This holiday season, I’m basically living out of a suitcase. Between work trips, weddings, and family travel, I feel like I’ve seen more TSA lines than I have my own bed. In the next few months alone, I’m heading to Nashville, Phoenix, New York City, Long Island, Portland, Maine — and then Mexico. Twice. EEK.
And yes, a few of those trips include kids. Which means I’ve fully accepted that “vacation” is just parenting in a different zip code with worse snacks. Still, I refuse to let every flight feel like a marathon, because somewhere between gate changes and carry-on chaos, I’ve learned that the right travel essentials can actually make flying—dare I say—bearable.
So this isn’t some Pinterest-perfect packing list. It’s the things I actually reach for every time I fly: the carry-on MVPs that keep me organized, the comfort items that save me from losing it at 30,000 feet, and the little luxuries that make me feel like myself again somewhere between the stroller check and boarding Group C.
Whether you’re traveling solo, kid in tow, or both, consider this your realistic survival kit for getting through holiday travel season with a little more sanity —and maybe even a touch of joy— intact.
Nuna TRVL dubl Stroller
After too many gate-check meltdowns and one unforgettable incident involving a jammed stroller and a TSA agent who clearly didn’t have kids, I finally found the one: the TRVL Dubl. It folds with one hand (a requirement when you’re also holding a coffee and someone’s emotional support stuffy), fits through standard doorways, and somehow feels lightweight without being flimsy. My two younger kids fit comfortably side by side, it steers like a dream, and I can collapse it mid-airport in about three seconds flat: no wrestling match required. For moms traveling over the holidays, it’s the difference between chaos and manageable chaos.
Buy now | $900
Beis The Weekender Bag
I don’t know who needs to hear this, but the “personal item” rule was clearly not written by someone who’s ever traveled with kids. The Beis Weekender is the one bag that actually keeps me sane while sprinting through terminals with a stroller, three passports and a granola bar melting in my hand. It fits everything: my laptop, snacks for the plane, the random stuffed bunny my toddler insists on carrying but never actually does — and somehow still slides neatly over my roller bag. It’s structured enough to look like I have my life together (even when I don’t), and durable enough to survive being kicked under an airplane seat. Basically, it’s the mom travel bag that makes you feel like a person again, not just a pack mule.
Buy now | $108
AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
If you’ve ever been trapped on a plane where your kid finally falls asleep—but everyone else hasn’t—these are your ticket to survival. The noise canceling is so good it almost feels emotional; like a deep breath you didn’t know you needed. I use mine to listen to podcasts, white noise, or just…nothing. Pure, beautiful silence. They’re also the only thing that make it possible to enjoy five uninterrupted minutes of peace mid-flight without someone asking for a snack or an iPad charger. Honestly, AirPods are less a travel essential and more a coping mechanism—and I’m not ashamed to say they’re always the first thing I pack.
Buy now | $198
Kindle Paperwhite
There’s something about being trapped on a plane that makes me crave reading again: the kind that isn’t on my phone between text threads and grocery lists. The Kindle Paperwhite is my version of self-preservation at 35,000 feet. It’s lightweight, waterproof (because kids and juice boxes), and holds more books than I’ve managed to finish since becoming a mom. I use it to read everything from actual novels to the same book I’ve been “currently reading” for six months. Scrolling Instagram in airplane mode hits different when you could be reading something for you—something that reminds you you’re still a whole person, even mid-flight.
Buy now | $160
Cuyana Travel Jewelry Case
Some women travel with a skincare routine. I travel with tangled necklaces and rogue earrings floating in every pocket of my bag—at least I did until this tiny piece of sanity entered my life. The Cuyana Travel Jewelry Case is small enough to slip into my carry-on but somehow fits everything I actually wear. It’s structured, elegant, and makes me feel like the kind of woman who doesn’t find her hoops in the stroller cupholder. It’s one of those small, grown-up luxuries that turns chaos into calm for five whole seconds—and honestly, I’ll take it.
Buy now | $98
Slip Silk Sleep Mask
There’s no such thing as “restful sleep” on a plane, but this comes close. The Slip Silk Sleep Mask is my version of tapping out—soft, light-blocking, and just bougie enough to make me forget I’m wedged between a toddler and a stranger eating beef jerky. It doesn’t pull at your hair or smudge whatever attempt at skincare you managed the night before, and it’s the only reason I’ve ever dozed off before takeoff. Think of it as a boundary in silk form: a polite, luxurious way to say, “Please pretend I don’t exist for the next 45 minutes.”
Buy now | $69
Dagne Dover Large Hunter Toiletry Bag
If you’ve ever tried to do skincare in an airport bathroom while holding a toddler on one hip, you understand why this bag is a game-changer. The Dagne Dover Large Hunter Toiletry Bag is the only one I’ve found that can fit everything—kids’ meds, sunscreen, my skincare, the random hair ties I swear multiply in transit—and still zip closed without a wrestling match. It’s wipeable (because toothpaste explosions happen), has compartments that actually make sense, and looks sleek enough to pass as a clutch in a pinch. Basically, it’s the organized, unbothered version of me I aspire to be—one TSA line at a time.
Buy now | $70
WavHello Portable White Noise Machine
There are hotel rooms where everyone sleeps soundly—and then there are the ones where the fridge hums, the neighbors watch late-night TV, and your baby decides 2 a.m. is morning. The WavHello Portable White Noise Machine is my not-so-secret weapon against all of it. It’s tiny, rechargeable, and loud enough to make any space feel a little more like home. I clip it to strollers, car seats, pack-and-plays—basically anywhere I need a shot at peace. It’s one of those mom hacks that earns its spot in the diaper bag forever. Because when the whole family sleeps, everyone is easier to travel with.
Buy now | $40
Ceres Chill Breast Milk Chiller
If you’re breastfeeding or pumping while traveling, this is the unsung hero you’ll wish you’d packed sooner. The Ceres Chill Breast Milk Chiller keeps milk cold for over 20 hours without ice packs or complicated cooler setups—just pour, seal, and go. It’s TSA-friendly, leak-proof, and somehow manages to look like a sleek water bottle instead of a piece of baby gear (a rare win). I’ve used it on red-eyes, layovers, and hotel mornings when the mini-fridge felt questionable, and it’s never let me down. Whether you’re flying solo or with your crew, it makes pumping and storing milk mid-travel one less thing to stress about—which, honestly, is the greatest gift of all.
Buy now | $68
Nécessaire The Body Wash Travel Set
There’s something about hotel showers that always feels a little…questionable. The Nécessaire Body Wash Travel Set is my antidote to that. Mini bottles that smell expensive (in a clean, not cloying way), formulas that actually hydrate instead of strip your skin, and packaging that doesn’t scream “I grabbed this at CVS.” I keep one set permanently packed so I can feel like a semi-functioning adult no matter how many cities or TSA bins I’ve gone through that week. It’s a small luxury, but when you’ve been running on airplane coffee and broken sleep, small luxuries hit different.
Buy now | $40
Apple AirTags
If you’ve ever landed at baggage claim wondering whether your stroller, car seat, or suitcase decided to start a new life in another city—these are your peace of mind. I slip an Apple AirTag into every bag, diaper bag, and checked item before we fly. It’s like having tiny GPS breadcrumbs leading back to my sanity. And yes, I’ve even looped one onto a kid’s bracelet for those crowded airport moments when “stay close” feels like a suggestion, not a reality. It’s not helicopter parenting—it’s self-preservation. Because losing track of luggage is one thing. Losing track of a toddler in Terminal C? Absolutely not.
Buy now | $65 (4-pack)
Calpak Packing Cubes
These are the only reason my suitcase doesn’t look like a crime scene. The Calpak Packing Cubes are my go-to for keeping everyone’s stuff—mine, the kids’, and the random overflow of “just in case” items—somewhat under control. I use one for each kid, one for myself, and one for everything that doesn’t have a category but somehow always makes the trip (extra diapers, snacks, a whole pharmacy’s worth of meds). They zip smoothly, stack neatly, and make me feel like the kind of person who color-codes her life, even if the reality is I’m just trying to find clean pajamas before bedtime in a hotel room.
Buy now | $68
Anker PowerCore 10000 Portable Charger
Because nothing tests your sanity like watching your phone battery hit 3% when your boarding pass and Cocomelon are both on it. This one’s compact, fast-charging, and holds enough juice to save everyone’s screens — and therefore, everyone’s moods. If I could tattoo “never travel without it” on my suitcase, I would.
Buy now | $26
Barefoot Dreams CozyChic Travel Shawl
I call this my “emotional support blanket.” It’s a scarf, a wrap, a nursing cover, a pillow—basically, whatever you need it to be when your flight’s delayed and your kid is overtired. It folds small but somehow feels like a full-on hug when you need one most. I don’t board without it.
Buy now | $125
Supersmile Ultimate Lip Treatment
Between dry plane air, hotel heating, and the five cups of airplane coffee it takes to survive a flight with kids, my lips are always the first to stage a rebellion. A genuinely hydrating lip treatment is the one thing that actually saves them. This one caught my eye because it’s part balm, part treatment, packed with collagen, shea butter, and promises to heal dry, cracked lips fast. Basically, it’s the closest thing to self-care you can fit in a quart-sized bag.
Buy now | $25
