The suitcase is open on the bed, the alarm is set for an hour you don’t want to think about, and there’s a tangle of cables on the floor that somehow all need to come along. This is the moment to build the carry-on tech kit properly, once, so next time it’s already done. Lay it out in this order and you’ll have everything within reach from the security line to the hotel nightstand.
Peak Design Tech Pouch
Start with the container, because everything else goes inside it. Unzip this pouch and the interior folds open like origami, revealing a series of pockets sized for cables, wall chargers, adapters and the odd pen. Zip it shut and the durable, waterproof shell keeps the whole lot protected in the bottom of a bag.
The real benefit shows up at your seat: open one thing and every cord is standing upright where you can see it, instead of knotted together at the bottom of a backpack. It comes in two sizes and three colors.
Pack it: right on top, so it comes out first at security.
Apple AirTag
Drop one in the checked suitcase tonight, before you forget. The second-generation AirTag has more accurate tracking and a louder ping than the original, so when your bag takes a different flight, you’ll know which airport it’s sitting in.
One family tucked them into backpacks and fanny packs for trips to Spain and Japan and says it made the whole journey feel more secure. Sold individually or in a pack of four, which covers a suitcase, a carry-on, a wallet and a kid’s bag. Pick up a holder if you’d like to clip one onto a strap.
Twelve South AirFly Pro
Seatback screens still want a headphone jack, and your wireless earbuds don’t have one. Plug this little transmitter into the seat, pair your AirPods or other Bluetooth headphones, and watch the in-flight movie without borrowing the airline’s crackly freebies. It works on gym equipment too.
Battery is rated for more than 25 hours. One flyer used it on four flights straight out of the box, including a seven-and-a-half-hour long haul, and noticed no lag between picture and sound. Available in a long list of colors.
Best for: long-haul flights and anyone who has given up wired earphones.
Tozo Wireless Earbuds
Travel is hard on earbuds. They fall under seats, get left in seat pockets and vanish in taxis. That’s the case for a dependable travel pair you won’t grieve over. These offer noise isolation rather than full noise cancelling, which means they muffle the cabin hum while you can still hear the gate change announcement.
The buds last around 15 hours, with roughly 55 in total once you count the case. Several ear tip sizes come in the box, an app lets you adjust the sound, and the case ships with a clip and strap. One buyer was surprised by the clarity and paired them to a laptop and phone in minutes; the only note is that the case is a little chunkier than some.
Charmast Power Bank with Built-In Cables
Your phone will be at 12% the moment you land. This power bank has cables built right in, a display that shows exactly how much charge is left, and enough outputs to charge up to six devices at once, so it can rescue your phone, your partner’s phone and the kids’ tablet in one go. One buyer simply calls it the best charging device they’ve ever ordered.
Good to know: airlines generally want power banks in your carry-on, not your checked bag, so this one belongs in the pouch.
Foldable Three-in-One Wireless Charger
Hotel rooms never have enough outlets near the bed. This magnetic charger tops up an iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods together from a single cord, then folds into a compact stack for the bag. Stand it up in a pyramid shape and your phone props up for a video call or a show while it charges (a MagSafe-compatible case helps it stay put).
Buyers say it connects firmly, snapping the phone into the right spot, and some prefer it to pricier name-brand versions. Six colors.
Anker Spherical Charging Station
If you work from the road, this replaces a power strip and three chargers. The sphere is under five inches across, with a magnetic wireless pad for your iPhone on top and three AC outlets, two USB-C and two USB-A ports around the back, all running from one cord. Laptop, headphones, e-reader and phone charge together from a single wall socket.
A reviewer who uses it at a desk notes it can tip forward slightly with only a phone on the pad, but it balances out once a few cables are plugged into the back. Two colors.
Best for: remote workers, hotel desks and rental apartments with one usable outlet.
Before You Zip It
Charge the power bank, the earbuds and the AirFly tonight, not at the gate. Put the AirTag in the bag you’re most likely to be separated from. Then go to sleep. The kit will be ready next time too.
