Travel Tips for Seniors - Packing your Carry On Bag

If you are traveling internationally, keep all your medications in the original bottles, complete with prescription numbers, etc. You can transfer them to the compartment pillboxes once you arrive at your destination, but you can't take them through customs and security that way. I'm assuming it's probably the same even while traveling domestically for U.S. citizens.

I second the spare glasses. If you don't have a spare pair, bring a copy of your eyeglass prescription. You could always get an emergency pair made at one of the 1 hour stores. I once had my primary pair self-destruct while on vacation, and luckily, I had a second pair. Without them, I am walking around in a blur, and that's no way to spend your holiday!

The second pair of eyeglasses is a great tip...Last year I wore my contacts down and had my glasses in my suitcase...Well my suitcase ended up getting left at the airport and I was stuck with just contacts because i'm blind without anything until my suitcase arrived the next day...and contacts are not fun to sleep in

I don't remember how I handled prescriptions the last time I flew (domestic U.S. flight about a year ago). But I'm not in the habit of bringing whole bottles of anything on vacation regardless of how I travel (air, rail, or highway), so I think bringing prescriptions in something other than the original bottle is not a problem on domestic U.S. flights. If anyone else knows different, please let us know.

I usually bring twice as much of any prescription or vitamin as I need for the whole trip, divided into two sets of bottles. One goes in a carry-on, the other goes in checked luggage. So the only way I have a problem is if the checked luggage goes missing AND the carry-on gets stolen.

According to the TSA, medication does not need to be labelled

TSA site
TSA Blog

That being said, my medication is always in it's original packaging and/or labelled just because sometimes canadian security takes forever and it is just easier than answer questions

I reuse empty medication bottles. Once I have to renew an Rx I save the old bottle and put just enough plus 3 days worth in my carryon. That way I'm not taking more than I need and the pills are in their labeled original bottle. Same goes for vitamins or any OTC Meds. Save at least one of those old bottles.
Dee

I go back to the pharmacy, tell them I'm flying and they always make me up bottles for my meds with no cost. That way I'm not lugging a 90day supply bottle with me.

Yup! Most pharmacies will do this for you - they just have to tell the computer to print an extra label, and they can then put it on a smaller vial. (hubby is a pharmacist - they do this all the time!)

"It is recommended that documents and medication be packed in your carry-on baggage. All prescription medications must be properly labelled with the names of the patient, the medication, and the issuing medical office or pharmacy. "

This is from the Air Canada website - maybe it's just a Canadian thing.

IIRC the British rules are very similar to that. Maybe it's just U.S. internal flights that are less strict.

It isn't just a Canadian thing, Europe likes things labeled as well. That being said, epipens only require 1 to be labeled.