Booking economy on a commercial flight can often feel like willingly participating in your own discomfort. The seats are too close together with little support, and the surrounding surfaces are questionably clean. The few inches you are given to tend to a personal bubble can be quickly erased by fellow passengers’ emotions, eating habits, and even bare limbs (I’ll never understand taking your shoes off on a plane). That’s why it’s essential to pack carry-on items that will actually provide elements of ease in an otherwise aggravating setting.

While it’s true that you save relative cash when booking economy, you make up the difference with how much angst you’re willing to endure. Thankfully, I’ve learned which items encourage me to relax, block out the chaos, and settle in. Read on for the five essentials I tuck into my bag before takeoff that prioritize comfort, including the number one carry-on I recommend most.

The Best Carry-On Bag for Effortless Travel

There’s usually no way to travel without packing a carry-on bag. Even the most well-heeled traveler—the person who has flung themself to far-off places and considers airport lounges to be extensions of their living room—often needs a companion to their rolling luggage. The carry-bag is a necessity, and finding the right one can make the difference between fumbling for items and having them at your fingertips.

After years of cycling through various options, the one that best suits my needs is the Catalina Deluxe Tote by Lo & Sons. This canvas bag comes with two compartments, a wide top for odds and ends plus a bottom compartment for shoes, and there’s a sleeve that can attach the bag to my bigger luggage. The zippers are strong, the pockets are generous, and the overall construct is super intentional.

On my recent flight to Chicago, I sat next to a woman who had the exact same bag. “This bag is the best,” I said to her as we sat down. “I feel like everyone should get it,” she responded. So, it’s only fair to tell you what I pack the following items in prior to takeoff. More people should know! Here are the five items I place inside it:

Nalgene 16-Ounce Wide-Mouth Water Bottle

Flight attendants have a hard job: They’re trained to keep passengers safe as they take their orders up and down the aisle. I don’t always like waiting for them to lug the drink cart my way to quench my thirst, so I usually have this Nalgene 16-ounce water bottle on hand. I fill it up at a water fountain in the terminal before a flight, and then refill it if I know it’ll be a while before reaching my hotel. Bottled water is needlessly expensive in terminals, and this is one way around that. Plus, Nagelene’s water bottle has a wide mouth that’s easy to clean on the go.

Brooklinen Silk Eye Mask

Light can be the source of a lot of conflict on a flight. If you’re like me, then you don’t necessarily want to fly in a giant tube with all of the shades down while above landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge and the Swiss Alps. I would like to marvel at these sights from the sky, even when the guy in 13C is angry that I’m casting a glare on his screen. The same thing goes for when I inevitably drift off to sleep during a red-eye, but then the flight attendants turn on all the lights to land — frustrating. To control my own response to light as much as possible, I pack this Brooklinen silk eye mask in my carry-on bag. It makes it so I get complete darkness no matter what’s going on around me, from a brand I love at home.

A Pair of Wired Earbuds

Traveling is usually more enjoyable when you keep things simple: Wearing outfits you already love, trying not to do too much in one day, and trusting in items that don’t overcomplicate your routine. That’s how I feel about bringing wired earbuds with me on flights. I don’t have to worry about charging them, they can block out sound without keeping me in too much of an observational bubble, and I’ll find them if they fall.

I commend people who unpack very expensive headphones on flights, but I’d be too scared to accidentally leave them behind. And I’d also never bring Airpods along just in case they popped out of my ears—airplanes can be a black hole for finding them again. Wired earbuds are straightforward, and I store them in my carry-on bag between trips.

A Compact Travel Blanket

I’m someone who tends to run cold, plus I just like the feeling of being bundled while relaxing or trying to sleep. I used to travel with a scarf to help me stay warm on flights, which are notoriously chilly, but switched to this compact travel blanket for more warmth recently. A blanket might seem like one of those details that takes up unnecessary space in your luggage, particularly if you’re going somewhere hot, but trust me: You’ll be wishing you brought a blanket while shivering at 30,000 feet. Comfort comes more easily when you’re warm!

A Rich Face and Hand Moisturizer

Since it’s no secret that planes aren’t exactly germ-free, you probably already know to bring the following: disinfecting wipes for the tray table and arm rests, plus hand sanitizer for braving the in-flight bathrooms. But these items tend to further dry out your skin in a setting that’s already a soaring dehumidifier—and parched skin is not comfortable for long. That’s why I usually pack a face moisturizer and a hand moisturizer in my bag (they’re just the ones I use at home). By keeping my skin hydrated, I’m much cozier in transit.

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The Flight Edit: 5 Comfort Essentials I Never Travel Without