12 Handy Tips on Flying Long Haul with Ease and Comfort

(Last Updated On: August 18, 2021)

Flying long haul can be essential to many of us. It is really cumbersome to fly a long distance. Many people in fact avoid traveling because of the fear of flying long haul.

Tips on Flying long haul trips

Here are 12 tips on flying long haul tips for your:

1. Purchase your tickets as soon as possible.

Waiting and expecting a $20 price decrease is rarely worth the effort. Not only will buying ahead of time give you peace of mind in the weeks and months leading up to your departure, but it will also increase the chances that enough seats will remain open for you to choose where you want to sit—whether you want to cuddle up to a window, have easy access to the aisle, or stretch your legs in an exit row.

If you wait until the last minute, you’ll almost certainly end up in the dreaded center seat (along with your elbows). Are you a frequent flyer? It’s now or never to use those miles for an upgrade.

2. Purchase a quality travel pillow, earplugs, and sleep mask.

We understand the allure of opening your own personal long-haul care package—the little toothpaste! Socks made of wool! You always forget your earplugs!— Even on the greatest foreign carriers, however, these inconspicuous luxuries never quite live up to their billing.

We can’t tell you how many times our sleep mask bands have snapped, our pillows have deflated, and our earplugs have never quite stayed in. Taking a flight that will last more than 12 hours?

It’s time to invest in a good set of moldable plugs that remain in your ears, a silky (even attractive!) sleep mask that you won’t even notice you’re wearing, and a good neck pillow that keeps your spine straight so you don’t wake up with a crick in your neck. Memory foam is really effective.

3. Be kind and nice to your seatmate; you’re both in this together.

This may seem self-evident, but please be courteous. Learn the laws of the air: hogging an inside armrest unless you’re in the middle seat is a jerk move. Before reclining your chair, check to see if it will cause any disruptions, and whatever you do, don’t do it during dinner service.

Also, whether you’re on the window or the aisle, anticipate everyone to use the restroom at least a few times, especially on lengthy flights. Be kind and forgiving, and you could make a new friend as a result.

4. Dress in your most comfortable clothes.

You could feel like you’re 20 again in that fitting blouse and skin-tight pair of jeans, but after 15 hours of sitting (and attempting to sleep) in them, you’ll never want to look at them again. Stick to a “comfy-chic” clothing code of neutral, loose-fitting layers that you can move around in when traveling long distances.

You’ll not only stay warm on a journey, but you’ll also avoid deep vein thrombosis, a dangerous ailment made worse by sitting in tight postures for lengthy periods of time. Compression stockings, which minimize swelling and the danger of blood clots, are also recommended by experts.

Another must-have item for the ladies is a beloved pashmina/scarf, which serves as a beautiful accent, an extra layer for warding off cabin chills, and an extra cushion to rely on when folded.

5. Carefully select your in-flight meals (and beverages)

The fragrance of delicious chicken parmesan drifting down the middle aisle may tempt you, but you should think twice. When all you’ll be doing for the next 15 hours is sitting, sitting, and sitting some more, heavy meals keep you awake and are more difficult to digest. Avoid meals and drinks that are rich in sugar, salt, or caffeine if at all possible.

The same may be said of alcohol. While it can help nervous passengers relax, it is also highly dehydrating. Instead, try herbal tea, which will make you sleepy without the side effects of alcohol.

6. Take the tiniest personal item possible.

When it comes to sitting in the same seat for hours on end, every inch of legroom is sacrosanct, no matter how tall or short you are.

Don’t make it any more difficult for yourself by bringing an unnecessary huge personal item, which you’ll have to conceal beneath the seat in front of you if you’ve also packed a carry-on. Choose a bag that is both adaptable and soft, allowing you to compress it if necessary.

7. Make sure you brush your teeth

Do you have trouble sleeping in the air? We understand.

It’s difficult enough to block out screaming vehicles, wailing babies, and your neighbor’s reading light, but adjusting your body’s sleep schedule to adjust to changing timezones is a skill that many people still lack.

Brush your teeth and, if desired, gargle mouthwash and wash your face before falling asleep. These easy-to-follow behaviors fool your body into believing it’s time to sleep.

8. Bring your own food or buy some before getting on the plane.

One of the best things about long-haul flights is how well you’re fed—you’ll usually get at least two full meals plus a mid-flight snack to satisfy your hunger.

But what happens when the lights go out, the flight attendants vanish, and hunger pains strike? So, what’s next? Bring snacks and a bottle of water with you, especially if you’re the sort that wants salt.

9. Bring your own headphones with you.

Consider this scenario: you’ve reached cruising altitude and have the ideal movie waiting for you on your in-flight entertainment system.

You rummage for the headphones supplied in your seat-back pocket, put them on, and realize you can’t hear a word Tom Hanks is saying onscreen because of the screaming engines and sobbing toddler in the next row.

Bring your own noise-canceling headphones as a solution. They help to filter out white noise and are more comfortable than those “one-size-fits-all” plastic contraptions.

10. Get up every few hours to keep your circulation going.

Passengers in pressurized cabins will have less oxygen and, over time, may experience symptoms such as tiredness, headaches, swelling limbs, and dehydration as a result of reduced blood oxygen levels.

Is this the best option? Stretch. To increase blood flow, walk up and down the aisle and do some non-intrusive exercises in your seat, such as moving your shoulders and twisting your ankles.

11. Keep hydrating, hydrating, hydrating

Because planes continually refill cabin air with outside air, the humidity levels inside airline cabins are equivalent to those found in a desert—extremely low.

The consequences are twofold: severe dryness dulls the complexion, and dehydration worsens jet lag if not treated. According to some experts, it’s critical to drink enough water—approximately 8 ounces each hour.

12. Avoid makeup, but dont forget to moisture

This isn’t a beauty pageant. At 30,000 feet, your skin already has enough to contend with (dry cabin air; reduced blood flow) without adding pore-clogging cosmetics to the mix.

Instead, use a serum and moisturizer to keep your skin looking healthy (just make sure they’re under 100ml and can get through security), eyedrops to relieve irritation, and chapstick to protect your lips from drying out.