Quick answer
Carry the trip's medicines plus a week's extra, split between cabin and checked bags, with a doctor's letter listing generic names. Book wheelchair help with the airline, and pack compression socks for long flights, spare spectacles, cushioned slip-on shoes and a pillbox. Declare all food you carry, especially ghee, pickles and masalas, when entering Australia or New Zealand.
Documents
- Passport and visa
- Travel insurance with pre-existing disease cover — Undeclared conditions can void a claim, and premiums rise sharply past 70.
- Doctor's letter listing medicines by generic name and dose
- Medical summary — Blood group, conditions, allergies and any implants, such as a pacemaker.
- Emergency contact card in English
- Printed hotel vouchers and itinerary — Immigration can ask for them.
- Wheelchair or assistance booking confirmation
- Copies of all documents left with family at home
Medicines & health
- Every regular medicine, plus a week's extra
- Stock split between cabin and checked bags — A delayed suitcase then doesn't leave you short.
- Pillbox with a compartment for each day — Ask your doctor how to shift dose times across time zones.
- Insulin in a cool pouch — Keep it in the cabin, since the hold can freeze it; carry a letter for needles.
- Glucometer and BP monitor
- Paracetamol, antacids, ORS and a mild laxative
- Eye drops and spare spectacles, with the prescription
- Hearing aid batteries or charger
- Controlled-medicine check — Sleeping pills and strong painkillers need approval in some countries, such as the UAE and Japan.
Clothing & footwear
- Slip-on walking shoes with cushioned soles — Easy to remove at security and kind on long walking days.
- Light layers
- Warm jacket suited to the destination
- Loose, comfortable trousers or salwar
- Shawl or stole for planes and air-conditioning
- Cotton and woollen socks
- Foldable umbrella or rain jacket
- Cap or sun hat
Flight comfort
- Compression socks — Reduce swelling on flights over eight hours; check with your doctor if you have circulation problems.
- Neck pillow
- Empty water bottle to refill after security
- Lip balm and moisturiser — Cabin air is very dry.
- Earplugs and eye mask
- Light dry snacks
- Foldable walking stick — Allowed on board; mention it to the airline.
Food & snacks
- Khakhra, mathri and roasted chana — Declare all food on arrival in Australia and New Zealand.
- Ready-to-eat vegetarian meals — Choose dairy-free ones for Europe and the UK.
- Instant poha, upma or khichdi cups
- Pickles and masalas, sealed and double-bagged in checked baggage
- Sugar-free sachets and tea bags
- Compact travel kettle — Many hotels in continental Europe don't provide one.
- Leave behind: ghee for Europe and the UK — Both bar personal dairy imports from outside.
Electronics & aids
- Phone with large font, emergency contacts and offline maps
- Power bank — Cabin baggage only.
- Universal adapter
- CPAP machine (if you use one) — Usually allowed on board as an extra medical item; tell the airline in advance.
- Reading glasses and a small magnifier
- Phone or smartwatch with an SOS shortcut set up
Medicines come first
Carry the trip's supply of every medicine plus a week's extra, split between your cabin bag and checked bag so a delayed suitcase doesn't leave you short. Keep them in original strips or bottles with the prescription, and ask your doctor for a letter listing each drug by generic name and dose. Sleeping pills, strong painkillers and anti-anxiety medicines are controlled in countries such as the UAE and Japan, so check the rules before you fly.
Ask for help at airports
Wheelchair assistance is free on most airlines; request it while booking or at least 48 hours before departure. It covers check-in, immigration, the long walk to the gate and boarding, and is worth booking even for people who walk well but tire over long distances.
Baggage you can actually lift
Economy fares abroad usually include 23–30 kg of checked baggage and 7 kg in the cabin; check your ticket. Two medium spinner suitcases are easier to manage than one heavy bag, and a light four-wheeled cabin bag saves shoulders.
Food and customs
Familiar snacks help on long trips, but rules vary. Australia and New Zealand require you to declare all food on arrival, including ghee, pickles, masalas and homemade sweets, and undeclared items bring on-the-spot fines. The EU and UK bar personal imports of meat and dairy from outside, so ghee stays at home. Pickles go in checked baggage, sealed and double-bagged.
Insurance
Declare every pre-existing condition when you buy cover; an undisclosed one can void a claim.
Compare travel insurance with pre-existing disease cover, read our travel guides for planning help, and see other packing lists.
Frequently asked questions
How much medicine can senior citizens carry abroad?
Can elderly passengers get wheelchair assistance at airports?
Can I carry homemade food for my parents to Australia?
Should seniors wear compression socks on long flights?
How we checked this page
Last reviewed
Written and fact-checked by the Elitech Travels editorial desk in New Delhi, drawing on our consultants' day-to-day booking work and the official sources below. Rules, fares and fees change — always confirm anything critical with the issuing authority before you travel. Our editorial policy.