.

• First: Where am I going?
• Second: How am I getting there?
• Third: How Long Will It Take?
• Finally: How long am I staying?

The answers to these questions will let you know what you need to pack and what you can leave aside for another trip. Where you are going and for how long will inform what hygiene and other such supplies you bring. It will also color your choices of entertainment. If you are heading to the beach, it may be more book heavy. If you are going to be at work all day and exhausted in a hotel room all evening, maybe an HD laptop for Netflix and Excel.

If you are going to check your luggage or face a long haul in a train, plane, or automobile, this can also change what ends up in your luxury travel kit. You might end up keeping all your hygiene stuff with you rather than check it in your luggage. You could keep none of it in your luxury travel kit, because it’s accessible in your luggage nearby. If the trip will only take an hour or two, you may not need the sleep aides. But if you get delayed in the terminal unexpectedly, you might be thankful you had them with you. Ultimately, the priority each of these items has depends on what’s most important to your comfort.

The exact items you choose to fill your luxury travel kit will depend on a lot of things, such as where you are going and for how long. For example, if you are going on a long flight you might include a separate e-reader or computer just for watching movies. Conversely, if you are going on a night bus trip, you might bring less to entertain yourself and more to make your ride more relaxing, so you can sleep. Start with the basics listed below:

• You will need some kind of carry-on bag or pack, but you were likely bringing one anyway.
• You will need hygiene items in case of travel delays, and you might want to put those items in their own case.
• Whether you can catch a nap anywhere or are very particular about sleep, having a good neck pillow means that the rest you get while traveling is the best it can be.
• A face mask may not be the travel-look you are going for, but they can make all the difference when it comes time to nod off.
• Used for noise-cancellation while sleeping or just to jam to tunes while you travel, a good pair of headphones ensures that you can enjoy all the media you want without bothering anyone.
• Bring some kind of entertainment with you, whether a book, a portable game device, or tablet computer, to help pass the time while you travel.
• Whether its to keep a travel journal or jot down important info, keep a notebook and some pens handy.
• A travel drink container is a great way to ensure that you can enjoy a hot or cold beverage while on-the-go.
• Make sure you have all the charging cords you need and any necessary adapters for devices or plugs.
• No matter where you are going or for what reason, you will not regret bringing some disposable wet towelettes.
• Finally, to complete your luxury travel kit, you should bring any specific gear you need for your destination’s climate.

The most important thing a luxury travel kit does for you is ensure that you have the items most essential for the kind of trip you are taking. So, use the above tips to make sure you have the right items in the right quantities. 

Now that you know the importance of a luxury travel kit and the basics of how to assemble one, you'll want to get started on your own. We've compiled a few of the must-have items to include in yours:

Your hygiene items will vary depending on your trip, but certain items are always a good idea. A toothbrush, hair brush, deodorant, and cologne are necessary to help keep you put together while traveling. Expand the items as you see fit, to include shampoo or face cream or whatever else you might need to stay feeling fresh and looking your best. You’ll definitely want to keep these items in a waterproof bag or even a case of some kind. You don’t want to risk something spilling into the rest of your luxury travel kit. Fill it up as much as you want with as many products as you use. Keep it simple or load up on moisturizers and face creams. Whatever you think you need but consider a prepackaged hygiene kit.

Find one that comes with a bag or case and all the products you need. This is a great starting point, and you can adjust your needs as you use it. What’s great about these its is that they are compliant with Transportation and Safety Administration guidelines. This means that you can bring your shampoo and mouthwash and even hairspray through airport security. For example, the above convenience kit, designed for women, comes with hair care products, oral care products, and other essential items. They all fit nicely in the provided case, which won’t wreck the rest of your stuff if it spills. And, if you end up delayed, you can freshen up and feel better.

Our ancestors slept under the stars using rocks and brush as their pillows, if anything at all. But, if they’d had they option, there is no doubt they would preferred a travel pillow to nothing and so will you. You may think carrying a pillow is unnecessary and adds extra bulk. However, today’s travel pillows are not those lightly-stuffed pillows they pass out on planes. Ergonomically designed to be comfortable and supportive, but also easily collapsible and not difficult to carry with you. But when you find the right one it makes all the difference with the quality of sleep you will get.

There are many styles of neck pillow, but most are based on the “horseshoe” shape. Yet, BCozzy has a unique design that they claim is the only one that successfully stops the head from falling forward. It’s adjustable and can fit around your neck in a variety of configurations. When you’re all rested, you can tuck the pillow in on itself and tuck it into a corner of your bag. It also comes with a strap, so it can hang on the outside of your bag, in case space inside it comes at a premium. There are other interesting designs out there too, so don’t sell yourself short on the pillow. Make sure it really works for you, and you’ll soon see long trips as a great chance to get caught up on some sleep. 

We get it, eye masks look silly. You almost never see a person donning an eye mask in television or films who isn’t just insufferable. But don’t let that weird trope stop you from taking full advantage of an eye mask for your luxury travel kit. If you have a long trip during which you hope to sleep, an eye mask can make all the difference between dozing and really sleeping. When combined with the above and below items on this list, you can basically shut yourself off from the rest of the world. You will be able to relax in ways you never thought possible while traveling. Just don’t forget and start taking your pants off to get more comfortable!

You can find eye masks for not very much money, and they all essentially work. All it has to do is block light from your eyes. A thick sock could do the trick in a pinch. But some folks go all in on their masks, and even use technology to try to help folks sleep better. The Ilumy GTS-3000 uses technology modeled after that used by NASA to help astronauts maintain their sleep cycles. This mask gradually darkens and illuminates your field of vision in order to simulate what it’s like to go to sleep at home. It also comes with technology they claim can help people who suffer from insomnia or have a tough time waking up. Either way you can program the mask from a smartphone app to wake you up at a certain time using both their imitation “sunrise” and a gentle alarm chime.

While the headphones in your luxury travel kit can help you drown out the sounds around you for sleeping, they also work when you’re awake. You can listen to audio-only entertainment like music or podcasts, and you can use them to watch movies or videos on-the-go. Unlike many of these items, your headphones are useful pretty much anywhere you go. Every cell phone is also a music player, so anywhere you go you could be rocking out. Listening to music makes everything a little bit more fun, and it’s hard to frown when you hear your favorite song. Your headphones are crucial because they are the gateway between you and pretty much any kind of media you could want to enjoy.

You can get the over-the-ear headphones that hang around your neck or even a pair of earbuds connected by a wire. However, since when traveling space is at a premium why not think a little smaller? These Knguvth Wireless Earbuds are two tiny earbuds that fit in your ear, unencumbered by any wires. While they don’t have active noise cancellation, they block out sound pretty well. When you’re not using them, they fit inside the carrying case that doubles as a charger. And having only these little things in your ears, and still hearing your media, is a strange and free feeling. Not too shabby for when you’re traveling.

This is the most undefined item on this list, because what you want for entertainment during your travel is highly subjective. Long drive with the kids? You’ll want at least two tablets with movies downloaded onto them. You might want music that the whole family can enjoy, or personalized playlists each person can inflict on their fellow passengers for a set time. If you’re flying, you’ll likely want similar things, but maybe a book or E-reader. Maybe a few magazines or a book of crossword puzzles will do the trick. But it’s best to have something to occupy the mind to keep you from becoming frustrated by delays, ambient chatter, or mere boredom.

If you’re not sure what sort of entertainment you’d be into, it’s probably best to go with a multi-purpose device. The Kindle Fire, for example, has access to video streaming, books, social media, and the internet. If you use Amazon Music, you will have access to your music library. They even have games on these devices, for the kids (or yourself). Any tablet device would work in this respect, but just be aware of how long the battery lasts or if you have charging options while traveling. Of course, you can also go with analog entertainment, too. There is still something nice about a couple of paperbacks or your favorite magazines. 

We live in a tech-based world today, so our needs are going to reflect that. To that end, no luxury travel kit should be without a few extra charging cords and adapters, so you never lose power. Of course, certain devices all take different cords and you don’t want to haul a bunch of cables with you. You will have to prioritize the devices you will need the most. Probably cords for the phone or a laptop if you are on a business trip. You can try to consolidate them as best you can. You might want to find a power cable that comes with a number of adapters, so it can be used to power anything. 

The most common device chargers you will likely need are for mobile devices. For less than ten dollars you can get the above adapter that turns one USB port into a charging station for four devices. There are no chargers that can charge both mobile devices and laptops. However, if you have a universal laptop charger, you can use the laptop’s USB ports to charge your devices. It might take longer than you are used to, but at least your devices will have juice.

Everyone fancies themselves a little bit of a writer, and a “travel journal” is a nice, romantic idea. Come prepared and maybe you will end up jotting down a literary mix of observations about life and adventures on the road. But, if you don’t, a travel notebook is a handy item to have. You can write down important phone numbers, passwords, or details of your itinerary. Does your taxi driver suggest a great place to go for falafel? Jot it down. See a cool store in passing you want to check out later? Write it in the book. A notebook is always handy. And, if you use it even for those banal things, you end up with a kind of travel journal anyway. Trade dates, times, addresses, and notes for musings about how the road awakens everyone’s true spirit and it’s as fun a keepsake as any.

Sure, you could get a small notepad and some pens to toss in your luxury travel kit, but that’s not very luxurious. Who knows, maybe if you get something like the Robrasim handmade leather journal pictured above, you will actually keep that travel journal. Think what you will, but perhaps if it looks the part, you’ll be more inclined to use it. What’s great about this design is that the handmade leather cover will only look better with wear. And its refillable, so if you do end up filling it up, you can start anew. This design even has different-sized paper, so you can both keep important notes and write down your literary brilliance in the other pages.

For nearly two decades, you’ve not been able to take liquid in bottles through airport security. However, you can take a luxury travel thermos through dry and then fill it with your preferred beverage for the flight. Even if you aren’t traveling by air, these hot and cold travel bottles are impressive. They keep cold liquids cold and hot liquids hot for a surprisingly long time. It really comes in handy when you end up somewhere without a drink cart. This is another item you might want to consider just adding to your daily life. You can reduce the amount of trash you toss away if you get your coffee refills in your travel cup rather than a new cup each day. 

You can likely find these bottles anywhere and not worry about paying a premium. However, some are certainly better than others. Sip by S’well is one of the highest-rated hot and cold travel bottles out there. They have a double-walled construction and keep drinks hot or cold for 12 hours or more. They are BPA free, made from stainless steel, easy to clean, and come in various sizes. If you don’t care about room temperature drinks, any bottle will do. Otherwise, bottles like those pictured above are the ones you want for your luxury travel kit. One last reminder, the hot or cold drinks would have to be put in the bottle after going through airport security. If you have liquid in the bottle before, you’ll most likely have to dump it.

From the diaper bags in the parks of the wealthiest neighborhood to the rucksack of a soldier in the harshest environment, you will find pre-moistened towelettes. The miracle of the wet towelette is one for which we should raise idols to in thankfulness and praise. If you pride yourself on cleanliness, on your person and without, keep some of these handy. From cleaning off your tray table to cleaning your hands after using the lavatory on a train. These wipes are incredible versatile, and you will find yourself turning to them more often than you expect. Just remember to keep them in an airtight container, so they don’t dry out. Then they are just thick, harsh cotton wads.

It's best to get the “flushable” kind of wipes, even if all you ever to use them on is your hands. They often come individually wrapped and are designed to be easy on the skin. Thirty individually wrapped wipes are only a little more than 10 bucks. Once you start traveling with them, you will realize they are worth every penny. A word of caution, you might want to get antibacterial wipes, but it’s best to just combine normal wipes with hand sanitizer, if needed. Soap and water is still the best disinfectant, though. But, in a pinch, these wipes will come in handy. 

There is nothing quite like the feeling of boarding a plane in winter weather and disembarking to bright sun and temperate air. However, that’s not always the way the math works. So, it’s important that you are aware of the weather conditions at your destination. If you leave California for New York in March, you’re going to need a jacket on the other end. Again, this will depend greatly on where you are going and when you’re there. At the very least, you should bring a jacket with you. Luckily, the same sort of small-making science that went into travel pillows can be applied to jackets. Travel jackets are not just easy to carry around but are also currently very stylish. 

Ultra-lightweight jackets are usually the best for travel, and the down-filled ones hold up to the cold air really well. And these jackets don’t all look the same, even thought they all smoosh down into a small, easily portable bundle once you hit warm weather. The above coat is a mid-thigh length coat that comes in a number of smart, vibrant colors. This coat would do the trick in colder-than-expected temperatures, surprise rain, or even a light snowstorm. Just because it’s designed to save space during travel, these coats can still be very stylish.

This final suggestion is only for those folks who are separated from their luggage while traveling. Especially when it’s business, a change of clothes is essential. Make sure your hotel has cleaning services, and you can have your clothes done in time for the start of business the next day. The spare outfit should be different from what you are wearing to travel. If you travel in leisure clothes, pack a business outfit. If you travel in a suit, pack leisure clothes. You might be able to buy yourself enough time for your luggage to be returned, and then you won’t have to buy yourself a whole new wardrobe. If you are going to stay in sight of your luggage the entire time, the spare clothes aren’t necessary in the luxury travel kit.

If you do your homework and think practically, you can create a luxury travel kit that will leave you ready for anything. People are remarkably resilient in times of crisis, but in times of inconvenience? That’s a lot to ask of anyone. With your luxury travel kit by your side, you can travel easy knowing that you’ve got what you need. It’s about making sure that the little worries, the little inconveniences don’t ruin your trip. Sometimes, a bad experience like that, can color everything that happens afterwards. Done right, your luxury travel kit will help you not even notice such things.

We hope you enjoyed the tutorial, and that it’s given you good ideas for your own luxury travel kit. What would you put in yours? Let us know, along with your thoughts or reactions, in the comments below. Get your friends in on the conversation by sharing the link on social media. 

Related Article: How to Travel In Style Without Sacrificing Comfort or Convenience