my unexpected essentials for a long flight (next stop, London!)

This post is sponsored by Virgin Atlantic. All opinions are my own and always will be! Thanks for supporting content that keeps Jojotastic going.

The countdown is ON. I’m heading to London with Virgin Atlantic to celebrate their new direct flights from Seattle to London! We leave tomorrow, so I’ll be sharing all of the amazing places we go, what we eat, and all of the adventures we have, but until then… I’ve put a lot of thought into what to pack for the 10-hour flight. I’ve seen tons of ‘essentials’ lists, so I’m all good there (aka pack a phone charger and medications). But I also tend to bring along a few items that help make traveling a little less stressful.

time to get ready for summer travel. this is the ultimate guide for my unexpected essentials for a long haul flight! get the full list on jojotastic.com

I always pack a few of the ‘expected’ things: a pair of great wireless, noise cancelling headphones, natural hand sanitizer, and my laptop. My favorite travel bag is the Le Sud Overnight bag (c/o Cuyana) and I love the Classic Zip Around Wallet (also c/o Cuyana) for all my receipts, passport, and cash.

time to get ready for summer travel. this is the ultimate guide for my unexpected essentials for a long haul flight! get the full list on jojotastic.com

But here are few more items that are a bit more… unexpected:

a great moisturizing face mask: my skin tends to dry out a bit when I travel so I bring along a small, travel-sized container of my favorite moisturizing mask (I’ll be taking these from Glossier). I have the feeling the other ladies on the trip will want to do masks with me, too!

lip balm: again, moisture! I like Vaseline because I can use it on my cuticles, too.

rose water spray: I promise, after hour 8 this stuff feels amazing.

an oversized scarf: I like to bundle up and even cover my face so I can get in a good nap. This scarf looks especially cozy.

pouches: I hate having to rummage around in my bags for stuff, so I always organize stuff in pouches. I mix and match mine in different colors and patterns so that I can remember what’s in each one. If they all match, then it’s harder for me to recall what’s inside. A pouch can also double as a clutch for evenings out on the town when you’re traveling, too. A few favorite pouch sources are Cuyana, Clare V, and Comme des Garçons.

good vibes: I always pack my favorite crystals with me when I travel. This Etsy shop has an amazing selection.

time to get ready for summer travel. this is the ultimate guide for my unexpected essentials for a long haul flight! get the full list on jojotastic.com

I also packed some books that I’ve been dying to read (Follow Me Into the Dark by Felicia Sullivan and Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald), plus this week’s New Yorker magazine and my Sunday NY Times. I tend to save up my periodical reading for a week or so before I fly since I’ll be able to read them without interruption!

Am I missing anything? I think I’m ready!

For more London inspiration, be sure to check out my pinboard + follow along on Instagram

Photography by Meghan Klein.

Behind The Blog

Joanna Hawley-McBride is a Pacific Northwest-based social media strategist, content creator, and former textile designer. Joanna is the founder and editor-in-chief of Jojotastic, a lifestyle blog focused on Joanna’s work-in-progress cabin, finding the best pair of underwear through #UnderwearThesis, and empowering women to explore nature — all in her signature unfiltered style. Her work has been featured in Domino, CNBC, and Eating Well.

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