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[A good pair of headphones and the right entertainment device and make any flight go much easier.]

Luggage? Check. Wallet? Yep. Tech? You bet.

Today’s travelers likely have some high-tech companions to help keep them organized, productive, entertained, and in touch with those who matter.

But to avoid any hiccups while on the road, there are a few considerations to make before you pack your on-the-go tech gear.

Laptops

When going through security in North America, you’ll need to take out your laptop – as it’s likely in a backpack, briefcase, laptop bag, purse, or small carry-on suitcase – and place it in a bin for it to be scanned by TSA. While they don’t ask as much as they used to, you might also be instructed to turn it on after it passes through the machine, to confirm it’s really a working computer.

You can leave all other tech in your bag while scanned at the airport, if you like, such as a smartphone, tablet, camera, or battery charger.

Keep in mind, any spare lithium-ion battery you have – say, an extra battery for a laptop – must be carried in carry-on baggage only. If you leave it in your checked suitcase, it could be declined once scanned, which could complicate your travels. Therefore, take it out and bring it with you onboard the aircraft.

If you like using a mouse with your laptop, remember you can’t use Bluetooth on a plane, so bring a wired mouse instead. Pro tip: Your local dollar store sells compact mice, which are perfect for travelers.

Smartphones and tablets

Because they’re thin and light, smartphones and tablets make for great travel accessories.

Bring your USB charger on the plane, as many airlines let you keep your battery topped up by plugging it into the back of the seat in front of you or in the armrest. A back-up battery is a must for travelers, so you can charge up your phone while still walking around, instead of being one of those “wall huggers” at an airport, where you’re stuck standing by your plugged-in phone.

If you need to get work done while traveling, which might require a lot of typing, be sure to invest in a mobile keyboard that lets you crank out long emails or documents on your phone or tablet – which will be faster, more comfortable and offer better accuracy than trying to type a lot on a small touchscreen.

If you’re using your phone outside of Canada, remember you’ll incur roaming fees, so contact your carrier to inquire about the best travel plan they have, or stick to Wi-Fi hotspots to pull down your messages in an airport, hotel, or coffee shop. Those who travel overseas might consider renting or buying a local SIM card to put into the phone.

Pro tip #2: You can use your tablet to make free calls back to Canada over Wi-Fi. Apps like magicApp Calling & Messaging (iOS and Android) let you call any 10-digit number, for free.

Headphones

Headphones and earbuds come in all shapes and sizes, but they could be an invaluable companion for travelers.

How so? It’s not recommended to hold your phone up to your ear for possible health-related side effects – that is, the jury is still out on long-term effects of radiation – and so you should have at least a pair of earbuds with a microphone plugged into your phone to talk to family, friends and colleagues, while running through an airport, sitting in an Uber or heading up to your hotel room. Going hands-free means you can multitask easier, so there will be no awkward scenes as you try to roll your suitcase along.

Noise-cancelling headphones could be a godsend on a noisy airplane, especially if you’re easily distracted and need to crank out a sales report on your laptop. Nothing like a crying baby in seat 28A when you’re toiling over a project for the boss.

On the fun front, headphones and earbuds mean you can listen to music, podcasts and audiobooks to help keep you sane on those hectic travel days. If the airline hands out free headphones, they usually say you can take them with you, and while they won’t be as good (or as comfortable) as your own earbuds, keep them in a laptop bag as a backup pair to use in a pinch.

Other odds-and-ends

When traveling overseas, it’s usually cheaper (and less aggravating) to bring various power adaptors with you instead of buying them there. Pro tip #3: Check the voltage of your devices as you only may need an AC adaptor – to change the shape of the plug – rather than a currency converter, which costs a lot more.

Be careful when using Wi-Fi hotspots, as there could be cyber-thieves trying to access your info. Do simple things like read the news. Don’t enter sensitive data – like online banking info – when browsing the web via a Wi-Fi network. If you can, also download and use free VPN (virtual private network) software or use your smartphone’s hotspot feature, which is safer (but will use up data).

While you should be doing it even when you don’t travel, be sure to backup important files – like irreplaceable photos, documents, and such – just in case your phone, tablet or laptop becomes lost, stolen or damaged. Take advantage of free cloud storage, such as OneDrive, Dropbox, iCloud, or Google Drive. Pro tip #4: While you’re at it, keep a digital scan of your passport on this cloud drive, just in case this is stolen or lost, too, which could be a help before getting replacement documentation.