Create Your International Travel Packing List

International travel can be exhilarating, whisking you away to different scenery, climates, cultures, and time zones. Long before you arrive at your destination, however, you must take on the task of deciding what to bring.

What you pack is vital on international trips. International travel usually means longer stretches on airplanes and other modes of transportation. You may worry about how you’ll pass the time or whether your toddlers will behave.

Traveling internationally can also cause anxiety since you’ll be so far from home and your routine, having to adjust to new surroundings and cultures. What if you need something specific? Will you be able to find it in a foreign country?

Many of these worries and anxieties can be eased by simply creating a personalized and thorough international travel packing list.

This guide provides the resources to help you create that perfect list, including what travel documents you might need, essentials you can’t forget on a family vacation, what you need for beach destinations, and how to identify travel essentials for families with or without babies in tow. It also provides you with templates and apps to make the process easier.

 

International Travel Documents Checklist

When traveling outside your own country, you need to know which travel documents are required for passing between country borders.

An international travel documents checklist might include:

• Passport – Make sure your passport isn’t expired and that it will be valid the entire length of your stay. Also note that some countries require your passport to be valid for 3 or more months past the end of your stay in case you prolong your trip for any reason.
  
  

• Visa – Not everyone is required to have a visa for international travel. For example, U.S. citizens can travel to many countries for short-term travel without a visa. You can learn more on your country’s government website. (If you’re a U.S. citizen, visit https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages.html, enter your country, and check requirements under “Quick Facts.”)
  
  

• Proof of travel medical insurance – Some countries require health insurance that meets specific requirements for entry. Others may require that you purchase their own insurance plan. Some visas, like the J-1 visa for the U.S., also require travel health insurance that meets certain specifications. You may be able to provide this proof in the form of a visa letter that your insurance company can provide to you.
  
  

• Birth certificate – Required for babies under two years old if you aren’t purchasing a separate seat for them on a plane.

Travel restrictions and requirements often vary based on your country of citizenship, where you are traveling, and how long you are staying in a country, so you’ll need to familiarize yourself with these early on in your planning.

 

Additional Travel Documents to Add to Your List During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The pandemic is directly affecting international travel. In turn, additional travel documents may be required for travel to another country during COVID-19. As to the answer of “Do I need a COVID test to fly?”, contact all the airlines you are traveling with for further guidance.

You can also find out the details for each country by consulting an interactive travel restrictions map. It can help you determine the current entry requirements for your destination, including whether health-related documents, vaccines, and/or COVID testing are necessary. This can be particularly useful for countries with quickly changing policies as they adapt to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Be sure to add the following to your international travel checklist during COVID (if necessary):

• Health pass – Some countries are currently requiring a health pass to be completed due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Health passes may include answering questions about your current health, uploading proof of a negative COVID-19 test, uploading your vaccine card, and/or submitting proof of required insurance.
  
  

• Vaccine card and/or proof of a negative COVID-19 test – If your destination country requires you to provide your vaccine card and/or proof of a negative COVID-19 test, be sure to list these separately on your travel documents checklist—even if they’re part of a required health pass. This will ensure you don’t overlook them.

Also, before you depart, be clear on what the requirements are for returning to your home country so you are prepared upon your return. For example, your home country may require travelers to present a negative COVID-19 test in order to return to the country. Keep in mind, citizens of their destination country may not have as many requirements as non-citizens.

 

PRO TIP: Be sure you know which types of tests and which manufacturers are acceptable for meeting the COVID-19 testing requirements for your destination country. Many countries require a PCR test.

 

What to Pack for Family Vacation Checklist

Family travel brings with it unique challenges, whether your children are still babies, growing toddlers, or even teenagers. You’ve got your hands full, and this is where a “what to pack for family vacation checklist” could be a valuable resource. It could mean you are more prepared for unexpected challenges that come from family travel.

Include these items on your list:

• Clothing, starting from the bottom layer (underwear and socks) up to the top layers (pants, shorts, tops) for all situations (casual daily wear, dressy events, working out, sleeping)
  
  

• Shoes, including casual, dressy, and activity-specific shoes such as hiking boots or water shoes
  
  

• Safety essentials, such as masks, hand sanitizer, sanitizing wipes, sunscreen, bug spray, sunglasses, hats, or hand warmers
  
  

• Medical supplies, including prescriptions, thermometer, over-the-counter pain relief medications, and a first-aid kit with band-aids and the like
  
  

• Toiletries, including shampoos, deodorants, makeup, brush/comb, toothbrushes and toothpaste, razors, contact solution and case, and skincare (make sure everything is travel sized and TSA approved)
  
  

• Personal items for each member of the family, such as eyeglasses, cell phones, laptops, chargers, headphones, jewelry, retainers, and travel journals
  
  

• Universal travel adapters, cords, and chargers

An international travel packing list for babies will differ slightly from that of families with older children. Babies need certain things that are non-negotiable for the travel itself and upon arrival.

A baby travel packing list might include:

• Diapers

• Wipes

• Diaper rash cream (travel size)

• Pacifiers

• Bottles

• Snacks

• Bibs

• Stroller

• Baby blankets

• Favored toys, such as a stuffed animal

• Thermometer and other health needs

There are several checklists available online, so you may want to print out a baby travel checklist pdf to guide you further.

Since international travel often means traveling longer, you want to consider how to stay occupied and comfortable. Travel essentials for family might include magazines, books, earplugs, headphones, inflatable pillows, snacks, and medications.

Add on travel essentials for kids such as coloring books and crayons, travel games, books, and snacks to occupy their time.

Discover tips on how to fly with kids before leaving home to make your travel easier and less stressful in the long run.

 

Packing List for Beach Vacations

Beach travel abroad is unique to other types of travel, so your packing list will differ from other destination types.

Your packing list for beach vacations will mostly include:

• Shorts

• Casual tops and t-shirts

• Swimsuits

• Swim coverups

• Jeans and other pants

• Skirts or dresses

• Light sweater or jacket

• Underwear

• Hats

• Sunglasses

• Water shoes

• Sandals

• Toiletries, including toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, shampoo and conditioner, brush/comb, deodorant, razors, sunscreen, skincare, aloe-vera gel, contact solution, make-up, hand sanitizer, first aid kit, and insect repellant

• Medications

• Refillable water bottles

• Essential travel documents

• Entertainment items, including a deck of cards or game to play out on the patio, books, magazines, puzzle books, as well as cords and chargers

You may be able to bring a few pieces of beach gear if you have room, such as your favorite beach towels and waterproof cell phone case. But you will save a lot of space in your luggage if you wait and borrow, rent, or purchase others at your beach destination, such as:

• Beach umbrella

• Beach chairs

• Beach blanket

• Beach toys, such as balls, frisbees, sand shovels, and pails

• Floats

• Swim goggles

• Snorkel gear

A packing list for a baby beach vacation will include additional items such as a supply of swim diapers, a sun hat, and floaties.

Print out a checklist so you can be sure to include everything you need for your baby.

 

Don’t Forget Travel Essentials

International travel not only involves long flights or rides, but also time spent waiting in airports, train stations, and other venues before arriving at your final destination.

To pass the time, carry a few travel essentials with you. Consider adding any of the following to your carry-on bag for both you and your family members:

• Headphones

• Earplugs

• Sweater or light jacket

• Warm socks

• Refillable water bottle

• Snacks

• Medications

• Sanitizing wipes

• Masks and hand sanitizer

• Books

• Magazines

For children, consider bringing along any of the following:

• Coloring books

• Puzzle books

• Favorite stuffed animal

• Travel games

You may want to print out a carry-on packing pdf so you can refer to it often as you prepare for your trip.

Also, check out a travel essentials website. These resources may offer everything you need, from sturdy carry-on bags to inflatable pillows and favorite games which take up minimal space.

By preparing ahead of time with the help of international travel checklists, either as printable PDFs or online apps, you can feel more confident and relaxed once you arrive at your destination.

 

Travel Packing List Template

Knowing what to pack can be overwhelming when it involves an international destination. Whether you’re traveling on an international family vacation or for business, a travel packing list template can lessen the stress of preparing for your trip.

Print out a travel packing checklist pdf and keep it with your suitcases. Start collecting items at least a week prior to your trip so you don’t have to rush and risk the chance of forgetting something.

There are several lists available online to guide you. An international travel checklist pdf is available for family travel with any age child, as well as for infants.

Specialty lists are also available to help ensure you pack everything you need for whatever reason you travel. For example, a business travel checklist pdf can ease the strain of preparing for a trip and let you focus on work priorities while you are away.

If you’re traveling solo or even as a family but don’t want to waste time checking in luggage, the one-bag option could be for you. You’ll need to strategically consider everything you include in this one bag, as there’s only so much room. Download a one bag packing list pdf for carry-on luggage online to help you decide what’s most important to bring.

 

Travel Checklist App

Instead of printing out a list, today, you also have access to numerous travel checklist app options to help you create an international travel packing list on your phone or tablet.

Check out the following and choose one that meets your needs:

• Packing Pro – A powerful app made for families and larger groups, Packing Pro provides comprehensive lists for every need. (IOS)
  
  

• PackTeo – PackTeo offers premade and customizable lists for different types of trips, or you can manually create your own. This app comes with a unique list generator to help you plan better. (Android)
  
  

• Packr – Packr creates a packing list based on your destination’s weather conditions after you input your dates of travel. It also allows for multi-destination trips. (IOS)
  
  

• PackPoint – Input your destination, dates of travel, and activities you plan to participate in, and PackPoint will devise a packing list unique to you. (IOS & Android)
  
  

• TrekPack – For those planning an outdoor adventure, TrekPack ensures you pack the essentials for hiking and other outdoor activities. (IOS & Android)
  
  

• OneBag – This app helps you pack light, packing everything you need in just one bag. (Android)