How to Make Your Own First Class Amenity Kit

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Not flying first or business class? You may not get the service and food that first or business class passengers get, but you can do little things to make economy feel like first class. That includes creating your very own first class amenity kit.

Follow our steps and you can make your own first class amenity kit that may be just as good or even better than what first class passengers are getting.

What is an amenity kit?

On long haul flights, passengers in first class and business class, and sometimes premium economy depending on the airline, receive toiletry bags filled with essentials for the flight. Typically, it’ll include a dental kit, lip balm, hand lotion, socks, eye mask, earplugs, comb or brush all placed in a compact pouch.

Some airlines will also have a night cream, deodorant, perfume, headphones, mini mirror and even pajamas. This all depends on the airline and the class of travel. They also tend to change it up a little when the airline collaborates with well-known luxury body care or bag companies (like Delta has partnered with Tumi, Emirates Airlines with Bvlgari), so there’s always something new and unexpected for frequent fliers of the same airline.

5 Steps to Make Your Own First Class Amenity Kit

The great thing about making your own first class amenity kit is that you can put reusable products in it. A lot of the time products will be plastic like a plastic comb or one time use toothbrush. So you can replace those items with something more eco-friendly (we’ll get to the specifics below.)

Here’s what you need to make your own.

Step One: Get a Pouch

The essential item that holds your DIY first class amenity kit together… your choice of a pouch is endless.

Airlines have collaborated with well-known bag brands, like Qantas with Kate Spade, Delta with Tumi, ANA with Rimowa so you can make yours first class by also choosing a branded pouch.

You’ll want to look for something that’s not too large like a full on toiletry bag, but one more like a dopp kit.

One by Herschel is their Herschel Chapter Travel Kit. Their carry-on size kit features mesh storage sleeves where you can put some of the toiletries and a front zippered pocket for other items.

Or another pouch by Herschel is their simple zippered travel pouches.

Or you can follow in the steps of Qantas when they collaborated with Kate Spade in the past and get your very own Kate Spade pouch to create your first class amenity kit.

Step Two: Find Your Preferred Toiletries

This is your chance to reuse some items and travel more sustainably. Small hand lotion, body wash and shampoos bottles from hotels are rarely emptied and finished throughout a stay at the hotel. So next time, bring it home with you and reuse it in your DIY first class amenity kit.

But if you don’t have any, or would prefer to get a new one for your flight, choose some toiletries from luxury body care companies that many airlines have also partnered with.

Hand Lotion

L’Occitane has been spotted in Lufthansa and Hong Kong Airlines flights. Get their shea butter hand cream in a TSA friendly 1 ounce tube.

Or the hand lotion in this Le Labo Travel Amenities Kit. Le Labo products are featured in Delta’s Tumi amenity kits.

Or a hand lotion from Elemis, which is a brand found in British Airways first class amenity kits.

Lip Balm

L’Occitane also makes a shea butter lip balm, a luxury lip balm to add to your first class kit.

Fragrance

Another Le Labo product, this Le Labo Discovery Set is not just a way to find your favorite scent, but also perfect to take on your flight since each vial is just .05 ounces.

Comb

Opt for a reusable and eco friendly bamboo comb (or brush depending on your preference), instead of a plastic one.

Dental Kit

Add in a travel friendly toothbrush and toothpaste.

Or go for an eco friendly toothbrush option made of bamboo and wheat straw. It’s also travel friendly with a case to cover the toothbrush head.

Night Cream

Some airlines will have a night cream in their first class amenity kit. Depending on what you use for your nightly routine, you could purchase small sizes from the brand that you use. Or complete your kit with another Elemis product, Superfood Glow Night Cream in a .6 ounce TSA friendly tube.

Read More: Toiletries Packing List

Step Three: Select Your Sleep Aids

Though you won’t find melatonin in your amenity kit given by an airline, you will find other sleep aids like an eye mask and ear plugs to block out sounds and lights. (Though if you need to, you can add melatonin to your DIY kit!)

Eye Mask

Pick your own eye mask. You don’t even need to get a regular black one that is frequently provided for in first class amenity kits and can get fun colors, like a red one.

Ear Plugs

Another necessary sleep aid, get a standard pair of ear plugs or these silicon ones that come in a case so you can reuse it.

Step Four: Pick Your Socks… and Pajamas

One common item most first class amenity kits have are socks. They are usually in a pattern or color that resembles the airlines, but in this case for your DIY kit, you can do whatever you want.

Go for colorful funky socks from Happy Socks.

Or a more subtle pattern with a nod to aviation.

Some airlines provide pajamas for their first class passengers. You can bring your own too. An appropriate pants to wear that’s also comfortable for long haul flights are joggers.

Get a pair for women in a dark shade.

Or for men too.

And pair your joggers with a comfy organic cotton shirt that’s eco friendly from Pact that you can pair with an equally comfy hoodie or sweater.

For men, there’s Pact organic cotton v neck t shirts.

And for women, a loose fitting flowy lounge tee that also features soft organic cotton from Pact.

Step Five: Add Something Extra

Give your amenity kit something fun and extra. On first and business class, flight attendants will sometimes give out chocolates or something sweet mid flight.

Treat yourself to something sweet by adding a piece of Belgian chocolate. These are individually wrapped so you can easily slip one into your DIY kit.

In the image featured at the top of this article, we featured an amenity kit from TAP Portugal, which included a bookmark. You can also add one in your kit with these inspirational travel quote bookmarks.

Also in the TAP Portugal amenity kit was a pen, which may come in handy for filling out immigration or customs forms before you land. Add one for yourself too. If you’re planning to write in a travel journal, or anything that’s not an official airport form, you can get colorful pens to add some color to your flight.

Some quick notes before you start putting your first class amenity kit together:

Because this kit is going with you on the plane, make sure everything you put inside your DIY first class amenity kit follows the TSA liquid rule. All your liquids must be under 3.4 ounces.
If you don’t want to make your own kit, search online for actual first class amenity kits that airlines give out. Past passengers frequently sell them on sites like eBay or Poshmark as these items are considered collectible items to some people.

Or if you just don’t have time to put everything together, you can purchase a pre-made kit from Pinch Provisions that comes in a cute compact pouch.