11 Things You NEED in Your Winter Suitcase (Flight Attendant Approved)
I’m going to let you in on a little secret that might surprise you. I HATE packing. Truly. That’s right, despite being a flight attendant for ELEVEN years now, despite having to constantly pack, unpack, and repack my suitcase, and getting pretty darn good at it, I still find the task very annoying.
The thing that makes packing slightly less terrible is having a routine. Ask any flight attendant what’s in their bag and they will tell you: The same stuff that was in their bag last week, and the week before that, and the week before that, and the week before that. Redundancy, we love it. Routine, we love it. Thinking less, we LOVE it. Most flight attendants have a “layover outfit” we keep in our bag and bring to any city. We have layover shoes that stay in our bag, a layover bikini, even, that’s never worn at home, only in hotels and on beaches far, far away.
I, like most flight attendants, pack the same things over and over again. The clothes in my suitcase are taken out and washed when I get home, and then they are placed right back in it. The bath and body products in my suitcase never even leave my bag. It’s a well-oiled machine. It’s systematic, which makes it easy.
But a couple times a year, the seasons change and so, too, must our rollerboards. In transitioning from a Summer/Fall suitcase to a Winter suitcase, different clothing, footwear, outerwear, and products are required. And since I have been freezing my tail off in Boston, and working said tail off, too, this change of seasons is front of mind.
Today I’m going to tell you about the products I am currently carrying in my winter suitcase. These are some need-to-have items and will help you survive the arctic temperatures, long days, and harsh conditions of traveling in the winter. This list is broken up into four categories: Moisture, SPF, Outerwear, and “In The Lunchbox”, and it works if you’re a flight attendant or just a frequent traveler. Leggo!!!
*Note– This post contains some affiliate links. You won’t pay any more for these items, but if you buy through my link, I’ll earn a small commission to help keep this site running. Win-Win!
Moisture
Winter, in many places, means dry air and dryer skin. Add spending time on an airplane, and you’ve got a recipe for cracked, peeling disaster. This is the most important time of year to have good moisturizing products, especially for flight attendants.
1. For Your Face
Ditch the lightweight gel moisture, and get something heartier and heavier. I am by no means a skinfluencer, but I have been using The Ordinary Moisture + HA. and have found it to be deeply nourishing and not at all greasy. I’m using it day and night at the moment, but if I start getting any dry patches, I’ll move to something heavier for night time.
2. A heavy duty lip balm
I am using this Snow Lip Treatment because it came in our amenity kits from the airplane for a while. It’s good, but I probably wouldn’t spend the $35 on it if I were paying. Check out some of these other options that Range from $7 to $35. Pro tip: Before applying lip treatment, slather lotion—yes, regular face lotion—on your lips. Then seal it in with the lip mask. Take special care to get the edges of your lips if you’re like me and starting to show signs of aging here. I guarantee you will wake up in the morning with plumper, fuller, more youthful looking lips.
For day to day lip moisture, I’m using Eos lip balm. The flavors are good, I feel like it actually moisturizes my lips, and it’s organic, whatever that means in the context of lip balm.
3. A Healing Hand Cream
Lately I have been using this Trader Joe’s hand cream made with shea butter and coconut oil. Paraben free, etc, etc.
4. Don’t forget your feet
This Cerave Healing Ointment has been a game changer for my feet. I swear I used it one night and had significantly softer heels the very next day. For even more moisture, use the lip method above—lotion first THEN healing ointment on top to seal it in.
SPF
5. The BEST Face Sunscreen
Looking at sunscreen as part of your summer routine is really doing your skin a disservice. And this is especially true for flight attendants and pilots, who are twice as likely as the general population to get melanoma, among other skin cancers.
A daily 40+ SPF should be slathered on that pretty face every day of the year. I like Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen because it is clear, instead of white, never feels greasy, and is fragrance free. It’s also cruelty free and excludes the worst toxins found in many drugstore sunscreens. Find out more about the product on their website, or click here to buy it on Amazon.
Outerwear
Obviously the winter requires different clothing than the summer. But these three items will ensure that you have what you need to stay cute, warm, and still have space in your rollerboard.
6. Some Cool Combat Boots
The perfect footwear to look cool and stay warm in any city, all winter long. I’ve had the same pair for years that get folded up into my suitcase for nearly every winter layover. They’re also great commuting boots because of the comfort and style.
Pro tip: Doc Martens are great, but if you want to make these your favorite travel shoes, you NEED a zipper or slip-on style boot. Untying your shoes at security is a b*tch and so is lacing and unlacing every time you want to go to the bathroom on a long flight. (Yes, I fly with my shoes off, and you can too if your feet don’t smell. Those are the rules.)
I liked these boots, below, because they’re simple, have a zipper, and won’t cost you a million dollars.
7. A Packable Jacket
How long have I been telling you you need a packable jacket?! Unless you want to go gallivanting around looking like an aviation nerd in your uniform jacket, you’ll want a lightweight down or down alternative packable jacket. I have been wearing this one from Uniqlo for the past seven years, and it has seen winters in dozens of cities around the world. The feathers are juuuuuuuuusst starting to come out, but for how much I’ve used it, it was a great buy. Highly recommend. Or, you can check out some other alternatives with free shipping here.
8. Warm Accessories
Obviously you need a hat, gloves, and scarf in the winter. If you are a flight attendant like me, walking to work in 10 degree weather in your uniform dress, you also need leg warmers. I’ve been wearing an adorable orange beanie and mitten set from Target that cost me about $8 two years ago, because it matches my uniform. (So cute and stewy!) But whatever color scheme you go with, ensure you have all three. I learned during marathon training in the winter that as long as my fingers, neck, and ears were covered, I could basically take over the world. Or at least keep myself warm. So wrap yourself up like a holiday movie, and suffer less on the go.
Here are some cute sets, if you’re into matchy-matchy.
For the Lunchbox
So far, we’ve discussed items to pack in your winter suitcase. If you’re not a flight attendant, my adding “lunch box” items now probably feels like a curve ball. But fret not, regular people, you can pack these items in your suitcase or carryon, or even your purse.
9. TEA
Coffee is my go-to, and it’s a year round pleasure and necessity. Tea, on the other hand, I enjoy far more in cooler temps. In the fall I start cozying up with hot cups of tea in the afternoon, and I keep it up all through the winter and spring. It is especially nice to have a hot beverage when you’re working on a freezing cold airplane. And there does come a point in time where caffeine is not wise–even for me! Here are the teas I’ve been loving lately:
A simple detox tea that is good for you but doesn’t taste disgusting. Win!
Smooth Move Tea is great if you are one of those people who “can’t go” when they travel. Full disclosure, I don’t drink this on the road, but it’s a great little cleanse once in a while if I have a day off at home.
Decaf Green Tea (plus a TON of fresh ginger).
I hate the taste of green tea, but I know it is supposed to be good for me. So, what’s a girl to do? Chop up some fresh ginger and spice it up! I like feeling a peppery burn when I sip my green tea with ginger. Give it a try!
Get Well Soon Tea from Tea Bazaar in San Diego.
This is my favorite loose leaf tea, and you can get it at their retail store or the Little Italy Farmer’s Market on Saturdays.
10. Vitamins
For me, a non vitamin taker, this means Vitamin C in the form of airborne, Emergen-C, or some generic form of Vitamin C. It may be a placebo, but I don’t care. The mind is powerful, and I want to feel like I’m giving my immune system the best chance possible.
11. HotLogic
As a flight attendant, I am constantly craving a hot meal. During the workday, I’m just eating whatever is in my lunchbox, usually salads and fruit and other cold, healthy items. By the end of a four-day trip I might not have had a single hot meal. As you can imagine, this is tough, and especially so in these cold winter conditions. A HOTLOGIC is the perfect little tool to satisfy those warm and toasty cravings on the go.
HOTLOGIC is an insulated lunchbox-type container that has a heating surface at the bottom. When plugged in it warms food slowly and evenly, so you’re never at risk of burning or drying it out. You can safely heat food in glass, metal, plastic, and cardboard containers in the HOTLOGIC. These tools are great even if you’re not a flight attendant but spend a lot of time in hotels, maybe on the road for work. Nobody likes cold soup, get a HOTLOGIC.
And there you have it folks, my 11 must have items that are always in my winter suitcase. I’m counting down the months until I can take these boots out and pack light again, but until then, I am prepared for the worst of the weather, with cures for my skin, belly, immune system, and poor little ears. Fellow FAs—let me know what’s in your winter suitcase. What products do you swap out when the weather turns, and what can you not live without? Let us know in the comments and don’t be stingy, give us the links!
To those of you living in freezing cold places, I so feel your pain. To those of you spending half your lives in dry, cold, germ-filled airplanes, I totally relate. The good thing is we will all get through it. Only 2 more months to go. Right?
