Packing Tips
(Without the Chaos).
Pick your trip type, steal a checklist, and stop paying baggage fees for fun.
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Build Your Packing List
Pick your trip. Get a list that actually makes sense. No generic "pack a toothbrush" nonsense.
Carry-On Only & Hand Luggage Rules
Everything you need to ditch the checked bag without missing a thing. Liquid rules, size limits, what to leave behind.
Pack Faster (Last-Minute + No-Stress)
Procrastinators, this one's for you. How to pack properly in under an hour without forgetting anything important.
Travel Light: Minimalist Packing Guides
The art of getting a week's worth of stuff into a bag that fits under the seat. Yes, it's possible.
Tech Packing (Laptops, Chargers, Batteries)
Power banks, laptop rules, adapters, and how to not be the person frantically hunting for a plug at the airport.
Family Packing
Packing for kids is a sport. Here's how to cover all ages, all trip lengths, without the full removal van.
Beach & Hot Weather Packing
Sun cream ratios, beach bag logic, and why you never need more than two swimwear options. Two is plenty.
Cold Weather & Winter Packing
Layers, bulky coats, boots that weigh a ton. How to pack for cold without your bag becoming a furniture item.
Airline Baggage Allowance Hub
2026 rules for the big airlines. Know what you can take, what it'll cost you, and how to never pay a gate bag fee again.
The 100ml rule, and where it no longer applies
The single most confusing thing about packing right now. Here's the honest version, correct as of September 2026.
There is no single UK liquid rule any more. GOV.UK now says it plainly: the rules depend on the airport, and you have to check the one you're flying from, plus anywhere you transfer through and your return airport. At most airports the limit is still 100ml per container. Airports with certified CT scanners can allow containers up to 2 litres, with no clear bag and no cap on how many you carry.
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| Where you're flying from | Container limit | Clear bag? | What it means for packing |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK airports running certified CT scanners. As of September 2026 that included Heathrow, Gatwick, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Bristol and the Belfast airports | Up to 2 litres | No | Full-size sun cream and a water bottle are fine. Liquids and laptops stay in the bag |
| Most other UK airports, including Manchester, Stansted and Luton | 100ml | Often not needed, but the 100ml cap stays | Decant everything. Minis or refillable bottles |
| Your return or transfer airport | Whatever that airport enforces | Depends | This is the trap. A 500ml bottle allowed on the way out can be binned on the way home |
| Flights to or within the United States | 100ml, TSA 3-1-1 | Yes | No relaxation at US checkpoints. Pack to 100ml |
Watch out: security applies where you depart, not where you land. Two legs, two rule sets, one bag. The rollout also moves airport by airport, so check your specific airport's security page in the week before you fly. If you can't be bothered, pack to 100ml and you'll never have a problem. Full detail in our guide to the airport 100ml liquid rule.
Will it fit the 1-litre bag?
For 100ml airportsTick what you're taking. If the bar turns orange, something is getting binned at security.
0 containers, 0ml of a 1 litre bag
The bag has to be one transparent resealable bag of about a litre, roughly 20cm by 20cm, and everything must fit comfortably enough to seal it. Medicines, baby milk and special dietary liquids are exempt from the cap, but declare them before screening.
Will my bag fit?
Cabin bag sizerPut your airline's allowance in the top row and your actual bag in the bottom. It measures both ways, because bags rarely go in the sizer the way you expect.
Measure with the wheels and handles, because the sizer does. Grab your airline's real numbers from our easyJet, Ryanair, Jet2 and British Airways baggage guides.
Your packing countdown
Packing goes wrong because it all happens at 1am the night before. Put your flight date in and spread it over a week instead.
Nothing is saved or sent anywhere. It just does the maths so you don't have to.
Tinker's Tip: lay everything out on the bed two days before, then put half of it back. I have never once got home and wished I'd brought more clothes. More of this in our minimalist packing guide.
Packing Rules That Actually Matter
The short version. Save this before your next trip.
Rules That Save You Money
Rules That Save Your Sanity
Documents & Backups
What goes where
The items that get pulled out at security, and the ones that get your bag opened in the hold. Rules below follow the UK hand luggage guidance.
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| Item | Hand luggage | Hold | The reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power banks and spare lithium batteries | Yes | No | Fire risk nobody can reach at 35,000 feet. Check the capacity limit with your airline |
| Laptops, tablets, cameras | Yes | Best avoided | Valuables aren't covered the same way if a checked bag goes missing |
| E-cigarettes and vapes | Yes, on you | No | Same battery rule, and you can't charge them on board |
| Essential medication | Yes | Yes, but keep some with you | Exempt from the liquid cap, but declare it and carry a prescription or letter |
| Lighter | One only, kept on you | No | Not in the hold, and not back in your bag after screening |
| Frozen liquids, including ice packs | No | Yes | Not allowed through security in hand luggage at all |
| Scissors, razors with loose blades, tools | No | Yes | Sharp items go in the hold. Safety razors with the blade fitted are the usual exception |
| Passport, cards, keys, house documents | Yes | Never | If the bag vanishes, so does your trip |
| One change of clothes | Yes | The rest | Delayed bags are common. A clean t-shirt saves a miserable day one |
Good to know: airport security staff can refuse anything they think is dangerous, even when the rules say it's allowed. Arguing at the scanner has never once worked. If an item matters to you, put it in the hold or leave it at home. If a bag does go missing, our travel compensation guides cover how to claim.
Sources checked
- GOV.UK hand luggage restrictions at UK airports, lighters, frozen liquids, sharp items and the general rules
- GOV.UK liquids guidance, the 100ml cap, the 2-litre exception and the clear bag requirement
- GOV.UK electronic devices guidance, batteries and devices in hand luggage
Checked September 2026. Security rules change and airports vary, so check your own airport before you fly.
Every packing guide we've written
Straight to the one you need, without scrolling back up.
When Things Go Wrong at the Airport
Even perfect packing can't stop the airline losing your bag. Here's what to do.
Packing Questions Answered
The questions everyone asks before they start stuffing the bag.
Do I really need a packing list?
What should always go in my carry-on?
What liquids are allowed at airport security?
Which UK airports have dropped the 100ml rule?
Can I bring power banks and batteries on a plane?
Can I take a razor or scissors in hand luggage?
Can I take food in my hand luggage?
How do I avoid overweight baggage fees?
How do I never pay a gate bag fee again?
How far ahead should I start packing?
Should I roll or fold my clothes?
Are packing cubes actually worth it?
What if my checked bag gets lost?
Travel lighter. Stress less. Actually enjoy the journey.
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