For someone who cannot sleep on planes, long haul flights can be a drag. For those who can sleep on planes, I envy you! This post is all about how to survive a long haul flight and let those hours fly by, pun intended.
I used to make the mistake of bringing way too many things on the plane with me, making my bag unbearably heavy. I would then spending ages to then realise the thing I want to is right at the bottom of my rucksack.
But no more! I have gotten much better at packing and learning what I need, so I thought I would pass my wisdom onto you all. Also be sure to check out my post on packing for a rural trip and travel apps everyone needs.
So without further adieu, how can you survive a long haul flight?
So what are the essentials for a long haul flight?
- Headphones
- Music (although it is provided, your own is always better)
- Kindle (if you’re into reading! Although I love a physical book, it is way too heavy to keep one in your bag)
- Entertainment (puzzle books? iPad?)
- Toothbrush (for your own sanity, and for the others around you)
- Eyemask
- Travel pillow
- Painkillers (you never know when a headache may appear)
However! You need to do some forward planning in order to have a good journey.
Foreward Planning
- Book with the right company! Some companies are definitely better then others, so ensure you do your research. My personal favourite is Qatar airways.
- Reserve the best seat. Although the window seat is appealing for flying over numerous countries, you will need to pee at some point! Waking people up for a toilet break is always embarrassing.
- Don’t pack too much in your hand luggage
- Try not to use a rucksack! I made this mistake and everything was so hard to find. Get a bag with compartments!
- Bring your own food – airport food is always expensive. However, main meals are provided as part of the flight.
- Drink lots! (Relates directly to sitting in the aisle seat!)
- Go for a walk. Make sure you get the blood moving!
- Know where your luggage is! One problem I encountered was moving from an international to domestic flight, and I almost lost my luggage in Johannesburg. At check in, request for it to be transported from the start, all the way to the end.
- As obvious as it sounds, wear comfy clothes!
Do you know of any other tips which can help?! Be sure to leave them down below in the comment box.
All of these are great tips to make the journey comfortable. I would definitely suggest making sure people bring moisturizer for the face & hand cream as the air is so drying on flights – or even a hydrating sheet mask if you don’t care;)
Ah, you just reminded me of the16+ hours flight I was supposed to take next week! I follow most of your advice and that really does make my journey much easier. However, I also face the same problem of bringing way too many things with me on the plane…
Great tips! I hate long haul flights.
These are great tips! I especially love the suggestion about getting an aisle seat. This is always a must for me so that I can feel free to get up and stretch or go to the restroom whenever I want! You are also spot on about bringing your own food!
So far, the longest flight I have been on has only been 5 and 1/2 hours so not too bad. I always get a window seat, but when traveling on a longer flight, I will definitely book an aisle seat to stretch out my legs. Great tip!
Drinking lots of water is key. I think it really helps with jet lag, plus there’s nothing worse than arriving at a new destination, and feeling too dehydrated and tired to explore. I’m also a fan on aisle seats. I hate that feeling of being trapped at the window. My other half always opts for the window seat, so we usually have a stranger sitting between us (who usually offers to swap) – instead, we just do long haul flights apart, and get back together on arrival! Works for us. 🙂
Love your tips for surviving a long flight! Noise-canceling headphones and my iPad are my absolute essentials – so glad we don’t have to lug heavy books anymore 🙂 I always try to get a window seat, though, and wedge my pillow against the wall. If I have the aisle, there’s a 100% chance I’ll end up falling asleep on my neighbor’s shoulder 😉
I am an aisle girl 100% for long-haul flights! I also tell people to practice with a sleep mask/ear plugs about a week before your trip in your own bed. So that way it’s one less thing your body has to get used to. 🙂
These are great tips! Long flights are a challenge for sure!
I am very lucky that I can easily sleep through long haul flights so I do not usually have to give much thought to carrying stuff with me. I do, however, like to have a book and my own music with me, just in case. I agree about booking the right flight, those with on-board entertainment are the best for long haul but I usually book budget to save money so I just treat myself to a glass of wine and then sleep! Works for me, haha
Such great tips. I actually enjoy long haul flights and do most of the things you suggested already!
The longest flight I’ve taken has been about 6 hours so the window seat was fine. I would have never thought to book an aisle seat for a long haul. Thanks for That!
I tend to use the local airline Emirates and they provide a lot of the items mentioned, including inflight drinks and snacks, headphones and even small blankets. I used to be able to sleep on flights but as I get older I don’t even try and end up watching movies and episodes of my favorite tv series (part of the inflight entertainment). I always carry a small cosmetic bag with any necessities like lip balm, anti-inflammatory and anti-histamine pills that I can put in the seat pocket in front of me.
Yes I’ve used Emirates a lot before but the inflight snacks are very expensive, and the headphones are very bad which is why I recommend to bring your own. Also, the inflight entertainment is good but feel like you need to stimulate your brain a little (via reading or crosswords etc) since it’s a long time in the air. The cosmetic bag is a very good idea though so thank you!