Travel
My Carry-On Setup.
Six things that go in my bag for a flight. For each one: what I carry, and two other ways in, depending on how you travel and what you want to spend.
In-flight audio
Entry
Carried and tested
MEE audio Connect Air
Most people don't know this exists. It plugs into the seatback headphone jack and sends the audio to your wireless headphones, so you're not stuck with airline earbuds or hunting for a wired pair. It's small, it's simple, and it's in my bag every trip.
$49.99
View at MEE audio
Elevated
Twelve South AirFly Pro 2
The step up if you travel with someone. It connects two sets of headphones at once, so two people can watch the same screen, and it can also receive audio, which makes it useful beyond the plane.
$59.99
View at Twelve South
Splurge
Twelve South AirFly Pro 2 Deluxe
The same AirFly Pro 2, packaged with the full travel kit. For the guy who wants every adapter in one case and never wants to think about it.
$69.99
View at Twelve South
Carry-on
Entry
Travelpro Maxlite 5 21" Expandable Carry-On Spinner
Watch the crew walk through any airport and you'll see a lot of Travelpro. The Maxlite 5 is light, soft-sided and expandable, and it comes with a lifetime warranty. For the price, it's the smartest place to start.
$160
View at Travelpro
Elevated
Carried and tested
NOMATIC Carry-On Classic
This is the bag I roll onto the plane. It's sized for the overhead bin, organized inside, and it looks as considered at the hotel as it does at the gate.
$469.99
View at NOMATIC
Splurge
RIMOWA Essential Cabin
The one to save for. Rimowa's polycarbonate cabin case is sized for three or four days, and it's the bag people keep for a very long time.
$990
View at RIMOWA
Packing cubes
Entry
Amazon Essentials 4-Piece Packing Cube Set
If you've never used packing cubes, start here. Four sizes, a low price, and a quick way to find out how you like to organize a bag.
$20
View at Amazon
Elevated
Carried and tested
Osprey Ultralight Packing Cube Set
These are the cubes I use. They add almost no weight, they pack flat when they're empty, and they keep a carry-on in order from the first day of a trip to the last.
$45
View at Osprey
Splurge
Peak Design Packing Cubes (S, M, L)
Peak Design builds cubes the way it builds bags: clean lines and sizes designed to work together. The set for the guy who cares how his bag looks when he opens it.
$120
View at Peak Design
Headphones
Entry
Carried and tested
Apple EarPods
Don't underestimate the backup pair. Wired EarPods cost almost nothing, never need charging, and take up no room in a bag.
$19
View at Apple
Elevated
Carried and tested
Apple AirPods Pro 3
My everyday headphones are AirPods Pro. The noise cancellation handles a cabin, the case disappears in a pocket, and they already work with everything I own.
$249
View at Apple
Splurge
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)
For a long-haul flight, I want over-ears. I've worn Bose QuietComfort for years, and it's still the name I trust to shut out an engine for eight hours.
$449
View at Bose
Charger
Entry
Carried and tested
Anker 335 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station
This is the one that travels with me. It folds flat and charges my phone, watch and earbuds from a single plug, so the hotel nightstand only needs one outlet.
$25
View at Amazon
Elevated
Belkin UltraCharge 3-in-1 Foldable Magnetic Charger (Qi2 25W)
The step up is faster, magnetic charging. It snaps your phone into place at Qi2 speeds, folds flat into a bag, and includes the power adapter.
$99.99
View at Belkin
Splurge
mophie Roam 3-in-1 Travel Charger
Built for the trip, not the desk. It comes with a travel case, a 40W charger and international plugs, so it's the only charging kit you need to pack.
$149.95
View at mophie
Travel pillow
Entry
Cabeau Evolution S3
The classic shape done properly: memory foam, and straps that attach to the seat so your head doesn't drop forward.
$39.99
View at Cabeau
Elevated
Carried and tested
trtl Travel Pillow
The trtl doesn't look like a travel pillow, and that's the point. Instead of the usual U-shape, it wraps around your neck with a support built in, and it packs down small. It's the one I use.
$54.99
View at trtl
Splurge
Ostrichpillow Go
Memory foam that holds its shape, with its own travel bag. The pick if you want the most support you can reasonably carry.
$69
View at Ostrichpillow