A ready-made first-aid kit leaves out the one thing only you can add: your own personal medicines. Pack those, and a compact pre-assembled kit plus a picaridin repellent covers most trips.
Our picks
THRIAID Mini First Aid Kit, 100 pieces
A compact kit for one to four people over about ten days, a good fit for a hiking pack or a week-long trip.
Sawyer 20% Picaridin Insect Repellent Lotion, 4 oz
A 20% picaridin lotion for mosquito and tick areas that's safe on plastics and synthetics. Decant it if you fly carry-on only.
KEEP>GOING Kids Travel First Aid Kit
A 130-piece kids' kit that fits in a diaper bag or daypack, so add your child's own medicines and you're set.
PreparaKit Kids Travel First Aid Kit
A pocket-size 75-item kit that rides in a purse or car door pocket on flights and outings with young kids.
Thermacell E-ZoneGuard Adventure Rechargeable Mosquito Repeller
A rechargeable repeller for patios, cabin porches and campsites in buggy places, built for when you're sitting still.
Dramamine Less Drowsy Chewables
Less-drowsy chewables to keep in your carry-on for ferries, winding bus rides and small planes, taken before the trip starts.
Dramamine Advanced Herbals Ginger
Ginger capsules for mild motion sickness, a non-drowsy option labeled for adults and children 6 and up.
Thermacell Fuel-ZoneGuard Backpacker Mosquito Repeller
Works well at backcountry campsites, but you'll have to buy a fuel canister at your destination, so it only makes sense if you already use one.
What should a travel first-aid kit include?
Size the kit to the trip. One scaled for one to four people over about ten days, like the Thriaid, fits week-long trips and hiking. With kids, a small kit that lives in the day bag beats a big one buried in the suitcase.
Ignore the piece count. Look at what's inside. Bandages, tape and blister care are what tends to come up on most trips.
How do you keep bugs away when you travel?
Repellent on your skin protects you while you move. The Sawyer lotion uses 20% picaridin and won't damage synthetic clothing, sunglasses or camera gear. Its 4 oz bottle is over the carry-on liquids limit, though, so decant it if you fly carry-on only.
Area repellers are for evenings when you stay put. The rechargeable Thermacell works on patios and at campsites in calm air. It won't protect you on a hike.
What helps with motion sickness on a trip?
The mistake is waiting until you feel sick. Dramamine Less Drowsy chewables are taken 30 to 60 minutes before travel and work poorly once nausea has set in, so if boats, buses or small planes make you queasy, pack them and take them early. Ginger capsules are a non-drowsy first option for mild motion sickness.
For strong seasickness on cruises or boat tours, ask a pharmacist what suits you. Always read and follow the label.
What first-aid and bug gear can you skip?
Fuel-canister mosquito repellers need a canister you can't take on a plane, so you'd be buying one at your destination. Unless you already cook on a canister stove, a rechargeable repeller or a skin repellent is easier.
On a city break, skip the big kit. A few bandages and blister patches in a small pouch cover most days.
Questions people ask
What should be in a travel first-aid kit?
Bandages, tape and blister care cover most of what comes up on a trip. Then add your own personal medicines and anything your doctor or pharmacist suggests for where you're going.
Can I take a first-aid kit on a plane?
Generally yes, in your carry-on. Keep liquids within the carry-on limit and make sure any scissors meet security rules. The PreparaKit kids' kit lists its contents as TSA-compliant.
How long does picaridin repellent last?
The Sawyer 20% picaridin lotion is rated for up to 12 hours against mosquitoes and ticks, and up to 8 hours against flies, gnats and chiggers. Follow the label for reapplying.
Do mosquito repellers work outdoors?
Thermacell says its E-ZoneGuard creates a 20 ft zone of protection in about 15 minutes, but only when you stay put and the air is calm. Hiking or walking, put repellent on your skin.
Prices change often — the price on the retailer’s page is the one you pay.