The Carry-On Packing Checklist: What to Pack, TSA Rules, and How to Fit It All (2026)

Traveling with only a carry-on removes the checked-bag fee, the baggage carousel, and the risk of an airline losing your luggage. The catch is discipline: every item has to earn its place, your liquids have to follow one specific rule, and a handful of things will get pulled at the checkpoint if packed wrong. This carry-on packing checklist covers what to pack, current TSA rules, and how to fit it all into one bag.

Know Your Bag Size First

Most major U.S. airlines, including United, Delta, American, and Southwest, cap carry-on bags at 22 × 14 × 9 inches (56 × 35 × 23 cm). That measurement includes wheels and handles, which is where a lot of bags quietly fail a rigid gate sizer even though the shell dimensions look close.

Gate agents are increasingly using rigid sizers and automated scanners, so a bag that "basically fits" is no longer a reliable bet. If your bag does not pass the sizer, it gets gate-checked, which often means a fee and a wait at the carousel.

You also get a personal item, typically a bag that fits under the seat in front of you, around 17 × 10 × 9 inches. Personal item dimensions vary by airline.

One note on Basic Economy fares: some airlines allow only a personal item in Basic Economy, not a full carry-on in the overhead bin. Check your fare class before assuming you have overhead access.

The Pagosa Carry On is built to the 22 × 14 × 9.25-inch standard, so the shell, wheels, and handle all sit inside the airline limit. It expands when you need the room and includes internal packing cubes. See the best 22 × 14 × 9 carry-on luggage for a broader comparison of bags that hit the airline spec.

The Carry-On Packing Checklist

The list below covers a 3 to 7 day trip. Work down it the night before you fly.

Documents and Money

• Photo ID or passport (check expiration; some countries require 6 months of remaining validity)
• Boarding pass (digital and one printed backup)
• Credit and debit cards (two, kept in separate places)
• Small amount of local cash
• Travel insurance details
• Visas, vaccination records, or entry documents if required
• Hotel and reservation confirmations (save an offline copy)
• Emergency contact card

Can't-Replace Essentials

• Phone
• Wallet and keys
• Prescription medications in original labeled containers
• Glasses or contacts, plus a backup pair
• Reusable water bottle (empty it through security, then fill it after)
• Pen (for landing cards and customs forms)

Clothing

Plan outfits, not individual items.

• Tops: roughly one per day, minus a couple you will re-wear
• Bottoms: 2 to 3 that pair with every top
• Underwear and socks: one per day plus one spare
• One layer, such as a sweater, fleece, or light jacket
• Sleepwear
• One dressier outfit if the trip calls for it
• Comfortable walking shoes (wear the bulkiest pair on the plane)
• Swimwear if relevant
• Packable rain shell or a compact umbrella

Toiletries

All liquids and gels must follow the TSA 3-1-1 rule covered in the next section.

• Toothbrush and travel-size toothpaste
• Deodorant (solid sticks are not subject to the liquids rule; gel and spray formats are)
• Travel-size shampoo and conditioner, or shampoo and conditioner bars (bars skip the liquids rule entirely)
• Travel-size body wash
• Skincare and moisturizer in travel sizes
• Sunscreen in a travel size, or plan to buy at your destination
• Razor (safety and disposable razors are allowed in carry-on bags)
• Contact lens solution in a travel size, or see the medical exemption below
• Makeup; liquids and gels count toward the quart bag
• One quart-size, clear, resealable zip bag for all liquid and gel toiletries

Tech

• Phone charger and cable
• Power bank or portable charger; must go in carry-on, not checked bag (see the next section for why)
• Universal adapter if traveling internationally
• Headphones
• Laptop or tablet plus charger, if you genuinely need it
• E-reader
• Multi-port charger to reduce the cable count

If you want to charge devices in the overhead bin without pulling out the power bank, the Archer Carry On includes a USB charging port built into the bag.

Comfort and Extras

• Reusable tote or packable daypack
• Snacks (solid food passes security without restriction)
• Eye mask and earplugs
• Small first-aid kit with bandages, pain reliever, and personal essentials
• A few laundry detergent sheets for re-wearing clothes on longer trips

TSA Liquids Rule (3-1-1), Explained

Most checkpoint problems come down to one rule. Per TSA guidelines, liquids, aerosols, gels, creams, and pastes in your carry-on must follow the 3-1-1 rule:

• 3.4 ounces (100 ml) or less per container
• One quart-size, clear, resealable bag to hold them all
• One bag per passenger

The size on the container is what counts, not how much liquid is inside. A half-empty 8-ounce shampoo bottle fails the rule even though it holds well under the limit.

What counts as a liquid or gel: shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, sunscreen, lotion, liquid foundation, mascara, gel deodorant, aerosol deodorant, peanut butter, and soft cheeses or spreads.

What does not count: solid deodorant sticks, bar soap, solid perfume, powder makeup, and lip balm. These go anywhere in your bag.

Tip: Shampoo bars and conditioner bars are not subject to the liquids rule at all. Switching to solid formats frees up the entire quart bag for skincare, sunscreen, and toiletries that only come in liquid form.

Exemptions; declare these separately at the checkpoint:

The TSA allows reasonable quantities of the following above 3.4 ounces. These do not go in the quart bag, but you must declare them to the officer for separate screening before the bag goes through the scanner.

• Prescription and over-the-counter medications, including liquid prescriptions
• Infant formula, breast milk, and baby food

Items That Must Travel in Your Carry-On

Some items are prohibited in checked baggage and must fly in the cabin with you. Getting this wrong means the item gets confiscated at check-in.

Power banks and spare lithium batteries are the most commonly confiscated item at check-in. Both are prohibited in checked baggage by TSA and the airlines. They must travel in your carry-on. Standard power banks under 100 watt-hours are allowed without restriction. Batteries between 101 and 160 watt-hours require airline approval and are limited to two per person.

Medications should travel in the carry-on regardless. If an airline loses or delays your checked bag, a medication that was in it becomes inaccessible until the bag is recovered.

Fragile electronics and valuables, including cameras, laptops, and jewelry, belong in the carry-on. Checked bags are handled roughly, and most airlines disclaim liability for fragile items.

What Not to Bring in Your Carry-On

The rules below are current as of 2026. Verify the full list at TSA.gov before flying.

• Full-size liquids: anything over 3.4 ounces or 100 ml goes in a checked bag or stays home.
• Scissors with blades longer than 4 inches from the pivot point: small scissors under that length are allowed.
• Knives of any kind, including pocketknives and box cutters. These must be checked.
• Loose razor blades and replacement blade cartridges: safety razors with the blade seated in the handle are fine; loose blades are not.
• Most tools longer than 7 inches, and any tool that could function as a weapon.
• Self-defense items, including pepper spray and stun guns. These are generally not permitted in carry-on bags; rules vary for checked bags.

How to Fit a Week Into One Carry-On

Fitting a week of travel into 22 × 14 × 9 inches is a method, not a miracle.

1. Start with a bag built to the specification. A bag engineered to the airline limit uses every cubic inch. A bag that "basically fits" wastes space and still risks the sizer. The Pagosa Carry On and the Silverwood Softside Carry On (6.48 lb and the lightest in the lineup) both sit within the spec.

2. Roll soft clothes, fold structured ones. Roll tees, underwear, and knits to save space and cut wrinkles. Fold blazers and dress shirts flat on top.

3. Use packing cubes. One cube for tops, one for bottoms, one for underwear and socks. Packing cubes turn a loose pile into stackable bricks and make checkpoint repacking fast. The Pagosa Carry On includes internal packing cubes. For technique, see the guide on how to pack a suitcase with packing cubes.

4. Fill every dead space. Stuff socks inside shoes. Tuck chargers and cables along the frame edges. A well-designed carry-on has more usable volume than it looks once you eliminate air pockets.

5. Wear your bulkiest items on the plane. Heaviest shoes, jacket, and extra layers go on your body, not in the bag.

6. Put the liquids bag on top. It comes out at the checkpoint. Make it the last item packed and the first item out.

7. Load the personal item for in-flight access. Documents, tech, chargers, medications, and anything you want during the flight go in the underseat bag, so the overhead stays closed once the door shuts. The Edinburgh II Underseat Spinner is a structured hard-shell underseat bag with a TSA-approved lock.

If you can lift the loaded bag into the overhead bin one-handed without straining, you packed it right. If you cannot, take something out.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should you not put in a carry-on bag?

Knives of any kind, scissors with blades over 4 inches, liquids over 3.4 ounces, most tools longer than 7 inches, and self-defense items. Note that the reverse also applies: power banks and spare lithium batteries cannot go in checked bags and must travel in your carry-on.

Can I bring a power bank in my carry-on?

Yes, and in fact you must. Power banks and spare lithium batteries are prohibited in checked baggage by TSA and the airlines. Standard power banks under 100 watt-hours are allowed in carry-on without restriction. Batteries from 101 to 160 watt-hours require airline approval.

What size carry-on fits in the overhead bin?

Most major U.S. airlines cap carry-on bags at 22 × 14 × 9 inches (56 × 35 × 23 cm), including wheels and handles. Confirm the limit with your specific airline before flying, as low-cost carriers sometimes have tighter restrictions.

Do solid toiletries count as liquids for TSA?

No. Solid shampoo bars, conditioner bars, solid deodorant sticks, bar soap, and solid perfume are not subject to the TSA 3-1-1 liquids rule. They do not need to go in the quart bag.

Can I bring prescription medication in my carry-on?

Yes. Medications, including liquid prescriptions above 3.4 ounces, are allowed in carry-on bags in reasonable quantities. Keep them in original labeled containers and declare them to the TSA officer separately at the checkpoint.

The Bottom Line

Get the bag size right, follow the 3-1-1 rule, and keep the power bank in the cabin. Pack outfits instead of options and use packing cubes to stay organized. If you can lift the loaded bag overhead with one hand, you packed it correctly.

TSA rules and airline size limits are current as of Aug 2026. Confirm current requirements with the TSA and your airline before you fly.