Summary Blankets can usually pass through airport security without issues. Check the blanket size and weight to ensure you comply with airline cabin baggage restrictions. Packing a blanket can reduce anxiety and improve comfort during a flight.
Travel can be a stressful experience for many. Fear of flying can, of course, make it particularly difficult for many people. But even for those who enjoy flying, a cramped cabin and limited facilities or extras onboard make flying a challenge.
There are many ways to help with anxiety and improve comfort on a flight. Bringing a blanket is a popular option. This article looks at the rules and things to consider when taking a weighted blanket onboard.
Quick Links Blankets can usually pass fine through security Check the blanket size and weight The advantages of travel with a blanket Reducing anxiety with a weighted blanket Some popular blankets Blankets can usually pass fine through security
All items that are taken onboard need to pass through airport security (this is run by TSA in the US). As we all know, many items are restricted here for safety. The good news is that blankets should generally be fine and will be allowed through any airport security. Blankets do not usually contain liquids or any items prohibited by security.
Image: TSA
Some blankets may attract attention or require further inspection. In particular, dense materials might draw additional scrutiny. But further inspection should easily clear this. Also, some blankets contain small amounts of metal beads or may have strong metal zips. Again, this may lead to further inspection.
Photo: Adam McCullough | Shutterstock
Packing blankets well will help with a less stressful inspection. In particular, it is best to pack the blanket by itself and not use it to wrap other items.
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Check the blanket size and weight
Packing for any trip is often tricky. Airlines have strict luggage size and weight limitations, and you obviously need to think about practicalities at your destination as well. Whether a weighted blanket -- or perhaps a lighter blanket option -- makes sense, and with this in mind, it is an individual decision.
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There are several important things to think about here:
Most importantly, you need to be aware of airline hand baggage or cabin baggage restrictions. There are always strict restrictions on the size, weight and number of items that can be brought onboard. Any blanket you take will need to fit into this. Check the blanket weight. Some blankets weigh several kilograms. Bags in the cabin are often restricted to around eight or ten kilograms. Pay particular attention to low-cost or budget airlines. Even if your ticket includes checked luggage, there is often a very small single cabin bag allowance (designed to fit underneath a seat). With this allowance, you are unlikely to fit in a weighted blanket. Don't rely on carrying a blanket in addition to your cabin luggage. Most airlines allow limited additional items, such as jackets or reading material, but it is unlikely a blanket would qualify for this if checked. Make sure there is space in your carry-on luggage. If you have a checked luggage allowance, you could always opt to place more into this, leaving space in the cabin for the blanket you want. If you move around after arriving rather than staying at one destination, carrying a large blanket could be impractical. Photo: Yaroslav Astakhov | Shutterstock
It is also important to pack the blanket correctly. Folding it well and putting it in a separate bag will make it easier to handle at the airport and onboard. It will also protect the blanket and keep it fresher and cleaner for use. Some bags offer compression as well, which could be useful if the blanket is largely or more padded.
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Posts 5 The advantages of travel with a blanket
Blankets are popular with many people to take onboard, and for good reason. They simply make a flight easier and more enjoyable, with several main benefits:
They can make a flight more comfortable -- especially a longer overnight flight. Remember that with most low-cost airlines, and increasingly more, blankets may not be provided even on long flights. Comfort and warmth can make any flight more enjoyable or easier to sleep or rest on. Blankets can provide comfort and security for anxious or nervous flyers. Providing a barrier between the passenger and the external environment can help with anxiety. Even when airlines do provide blankets for passengers, these are often thin and lightweight. They may provide a bit of warmth, but little comfort or anxiety relief. Photo: ThamKC | Shutterstock
Don't forget that blankets can be useful after the flight, too. Having some extra comfort or warmth at airports, on trains or even in some hotel rooms is a big advantage. Reducing anxiety with a weighted blanket
Overcoming fear of flying and helping with anxiety are key reasons to take a blanket on board - and a weighted blanket in particular. Weighted blankets have been shown to reduce stress and anxiety levels. This happens through Deep Touch Pressure (DTP), where the weight effect when resting increases serotonin and melatonin levels in the body, promoting sleep and relaxation, and reducing cortisol levels, lowering stress.
They can also help in cases of PTSD, fibromyalgia, and other causes of high anxiety.
According to data from the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) (as reported by blanket producer Bearaby), studies have shown that weighted blankets can reduce anxiety of all levels. ONS claims that the application of a weighted blanket resulted in the following:
Rates of extreme anxiety were reduced from 7% to 0%. Rates of moderate anxiety were reduced from 30% to 18%. Rates of very little anxiety were increased from 28% to 44%. Rates of patients with no anxiety were increased from 28% to 38%. Photo: M Stocker | Shutterstock Some popular blankets
There are many blankets and weighted blankets on the market. Just a few of the best (with a focus on travel) include:
Travel Napper blanket from Bearaby (pictured below). This is a heavyweight knitted weighted blanket. It is available in several weights up to 10 lbs and packs into its own duffel bag. Wirecutter and the New York Times have awarded it the best "knit weighted blanket." Prices (as of December 2024) start from $209 in the US. Luna Weighted Blanket. This was voted the best budget option by Wirecutter and the New York Times (it costs just $72). It is a heavy option at 15 or 20 pounds. Silentnight Wellbeing Weighted Blanket. In 2024, Good Housekeeping voted it the best blanket for travel. It is a quilted blanket filled with glass beads and is easily packable and washable. Related 5 Ways To Maximize Comfort In Economy Class During A Flight
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