7 Awesome Tips for Surviving Long Flights

FLY COMFORTABLY AND ARRIVE FEELING FRESH

If you’re going on a long haul flight soon and you’re a little worried about how you will cope, don’t stress, I’m here to help. Read on for my awesome tips for surviving long flights that will have you jet-setting like a pro. You will fly more comfortably whilst in economy class and arrive at your destination feeling fresh.

Living in Australia means I am accustomed to travelling long distances to go anywhere in the world. Most international destinations are extremely far away. Flying to Europe is a whole day and night, or longer, depending on layovers. Flying to the USA is also a long trip with at least 16 hours of flight time.

So I’m quite accustomed to dealing with extended periods of time on a plane. I wouldn’t say I love it necessarily, but I have learnt how to make the most of it and found ways to be more comfortable when flying economy.

Here are my awesome tips for surviving long flights and a few tricks I will share with you.

First and foremost, if you know you are prone to travel sickness, you should seriously consider travel prevention medication, which usually needs to be taken at least 30 minutes before takeoff. You certainly want to avoid being sick on a long haul flight.

1. Rest is best

As you are going to have a lot of time confined in a small space and you are obviously limited with things you can do, sleeping or resting is the best way to pass the time, or ‘make time fly’ if you will. Ideally, try to sleep a few hours if you can.

If you don’t get some shut eye, the long flight will be more difficult to endure and you will arrive at your destination feeling exhausted. This is the best of my tips for surviving long flights.

2. Things to help you sleep

You may like to bring a travel/neck pillow, a small blanket, noise cancelling headphones, earplugs, an eye mask, or anything else you need to help you sleep. It may be a bit of a nuisance carrying these items, but you will appreciate the comfort they afford you on a long trip.

3. Clothing for a long flight

Always wear comfortable, casual clothing on long flights. You will be sitting for long hours, so garments that are not restrictive, preferably stretchy and loose are recommended.

Have a jacket/sweater, a scarf/shawl (which doubles as a small blanket) and socks with you in case you get cold on the plane, as it can get quite chilly.

Wear comfortable shoes that are easy to slip on and off and in case your feet swell.

Having a change of clothes in your hand luggage is also a good idea, in case you spill something on yourself during the flight. There’s nothing worse than having to sit for hours in wet/dirty/smelly clothes.

Preferably don’t wear things with too much metal, such as belts, buckles, jewellery, that may be a problem going through security.

4. Snacks & water

Bring some healthy snacks with you, as the airline food may not suit you or be to your liking. Snacks which are solids and not smelly, such as crackers, nuts, muesli bars, dried fruit, etc., are perfect for travel and easy to keep in your bag. You should consume food on the flight, as your destination country may not allow certain food through customs, unless it is packaged and sealed, such as chocolates. Laws and environmental regulations vary from country to country.

Note: baby food is exempt from most of the rules.

Drink plenty of water/fluids during the fight, but not too much alcohol or coffee. Otherwise, you will get dehydrated. Bring an empty water bottle to fill after you pass through security, or buy a water bottle at that point.

5. Body hygiene kit

It’s a good idea to keep a small body hygiene kit handy, with essentials you may need to freshen up, so you can arrive looking and feeling human. You may appreciate having things like, toothbrush/mouthwash, hairbrush/comb, tissues, wipes, moisturiser, lip balm, deodorant/perfume & some makeup. However, don’t bring large items that take up a lot of space or that are more than 100ml.

6. Stretching on a long flight

To avoid leg pains, cramps or deep vein thrombosis I recommend you get up out of your seat now and then and move around the cabin to keep blood circulating properly.

When seated you can also stretch your legs and feet, point toes and rotate ankles which helps a lot too.

You may also like to wear compression stockings which aid in keeping the blood flowing and prevent swelling.

7. Entertainment

It’s a perfect time to catch up on some reading, magazines, audio books, podcasts, tv programs or movies, play games, crosswords and the like that you haven’t had a chance to enjoy for a while. You must keep yourself entertained when awake to help pass the hours, so come prepared and make use of the time you have available.

You don’t want to rely on the inflight entertainment service, as it may not work properly, or it may not have much that interests you, or you may have already seen what is showing. So download your preferred entertainment on your phone/tablet/laptop prior to travelling, so you don’t have to worry about needing wi-fi.

Make sure to bring a portable battery charger pack and cables to keep your devices going for the long haul.

Snazzy Tip: Instead of keeping everything in your carry-on luggage, wear a jacket with pockets, so you can have essential things handy when seated. This saves you the hassle of having to get things out of the overhead compartment.

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I hope my tips for surviving long fights will help make your experience more pleasant, and have you arriving at your destination ready and raring to go.

Bon voyage.

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