You can’t take razors, but you can get disposables in the airport of arrival.
Bringing water is a good idea, but I prefer not to bring too large a bottle: if the aisle is busy (food cart for example) I use my bottle, if not I call the attendants. No reason to carry around 3 bulky pounds of something that, because it sloshes around, keeps changing the center of gravity of my carry-on.
My favorite flying shoes are sneakers with Velcro, so they’re easy to take off when the guys at US security make me. And the Velcro means I can loosen them up without taking them off, as well.
Carry only essentials. I prefer to buy a new book at the airport.
My own list for the last 3 years of frequent flying:
laptop (can’t be checked due to company policies)
change of underwear; extra “top” (not a blouse but not a Tshirt either). None of the people I visited would be offended if I lost my luggage and wore the same clothes two days in a row.
deodorant, smalll size.
this you don’t need… two tampons, two individually packaged and very slim pads. They’ve come in handy for less-prepared travellers as well. The attendants carry, but they’re usually some lousy brand that nobody would actually buy for herself.
one notepad and one pen. The notepad is rigid-back, so I can change position when I use it. I like scribbling and doodling.
All of the above fits into one of those “executive handbags”.
passport, driver’s license and tickets go into one of those pouches you hang from your neck.
national ID and credit cards in one pocket. Some cash in another. Enough cash for meals and a book at the airport in my wallet.
if I’m travelling someplace for 1-2 days, I just bring the stuff above, with as much underwear as needed. If I’m going to stay someplace for 3-4 days, I bring a bigger carry-on, one that fits under most airplane seats, and I add more underwear and a full change of clothes to the above. No need to be checking in and waiting for a huge suitcase full of air. Only if I’m staying 5 nights or longer do I bother with a suitcase. After all, most of the places I visited were factories, so nobody expected visitors to wear suits
I’m not exactly what you’d call a frequent flyer, but I do fly across the Atlantic, with kids, about every other year. I’ve found that a backpack for each person is just about perfect - fella bilong missus flodnak and I take a college-sized backpack each, and the kids take their school/kindergarten backpacks.
In each backpack there are two ziplock bags. One contains everything that person absolutely needs the first night: toothbrush and paste, pajamas, contact lens stuff for the fella, and when the kids took daily allergy medicines, that would go in there (sealed in its own little ziplock bag). The other contained everything else for the first morning, which essentially means clean underwear and socks and a clean T-shirt. Press the air out of those bags, and they take up surprisingly little space. I was very glad to have them when we flew to the States this last Christmas, because our luggage was delayed for five flippin’ days.
Other than that, we take reading material, small toys for the kids, and some snacks for them in case they don’t like what they are served. (Once our reservations for kiddy meals were just lost without a trace; another time, we missed a connection and got bounced to another flight - which had no extra kids’ meals, of course. So I’ve learned to be prepared.) I don’t bother with water, as it’s bulky and heavy and you can always get it on board; on intercontinental flights the attendants often come around with water and cups every hour or so, and in between you can always ask.
One tip: your flight to Europe is almost certainly overnight, correct? Eat supper at the airport during your layover. Once you’re in the air, just settle down to relax, and say No Thanks to meal service. Drink water, but no caffeinated drinks or alcohol. You’ll get more and better rest, and feel better the next morning.
Oh, almost forgot - I wanted to add my reassurances that the language issue will not be a problem. Everyone who works with the public at major European airports speaks at least some English. Security, Immigration and Customs people will be fluent. Signs will be posted in several languages, English included.
If you are asked the reason for your visit, “vacation” or “visiting relatives” is fine, and usually all they want to know. Still, it doesn’t hurt to have your return ticket somewhere on your person, in case they want to see it as proof you don’t intend to stay.
My experience, and the scuttlebutt from other Yanks abroad, is that neither the events of September 2001 nor the Schengen common-borders agreement has made a huge change for US citizens entering Europe. But be sure to be at your gate on time when returning to the US, as there will be an extra security check.
I’m glad I dropped in; I’m not a frequent flier either and thought I could get some useful pointers for an upcoming trip to Boston. It’ll be a redeye, unfortunately, so the advice about bringing moist wipes and some things to change into sounds very useful. Especially so since we arrive around 6am and presumably won’t be able to check into our room until early afternoon.
I’ve also heard you shouldn’t take off your shoes for a long flight; supposedly the low pressure in the cabin makes your feet swell and it can be very hard to get your shoes back on. I never tried taking them off on my trans-atlantic flights, so I don’t know if they were being overly cautious or not.
It can also be useful to have the address you’ll be staying at handy, in case they’re going to be awkward.
I’ve never heard this one before, and never seen anybody struggling with their clown-sized feet, either …I’ve heard other reasons for not taking them off, such as it could impede you in an emergency, but this goes counter to standard safety procedure (women are asked to remove high-heels as part of preparation for any emergency landing).
Your feet may swell on a plane, but the idea that this is due to low cabin pressure appears to be one of those travellers’ myths. Any time you sit still for a long time, whether at a desk, on a bus, or on a plane, your feet will swell. The normal daily movements of your legs help pump lymphatic fluid back up out of your feet and lower legs; take away that movement and gravity will take over. So don’t wear tight shoes. Never heard of anyone having trouble getting, say, ordinary sneakers back on, though.
On the other hand, you might find it’s too drafty along the floor of the plane to be comfortable without shoes, unless you bring warm socks or slippers.
Please be sure to include on the <b>inside</b> of your checked luggage, contact information for your destination. Tags come off. Hell I’ve seen handles which had destination tags attached completely broken off. If the airline can pop open your bag and find sitting on top of everything else, an itinary with contact information for you, at your final destination, you will be reunited with your stuff rather quickly. Be sure no medications, wallets or house or car keys are inside your checked luggage.
I’ve even seen passengers have checked luggage go missing with their return paper tickets inside them, have to purchase new tickets because there is no proof that the tickets are in the bag we lost.
…I’ve heard other reasons for not taking them off, such as it could impede you in an emergency, but this goes counter to standard safety procedure (women are asked to remove high-heels as part of preparation for any emergency landing).