top 10 tips...
For Long Flights
It’s safe to say that Josh and I have been on a handful of quite long flights. So we’ve learned a thing or two about how to get through them without losing our minds. Our tips for long flights will hopefully help make yours a little easier. Hands down, the best way to get through a long flight is to sleep through the entirety. Okay. That’s all there is to it. Wow! This was an easy article to write.
Just kidding! It’s not that easy at all. If you can sleep through a long flight, or any flight for that matter, that’s excellent news for you. But what about those of us who find it very difficult or impossible to sleep on a flight? What do we do to survive 12+ hours in one seat that reclines .02 degrees, because unfortunately, we can’t all afford to fly in first-class luxury? There’s not such an easy solution. But, we’ve found a few ways to help pass the time and to get to our final destination feeling somewhat human. Here are my top ten tips to survive a long flight:
1. dress comfortably
Our first tip for long flights is an important one. We all want to look our best when we travel but, let’s face it, when you’re trapped on a plane with people who are likely drooling and snoring next to you, who cares what you look like? Besides, who says comfy can’t be cute? Throw on some snuggly soft joggers and a cute graphic tee. Toss a denim jacket over that and Boom! Cute and comfy.
Layers are really important. If you’re anything like me, you’ll be freezing up in the air but sweating during the landing. Seriously, what is it about the landing that makes me perspire profusely? Does anyone else relate?
Also, if you’re like me, you’ll only be comfortable once your shoes come off. This is a touchy topic. Some people think it’s totally gross to kick off your shoes on a flight. I recommend only doing this under strict conditions that you have clean socks (never bare feet) and no foot odor. Also, keep your feet in your own space. Nobody wants your foot, stinky or not, creeping over the armrest from behind into their space. Be comfortable but also be respectful.
Lastly, be mindful of what the weather conditions will be in your final destination. It may be 80 degrees and sunny when you leave Florida in October but it will be quite chilly when you land in Reykjavik. I promise you’ll be grateful for those layers.
2. Bring Your Own Entertainment
Most longer flights, particularly international flights, have an excellent selection of TV shows, movies and music to choose from. However, there’s nothing better than having your own, personally curated entertainment at your fingertips. This is a super important item in our list of tips for long flights, because binge watching your favorite show makes the time fly by (no pun intended).
Josh and I are huge TV & movie fans. When we’re watching a show, we like to binge that show until we finish it. Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Video all allow users to download content that can be watched offline. So, if you can, avoid watching the newest season of your favorite show(s) so that you can download an entire season to watch on the flight. It’s best to have a couple genres to choose from so you can watch a drama, then a comedy, etc. This will keep things from getting stale.
Same goes for books & music. There are so many incredible devices on the market these days that allow you to download tons and tons of content. Having so many options will ensure you don’t get bored.
3. don't forget your chargers
No need to download all that great content if your laptop battery dies an hour into your 14-hour flight. So make sure you bring your charger along. Most long-distance flights have electric outlets at each seat.
Alternatively, you can charge up at the airport if you have a connection or layover. I also recommend a comfortable noise-cancelling headset. Josh and I use a splicer so that we can both plug our separate headsets into the same device and watch a movie together.
4. Bring Essential Toiletries In Your Carry-On
There are a couple items that I simply cannot do without when we fly. Antibacterial wipes help keep your tray table and hands germ-free. Tissues are great for those runny nose moments. A hairbrush and toothbrush will freshen you up after a nap, mid flight or when you land.
Lastly, deodorant wipes are also great for freshening up at any point you need it. Does anyone remember when I mentioned how much I sweat during landings? Hello! But no matter what happens mid-flight, with these essentials, anyone can step off that plane looking and feeling totally fly (pun intended)!!
5. Accessories
We couldn’t have this list of tips for long flights without mentioning this one. Sure, you’ll be provided with a blanket and a tiny pillow on your flight. I don’t know about you but that pillow usually does nothing for me. Fortunately, there are so many accessories available on the market today, that anyone should be able to find something that works for their personal sleeping and comfort preferences.
One that I cannot fly without is my footrest. It’s an adjustable sling that hangs from my tray table and I can perch my feet in the sling so that I can kind of curl up when I want.
I also love my inflatable pillow. It inflates into a large pillow with holes in the sides and it looks completely ridiculous. But I can rest it in my lap and lean forward to sleep face down on the pillow. It’s life changing!
6. Food & Snacks
When I was younger, airplane food didn’t have such a great rep but it must’ve come a long way because we’ve actually had some really amazing meals on different flights over the years. However, there isn’t always a vegan-friendly snack or breakfast option, even though we provide our special dietary needs ahead of time. Such is life!
Or, sometimes, particularly when I can’t sleep, I just need a little something to get me through to the next meal. So I like to bring along a few snack options for those moments. For example, I love to bring some instant oatmeal pouches. Instant ramen is another great option. And while we know you can’t bring liquids onto a flight, you can bring a flavored tea bag. All of these options require nothing more than a cup of hot water to make a great snack.
Granola, protein bars & trailmix are also easy yet sustainable snacks. We like to make our own so we can control exactly what goes into them. Control Freak much?! Figure out what you like and have a few snacks on hand for when that hunger strikes.
7. Get Up & Move
Seriously, get up and move. Your body will thank you. This is one of those tips for long flights that is so important, but also easy to forget about. At least once an hour (unless you’re sleeping, of course) get out of your seat. Take a walk around the cabin. Find a spot that’s out of the way, if you can, and do some stretches. This will help your back and limbs stay loose and limber and you’ll feel much better at the end of your flight.
Note: I’m not advocating that you become a nuisance to your fellow flyers or to the crew. Be aware of your surroundings. Please do not block the isle and, when doing your stretches, pay attention to where you’re aiming!
8. Do Something Productive
Josh and I like to take advantage of the forced stillness to get some work done. It’s super satisfying to get home from a trip and know that you don’t have quite so much to catch up on because you were productive 10,000 miles up in the sky – you little go-getter! You don’t even need WiFi to be productive.
One of the things we like to do is sort through our trip photos and delete the bad ones or edit anything that’s needed. That way, when we get home, we have only great photos from our trip. Who knows, maybe I wrote this very article while flying home from Australia? Psssst…. I didn’t. But I totally could have! And, if you do need WiFi, check with your airline. Most are now offering in-flight WiFi for an additional cost.
9. Be Courteous
OK so this doesn’t technically fall into the tips for long flights category, but we had to vent about this for a minute. Be polite and respectful to the crew, your neighbors and all the other flyers on board. We’ve touched on this a little, and it shouldn’t have to be said but, unfortunately, it does. You’re not on this flight alone. Feet are gross, toots are gross, smelly foods are gross, fingernail clippings are gross (yes, I’ve experienced this on a flight)! Certain body functions are natural and must be expected. That’s ok. But try to be sensitive that we’re all trapped together in this flying tin can.
By the way, we’re always confused that there are people who don’t seem to understand or respect the boarding and unboarding process. It’s very uncomplicated and yet some people just can’t grasp it. When boarding, we all have assigned seats and groups. The airline will board each group one at a time. If you’re in group 6 but you’ve already queued up at the gate, it’s impossible for folks in groups 1-5 to know which group you’re in or to know that they should go around you. Can someone explain to me why everyone forms a queue like there’s a huge race to get on the flight first?
Then there’s the offboarding process. If you haven’t flown before, I’ll explain that the flight offboards from the front and works backwards. Sometimes there’s an exit in the front and back of the plane. In that case, the plane unboards from the front and back working toward the middle. It’s such a simple process. However, EVERY SINGLE time we fly, we have someone behind us shoving past or blocking our exit. Someone please explain this to me. If you have a very tight connection, you can speak with a crew member and they’ll usually try to get you moved closer to the front of the plane so that you can get off quicker. Otherwise, just be patient, courteous and use common sense manners. Everyone wants to have an enjoyable flight and then get off the plane as quickly as possible but we should maintain our dignity in the process. End of rant!
10. Sleep
Again, some of us find it very difficult to sleep on a plane. However, it really is the best way to pass a long flight and get you to your final destination feeling somewhat alive. As I mentioned above, there are so many different pillow options and other accessories on the market today that something should be able to make you comfortable. Bring an eye mask and some ear plugs if light and noise are your problem. Grab an all-natural melatonin supplement that will help your body feel tired. And try, try, try to sleep. If all else fails and you just can’t sleep, refer back to tips 1-9 to have an enjoyable flight.
There you go! These are our Top 10 Tips for Long Flights that we’ve found help us pass make the journey easier. I hope you found something useful in this article. Our list of tips for long flights certainly doesn’t include every idea out there. If you have a great tip, please share it with us. We’d love to know what works (or doesn’t work) for other people. Thanks for reading and happy travels!
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We love traveling together to see incredible places and eat as much delicious vegan food as possible. This site is our way of helping you plan your perfect trip based on our experiences.
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