Working from another city shouldn’t mean working worse. The difference between a productive trip and a frustrating one usually comes down to a handful of small items: the right charger, a way to get a second screen, decent audio, and a plan for bad hotel Wi-Fi. Here’s a packing list built around what actually goes wrong on the road.
The short list
- One multi-port GaN charger
- Two good USB-C cables, one long
- A power bank under 100 Wh
- Noise-cancelling earbuds or a headset
- A compact travel mouse
- A laptop stand that folds flat
- Optional: portable monitor, travel adapter, privacy screen
Power: one charger, fewer bricks
A single GaN charger with two or three ports replaces the laptop brick, the phone charger and the earbuds cable. Check the per-port wattage, not just the total: plugging in a phone often drops the laptop port’s output. See our charger guide.
For flights and long days out, a power bank with 60W or more of USB-C output keeps a laptop alive. Keep it under 100 Wh (roughly 27,000mAh) so it’s allowed in carry-on without airline approval, and never pack it in checked luggage.
Screen space away from the desk
- A portable monitor gives a real second screen — check that your laptop’s USB-C port carries video first.
- Already travelling with a tablet? Use it as a second display instead — see iPad as a second display.
- A folding laptop stand plus a compact keyboard turns a hotel desk into something your neck can tolerate.
Calls from anywhere
- Noise-cancelling earbuds for planes and cafés — see our earbuds guide.
- A headset with a boom mic if you take serious calls in noisy places (headset guide).
- Face a window for light, and put the laptop on a stand so the camera is at eye level.
- Phone hotspot as a backup connection — test it before the meeting, not during.
Connectivity and security
- Hotel Wi-Fi is unpredictable. A travel router can share one paid connection across devices and keep your own network name; a USB-C Ethernet adapter helps where there’s a wired port.
- Use your own charger and cables. Avoid plugging directly into unknown USB ports; a charge-only cable or a data blocker removes the risk.
- A privacy screen filter keeps your work off the seatmate’s radar.
- Bluetooth tracker in the bag, and a luggage tag with an email address.
- Download what you need offline — documents, boarding passes, maps — before you leave.
Packing it all
- A cable organizer pouch stops the daily hunt through the bag.
- Label chargers and cables — hotel rooms eat them.
- Choose a backpack with a suspended laptop compartment and, ideally, a luggage pass-through strap.
- Keep laptop, power bank and liquids where you can pull them out quickly at security.
- Photograph your gear before the trip; it makes insurance claims far easier.
Before you leave
- Run a backup — a trip is exactly when laptops get lost or stolen.
- Update the operating system and your meeting apps at home, on good Wi-Fi.
- Enable device encryption and a strong screen lock.
- Charge everything, including the power bank.