Your carry-on has to get you through a long flight, a night at an airport hotel and a pickup at an RV depot that may not open until the next morning. If your checked bag is late, it is also all you have for the first night in the RV. So pack it for those 36 hours, not for the whole trip.
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Quick answer
- Carry-on only: power banks and spare lithium batteries, up to 100 Wh each [S1].
- Checked bag only: knives and multi-tools with a blade [S3].
- Not on the plane at all: stove gas canisters [S5] and bear spray [S6]. Buy both after you land.
- In the carry-on: documents, medication, one change of clothes, a warm layer, chargers, and the few things that make the first RV night work.
What the rules say
US security and hazmat rules decide where a lot of camping gear can go. These are the ones that matter for an RV trip:
| Item | Carry-on | Checked bag | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power bank, spare camera or phone batteries | Yes, up to 100 Wh each | No | Keep them on you, even if the bag is checked at the gate; tape or cover loose terminals [S1] |
| Liquids, gels, sunscreen | 3.4 oz / 100 ml containers in one quart-sized bag | Yes | Medication is exempt. Buy full-size sunscreen after you land [S2] |
| Knife, multi-tool with a blade | No | Yes, sheathed or wrapped | Most fleet kitchen kits include knives [S7]; pack your own only if you check a bag [S3] |
| Lighter | One disposable or Zippo-type, on you | No | Torch lighters are forbidden. Easier: buy a long-reach lighter at the first supermarket [S4] |
| Stove gas, butane or propane canisters | No | No | Buy after you land. A fleet Class C cooks on the RV's own propane [S5][A] |
| Bear spray | No | No | Buy or rent it near Yellowstone and Grand Teton [S6] |
The TSA officer at the checkpoint has the final word, and some airlines set stricter limits on power banks. Check your airline's page before you fly [S1].
The 36-hour bag
What should be in the bag that never leaves your hand, from the gate at home to the first campground:
- Documents: passport, driving licence, International Driving Permit if you need one, the rental confirmation and the credit card for the deposit (see flying in from abroad).
- Medication for the whole trip, plus a copy of any prescription.
- One change of clothes and a warm layer. Depot mornings and park nights get cold, even when the afternoons are hot (see best time to go).
- Phone, charging cables and a power bank. Your phone is your boarding pass, your map and your campground confirmation.
- Offline copies of the campground and timed-entry confirmations. Signal near the parks is patchy [A].
- A small towel, an empty water bottle and a bag for dirty laundry. That covers the airport hotel, the first shower at camp and the first day of driving.
Pickup timing: fleet depots are rarely at the terminal and have fixed opening hours. See airport pickup and one-way fees before you book a late flight.
Gear worth buying at home
Five small things that earn their space in a carry-on. None of them are expensive, and all of them are useful again on the next trip. If you already own something that does the job, take that.
Compact travel towel
Fleet personal kits include bath towels, but only if you book them, and marketplace rentals vary [S7]. A quick-dry towel covers the airport hotel, the first campground shower and a swim in a lake.
Look for: microfibre, packs to the size of a water bottle, dries overnight hanging in the RV.
Skip it if: your rental includes towels and you won't swim.
See travel towels on AmazonAmazon affiliate link.
Reusable water bottle
Carry it empty through security and fill it at the gate. In the parks you'll drink more than you expect: the NPS lists water as one of the Ten Essentials for every outing (see the packing list).
Look for: 1 litre or bigger, a wide mouth for ice, a lid that won't leak in a daypack. Insulated if you go in summer.
See water bottles on AmazonAmazon affiliate link.
Laundry bag or packing cubes
RV storage is a few small cupboards. Soft cubes keep two people's clothes apart, and a laundry bag stops a week of dusty trail clothes from spreading through the van.
Look for: light, foldable, a drawstring or zip. Two or three cubes is plenty.
See packing cubes and laundry bags on AmazonAmazon affiliate link.
Phone mount for the dashboard
Rental RVs rarely come with one, and you'll navigate by phone. A mount keeps the map in sight and your hands on the wheel of a vehicle you've never driven before.
Look for: a vent clip or a suction mount that works on a big, flat windscreen; check it holds your phone on a bumpy road.
Skip it if: your rental has CarPlay or Android Auto and a screen you trust.
See phone mounts on AmazonAmazon affiliate link.
Clear liquids bag and travel bottles
The quart-sized bag rule applies on every US flight, including the domestic leg to Las Vegas or Denver [S2]. Refillable bottles let you bring your own sunscreen and soap and buy the big tubes later.
Look for: a clear, resealable bag that closes flat, and bottles marked 100 ml or 3.4 oz.
See liquids bags and bottles on AmazonAmazon affiliate link.
Power banks and car chargers have their own guide: power and charging on the road.
Buy after you land
Don't fly these across the world. They're cheap in the US, too bulky for a carry-on, or not allowed on a plane:
- Groceries, drinking water and full-size sunscreen
- Stove gas and a lighter [S4][S5]
- Bear spray for Yellowstone and Grand Teton [S6]
- Camping chairs and a cooler, if the rental has none (see the camp kitchen kit)
Sources and how we checked
Checked 2026-10-29. Airline, park and rental rules change; confirm with the airline, the park and your rental company before you travel.
- [S1] FAA PackSafe — Lithium batteries (spare batteries and power banks carry-on only; 100 Wh limit; 101–160 Wh with airline approval, max two) — www.faa.gov/hazmat/packsafe/lithium-batteries (checked 2026-10-29)
- [S2] TSA — Liquids, aerosols and gels rule (3.4 oz / 100 ml containers in one quart-sized bag; medication exempt) — www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/liquids-aerosols-gels-rule (checked 2026-10-29)
- [S3] TSA — Knives (carry-on: no; checked: yes, sheathed or wrapped) — www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/knives (checked 2026-10-29)
- [S4] FAA PackSafe — Lighters (one disposable or Zippo-type lighter, carry-on or on your person only; torch lighters forbidden) — www.faa.gov/hazmat/packsafe/lighters (checked 2026-10-29)
- [S5] FAA PackSafe — Fuels (all camp stove fuels, including gas canisters, forbidden in carry-on and checked bags) — www.faa.gov/hazmat/packsafe/fuels (checked 2026-10-29)
- [S6] NPS Yellowstone — Safety (bear spray can't go on airplanes; don't leave coolers or food bags unattended, store them in vehicles or bear-proof lockers) — www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/safety.htm (checked 2026-10-29)
- [S7] Cruise America — Renters Resources (vehicle and personal kits, contents and prices) — www.cruiseamerica.com/rv-rentals/renters-resources (checked 2026-10-29)
Bag packed?
Check your flight against depot hoursLate landing, early pickup: see what fits before you book
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