15 Helpful Tips for Surviving a Long Haul Flight

When you think of a long-haul flight, the first thing that comes to mind is probably how uncomfortable it will be. Sitting for hours on end in cramped seats with no legroom and limited entertainment options can make even the most seasoned traveler feel claustrophobic.

In this article, we are going to share 15 helpful tips for surviving a long-haul flight!

1. Get a Good Night’s Sleep Beforehand

You can survive a long-haul flight much easier by preparing yourself for it beforehand with plenty of sleep and relaxation before the trip itself. Try to get at least six hours or more if possible, so that you don’t suffer from jet lag when traveling over multiple time zones! And if your flight is overnight, try to sleep as much as possible on the plane so that you wake up feeling refreshed and ready for a new day. When traveling long-distance flights it’s important to prepare ahead of time with good strategies!

2. Dress Comfortably

No matter how much dressing fashionably sounds lovely in theory (and looks good on social media), the truth is it’s not practical on long-haul flights.

Tight pants, nice shoes, and strappy tops often prove to be very uncomfortable in the long term, so when on a long, stuffy flight, it is highly recommended that travelers wear their most comfortable clothing. Now, no one’s saying that you get TOO comfortable; you’re still in a public place, after all. Rather than wearing just one outfit for your flight, consider layering. Layerable clothing like hoodies and leggings can keep you warm while slowing down common issues such as muscle cramps or deep-vein thrombosis caused by tight clothes!

3. Pack Lightly

To survive a long-haul flight, it’s important not to overpack! Make sure that you don’t bring too much stuff with you and try your best to pack lightly so that the plane is more comfortable for you without being cramped by luggage. If possible consider checking in an extra bag instead of trying to carry all your stuff onto the plane.

Make sure to check out our article about the best travel gadgets for long flights!

4. Pack A Change Of Clothes & Toiletries

To survive a long-haul flight, it’s important to pack your own set of clothes and toiletries! Airplanes are usually cold especially when the sun sets so make sure that you have some warm comfortable clothing with you including an extra blanket. And don’t forget your toiletries so that you can freshen up once the flight has landed!

5. Brace for Takeoff and Landing

If you’ve ever been on a plane before, then this probably doesn’t need to be said. However, if it’s your first time flying (especially long-haul flights), make sure you brace yourself when the airplane starts moving at takeoff and lands by pressing your head back against your seat as far as it will go and placing your feet on the floor in front of you.

6. Choose Your Seat Wisely

The best seat for a long-haul flight is the one that has no row or seat reclining back into your space and preferably that minimizes an aisle if flying with others. The roomiest seats on most flights are usually those found in first class and business class, so they’re ideal if privacy is desired.

Possibly not as important as whether you want privacy but still worth noting: Economy class seats do occasionally offer more legroom than slimline seats, so it’s worth taking a look to see if there’s any roomier option for you!

And speaking of seating – make sure to pay attention to who might be sitting next to you before confirming your seat assignments. It may be difficult to survive a long haul flight without someone to talk to, but if you’re stuck next to an extremely chatty individual or worse, a child who won’t stop kicking your seat from behind the curtain separating you from the rest of the economy class… well then it might be time for some earplugs and music. Also, try not to sit near the lavatory as that area is going to be very noisy and potentially smelly depending on who’s using it!

7. Stay Hydrated

To survive a long-haul flight, it is essential to stay hydrated. Bring your own water bottle and fill it up at one of the airplane drinking fountains. This way you can save money and avoid having to buy expensive drinks from the airplane.

To make sure that your drink plenty of water throughout your long flight, set an alert on your phone so it reminds you with a loud notification sound or vibrates when it’s time to get back into drinking!

8. Avoid Alcohol

It might be tempting to order a glass of wine or two while you’re on board, but it’s important to pace yourself and stay hydrated. Alcohol will dehydrate your body more than water so drinking some water after each alcoholic drink is vital for combating fatigue and jet lag when traveling long distances over the ocean.

9. Bring Healthy Snacks

To survive a long-haul flight, it’s important to eat healthy snacks while traveling! Bring food you’ll enjoy eating and that will keep up energized throughout the trip so that you don’t get tired or feel hungry easily. Good choices include protein bars, nuts, fruit, or energy bars.

10. Prevent Motion Sickness

To prevent motion sickness, many people find it useful to drink ginger ale or chew on ginger-infused products, such as gingersnaps or hard candy. Ginger has been found in tests to relieve airsickness among pilots, who may experience violent reactions when riding through turbulence.

11. Bring Earplugs

Earplugs can make long flights more bearable by reducing noise pollution. Airplane noise is often loud and annoying. Earplugs are an extremely low-cost solution that will make traveling for an extended period of time much easier!

12. Bring a Neck Pillow

Having good neck support can make surviving a long-haul flight much easier. Try to find one with memory foam filling that will mold well around your head and offer plenty of cushioning against the seatback in front of you, which might not be as comfortable or supportive.

13. Move Your Body

If your flight is over eight hours, it’s a good idea to get up and walk around every few hours even if just for five minutes so that you don’t risk suffering from thrombosis (the formation of blood clots in veins) which can lead to a pulmonary embolism. Some good inflight exercises are leg stretches, toe touches, and shoulder shrugs.

14. Bring Entertainment

Make sure that before leaving for your trip, you have everything you will need for the flight including entertainment. If your seat doesn’t have a power outlet nearby to plug in your devices, don’t forget that airplane mode still works on flights! This means that all of your electronics are powered off but are still receiving signals from towers so you can watch movies or play games on your tablet or phone. And remember to download some movies and books before you fly just in case there is no available Wi-Fi on board!

15. Have A Good Attitude & Be Flexible

To survive a long-haul flight, it’s important to have a good attitude and be flexible with yourself as well as others on board. As much as possible try not to be a burden to those around you and try to be as understanding with the flight crew, pilots, or other passengers. You’ll survive this long-haul flight if you just stay positive!

Best Ways to Survive a Long Flight

The tips in this article will help you survive a long-haul flight, even if it’s your first time! Be sure to keep these helpful suggestions with you before boarding the plane and remember that good health is one of the most important things when traveling. If all else fails, try asking for help from an airline staff member or fellow passengers who may have some additional advice for making yourself comfortable onboard.

Make sure to check out our article about the best travel gadgets for long flights!

One last thing: don’t forget about what items are allowed through security at airports by checking out TSA guidelines beforehand so you’re prepared upon arrival!

Tips For Finding Cheap Flights

There are a few things you can do to help ensure you’re getting the best deal on your flight ticket.

A travel site will find all of the deals for you, comparing prices from hundreds of websites to find you the best deal.

CheapOAir is another great option. When you book through CheapOAir, they find all possible options for low prices from multiple carriers and make it easy for you to compare them side-by-side so you can make an informed decision.

Another way to find great deals is to sign up for email alerts. These services will send you an email when a price of your choice (or lower) is found. For example, if you want to be notified about low prices on flights from New York City to Los Angeles, enter “New York” and “Los Angeles” into a search engine. Then, subscribe to the email alerts that appear.

Lastly, don’t be afraid to buy last-minute deals. If you’re flexible with your travel dates, try looking at deals for the days right before or after your planned departure date. Airlines often offer significant discounts on seats that are only a few hours away from being sold out.