What Do Airlines Consider A Personal Item?

In the United States, you're allowed one "personal item" in addition to your carry-on size luggage. So what exactly does that mean? It can be...

• a briefcase
  
• a camera
  
• a handbag or purse
  
• your laptop in a carrying bag
  
• or a small day pack.

As a general rule, the total outside dimension should be no larger than 36 inches (91 centimeters).

So...
What To Put In That Personal Item?

Sometimes when you change carriers you could be required to check your bag... this is more likely internationally than it is domestically.

If you're lucky enough to be traveling internationally, be advised that many "foreign" airlines may be stricter about what you can take on. Not only may the dimensions be smaller for your carry-on suitcase, but they may have weight restrictions too. Some of these are down right stingy! I have to let them weigh my carry-on size bag, and I'm prepared to check it if I must... but I try not to let them weigh my travel purse. With all we manage to pack in it, we might just be overweight on someone like Lufthansa!

If we think we might have to relinquish our carry-on size bag during a connecting flight, we pack that with "emergency supplies" that need to stay with us. To give you an idea what to pack in your personal item, we'll tell you what we put in ours.

• passports and any paper tickets and supporting documents (when they're not in your money belt)
  
• toothbrushes and toothpaste
  
• hair brushes and combs
  
• cosmetics (all small sizes!)
  
• two of those "One quart plastic bags for liquids" since there are two of us traveling
  
• medicines (including aspirin and Pepto-Bismol) and copies of prescriptions
  
• prescription eyeglasses, extra contact lenses, dark glasses
  
• laptop with appropriate cables and chargers
  
• camera (also with cables and chargers)
  
• cell phone (we just hope this stays charged!)
  
• guidebook and reading material
  
• small notebook and pens (you need something to fill out those immigration forms!)
• umbrella
  
• small flashlight
• car keys for when we return home
  
• and we might even pack in a change of underwear!
  
• an expandable bag in case we really, really need more carry-on space for our return.

In addition to your one piece or carry-on size luggage and your personal item, you can also get by with carrying your coat and an umbrella if it's not in your bag. Trust us, you really don't want to be juggling much more than that... especially if it's a long walk out of the terminal.

Happy travels... even if you don't travel the world... just remember that life is a journey... embrace and enjoy it!   Judy and Mark