Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
Last updated
General information, not medical advice. This page summarizes what the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists for a travel medicine kit (also called a travel medical kit or travel health kit). It does not replace advice from a travel-medicine clinician about your health, destination or medicines.
Purpose and setting: what a travel medicine kit is for
A travel medicine kit is a set of supplies, documents and personal medicines that a traveler carries. CDC’s Yellow Book 2026 chapter “Travel Health Kits” describes two tiers: a personal kit for most trips, and an expanded kit for remote or long trips. CDC states that “these contents are suggested items and should be personalized”; no kit is mandatory.
This checklist covers non-drug supplies and documents. Medicines, including prescription medicines, are a decision for the traveler and a clinician, and are not listed here. For occupational, camp, team or hiking settings, see the guides on stocking a workplace first aid kit, summer camp first aid supplies and a hiking first aid kit.
Personal travel medicine kit checklist (CDC Yellow Book 2026, Table 1.9.1)
The table lists items CDC includes in its personal kit, grouped by category. CDC does not give quantities for these items, so none are shown; scale to the number of travelers and days.
| Category | Items CDC lists |
|---|---|
| Bandages and wound care | Adhesive bandages in various sizes; adhesive felt or gel pads; elastic bandage for sprains; gauze pads and non-stick dressings (2×2 and 4×4 in); medical adhesive tape; self-adhesive bandage wrap; small bandage scissors; wound closure strips |
| Topicals (non-prescription) | Aloe vera gel; anti-itch lotion; antiseptic wipes or solution; other non-prescription skin products named in the table |
| Instruments | Digital thermometer; headlamp; tweezers |
| Preventive items | Exam gloves; face mask or N-95; insect repellent; lip balm with sun protection; mosquito net; sunscreen (SPF 30 or greater in the Yellow Book table); water purification tablets or device; personal hygiene items |
| Documentation | Medical summary (diagnoses, regular medicines by generic rather than trade name, allergies); copy of advance directive; emergency contact card; International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (Yellow Card); travel and healthcare insurance information; travel-sized first aid manual |
| Children | Safety equipment, including car seat, flotation device and helmet |
CDC’s separate Travelers’ Health page “Pack Smart” (last reviewed September 10, 2024) adds copies of passport pages, lodging and healthcare-professional contact information, immunization records, a list of local hospitals or clinics, embassy information, hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, sunglasses, a hat, earplugs, glasses or contact lens supplies, diabetes testing supplies and a medical alert bracelet. That page gives sunscreen as SPF 15+, while the Yellow Book table gives SPF 30 or greater; check the current wording of each page before relying on a number.
What varies by trip: the expanded kit for remote or long trips
CDC’s Table 1.9.2 adds equipment for travelers far from medical care. The non-drug, non-invasive items are summarized below; the table also lists clinician-level items that are not covered here.
| Group | Expanded-kit items CDC lists |
|---|---|
| Wound and trauma | Bandage or trauma scissors; eye pads; gauze roll (3-4 in); occlusive dressing; trauma (ABD) pad; wound closure strips or skin adhesives; splint (padded, flexible aluminum) |
| Protection and emergency | Emergency space blanket; non-sterile exam gloves; pocket CPR masks |
| Monitoring equipment | Oxygen saturation fingertip monitor; blood pressure cuff; stethoscope; otoscope |
| Diagnostics | COVID-19 rapid tests; pregnancy test kit; urine dipsticks |
| Other | Medication envelopes or plastic bags (small) |
CDC’s table also lists clinician-level items, which are outside the scope of this supplies checklist. For a team working at remote sites, see building a field research medical kit; for volunteer deployments, see the medical mission trip supply checklist.
Documents, prescriptions and carry-on rules
- Original containers. CDC advises that narcotic and psychoactive medicines for personal use be carried in the original prescription container, and notes that they are limited in many countries to a 30-day supply or less. The Pack Smart page advises packing prescriptions preferably in their original bottles and bringing copies of prescriptions for medicines, glasses or medical supplies.
- Destination rules. Pack Smart notes that some countries restrict certain medicines and advises checking with the US Embassy.
- Scissors in carry-on. The Yellow Book states that the TSA permits scissors with blades less than 4 inches from the pivot point in carry-on luggage. Check the TSA’s current screening rules before flying.
Storage, containers and restocking
CDC advises storing medicines and first aid supplies in a durable, water-resistant container and keeping it readily accessible during the journey. Each product’s packaging and instructions for use give its own expiry date and storage conditions.
Guidance that applies
- CDC Yellow Book 2026, “Travel Health Kits” (Tables 1.9.1 and 1.9.2; page dated April 23, 2025; checked November 1, 2026).
- CDC Travelers’ Health, “Pack Smart” (last reviewed September 10, 2024; checked November 1, 2026).
These are CDC guidance documents, not regulations; they do not make any item compulsory.
FAQ
What should be in a travel medicine kit?
CDC’s personal kit lists bandages and wound-care supplies, non-prescription topicals, a digital thermometer, headlamp and tweezers, preventive items such as repellent, sunscreen and water purification, and a set of health documents. Contents should be personalized to the traveler and trip.
What is the difference between a travel medicine kit and a travel first aid kit?
CDC’s travel health kit includes first aid supplies but also personal medicines, preventive items and documents such as a medical summary and insurance information.
What is the expanded travel medicine kit?
CDC’s Table 1.9.2 lists additional equipment, labeled as intended for remote or long trips, beyond the personal kit; its clinician-level items are not covered on this page.
Sources
- CDC, Yellow Book 2026, “Travel Health Kits”: https://www.cdc.gov/yellow-book/hcp/preparing-international-travelers/travel-health-kits.html (checked November 1, 2026)
- CDC Travelers’ Health, “Pack Smart”: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/pack-smart (checked November 1, 2026)
