Photo: Sun Lingyan, Unsplash
What to pack as a non-rev: a carry-on list for standby days
In short
Pack as if you might not get on, and might change airlines on the way.
That means carry-on only, documents within reach, and enough for one unplanned night.
Your first step: check the carry-on limits of every airline on your trip, and pack to the strictest one.
What should you pack when you fly standby? Pack for the trip you planned, and for the one you might end up taking instead. As a non-rev you may wait for a later flight, switch to another airline, or spend a night near the airport. A bag that works for all three keeps a bad day from becoming a worse one.
Why carry-on only
On standby, your bag and you may not end up on the same flight. If you are connecting between two airlines on separate tickets, you may have to collect a checked bag and check it in again at the connection. Heathrow, for example, tells separate-ticket travelers to collect their baggage and go through check-in again (Heathrow). That adds time and another cutoff to miss. Our guide to separate tickets explains why.
With carry-on only:
- you can move to the next flight, or another airline, without waiting for a bag;
- nothing of yours flies without you;
- an unplanned night is easier, because everything you need is with you.
The bag itself: pack to the strictest airline
Carry-on limits are set by each airline, and they differ in size, in weight and in how many items you can bring. Delta, for example, allows one carry-on bag and one personal item, and the bag's measurements may not exceed 22 x 14 x 9 inches (56 x 35 x 23 cm), as of October 7, 2026 (Delta). Other airlines set different sizes, and some set a weight limit as well.
On a trip with two or more airlines, the strictest limit on your trip is your limit. Check each operating airline's published carry-on page before you pack, including any airline you might switch to as a backup.
Documents, within reach
Keep these where you can reach them without opening your main bag:
- Your passport or ID. For US domestic flights, TSA has required a REAL ID-compliant card or another accepted ID since May 7, 2025. Travelers without an acceptable ID must pay a $45 fee (TSA).
- Any visa or travel authorization for the countries you connect in, not only your destination. A connection can need its own document.
- A copy of your staff travel ticket and listing details, printed or saved offline, in case your phone dies or the network is down.
- Your employer's staff travel contact, for when something goes wrong.
Verify before you fly: check the entry and transit rules for every country on your route, for every passport in your group, on the official government pages. Our separate tickets guide links to the main ones.
Dress for the strictest airline too
Airlines can set their own dress codes for staff travelers, so what is fine on one airline may not be on the next. Check the rules of each operating airline on your trip, and wear what meets the strictest of them.
The unplanned night
Pack enough to get through one night you didn't plan:
- Medication for at least an extra day. The CDC advises packing medicine in your carry-on "in case your luggage is lost or delayed", keeping it in its original labeled containers, and taking extra in case of travel delays (CDC).
- Chargers and a power bank. Airlines set rules for power banks, and they differ. Southwest, for example, says a power bank must be carried in the cabin, not in checked luggage, allows one per customer from April 20, 2026, and asks that it be visible when in use (Southwest). Check each airline's rules.
- A change of clothes, at least a shirt and underwear.
- Toiletries within the liquid limit. TSA allows a quart-sized bag of liquids, gels and creams in containers of 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) or less per item (TSA). Other countries set their own rules.
- Snacks and an empty water bottle to fill after security.
Small things that help
- A pen, for arrival forms or notes from the gate.
- A light layer, since cabins and gate areas can be cold.
- An offline map of your connecting airport, with the terminals marked.
- A short list of backup flights, written down, so you are not searching at the gate.
The list
- One carry-on that meets the strictest airline's limit.
- Passport or ID, plus any visa or travel authorization for every stop.
- A copy of your ticket and listing details, saved offline.
- Your employer's staff travel contact.
- Medication for the trip plus extra, in original containers.
- Chargers and a power bank, following each airline's rules.
- A change of clothes and toiletries within the liquid limit.
- A pen, a light layer, snacks and an empty water bottle.
- An offline airport map and your backup flights.
What this means for you
- Check every airline's carry-on page, and pack to the strictest one.
- Keep documents within reach, including any you need for your connections.
- Pack for one extra night, every time.
- Dress for the strictest airline on your trip.
- Write down your backup flights before you leave home.
Rules differ by airline and change. Your employer's staff travel policy always wins.
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