AARP Hearing Center
10 Items Every Traveler Over 50 Should Pack When Traveling Abroad
Set off with confidence, knowing you have these essentials on your international travel checklist
As we age, items that prioritize health and comfort earn a place on our packing lists when traveling abroad.
AARP (Getty Images, 4; Shutterstock, 4)
Key takeaways
- The number of adults 50 and older adding international travel to their plans rose in 2026.
- Travelers over 50 prioritize packing items that support comfort, health and mobility, including lightweight luggage and sleep aids.
- Practical backups such as paper travel documents and a personalized first aid kit can help mitigate potential problems abroad.
Unique challenges are baked into traveling abroad. Long plane rides, time zone changes, often navigating unfamiliar cities and generally going without the comforts of home are just some of the difficulties, all of which can become more challenging as we age.
None, however, appear to be a major deterrent for older Americans. For the second year in a row, travelers 50 and up added international travel to their agenda, according to 2026’s AARP Travel Trends survey. But how older adults pack for an international trip takes a little more care.
More Ways to Benefit
- Related Benefit 1
- Related Benefit 2
- Related Benefit 3
- Related Benefit 4
- Related Benefit 5
Alice Wright, 60, of Panoramic Pathways, the travel guide website she founded with her husband, Fred, 62, says that over the years their overseas packing list has subtly shifted.
“We’ve found that a few things have become especially important to pack — not because we need more stuff but because we want to stay healthy, comfortable and active throughout a trip,” she says. “My rule is to pack for the traveler you are now, not the traveler you were at 25.”
Wright and other trip planners and travelers over 50 weighed in on the essentials that have worked their way onto their international trip packing and preparation list. They go beyond standards such as a current passport, universal power adapters and water bottles, to address the comfort, health and happiness of older travelers.
1. Lightweight luggage
It’s not just a matter of money, since packing light helps travelers avoid additional or overweight baggage fees. As we age, it’s also about maneuverability. Wright says that traveling light has become one of her top priorities.
“Overseas travel can mean lifting a suitcase onto trains and luggage racks, carrying it up stairs and pulling it over cobblestones,” she says. “Start with a lightweight bag and don’t pack for every possible scenario. Just because you can lift a 45-pound suitcase doesn’t mean you want to spend your vacation doing it.”
2. Travel insurance
The older we get, the more we tend to shell out for trips, according to Insure My Trip’s latest trend report. It makes sense, then, that protecting that investment gets increasingly important. Add in the increased possibility of a medical emergency, which can be hard to navigate when outside of your home country.
“Many people don’t know that Medicare does not follow you overseas, so a medical evacuation in a foreign place can run tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket,” says Greg Jung, chief marketing officer at Seven Corners Travel Insurance. He’s in his 50s and doesn’t travel abroad without coverage for that worst-case scenario.
3. A cross-body bag
Losing important items can be especially difficult in a foreign land. Keeping them close is your best prevention tactic.
“Unfortunately, seniors are often unfairly perceived as easier targets for pickpockets, so having a bag where you can see and protect your valuables, such as your phone, passport, cards and cash, is a sensible precaution,” says Sunil Gupta, cofounder and senior travel adviser at Luxury India Tours, a boutique travel company. “I prefer this to a backpack that is easier to unzip and pickpocket while you’re busy admiring the views.”
International travelers who prefer ultralight travel have long found that a money belt worn under clothing works well too.
4. Medications and supplements
Pack anything you take daily in its original bottle in your carry-on. Bring extra in case delays extend travel time.
“I’m on blood pressure medication and something to help me sleep, and neither of these [is] optional when I travel. If my checked bag gets lost, I still have it with me,” Jung says.
He recommends bringing a written list of generic drug names, since brand names can change from country to country. The U.S. Department of State recommends checking with the foreign embassy of the country you plan to visit or pass through to ensure the country allows your medicine. Some require special permissions or government permits.
5. Paper copies of travel documents
Having a hard-copy backup provides an analog way to quickly access travel information and is a great backup in case your phone is lost, stolen or simply loses power.
Gen Xer Stephen Pike, founder and CEO at TravRisk, a travel preparedness company, carries a paper backup with his itinerary, hotel names and addresses in the local language, reservation information, important telephone numbers, his passport identification page and his driver’s license.
“It weighs almost nothing and doesn’t require a battery, cellular connection, Wi-Fi, password or functioning device,” he says, noting that he stashes them separately from the originals. While he regularly references the printed travel information, he has yet to need his identification printouts, knock wood. “It’s a backup I hope I never need,” he says.
6. Extra glasses
Whether it’s readers or your prescription glasses, bring a spare. “Losing or breaking your only pair is a much bigger problem overseas when you need to read your phone, menus, tickets and transportation information all day long,” Wright says.
7. Sleep essentials
Overseas travel disrupts regular sleep, already a challenge as we age. Key threats: long flights and time zone changes. Pack key items to help ensure you get enough rest to stay healthy and fuel your trip activities.
Boston-based Robert Blasi, 52, brings earplugs, an eye mask and headphones on his regular overseas journeys. He has a white-noise generator app on his phone too. “International red-eye flights are the worst, and when that child behind you starts crying, it’s time to break these items out,” he says.
Other potential helpers are some well-timed melatonin, a tested travel pillow and sleep-promoting scents such as lavender.
8. A personalized first aid kit
Travel with your own trusted medical necessities that you may need on the road. “Travel can wreak havoc on your digestive system thanks to long flights, dehydration, unfamiliar foods and disrupted routines,” Wright says. “I bring the remedies I know work for me, along with basics like pain reliever and antihistamine.”
Other items to consider adding: blister-care items, single-serving electrolytes and motion-sickness medication.
9. Compression socks
Long-haul flights and long days on your feet can cause circulation problems and swelling, especially in older travelers, but compression socks help. Patricia San Pedro, a seasoned traveler over 50, wears them on the plane and on hikes. “[They] will help you especially if, upon arrival, you’re going to walk more than normal or on unfamiliar terrains, [such as] up and down mountains, as I did when I walked the Camino de Santiago,” she says, referring to the collection of western European walking paths.
10. Collapsible hiking poles
You know to bring comfortable, broken-in shoes and perhaps a second pair. San Pedro recommends insoles for added comfort and a hiking pole or two, for added stability.
“In Europe … many seniors, instead of using canes, use hiking poles,” she says. “Great idea if you want to go hiking but also need a little help in the city.”
Beth Sterner, 63, a regular traveler and part of the Road Scholar ambassador team, a network of experienced travelers for the nonprofit that focuses on educational travel for older adults, stowed hers in her checked luggage on a recent trip to Freiburg, Germany.
“I found them very helpful when navigating the rocky river,” she says, noting they can also be helpful when navigating uneven cobblestone streets.
The key takeaways were created with the assistance of generative AI. An AARP editor reviewed and refined the content for accuracy and clarity.
AARP Membership
Join AARP for only $15 per year with automatic renewal. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of benefits, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP The Magazine.
More From AARP
How to Make European Travel Easier After 50
Adjust plans, pace and transport to reduce strain
Compare Top International Mobile Phone Plans
Major carriers offer options to avoid high calling fees
Test Your Knowledge of Traveling Abroad
Important documents and trivia for global adventures