The Only Travel Packing Checklist You Need

Most packing stress comes from two mistakes: packing for imaginary problems, and forgetting the five small things that are annoying to replace abroad. This checklist fixes both.

The always list

Passport and copies (photo on your phone plus one paper copy), payment cards plus a backup, phone charger and a universal adapter, any medication in hand luggage, and a change of clothes in your cabin bag in case your checked bag takes a holiday of its own.

Clothes: the 5-4-3-2-1 rule

Five tops, four bottoms, three pairs of shoes at most, two layers, one hat. Wear the bulkiest item on the plane. If a trip is longer than a week, plan a laundry day instead of more clothes.

Destination tweaks

Dubai and Istanbul: one modest outfit for mosques and religious sites. Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur: light, breathable fabrics and a small umbrella. Hunza and the mountains: a real warm layer even in summer — evenings drop fast at altitude. Maldives: reef-safe sunscreen is cheaper at home than on a resort island.

Before you lock the bag

Run your numbers in our Trip Budget Calculator, check the travel gear page if anything on this list is missing, and weigh your bag — airline fees for 3 extra kilos cost more than most items in it.