I have no idea how many flights I’ve actually taken.

Having flown in over 40 countries and having multiple flight legs on some of those trips, it’s hard to keep track.

It’s easily 250 different times that I’ve gotten on and off of airplanes. However, it’s probably more likely that it’s well over 300 flights.

From these experiences, I have learned that there are some items I should take (on every flight) in order to ensure an enjoyable flying experience.

Experiment with these for yourself on your next flight.

Maybe you’ll come up with your own list of 5 travel items, or maybe you already have.

Let me know what you take with you on your flights in the comments below…

Flight Must Have #1: Something to read

If you can get lost in whatever you’re reading, your flight will be shorter and you’ll get the benefit of learning something new (usually non-fiction), or getting lost in a fantasy/mystery/drama world (usually fiction). Carrie particularly enjoys the magazines they put on flights. It’s fun to read through the in-flight catalogs and see all of the ridiculous things people buy. I get to read over her shoulder, which she patiently lets me do (most of the time), even though I usually have my own in-flight magazine in front of me.

Flight Must Have #2: Something to see

If you get bored with whatever you’re reading, it’s really easy to distract your mind with something you can watch. This could be your favorite TV programs downloaded so that you can watch them, or a DVD/Blu-Ray portable player, or something on your iPad or iPhone. Having something to watch that’s enjoyable for you can help the flight go by much more quickly. Recommended “feel good” movies include August Rush and Brave.

Flight Must Have #3: Something to do

For me, something to do comes with a laptop. I find flights great times to write blog posts. This particular blog post was written on a flight from Denver to Oklahoma City. For you, something to do might come through a deck of cards, a notepad to sketch in, games to play on your iPad or iPhone, or crossword puzzles or Sudoku. I find I feel good about flights when I use the time well, instead of just passing the time with something to do. But if you enjoy passing the time with cards or puzzles, take something like that along.

Flight Must Have #4: Something fresh to eat

You’re breathing the air of everyone else on your flight, and for me, nothing makes a flight feel better or helps me feel more rejuvenated than eating a crisp apple or an orange halfway through the flight. I like those little cuties oranges, or a green crisp apple. Alternatives could be celery or carrot sticks. Granola bars are also extremely handy for curbing the urge to spend more than necessary on the boxed flight food snack.

Flight Must Have #5: Earplugs

If you really want to sleep on a flight, it is possible (some might argue likely) that there will be a screaming child sat next to or behind you on the flight. Whether it’s a child whose ears aren’t pressurizing, or just atmospheric noise, flights are almost always loud. There’s the noise from the jet engines, constant announcements over the loudspeakers, and other passengers attempting to talk louder than both of these noises. As a result, you will have a loud experience on almost every flight. Really good noise canceling earphones can cost more than $250, but you can buy 1000 sets of earplugs for less than $50.

BONUS – Flight Must Have #6: Someone Special

For me, a flight is going to be better when Carrie is on it. We are familiar with each other’s space and habits, and we enjoy being in each other’s space. More than that, she makes me smile and laugh, and that will always make you feel good and enjoy your flight more. Alternatively, you could try to make the person who’s sitting next to you, your new “someone special.” This could result in a better flight, but could also have the opposite effect. Whether or not our seat companion is going to be our new friend is usually a judgment call I make on the fly.

And those are my five Travel Items and suggestions for flights.

These help me to make planes enjoyable.

What about you?

What are your favorite or “must have” items for airplanes or flights?