Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
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General information from public-health guidance, not medical advice. Which medicines and prescription items suit you is a question for your own clinician or a travel-health clinic.
A travel medical kit is a small, portable set of first aid supplies, over-the-counter items, instruments, preventive items and paperwork that you carry on a trip. Two public-health agencies publish checklists: the CDC’s Yellow Book and the Government of Canada. This guide merges them into one table, shows where they agree and differ, and explains how CDC says to tailor a kit to the trip. It is written for someone assembling a personal or small-group kit who wants a checklist traceable to a named source.
Purpose and setting
What is a travel medical kit for? It keeps basic supplies, documents and personal items together while you are away from home. The CDC Yellow Book (2026 edition, page updated April 23, 2025) describes two types: a personal travel health kit, and an expanded kit for groups or remote trips. It calls the contents “suggested items” that “should be personalized based on several factors.” Canada’s guidance says “a basic travel health kit is important no matter where you travel” and that you should know how and when to use what is in it, suggesting a first aid course before you leave.
For a hiking-specific list, see hiking first aid kit. For group clinical trips, see the medical mission trip supply checklist.
Travel medical kit checklist
CDC gives no quantities, so the quantity column says “typical” or defers to trip length and to your clinician.
| Category | Items named by CDC and/or Canada | Quantity guidance | Why / notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bandages and wound care | Adhesive bandages (Canada: several sizes), gauze pads and non-stick dressings, medical adhesive tape, elastic (tensor) bandage, self-adhesive wrap, blister pads or moleskin, small bandage scissors, wound closure strips (CDC), safety pins (Canada) | Typical: scale to trip length and group size | Canada adds that you should know how to use what is in your kit. |
| Topical items | Antiseptic wipes or solution, antimicrobial ointment, hydrocortisone cream, anti-itch lotion, antifungal cream or powder, aloe vera gel | Typical: travel-size tubes | Canada names 1% hydrocortisone cream. |
| Medicines for common problems | Antacid or acid blocker, antihistamine, pain and fever relievers, loperamide, motion-sickness medicine, mild laxative, oral electrolyte or rehydration powder, cough drops, decongestant | Discuss with a clinician before departure | Both lists include these. Follow label and clinician instructions; this page gives no dosing. |
| Prescription items | Your regular prescriptions; CDC also lists items such as an albuterol inhaler, epinephrine auto-injector, malaria chemoprophylaxis and spare glasses or contacts | Set with your clinician before departure | Only what a clinician has prescribed for you. Canada also advises a medical certificate if you carry needles or syringes. |
| Instruments and equipment | Digital thermometer, tweezers, headlamp (CDC); Canada also names scissors | Typical: one per traveler or group | Canada notes tweezers are for ticks and splinters. |
| Preventive items | Insect repellent (Canada: DEET or icaridin), mosquito net, sunscreen (CDC: SPF 30 or greater), sun-protective lip balm, exam or disposable gloves, face mask or N-95 respirator (CDC), water purification tablets or device, hand sanitizer (Canada), hygiene items | Depends on destination and activities | Canada marks several of these as depending on preference, destination and activities. |
| Documents | Medical summary (CDC), emergency contact card, travel and health insurance information, immunization record and, if you have one, the International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (Yellow Card), copy of an advance medical care directive (CDC) | One set per traveler; keep copies separate | CDC counts documentation as part of the kit. Canada’s contact card lists a family contact, your home provider, your accommodation, nearby clinics, your embassy and your insurer’s emergency number. |
| Other, by preference | Earplugs, saline eye drops, extra glasses or a copy of your prescription (Canada) | Optional | Named by Canada only. |
The sections below the table cover how the two lists compare and what changes with the trip.
Where CDC and Canada agree, and where only one names an item
- Both name: bandages and tape, gauze, scissors, thermometer, tweezers, hydrocortisone cream, antiseptic, oral rehydration or electrolyte powder, pain and fever medicine, antidiarrheal and motion-sickness medicine, insect repellent, mosquito net, sunscreen, water purification, gloves, insurance information and the Yellow Card.
- Only CDC names: headlamp, face mask or N-95 respirator, a medical summary with generic drug names and allergies, a copy of an advance medical care directive, a travel-sized first aid manual, and a note on carrying narcotic and psychoactive medicines in their original containers.
- Only Canada names: hand sanitizer, safety pins, earplugs, saline eye drops, a contact card format, a medical certificate for needles and syringes, and registration with its Registration of Canadians Abroad service.
What varies by trip and group
What decides whether you need a personal or an expanded kit? CDC lists six factors for personalizing a kit: local medical care and evacuation options; itinerary, planned activities and trip length; the number of people who may need treatment; medical expertise within the group; space and weight limits; and how the kit will be carried.
CDC’s expanded kit is aimed at groups on remote trips. Its non-prescription supply and equipment items include athletic tape, trauma scissors, eye pads, an occlusive dressing, a padded splint, splinter forceps, a trauma pad, an emergency space blanket, non-sterile exam gloves, pocket CPR masks, an otoscope, a fingertip oxygen saturation monitor, oral rehydration packets, a tourniquet, a stethoscope, an extended-range thermometer, a blood pressure cuff, COVID-19 rapid tests, a pregnancy test and urine dipsticks. CDC ties the choice of kit to the medical expertise within the group. Treatment supplies and prescription items in that table are outside the scope of this page.
CDC also lists items for children: age-appropriate preparations with a measuring device, plus safety equipment such as car seats, flotation devices and helmets. Ask a pediatric clinician what suits a child.
Storage, containers and restocking
CDC says to store medications and first aid supplies in a “durable, water-resistant container” and to keep it within easy reach during the journey. It says narcotics and psychoactive medications should be carried in the original prescription container and says to check the rules of the countries you will enter. Canada refers readers to its separate guidance on carrying medications on planes and does not set rules on this page. For an example of how dates and storage work for one item, see hand sanitizer expiration.
CDC lists space and weight limits and how the kit will be carried among the factors to plan around. For a group or institution buying supplies in volume, see the bulk medical supplies buying guide; for a team-sport equivalent, see the youth sports team medical kit checklist.
Standards and guidance that apply
- CDC, Yellow Book 2026, “Travel Health Kits” (Backer and Smith; page last updated April 23, 2025; checked November 1, 2026).
- Government of Canada, “Travel health kit” (date modified August 27, 2026; checked November 1, 2026).
These are public-health guidance documents, not product standards. Neither prescribes quantities or brands.
FAQ
What should be in a travel medical kit?
Both agencies list bandages and wound care supplies, topical items, medicines for common problems, a thermometer and tweezers, preventive items such as repellent and sunscreen, and documents. See the table above for each item and its source.
What is on a travel medical kit checklist besides supplies?
Paperwork. CDC lists a medical summary, an emergency contact card, insurance information and, where relevant, the Yellow Card. Canada adds a copy of your immunization record and proof of insurance.
Can I carry needles and syringes?
Canada advises a medical certificate from your health care provider explaining that they are for medical use. Rules on aircraft and at borders vary, so check them for your route.
What is the expanded kit?
CDC describes it as a larger kit for groups on remote trips; CDC ties the choice to the six factors listed above, especially evacuation options and medical expertise in the group.
Sources
- CDC. Travel Health Kits, CDC Yellow Book 2026. Checked November 1, 2026.
- Government of Canada. Travel health kit. Checked November 1, 2026.
