Some of the best lessons I learned from spending a good chunk of my twenties and thirties on long-haul flights were that it’s amazing how few possessions I needed on a long trip; how to create my own comfort — even in economy class; how to avoid jet lag, and even how to (kindly!) repel well-meaning but chatty seatmates without confrontation. In this guide, I share my best tips for long flights so you can enjoy your trip. Practice some of these tooltips for long flights and your long haul can be far more manageable — and even therapeutic!
Even if you won’t be sitting in a first-class, lie-flat seat, you can choose your seat wisely, dress for comfort, and be strategic about sleep. Pack your bags and have a comfortable flight!
1. Dress for sleep success
Whenever I lay out my clothes for a long flight, I think of the climate on the plane and at my destination. Either way, multiple light layers are my best friends. I’m always cold on a flight, so I like to wear layers topped with a light down vest that I can crush into nothing if I’m traveling to a warm climate. I roll up the vest and use it as a travel pillow.
Many people love to bring a travel pillow, but I don’t like carrying an extra item. (If you must have a pillow but feel the same way, look into one of the many inflatable travel pillows now on the market.) And I always travel with a lightweight but warm alpaca scarf. It makes the perfect blanket on a plane and still looks elegant in the evenings if I need a layer. Wear slip-on shoes – good for security and good for slipping off on the plane in favor of slippers or grippy socks.
2. Buckle your seatbelt over your blanket
I learned the hard way that zealous flight attendants may wake you up to see if your seatbelt is fastened if they can’t see it. You can buckle your seatbelt over your blanket (or layers of clothing) and if you’re able to sleep through turbulence and the flight attendants come around, they won’t wake you.
3. Tips for a long flight if you plan to carry on
When I was young, my travel-obsessed father had one rule: no checking bags. It’s still the way I travel today, even if I’m going on a trip for a week. And although this tip won’t necessarily make you more comfortable on your flight, it may save your sanity when you arrive. I create a capsule collection for travel, choosing a single type of neutral color as a wardrobe basis: for instance, navy, black, or brown. I don’t mix the neutrals, but I’ll layer color on top. For instance, if the basis is black, every additional item of clothing I bring must work well with black. Pack this way and you’ll be amazed at how few things you need on a trip.
4. Bring snacks
When you’re crossing time zones, your flight attendants are usually syncing the meals with your destination, which means that you may get a meal when you’re not hungry and may be hungry for hours before the next meal arrives. I usually bring a little something on a flight, like almonds or granola bars, in case the latter happens. (I also travel with someone who tends to get “hangry,” so throwing him some snacks is good for everyone.) Although I love salty snacks like pretzels, I try to stay away from them on a flight to avoid dehydration and swelling.
5. Book your best-located seat
On wide-body planes, the economy seats with the most room are the bulkhead seats in the front of the cabin or the exit rows. If you’re tall, this is your best bet. But keep in mind that the bulkhead wall is where the airlines put bassinets, so if you’re bothered by crying babies, this may not be for you. Keep in mind too that your seat’s TV will likely be stored in your armrest and that can feel awkward to some travelers. The catch-22 is that the farther up in front you sit, the quieter the actual airplane noise is since most plane engines are located under the wings. If you don’t need the extra legroom, consider booking a seat toward the back. Most people don’t love the back row, which can be good news if your flight isn’t full. But try for a few rows up from the bathrooms.
6. Preempt jet lag
If you’ve ever noticed that your jet lag is worse on the other end of an eastbound flight than on a westbound flight, you’re not alone. Science tells says that the body’s circadian rhythms get more confused by eastward travel. Either way, if you’re going through several time zones, your body will take a hit. You can prepare for a trip by adjusting your sleep in advance by a bit or booking a flight that arrives during the day. For those who can sleep on a plane, booking a redeye is a fine decision. The faster you’re able to adjust to your destination time zone, the better rested you’ll feel overall.
7. Bring a key accessory
I often wear wireless earbuds but on a long flight. I bring large, noise-canceling headphones – and not for the terrific audio quality. For some reason, the chattiest passengers usually find their way to me, and on a flight years ago, I learned that if I immediately put my giant headphones on when I sat down in my seat, my fellow passengers would think I was very busy — even if the headphones weren’t attached to a device. No confrontation is needed.
8. Stick to your beauty sleep
I try not to just sleep whenever I want but to time my nap to the destination’s time zone. You won’t need to do much work to figure this out on most long-haul flights, since flight attendants will serve meals that sync with the destination. Naturally, sleeping is easier on a first-class lie-flat seat, but if you’re saving money by booking your long-haul in the main cabin, you can book a window seat on the side you usually sleep on.
9. Exercise tips for a long flight
Yes, I am the lady walking the aisles in the middle of the night and doing ankle rolls. Sitting for long periods of time, dehydration, preexisting health conditions, cramped seating, and other circumstances can raise the likelihood of forming a deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a blood clot that typically forms in a leg vein and can be very painful – or even fatal if a piece breaks off and travels to your heart and lungs. I always wear medical-grade compression stockings on flights. Moving around is also just a generally good idea to pre-empt the aches and pains associated with sitting for a long time. Develop a little circuit of exercises or stretches to do on the plane.
10. Keep a charge
If you’re bringing electronics on a long-haul flight, you’ll want to make sure they stay charged. Most US carriers provide outlets and USB ports in premium cabins, and some larger planes have them in economy – or the first few rows of economy plus seats. It’s always a good idea to bring a portable charger for small devices. And if you’re using a device and find that your seat doesn’t have an outlet (or it’s not working, which happens), turning down the brightness and closing apps can make your battery last longer.
How KAYAK knows what to put in this guide
Flight experience! Over 20 years of traveling for work and not only, I have created my own list of tips and tricks for managing my workload, sanity, and circadian rhythms during the several years I lived between Atlanta and Kuwait – by the way, that is a 16-plus-hour flight.
Now, you have the tools to prepare for a long flight. There’s no need to worry about it. You can make a plan in your own image to deal smoothly with your long-haul flight. You might also be interested in our blog articles to survive a long flight, so take a look at things to do on a plane, tips for flying, and packing for holidays.
Some of our favorite flight routes
Long flights FAQ
What should you not do before a long flight?
Drink alcohol or caffeine! You want to be as relaxed and hydrated as possible for your double-digit-hour-long flight. Likewise, don’t sacrifice comfort for fashion (I’m looking at you, stiletto heels and miniskirts) and don’t forget to moisturize and drink plenty of water.
How do I survive a 14-hour flight?
I bring plenty of reading material, lots of work I need to do (or have been procrastinating), and my trusty and beautiful Alpaca scarf/blanket. I do seem to set next to chatty strangers, so I always bring large headphones. Even if I’m not listening to anything, they signal that I’m occupied when I don’t want to spend the next 14 hours in a discussion.
How to survive a 12-hour flight in economy?
Make sure you know what your inflight entertainment options will be in advance. If you can count on a seatback entertainment unit, bring wireless earbuds and an adapter. If there’s Wi-Fi but no seatback unit, download some movies to an iPad or laptop. And check to see if your plane seat will have an outlet. If it doesn’t, bring a good portable charger.
