7 Essential Things to Pack for International Travel: Ultimate Packing List
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate and referral links. This means that if you click through and make a purchase/booking or apply for a credit card, we will earn a small commission or receive a referral bonus with no additional cost to you. We would truly appreciate using the links as these small commissions greatly support the blog and allow us to continue sharing our travel tips! We only recommend accommodations, activities, tours, services, and credit cards that we believe will provide the greatest value for your travel experience. Please consider your financial situation and read the terms and conditions carefully before applying for any credit card.
Packing for an international trip? It always seems like we leave the house, feeling like we forgot something. It can be overwhelming and somewhat stressful to get everything ready and packed for a big trip overseas. However, we will break down an essential packing list, including the must-have items, and we will share some additional things that you could bring with you as well to help you with your travel experience!
Essential Things to Pack for International Travel
It can seem like a lot to prepare for everything you might need for an upcoming international trip, but it doesn’t have to be that complicated. Whether you are traveling for vacation, work, or an adventure, this packing list covers everything you need for stress-free international travel as of 2025!
1. Must-Have Travel Documents
You should never leave for your trip without these items! These would risk canceling or seriously impacting your your travel if you forget one of these items! These are the most important international travel documents to remember to bring:
- Passport
- Visa (if applicable)
- Flight tickets or e-confirmation
- Hotel booking reservation
- Driver’s license or some form of ID.
- Copies of necessary vaccination records (if required in the country)
2. Currency & Payment Essentials
Obviously, having the ability to pay for things during your international travel is extremely important! For international money tips, we reccomend the following items:
- Credit card (or debit card) with no international fees if possible
- Local currency (for taxis, tips, vendors that don’t accept card payments)
- Currency converter app (or at least have an idea of the currency conversion)
- Travel-friendly money belt or RFID wallet
Some of the best international credit cards we reccomend are listed below:
Wise is a useful platform if you want to pay or transfer money from your bank account between different currencies to another foreign bank account:
The type of wallet that Harry uses is a slim minimalist wallet that can fit in your front pockets. It is also RFID protected and allows you to carry multiple cards, IDs, and cash:
Travelambo Slim Wallet Front Pocket Minimalist Leather RFID Blocking Medium Size
3. Travel Tech & Electronics
Of course, you will want to make sure you have the best travel electronics that are necessary to make your life easier during your trip! This is a list of some tech essentials for travelers abroad:
- Smartphone with roaming or eSIM
- Universal travel adapter
- Portable charger (power bank)
- Charging cables
- Headphones (for entertainment)
- Laptop or tablet (if necessary for your trip)
When traveling overseas, it is very helpful to be able to have cellular data to be able to look up information, get directions, book rideshare, and more! If you don’t have an international roaming plan with your cellular service and have eSIM capabilities with your smart phone, we reccomend a service called Airalo! You can purchase an eSIM (very affordable) prior to flying across the country, and it will guide you through the installation process! They have plans including separate countries, regional, and global! You will get options for the duration and amount of data you want included in your eSIM with the option to “top-off” more data if you end up going over your plan while you are overseas! Try the service out for yourself:
Here are some of the best travel electronics that we have personally used and always bring on one of our international trips:
