4 tech devices I always take on flights no matter what

Before I get into this list, I'm intentionally excluding my smartphone, which at the moment is an iPhone 16 Pro. It's practically irresponsible for anyone to fly without a phone these days, given how many services depend on you at least being able to check texts and email, never mind other concerns like booking and navigation.

1 Jabra Elite 7 Active earbuds

Boom wherever there's room

As I mentioned, I like to watch movies and TV shows to pass the time -- I started and finished Masters of the Air during a single trip. That's impossible without a good set of headphones, and currently, my weapon of choice is Jabra's Elite 7 Active.

There are a few reasons for this, the first being active noise cancellation (ANC). Jabra's ANC tech isn't the best on the market, but it's good enough to drown out engine sounds, especially for the price the Elite 7 Active has dropped to these days. The buds also sound excellent once you've tweaked their EQ settings, easily topping Apple's Beats Fit Pro.

Some people prefer full-size, over-the-ear headphones for flying, but there are a couple of advantages to earbuds: portability and water resistance. I can stuff my Jabras into my pocket, and I never have to worry about rain or sweat. Even luxury over-the-ear models like the Sony WH-1000XM6 lack an IP rating, which is pretty egregious for how much you're spending on them.

2 11-inch iPad Pro (2020)

Mostly a video player, sometimes more

I've never been able to wield an iPad as a true laptop replacement, since iPadOS is too restrictive for that. But that doesn't stop me from using it pretty frequently, including as a second screen during the workday. I can handle Spotify, text messages, and smart home accessories without once having to switch away from writing tools on my PC.

On the go, an iPad gives me a much bigger display for watching movies and TV than my iPhone, matched by greater storage for cached content. I also use it as an e-reader, and yes, I can actually get some writing work done in a pinch. It's not ideal -- I need a keyboard case, and an 11-inch screen is confining -- but I'd rather deal with those issues than packing and unpacking my 17-inch Windows machine.

For casual use, the only real downsides are that I need to unpack my iPad during security screenings, and bring along extra charging gear. I might decide to leave it behind someday, but probably not until I own a folding phone.

3 Apple Watch Ultra 2

Time is just the beginning

It is, of course, extremely handy to tell the time and check notifications without pulling out your phone every 30 seconds, but there are other incentives to get an Apple Watch for flying. The Wallet app makes scanning boarding passes a little quicker, and when I need to buy food and other items, Apple Pay is a double-tap away. My actual wallet can stay stashed in a safe place.

Beyond that, I use my watch for things like walking directions, local weather forecasts, sleep alarms that are impossible to ignore. You'd have to be comatose to snooze through Apple's haptic alerts.

You don't need an Apple Watch Ultra 2 for travel. Most people will be just fine with a Series 10 or SE. Indeed, the main reason I chose an Ultra 2 was actually weightlifting, but travel was still a consideration. I was tired of having to put my Series 6 into Low Power Mode just to make to the hotel, and the Ultra 2's durability offers some peace of mind, since I'd have to go out of my way to smash the screen or take a chunk out of its metal housing. Knock on wood.

4 Anker MagGo 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station

One cable to rule them all

One of the biggest hassles of travel is charging. Even if a flight is short, you're still going to have to charge all your devices before you go to sleep. I'll often charge during layovers, too, since I never know if everything will go smoothly during the next leg. Delays do happen -- and so do friends who immediately want to hit a bar or restaurant once you've landed.

On top of this, people often find themselves carrying an arsenal of cables and wall adapters. The MagGo 3-in-1 mitigates this problem a little by charging my iPhone, Apple Watch, and earbuds simultaneously, the only cable or wall connection being a single USB-C adapter. I still need separate charging gear for my iPad, but that's two fewer cables and adapters for everything else.

As a bonus, the charger folds down neatly, and props up my iPhone so I can watch YouTube from my nightstand. If there's a concern, it's just that the accessory is very Apple-centric -- very few Android phones support Qi2, and the pop-out watch charger only supports Apple Watches. I'll probably need an entirely new setup if I switch back to Android anytime soon.