How to survive long haul Flights: (6) Tips for Comfort

Hi friend – Embarking on a long haul flight journey can prove to be a bit of a tiring experience.

Very often, when flying for an extended period of time, people report a set of common discomforts that range from normal fatigue and dehydration to Jetlag, cramps, and bloating.

Whether it is an 8-hour trip to Europe or an 18 hours one from New York to Singapore, long flights at 35 000 feet high come with their own set of challenges.

Regardless of the destination, flights that span over several hours require extra planning and preparation.

That’s especially true if you’re on a work trip where you intend on being productive soon after the flight.

So without further ado, here are 6 of the best travel tips and tricks to help you survive and make those long haul flights a bit more comfortable.

#1 – Wear comfortable clothes for the flight

When it comes to long-haul flights, comfort is key. The last thing you want is to be stuck in an uncomfortable piece of clothing for the entire duration of the flight.

That’s why, picking the right outfit for the trip is particularly important.

First things first, you should wear a breathable top. Cotton or linen fabrics tend to work great because of their breathable nature which prevents you from overheating.

You should also avoid tight fitting tops as they can restrict your movement which can be quite annoying.

In addition to that, you want to wear comfortable trousers/pants or leggings. Avoid anything with extra buttons, zippers or belts as these can press against your skin which can lead to discomfort.

Also, make sure you put on some layers that are simple to put on and off. That way, you can adjust your clothes according to your comfort level and temperature.

Flying involves sitting for extended periods of time, which can slow blood circulation and restrict blood flow to your feet. In rare cases that can even lead to deep vein thrombosis (blood clots).

That’s why, it is also a good idea to wear a pair of compression socks during long haul flights in order to improve circulation, reduce swelling and keep your feet comfortable and in good conditions.

And to sum up the clothing list, you should wear comfortable, easy to take off and put on shoes. Avoid wearing heels if possible.

#2 – Window or aisle seat for long haul flights

Choosing the right seat is all about personal preference. If you prefer seeing the world from 35 000 feet high and having something to lean on to sleep, then a window seat will work great for you. On top of that, you will avoid people bumping into you every now and then when they’re trying to go to the bathroom for example.

On the other hand, having an aisle seat allows for more leg room and the ability to get up and move around without having to disturb your seatmate.

It’s all personal preference when it comes to front or back seats as well. Usually, most people go for the front seats given that they’re a bit quieter than the back and allow you to get off the plane faster.

However, what happens if you prefer window seats and the only window seat available is a bit more to the back of the plane?

In that case, some people would stick to the front while others would opt for the window seat on the back that’s slightly noisier than the front one.

How about choosing an entirely different plane to travel on?

This isn’t always a viable option but, if given the choice try flying in modern aircrafts like the Boeing 787 or Airbus A350 which are known to have a better and a more comfortable cabin.

#3 – Stay hydrated

This might be the most important tip on the list.

Given that long-haul flights are known to be a dehydrating experience, drinking sufficient amounts of water should be among your top priorities. Therefore, don’t forget to hydrate before, during and after the flight.

A good rule of thumb is to aim for drinking half of your body weight in ounces of water.

For example, if you weigh 200 pounds, then you should aim for a daily water intake of 100 oz.

For the rest of the world (not everyone likes to use ounces and pounds okay? Ha-ha) the recommended amount of water is 33 ml per kilogram of body weight.

For example, if you weigh 70 kg, you should aim for a daily water intake of 2.31L

Additionally, as tempting as it maybe, you should avoid drinking caffeinated drinks and alcohol as those are known to increase urine production and thus lead to more fluid loss.

Another thing that’s worth considering, is bringing your eye drops. That’s because the humidity levels tend to be low on most flight cabins which can cause dry eyes.

So, having eye drops can prevent you from having irritable eyes. Especially if you wear contact lenses.

#4 – Pack Essentials in Your Carry-On

knowing what to pack for long-haul flights can make all the difference. Apart from the obvious, like snacks and saving your favorite show to binge-watch on the plane, Essential items such as a reusable water bottles, a toothbrush, noise cancelling headphones and a travel pillow can significantly enrich your flying experience.

For the sake of being short and to the point, here is a checklist of the 7 must-have items for long-haul flights.

A Compact carry-on suitcase

An essential part of every long-haul flight is a good compact carry-on suitcase.

Whether you’re a frequent traveler or an occasional one, having a good quality carry-on suitcase at hand always makes the trip a bit more comfortable.

There are 5 main aspects to consider when choosing a good quality suitcase: Capacity, mobility, Durability, Design, Value.

Below are two of the best picks scoring on all 5 aspects.

The Samsonite Freeform Carry-on Spinner

The Away Bigger Carry-On

A travel pillow

Being able to get some sleep during long flights should also be among your priorities. That’s why it is worth investing in a good quality travel pillow.

The following are two of the overall best to consider

Cabeau Evolution S3 travel pillow

MLVOC Travel Pillow

A Portable charger

Having a dead battery during a long flight makes a perfect recipe for an unpleasant experience. Especially when entertaining yourself during flights usually involves watching or listening to something on your device. To avoid running out of battery, make sure you pack a portable charger like this 10 000 mAh INIU Power Bank.

Noise-cancelling headphones/Earphones

Obviously, you don’t want to blast your speakers for everyone onboard to hear all you’re watching or listening to during the flight as you don’t want to hear all their stuff as well. For that reason, a good set of noise cancelling headphones/earphones is great for some privacy and, you can also use the noise cancelling earphones as earplugs for sleeping.

The following are two of the best picks:

Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless headphones

Apple AirPods Pro

A Luggage tracker

Something that can really hinder a good flying experience is losing your luggage before, during or after the trip.

While preventing it is a bit out of hand, having a way to trace the location of your belongings can make the experience a lot easier than the alternative.

Being easy to set up, accurate, and functional, these are the top options to consider.

For iOS users: Apple AirTag

For android users: Galaxy SmartTag2

A Reusable water bottle

Given how important is hydrating during a long-haul flight, it only makes sense to keep your fluids within arm’s reach. That’s where a good water bottle can make a difference.

The following are three of the best options to choose from.

IRON °FLASK Sports Water Bottle – 3 Lids

YETI Rambler 26 Oz Bottle

ThermoFlask 40 Oz Double Wall Water Bottle

A Toothbrush

Besides the fact that brushing your teeth before taking a nap and before a meal is good practice, it also helps you feel clean and refreshed.

So, don’t forget to put a toothbrush in your toiletry bag as well!

Here is one to consider:

Philips One by Sonicare Battery Toothbrush

#5 – To do on a long haul flights

Generally, traveling is an exciting experience but, those long flights tend to get a bit boring the longer they go.

Therefore, it is important to think of ways to keep yourself entertained during the flight.

Don’t rely solely on in-flight entertainment as those might not work and/or provide the options you’d enjoy.

Instead, you could download your favorite movies or TV shows on your device to make sure you have plenty of stuff to watch during the flight.

Another great source of entertainment during long flights are books. Nothing is like letting your imagination take over the amazing acts of world-building as you immerse yourself into a good novel.

If not, a book that teaches you about a subject you aren’t familiar with opening your mind on a whole new perspective is equally as entertaining.

I keep this short list of To-Read on my phone for whenever I get the chance to read new books.

Right now, I have these four books on it that I think would make for a good read but, I’ve yet to read them as of the writing of this post.

• Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah
• A little life by Hanya Yanagihara
• The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
• Quiet by Susan Cain

Feel free to give them a try.

If you’re not much of a reader or a watcher and prefer listening, you could download a playlist of your personal favorite songs and podcasts to listen to during the trip.

Another way that can help you survive the long-haul flight boredom is a game of some sort. So, make sure to download some games you enjoy playing on your phone or maybe even bring a travel-size physical card/board game with you to play with a travel partner.

If nothing else, working on your projects 35 000 feet high in the air is also an option to pass time.

#6 – Move around

Sitting in your chair can get pretty uncomfortable after a while. It can also contribute to deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or blood clots.

Therefore, try to stretch, stand up and move around once every 90 min or so to prevent discomfort.

A trip to the rest room or moving up and down the aisle should do it. Just make sure that fasten seat-belts sign is off before you unbuckle it to stand up.

Final thoughts

Long-haul flights are both exciting and exhausting to some degree. Knowing how to optimize for comfort so that all your left with is excitement is key.

A comfortable trip all starts with a comfortable outfit. Feeling comfortable in what you’re wearing allows for flexibility and a good range of motion. Both of which are prerequisites for comfort.

Choosing a good seat is another way ensure your trip is off to a good start. Depending on which seats you prefer, having one you’re comfortable with is a sure way to make that trip a bit more bearable.

In addition to that, you should also make sure that your body is ready for the long-haul journey by making sure you hydrate before, during and after the flight.

Your body will also thank you if you try to adjust your sleeping schedule before the trip to minimize the effects of jetlag after the trip.

Depending on your destination, sleeping or waking up 2 hours early should be enough to get you accustomed to a new time zone.

Doing that along with packing your self-care essentials for the flight, making sure you move and stretch regularly while maintaining good posture during the flight should help you survive the long-haul flight with relative ease.

Alright, Bon Voyage!

Thank you so much for reading this far!

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