Holiday travel 2022: everything you need for flying with just hand luggage - from containers to cosmetics
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Airports have been chaotic since March this year, with hour long queues swerving outside of the terminals, delayed flights and many frustrated passengers having their flights cancelled with little notice.
One way to reduce travel stress and cut down on queueing is to remove a large part of the airport hassle - luggage check in.
Under normal circumstances it can take up to 45 minutes to check in a suitcase, but with the travel mess happening this summer it is taking many travellers much longer.
It is completely possible to fly with just hand luggage but you need to be a savvy packer as your cabin bag needs to be fit underneath the seat in front of your own on the plane.
Hand luggage size varies slightly depending on airline policy.
At TUI it’s 55x 40x 20cm, Jet2 is 56 x 45 x 25cm, easyJet is 45 x 36 x 20 cm and Ryanair is 40cm x 25cm x 20cm.
With such tight perimeters it’s important to consider each item you pack carefully.
What items can help packing for a holiday in hand luggage?
It might seem like a no-brainer but compact is key when attempting to travel with just hand luggage.
That means sticking to miniature size shampoos, and charging blocks instead of endless cables and organisers.
One huge space saver are vacuum bags for clothes.
Skincare can be a bulky addition to any suitcase but simplifying your routine during your holiday can help save space in your luggage - taking a miniature packet of cleansing wipes will reduce the bottles and tubs you have to carry.
If you’re after an excellent piece of hand luggage that is airline compliant, check out our gallery of the best hand luggage 2022.
These eight products will help you pack concisely with just hand luggage.
This pack of cleansing wipes contains seven make-up removing sheets - the perfect amount for a week away.
The wipes are kind to sensitive skin and will gently remove any makeup on your skin.
This small pack will take up very little space in hand luggage.
Buying individual miniature toiletries may not seem like a great expense but when you add them all up it can certainly make a dent in the holiday fund.
Buying reusable bottles will not only save space in the luggage but you can fill the bottles with products you already have at home.
These bottles are TSA compliant and can be filled with shampoo, conditioner or body wash.
Travel adaptors can take up a lot of space in a bag but this cube can power two cables at any time anywhere in the world.
The cube has three plug faces that can interchange to create a working plug in 150 countries.
There are two USB ports which are perfect for charging phones and tablets abroad.
Clothes are most likely the bulkiest part of your luggage but the size they take up can be minimised by using vacuum bags.
There are six bags in the set - three large and three medium.
Clothes can be compressed by simply rolling the bag up into a cylinder but for extra compression a household hoover can be used to suck all the air out of the bag.
Tangled cables can be a really frustrating problem when travelling - not to mention it can ruin organisation to have loose leads thrown about amongst clothes and toiletries.
This charging cable can help reduce that stress as it has three separate leads, meaning you can charge three devices at once.
The three cable types are USB Type C, USB and Micro USB.
It is compatible with IPhones, Androids and other products such as Kindle’s.
Headphones are an essential travel item but they can be bulky and wired options can get tangled up in luggage.
Wireless headphones can be worn around your neck and you will only need to take them off when going through security.
This pair has a 40 hour battery life which will get you even the worst travel day - delays included.
They’re Bluetooth enabled and can easily pair with your smartphone.
Sunscreen is not an area that you should skimp on even when trying to reduce space in your luggage.
These bottles pack a punch with 30 SPF and 50 SPF for body and face.
They will fit snugly inside your luggage but you will not be compromising on protection.
Hot weather can be the enemy when travelling but this strong antiperspirant will get you through the worst travel days.
The clinically proven deodorant will keep you dry in the long queues and gives up to five days protection.