New York at Christmas is cold outside and very warm inside: shops, museums and the subway are heated, so the trick is layers you can strip off, not one huge coat.
Long-haul hand baggage is more generous than Europe’s free bag. Most transatlantic economy fares, even basic ones on BA, American and United, include a full-size cabin case, so a couple can do five nights with one cabin case each and a shared under-seat bag.
The weather in New York in December
Shoulder months for comparison
| Station | November | December | January |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York (Central Park) | 12.2 °C / 5.6 °C54 °F / 42 °F · 91 mm | 6.9 °C / 1.0 °C44 °F / 34 °F · 111 mm | 4.2 °C / −2.3 °C40 °F / 28 °F · 92 mm |
Source: WMO 1991–2020 climate normals, published by NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI accession 0253808). Stations: New York (Central Park) (WMO 72506). Normals are long-term averages, not a forecast. Sunrise, sunset and daylight are calculated for the 15th of the month in 2026 (local time). °F and inches are converted from the metric figures. “n/a” means the station doesn’t report sunshine in this dataset.
- Central Park December normals: highs about 7°C, lows about 1°C, around 9 days with 1 mm or more of rain (111 mm in the month). Snow is possible but the normals don’t split it out.
- Sunset is around 16:30 in mid-December, so you get about 9 hours of daylight.
- Wind between tall buildings and along the rivers makes it feel colder than the number: a hat, scarf and gloves matter more than a thicker coat.
This week in New York (Midtown)
The outfit plan in this guide is built from 30-year averages for December. This panel is the real forecast for the next 7 days, turned into packing tips for your cabin baggage.
The live forecast needs JavaScript. Everything else in this guide works without it, and the climate-based plan above covers any December trip.
Weather data from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0), adapted into packing tips.
Karen’s tipWeather changes fastLayer it up
Three thin layers from your capsule beat one thick coat in New York in December: add or peel them off as the day changes.
- Base · next to skin
- Thermal top (merino or synthetic)
- Mid · warmth
- Merino jumper or fleece half-zip
- Outer · wind and rain
- Long padded coat; thin down underneath on the coldest days
☀ When it warms up: Shops, museums and subway platforms are hot: coat open, hat and scarf off as soon as you’re inside.
🎒 Stash it: Packable down rolls into its own pouch; gloves and hat live in the coat pockets.
Check the live “This week” forecast above for big swings between morning and afternoon.
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Karen’s tip On the plane
- Wear your heaviest items on travel day: coat, knit and your bulkiest shoes. They’d take the most space and weight in your bag.
- Planes can be cold with the air con, so take a jacket on board.
- An inflatable cushion that packs into its own small, discreet pouch: a head cushion on the flight and a pillow on beach sunbeds. You choose how much air goes in, so it’s as firm or soft as you like, which a foam neck pillow can’t do.
More comfort tips for flying economy → · Is a lounge worth it? →
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What locals actually wear
Sourced tips summarise or quote the linked source; anything marked editorial is our own advice. We don’t make up “local” style tips.
- There is no dress code for sightseeing. Smart-casual (dark jeans, a nice knit, clean boots) works for most restaurants and Broadway; very few places ask for more.PackToWear editorial advice, not a quote
3 outfit formulas
Your style: best fits here are Parisian chic and Relaxed sporty chic. Find your holiday style →
Midtown sightseeing
- Long padded or wool coat
- Thermal base layer + merino jumper
- Dark jeans or fleece-lined leggings
- Waterproof ankle boots
- Hat, scarf, touchscreen gloves
Tip: Unzip the coat and stuff the hat and gloves in the pockets the moment you go into a shop or museum.
Broadway and dinner
- Black trousers or knit midi skirt with thick tights
- Silky blouse or fine knit
- The same boots, polished
- Statement earrings
Tip: Theatres are warm: wear the thin layers under the coat and check the coat if there’s a cloakroom.
Brooklyn and the High Line
- Packable down under the coat
- Long-sleeve tee + half-zip
- Jeans
- Cushioned waterproof trainers
Tip: The bridge and the High Line are exposed to wind; add the down layer here.
Swatches are a colour guide for each formula, not product photos.
Day to night in New York
Same capsule, evening version: keep the base, swap one or two pieces. Every swap below stays cabin-bag friendly. How day-to-night swaps work →
01Window-shopping day → Broadway night
- Base (stays the same)
- Black ankle boots
- Long coat
- ☀ Day add-ons
- Jeans
- Merino jumper
- Beanie
- ☾ Evening swaps
- Black trousers instead of jeans
- Silky blouse instead of the jumper
- Earrings, red lip
Pieces added to your bag: 1, the silky blouse.
02Museum day → rooftop drinks
- Base (stays the same)
- Knit midi skirt
- Fleece-lined tights
- Boots
- ☀ Day add-ons
- Thermal + chunky knit
- ☾ Evening swaps
- Fine knit tucked in
- Small crossbody
Pieces added to your bag: 0, nothing new.
Karen’s tipChange your hair, change the look
Swapping my hair from up in the day to down in the evening (or the other way round) gives the whole outfit a different look. Even one piece of jewellery I didn’t wear earlier does the same.
💡 It’s a free trick, and it saves packing extra outfits.
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Preview note: placeholder links to each shop’s normal pages, with no affiliate tracking yet.
What’s underfoot
The ground
- Long grid walks on concrete
- Subway stairs (many stations have no lift)
- Metal grates and slush at kerbs in winter
- Brooklyn Bridge wooden walkway
15,000-25,000 steps on a sightseeing dayeditorial estimate
Trouble spots
- Subway stairs with baggage
- Slushy crossings after snoweditorial
- Metal grates catch thin heelseditorial
☀ Day shoes
Waterproof cushioned boots or trainers with grippy soles: you’ll walk 15,000-25,000 steps.
☾ Evening shoes
The same polished ankle boot; a low block heel at most.
✕ Leave at home
Stilettos, smooth leather soles, canvas shoes in slush.
Season notes: Cold and wet; warm socks matter.
Karen’s tipHeels and cobbles don’t mix. Check the ground before you pack heels: thin heels catch between cobbles, so a wedge or block heel is steadier for evenings.
One pair, day to night: The best space-savers are a sleek waterproof leather ankle boot (Paris, London, Vienna & Prague, Amsterdam, Rome in December), a clean minimalist leather trainer or slip-on loafer (Tokyo, London), and a low block-heel sandal (cruise). Travel day: wear the heavier pair (see On the plane). Break in shoes before the trip.
We may earn a small commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you.
Sources: . Shoe recommendations are our own editorial advice based on these sources, checked 20 Oct 2026.
The cabin baggage packing list
Your bag: 55 × 35 × 23 cm
Planned for 5 nights with a cabin case of 55 × 35 × 23 cm or less, under 10 kg, plus an under-seat bag. The rule that makes it work: wear your bulkiest items on the plane.
Wear on the plane worn
In the bag 13 items
Karen’s tipRoll, don’t fold. I roll my clothes, stuff socks and small bits inside my shoes, and keep socks in a clear bag that comes home full of dirty laundry or wet swimming costumes. How I pack →
Karen’s tipPack a bag in a bag.A foldable shopping bag that folds into its own little pouch, for shopping, dirty laundry and pool towels. It saves buying a bag abroad.Why, and where to get one →
- A second coat
- Heels (subway stairs, grates and slush)
- Full-size toiletries: US drugstores sell everything
Karen’s tip Check the local school holidays. “When children are off locally, places like Florida and America get local tourists as well as the usual ones, so it’s not a great time to go.” More on timing →
Liquids: going vs coming home
UK airports vary. Heathrow, Gatwick, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Belfast International, Belfast City, Bournemouth, Southend allow containers up to 2 litres; most others, including Manchester, Stansted and Luton, are still 100 ml.
- 100 mlNew York JFK (JFK), in a 1 L clear bag
- 100 mlNewark (EWR), in a 1 L clear bag
Pack your liquids to 100 ml for the whole trip.
Pack every liquid in 100 ml bottles inside a 1 litre clear bag, so the same pouch works on both legs. Travelling as a couple, each of you gets your own 1 litre bag, so split the toiletries. Heathrow is 2 L going out, but your return from JFK is 100 ml, so 100 ml is the rule that matters.
Karen’s tipWater bottle: keep it full through a 2-litre UK airport, or take it empty through a 100 ml one. Flying home: New York JFK, Newark are 100 ml, so empty it and refill airside.Check your airport →
Karen’s tipDecant, don’t buy mini. I decant sun tan lotion into clear 100 ml spray bottles, and my day cream, night cream and cleanser into one squashy three-section silicone pot for trips of up to 4–5 days (separate pots if longer). Far cheaper than minis. How to do it →
Karen’s tip Check your room first
Read the hotel, Airbnb or hostel listing, or message the host, and ask whether they provide:
- Iron or steamer
- Hairdryer
- Toiletries: shampoo, shower gel (conditioner often isn’t supplied)
- Towels, plus beach or pool towels
- Washing machine or laundry service
- Plug adapters or USB sockets
- Kettle, tea and coffee
- Slippers and a robe
- A safe
Here: US hotels nearly always have a hairdryer and iron; kettles are rare. Check the listing before packing either.
Hostels often don’t provide towels or padlocks.
Karen’s tip Bring your own hair products. Most hotels supply shampoo but often not conditioner. Decant favourites into leak-proof travel bottles under 100 ml (fill them about ¾ full), or switch to solid bars, which don’t count as liquids. Amazon UK: Lericttor 100ml Silicone Travel Bottles ↗Check price · Amazon UK: Friendly Soap Travel Bar 95g (hair & body) ↗£4.72, price checked 20 Oct 2026 Every item they provide is one you don’t carry.
Karen’s tip No-iron packing
Pick fabrics that don’t crease. Woven cotton and linen crease; knits, merino, jersey and most polyester blends barely do.
- Hang creased clothes in the bathroom while you shower.
- Pack a small crease-release spray under 100 ml (it counts as a liquid).
- Roll clothes, and keep crease-prone pieces in a packing cube on top, not in a vacuum bag.
- Check whether your hotel or Airbnb has an iron.
Karen’s tip Buy it there?
Adding a checked bag typically costs around £60–80 return on a budget airline. So if your bag is full, buying bulky or liquid items when you arrive is often cheaper.
Think sun cream, full-size shampoo, insect repellent, a beach towel or flip-flops.
Yes, cheaply in this destination: Drugstores (CVS, Walgreens, Duane Reade) are everywhere. Prices are shown before sales tax (NYC adds about 8.9%).
Tick items off as you pack (your ticks aren’t saved). Liquids rules depend on your departure airport and change from time to time. Check your airport’s current security rules before you decant your toiletries (see liquids rules by airport).
Long-haul cabin baggage
| Airline and fare | Cabin bag | Personal item | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| British Airways Economy Basic (hand baggage only) | 56 x 45 x 25 cm, up to 23 kg | 40 x 30 x 15 cm handbag/backpack, up to 23 kg, guaranteed in cabin | Weight is per bag and can’t be split. Airport purchases and duty free count as hand baggage on BA. Source |
| Virgin Atlantic Economy Light | 1 piece, 10 kg, 56 x 36 x 23 cm | Virgin’s baggage document lets you carry a handbag “as you would normally use it”, a coat and a small amount of duty free on top (no size given) | Size 56 x 36 x 23 cm from search snippet of Virgin pages; 10 kg confirmed on economy page. Sourceto re-check |
| American Airlines Basic Economy (transatlantic) | 22 x 14 x 9 in (56 x 36 x 23 cm), no published weight | 18 x 14 x 8 in (45 x 35 x 20 cm) | Basic boards last (group 9): AA warns bins are usually full, so be ready to have the cabin bag checked. Source |
| United Basic Economy (transatlantic) | Allowed across the Atlantic: 9 x 14 x 22 in (23 x 35 x 56 cm) | 9 x 10 x 17 in (22 x 25 x 43 cm), the smallest of the group | On other Basic routes no carry-on; gate fee $75 for tickets bought from 3 Apr 2026. Source |
| Delta Main / Main Basic | 22 x 14 x 9 in (56 x 35 x 23 cm), max 45 linear in | Purse, small backpack, laptop bag (no dimensions published) | Delta’s Basic page says a carry-on is included; one secondary site claims Main Basic to/from Europe is personal-item only. UNCONFIRMED: check your fare rules. Sourceto re-check |
| Norse Atlantic Economy Light (booked direct) | 56 x 45 x 25 cm, 10 kg | 40 x 30 x 15 cm | Light includes the cabin bag only for bookings on flynorse.com from 2 Sep 2024 (third-party bookings may differ). Norse’s own bag page blocked our fetch, so sizes are from its help-centre snippet. Sourceto re-check |
- One combination fits all six airlines’ cheapest transatlantic fares: a cabin case of 55 x 35 x 23 cm or less, under 10 kg, plus a personal item of 40 x 25 x 15 cm or less (that fits BA and Norse at 40 x 30 x 15 cm and United at 43 x 25 x 22 cm). On Virgin Economy Light the under-seat bag has no published size; it’s just “a handbag as you would normally use it”.
- Couples: one cabin case each, and share one under-seat bag for passports, chargers, adaptor and the liquids pouch (each of you still gets your own TSA quart bag).
- Wear the coat and boots on the plane. Coats don’t count as a bag on United, Delta or Virgin.
Duty-free bag: Flying to the US and connecting onward? TSA lets duty-free liquids over 100 ml through a US connection only in a sealed tamper-evident bag (STEB) with the receipt; never open it before your last flight. On the way home, BA counts airport shopping as hand baggage, while Virgin lists “a small amount of duty free goods” on top. Duty free and your free baggage →
Sizes come from each airline’s official page (see our free baggage reference for links). Rules change, so check your booking before you fly.
Baggage picks
The ticks compare each bag’s stated outer dimensions with each airline’s free-bag size. A struck-through name means the bag is too big for that airline. Soft bags squash a little; hard cases don’t. We haven’t tested these bags ourselves yet.
Want to fit more in? Compression cubes and packing cubes that store more in a free bag →
Pieces that fit the formulas
- M&SM&S Feather & Down Padded Puffer Jacket£68 · checked 20 Oct 2026
- M&SM&S Heatgen Maximum Thermal Crew Neck Top£22 · checked 20 Oct 2026
- QuinceMongolian cashmere oversized crewneck
- Clarks UKClarks Hencroft Step Waterproof Chelsea Boots£75 · checked 20 Oct 2026
- M&S (Accessorize)Accessorize Leather Faux Fur Lined Touchscreen Gloves£22 · checked 20 Oct 2026
- M&SM&S 140 Denier Thermal Sheer Fleece Tights£15 · checked 20 Oct 2026
- M&SAutograph Pure Silk Stripe Shirt£90 · checked 20 Oct 2026
- M&SM&S Set of 3 Packing Cubes£12 · checked 20 Oct 2026
We may earn a small commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. Prices are shown only where we confirmed them on the retailer’s page (checked 20 Oct 2026); otherwise check the current price.
Dates and practicalities
Christmas windows and rinks
The famous department-store windows and Rockefeller Center rink run from late November to early January; check each year’s dates before booking. (editorial)
Entry requirements
UK passport holders need an ESTA ($40) before flying; apply only on the official CBP site. Nothing to declare for ordinary clothing.
Share the load
- one cabin case each, and share one under-seat bag for passports, chargers, adaptor and the liquids pouch (each of you still gets your own TSA quart bag).
- Pack every liquid in 100 ml bottles inside a 1 litre clear bag, so the same pouch works on both legs. Travelling as a couple, each of you gets your own 1 litre bag, so split the toiletries. Heathrow is 2 L going out, but your return from JFK is 100 ml, so 100 ml is the rule that matters.
- Share one set of chargers, adaptor and toiletries; each of you still gets your own liquids bag allowance.
- Split each person’s outfits across both bags, so a gate-checked bag doesn’t leave one of you with nothing.
General advice from PackToWear.
Other seasons
Spring (Apr-May)
Highs 17-22°C, about 9-10 rain days a month: trench or light jacket, layers, umbrella.
Summer (Jun-Aug)
Highs 27-29°C and humid, with thunderstorms; air-con is fierce indoors so carry a cardigan.
Autumn (Sep-Oct)
Highs 18-25°C, fewest rain days of the year: the easiest month to pack light.
Jan-Feb
Coldest: highs 4-6°C, lows below zero; snow boots and thermal everything.
Karen’s trip: hand baggage only to Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia
I’ve been to Smith Mountain Lake three times, and every time I’ve gone with hand baggage only. My fare included a 23 kg hold bag, but I took a larger bag for the overhead locker instead (I remember it as about 56 × 45 × 25 cm; check your own airline’s size limit).
I had connecting flights too, and going hand baggage only helped so much: I didn’t have to wait for baggage between flights. And if your flight is late, the time you have to make your connection is limited, so hand baggage only is another real benefit.
The weather was reliably hot, so I packed mostly little light dresses, and I still didn’t wear all my clothes.
- ☀ Day
- Flat shoes and light dresses.
- ☾ Evening
- For meals out: nice wedge heels and slightly fancier, but still light, dresses.
Why hand baggage only?
- No worrying about my bag getting lost.
- Quicker out of the airport to make my next connection.
- No waiting for baggage between flights, which really counts if a late flight leaves you short of time.
Takeaway: Even when a hold bag is included, hand baggage only can be worth it on trips with a connection.
Karen, PackToWear’s founder. Illustration, not a photo.
Sources
- PackToWear editorial guidance (not an official rule; based on general travel experience), PackToWear
- WMO 1991-2020 climate normals (NOAA NCEI accession 0253808), World Meteorological Organization / NOAA
- Liquids, aerosols and gels rule (3-1-1), TSA
- ESTA (fee $40: $10 processing + $30 if approved), US Embassy London / CBP
- Baggage essentials, British Airways
- Economy Light / Classic / Delight, Virgin Atlantic
- Carry-on bags and size limits, American Airlines
- Carry-on bags; Basic Economy, United Airlines
- Carry-on baggage; Basic Economy, Delta Air Lines
- All Economy Light fares now include a cabin bag (bookings from 2 Sep 2024 on flynorse.com), Norse Atlantic Airways press release, 4 Sep 2024
- Equate Sport SPF50 lotion 8 fl oz (237 ml), $5.12 (before sales tax), Walmart
- NIVEA Sun Protect & Moisture SPF50+ 200ml, £7.70, Tesco
Airline free-bag sizes: see the free baggage reference. Climate: see the source under the weather table. Live forecast: weather data from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0), adapted into packing tips. Photos: Unsplash, credited on each image and on the photo credits page. Last checked October 2026.
