India, April 10 -- Travel rarely goes exactly as planned. Flights get delayed, gates change, bags get separated-and sometimes all of that happens in a single day. That's why seasoned travelers don't just pack for the trip they hope to have, but for everything that could unfold along the way. I wanted to see how the pros approach carry-on essentials, so I tapped three experienced flight attendants: Cici in the Sky (10 years), Natalie Magee (20 years), and Aura Martinez (18+ years)-to share what they always pack "just in case."

No one leans into that mindset more than Aura, who has built her packing strategy around the unexpected. "I've learned that 'just in case' isn't rare-it's part of travel," she said. "I pack with the understanding th...