Welcome back and a warm welcome to the 3417 new subscribers since my last email 👋

It’s the beginning of the year and if you have any plans to travel in 2026 or beyond I want to help you start out right!

2026 Carry-on Travel Changes!

I have a video coming out later today about this, but I want to clear up the biggest misconception right away: there are no sweeping carry-on changes happening in 2026.

A lot of scary headlines you may have seen are coming from faceless, AI-run YouTube channels that are designed to go viral — not to be accurate.

The most important thing to remember is this: always check the specific airline(s) you’re flying. There is no single global rule.

As a general rule of thumb, stick to a carry-on that’s 22 × 14 × 9 inches or smaller.

Here’s my biggest real-world tip, though:

From years of testing bags in actual airline sizer bins, I’ve found there’s a hierarchy when it comes to what gets flagged.

• Height is the most likely issue — don’t push this one.
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• Depth is the next most important.
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• Width is rarely the reason a bag gets stopped.

To make this easier, I built a Carry-On Compliance Checker where you can see how your bag stacks up against about 75 airlines worldwide.

👉 It’s a free spreadsheet you can download here.

Today’s Travel Tip

Universal travel adapters are more useful than you think.

Lately, I’ve been traveling with one even when I don’t technically need an adapter (like on my recent trips to Mexico and Japan).

Most modern adapters can charge 5–6 devices at once, which makes them an easy all-in-one travel charging station.

💡Bonus tip: it’s also my new airplane charger.

• If one outlet is worn out, you can switch to another plug type. Many North American aircraft actually have universal outlets, and using the UK plug often gives a tighter, more secure fit.

​I like this slim adapter from Epicka, and if you need more power, they also make a 65W version.

If you’re outside the U.S., you can purchase directly from Epicka’s website here.

🌍 My 2026 Travel Plans

As of now, I have a few big trips planned for 2026 (and hopefully more to come):

• Ireland (April)
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• Portugal (April/May)
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• Japan (TBD)
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• Greece (September)

Most of you probably don’t know about Greece yet — so consider this the soft launch.

We’re inviting 20 of you to join us on a group trip to Greece in September. A few spots are already taken by people on my insider group-trip list, where I share all announcements first.

I’ll be announcing everything officially soon, but if you’re interested now, just reply to this email with the word “Greece” and I’ll send you more details.

What's to Come...

I’ll be sharing more practical travel advice, packing strategies, destination ideas, and behind-the-scenes lessons and stories from my own trips — all with the goal of helping you feel more confident and prepared when you travel.

We're hitting a couple big milestones soon too, and I think another giveaway is on the horizon!

Whether you have one trip planned or ten, I’m really glad you’re here!

Thank you for Reading

As always, I hope you enjoy reading, and please share this newsletter with someone else who might too!

(And if that's you, subscribe here so you don't miss out). Thanks so much!

✈️ Talk soon,
Aly

👉Just for fun - most clicked from my last email

In my last email, this was the most-clicked link (but I just spotted a much cheaper dupe that launched this week and this could be a game-changer).

Some of my emails contains affiliate links, meaning if you click through and make a purchase I may make a small commission. I only share information about things I know, love and trust!

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