Period Products for Travel: Cups, Discs & Underwear

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Many female travelers struggle with managing their periods on the go. Learn about the best travel-friendly period products, including menstrual cups, discs, and period underwear to find the option that works best for you!

Years ago I wrote about my experience with tampons and Komodo dragons. Spoiler alert: it had nothing to do with the actual animals. I’d traveled to Indonesia to scuba dive around Komodo Island and got my period in what felt like the only place on Earth where I couldn’t buy tampons. I learned my lesson and dutifully bought a menstrual cup so this would never happen again. Needless to say, I failed spectacularly at using it.

Over a decade later, I somehow found myself in a similar predicament on a scuba diving trip in Cozumel, a touristy destination where tampons are readily available, but where not all dive boats have bathrooms to change them between dives.

Determined not to let my period interfere with my mission to get back in the water, I reluctantly decided to give the menstrual cup another shot. Fortunately, there are now far more reusable options available, including the menstrual disc, which is an entirely different product. What a game changer.

Not only was it incredibly easy to use, but paired with period underwear to manage my recently evolved heavy flow, I’ve finally found a comfortable, sustainable system I use every month, not just when diving. 

I feel a little silly for being so late to this, but needless to say: I have seen the light.

Why Tampons and Travel Don’t Always Mix

Tampons work fine until travel exposes their limitations. Tampons need frequent changing, which requires a bathroom with some degree of privacy, and travel has a way of making that surprisingly hard to guarantee. 

• On a dive boat, that means waiting hours between dives. 
• On a long-haul flight in a middle seat, it means timing bathroom visits and hoping for the best. 
• On a full-day safari, a hiking trail, or a long bus ride through the mountains, it means stress you simply don’t need. 

And if you travel carry-on only, packing a month’s supply takes up space that should go to things you actually want to bring.

There’s a better way. A few of them. 

Please note: I am not a licensed medical professional. The information I provide is for general educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as official medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment

The Products Worth Knowing About

The DIVA Cup is a popular choice for travelers looking for long-lasting, reusable period protection.

Menstrual Cups

A menstrual cup is a small, flexible silicone cup that sits in the lower vaginal canal and collects flow for up to 12 hours. For travel, the appeal is immediate: one compact cup replaces an entire trip’s worth of disposables. No supply logistics, no pharmacy hunting, no calculating whether you have enough tampons to last a three-day trek.

The learning curve is real, most people need two to three cycles before it feels effortless. The payoff is a product that lasts up to ten years.

Saalt Cup: $32 A community favorite for first-time cup users, the Saalt Cup comes in three sizes and is made from 100% medical-grade silicone with no BPA, fragrances, or synthetic additives. Travelers who’ve made the switch consistently say it becomes second nature faster than they expected. Available in regular and soft versions depending on firmness preference.

DIVA Cup: from $42 The original menstrual cup brand, trusted for over 20 years. The DIVA Cup carries the kind of established community knowledge base that makes troubleshooting easy, decades of real-world guidance from real users. A reliable first cup for the traveler who wants a proven name.

IUD users take note: menstrual cups create a light suction to stay in place, and some research suggests a small risk of IUD displacement. Worth discussing with your doctor first and knowing that the menstrual discs below use no suction at all.

The Saalt Disc offers a comfortable, reusable alternative to traditional period products for travel and everyday wear.

Menstrual Discs

This is the product I wish I’d found a decade ago instead of giving up entirely.

A menstrual disc tucks higher than a cup, behind the pubic bone, at the base of the cervix, and stays in place through position rather than suction. No seal to break, no pressure against the vaginal walls, and capacity that outpaces most cups significantly. 

The Saalt Disc holds the equivalent of six tampons’ worth of flow and can be worn for up to 12 hours.

On my Cozumel trip, that meant inserting the disc at the dive shop before boarding the dive boat and not thinking about it again until I was back on shore. But the same logic applies to a 14-hour flight, a full-day game drive, or any long sightseeing day where bathroom stops are unpredictable. Insert it in the morning and get on with your trip.

The learning curve is different from cups and many find it easier. Pinch the disc lengthwise, tuck it in, and it’s done. Removal takes confidence and clean hands, but after the first time, it’s straightforward.

Saalt Disc: $35 The disc I now travel with. Made from 100% medical-grade silicone, PFAS-free, FDA registered, with a custom removal notch that takes most of the anxiety out of removal. Available in regular and small sizes. The 90-day satisfaction guarantee makes it a low-risk first purchase.

Flex Reusable Disc: $39 A strong alternative with a patented insertion notch that makes placement easier for beginners. Holds up to 70mL and comes packaged with two single-use Flex Discs, a thoughtful detail for travelers who want to test the feel on a short trip before committing to the reusable version. Also a good fit for IUD users given the no-suction design.

These seamless leakproof underwear offer light absorbency with an invisible, no-show fit, making them ideal for spotting, light flow days, or backup protection while traveling.

Period Underwear

My flow changed. Heavier, less predictable, more demanding on day one and two. I needed a backup, something that could catch overflow without adding a pad to the equation. Period underwear turned out to be the answer, and I can’t believe I waited as long as I did.

Modern period underwear looks like regular underwear. The best options are thin enough to wear without a visible line, use PFAS-free absorbent layers (this matters, some brands have tested positive for synthetic “forever chemicals” that absorb through sensitive skin), and hold one to six tampons’ worth of flow depending on the style.

Paired with a disc or cup, one pair as backup is the most freedom I’ve ever had during a period, whether that’s on a dive boat, a long-haul flight, or a hiking trail with no facilities in sight.

Saalt Wear: from $35 Among the thinnest period underwear available, with a patented gusset developed alongside a textile engineer and tested rigorously to be PFAS-free, Saalt delayed their launch by six months after finding a trace amount in one fabric layer, reformulated, and retested before going to market. Styles range from thong to boy shorts in sizes XS–XXL. Also available at Nordstrom.

Knix Leakproof Underwear: from $32 A well-loved option with a loyal community of travelers. Knix has been transparent about PFAS testing since 2020, with all products certified PFAS-free. Sizing runs to 5XL, and the first pair comes with a 30-day risk-free trial, a genuinely useful policy for a product that needs a full cycle to evaluate properly.

Your Travel Period Kit

You don’t need all of this. You need a system.

For most travelers: one reusable disc or cup, a pair of period underwear for backup and overnight, and a few tampon backups for genuine emergencies. The whole kit fits in a small pouch and takes up less space than a single box of tampons.

A few adjustments worth knowing:

• Active or water-based travel: cups and discs have a large capacity means fewer changes. 
• Long travel days: Both cups and discs can be worn for up to 12 hours, which covers most long-haul flights, overnight buses, and marathon sightseeing days without a change. This alone makes them worth the switch.
• Destinations with limited tampon availability: a reusable disc or cup becomes essential, not just convenient. Pack a small travel wash and you’re covered regardless of what’s available at your destination.
• First-timers: Give yourself two to three cycles at home before traveling with any reusable product. The first time is the learning curve. By the third, it’s second nature.

Whether you’re flying, hiking, or sightseeing, the Flex Reusable Disc provides reliable, reusable period protection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you use a menstrual disc for active travel (hiking, diving, long travel days)? 

Yes, and it’s arguably the best period product for exactly these situations. A disc sits at the base of the cervix, held in place by the pubic bone rather than suction, and stays secure through physical activity. 

Worn for up to 12 hours, it covers a full dive day, a long hiking trail, or a transatlantic flight without a change. Practice at home for at least one full cycle first so you’re confident before you go.

What’s the difference between a menstrual cup and a menstrual disc? 

Position and mechanism. 

• A cup sits lower in the vaginal canal and uses light suction to stay in place. 
• A disc sits higher, at the vaginal fornix beneath the cervix, held in place by the pubic bone, no suction required. 

Discs generally hold more fluid and many travelers find them more comfortable during active or long days. The right choice depends on your body and your flow. 

Watch this video for full details!

What period products are best for long-haul travel? 

Both reusable discs or cups are wearable for up to 12 hours, covering most international flights without a change. 

Add one or two pairs of absorbent period underwear as backup and you have a complete system that takes up almost no space in your bag, and removes the need to hunt for tampons anywhere you land.

Do you travel with a menstrual cup, menstrual disc, or period underwear? Which travel-friendly period products have worked best for you?

For more travel packing tips and essentials, please read:

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