HOW TO MAKE A LONG-HAUL FLIGHT MORE COMFORTABLE
While hopping on a long-haul flight usually comes with the fun of visiting a far-flung destination, the process of getting there garners far less excitement. Sitting in a confined space for six or more hours is not for the faint of heart—even if you’re lucky enough to be sitting in a comfy first class seat. Luckily, there are some expert travelers who’ve logged more miles than they count, all while learning a few surefire ways to make the best of a long travel day.
Below, we share their tips on what to do and how to pack to make that next overnight or all-day flight more comfortable.
This article has been updated with new information since its original publish date.
Our best tips:
- Wear comfortable clothing
- Pack the right gear
- Sleep strategically
- Prepare entertainment in advance
- Stay hydrated
- Practice self care
- Refresh before getting off the plane
Wear comfortable clothing
This may seem like a no-brainer, but whether you’re traveling in a lie-flat first class seat or barely reclining in economy, a pleasant flight starts with feeling comfortable. While you might be able to handle tighter, more restrictive clothing for a short period of time, consider looser loungewear during a long-haul flight.
“I wear clothes that are comfortable but not sloppy,” says Katie Hammel, an avid traveler and director of content at point.me. “My husband recently bought me, as an anniversary gift, a set of cashmere joggers and hoodie from Nadaam. [They] are luxuriously soft and so comfortable, but still look put together.”
Take the coziness up a notch by removing your shoes, but pack a pair of easy-to-slip-on sandals or slippers for when you want to use the restroom or wander the aisles. Stretching and moving on such a long flight is key to avoiding swelling and discomfort in the legs. Throwing on a pair of compression socks can also reduce swelling and alleviate the pins-and-needles sensation.
Shop more loungewear sets recommendations in women's and men's sizes.
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Pack the right gear
Hammel describes two products as her “holy grail” for enduring long-haul flights: the Travelrest Ultimate inflatable travel pillow and a leg sling. This Travelrest pillow does more than its C-shaped counterparts, allowing for flexibility in the firmness and positioning of the elongated pillow. Amazon’s Bcozzy double support neck pillow is also a top-seller among travelers thanks to its variety of configurations.
Hammel initially had concerns that her favorite portable footrest would annoy her fellow passengers. After more than two dozen flights, though, she has yet to receive any complaints. “It just makes the ride so much more comfortable as it allows you to have your legs in a wider variety of positions,” she says.
Amena Bakali, a content creator and awards travel coach, uses a similar trick with an inflatable foot rest that turns even an economy class seat into a cozy bed for her three-year-old daughter.
“The inflatable foot rest pillow has been a big help as our little one grows,” Bakali says. “For long-haul flights, it's a must as we all want to get some sleep at some point, and when she's not using it, it works as a footrest for her parents. It's also small enough to fit in her diaper bag when not blown up—a win-win all around."
Bakali, who typically travels multiple times per year with her family of five, likes to pack light, as do her husband and two oldest children (ages 11 and 14). But when it comes to the little one, Bakali prefers a large multi-use diaper backpack with several compartments for snacks galore and more toddler essentials.
Other common causes of discomfort during any flight, but especially longer ones, are cold temperatures and stuffiness. Lavina Dsouza, a UK–based business analyst and journalist who often flies to Asia, always packs a blanket and hand warmers, as well as 4Head roll-on menthol sticks to help with headaches and congestion.
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Sleep strategically
Sleeping is one of the simplest ways to make a long-haul flight go by quickly, but there’s a method to ensure you don’t succumb to jet lag and start your trip on the wrong note. “The only way to effectively tackle the underlying cause of jet lag and not just look at symptoms is to shift the central circadian clock in the brain to the new time zone as quickly as possible,” says Mickey Beyer-Clausen, co-founder and CEO of Timeshifter, which is best known for its jet lag app.
Unfortunately for travelers, this change is not as simple as the age-old advice of following the schedule of the destination you’re headed to. In fact, Beyer-Clausen says that advice actually puts travelers at risk of shifting their circadian clock in the wrong direction, making jet lag worse.
So how do you sync up with your new time zone? “By properly timing light exposure and light avoidance, you can shift the circadian clock three to four times faster than normal. Light—or the absence of it—is the most important signal for the circadian clock and the only way to truly control it,” Beyer-Clausen says, citing multiple studies. And once the brain is adjusted, you’ll be naturally alert during the day and sleep well at night.
That’s where the Timeshifter app comes in handy, creating customized light exposure/avoidance plans based on your specific travel itinerary, usual sleep patterns (are you a morning person or a night owl?), and several other factors. The plan, which can start days before departure for most effective results, provides specific timelines on when it’s best to nap, sleep, or even just close your eyes to avoid light. Optional additions to the plan include guidance on the use of caffeine or quick-release melatonin, which Beyer-Clausen says can be a helpful tool.
If your personal plan calls for sleeping on a plane, that can be easier said than done, but there are ways to put the odds in your favor. Beyer-Clausen recommends packing a comfortable eye mask and, if you’re really committed to light avoidance strategies, a pair of dark sunglasses that cover the sides of your eyes so no pesky overhead lights can peek through.
Meditation apps like Headspace or MyNoise are also useful for playing relaxing music or nature sounds that can help you fall asleep.
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Prepare entertainment in advance
“I create an itinerary so that I spend the flight time being creative and productive,” says Christopher Paul Jones, who runs a phobia clinic. “Reframe how you see the flight. See it as some uninterrupted you-time, or self-care time.”
Beth Santos, founder of women's travel community Wanderful and author of solo travel guide Wander Woman, leaves nothing to chance when it comes to staying busy on a flight. “I believe strongly in the ‘just in case,’” she says. “It's when you're planning for that in-flight entertainment system to work that it won't, so I'll download movies to watch offline, stock up on podcasts, and download a book or two to my tablet [before the flight].”
This is especially important for Santos when her children, ages seven, three, and five months, are in tow. “When traveling with kids, that ‘just in case’ list grows longer. I actually go to the Dollar Tree and assemble plane kits for my kids,” she says. Packed in a soft lunchbox that Santos reuses throughout the trip, these plane kits include fun snacks, a journal, and other activities that don’t have small pieces or cause a mess.
Although airlines often offer a flimsy set of headphones to use with the in-seat TVs, noise-canceling headphones can also double as earplugs for sleeping. If you prefer something smaller, be sure to pack this tiny transmitter that connects the in-seat TV to your AirPods or any other Bluetooth-enabled earbuds.
Santos’s eldest children have foldable bluetooth headphones that are easy to pack, but she also swears by headphone headbands for children who are too young, or perhaps too fidgety, to wear the regular kind. “You can wrap it right on the child's head and they feel really stylish and will usually willingly wear them,” she says. “Plus, they're soft so the kids can even sleep with them on.”
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Stay hydrated
The low humidity levels inside an airplane cabin make dehydration a common problem for passengers, so “bring your own water bottle and make it a large one,” says Henley Vazquez, co-founder of tech-forward travel agency Fora. “You don’t want to rely on flight attendants to bring you water, and you want to stay hydrated.” Some frequent fliers abstain from drinking alcohol and caffeine leading up to a flight to avoid extra dehydration, too.
For Suzanne Aston, lead singer of the Aston Band, it’s especially important to hop off the plane feeling hydrated and ready to head to her next gig, so she goes the extra mile by wearing a HumidiFlyer mask. “It traps exhaled moisture from your breath and allows you to breathe in your own recycled humidity and not the dried, shared air of the plane,” she says, explaining that this mask prevents her throat from drying out and leaves her feeling more refreshed.
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Practice self care
The importance of hydration applies to your skin as well. “The dry air in the cabin is particularly harsh on your skin, stripping the moisture barrier of its oils,” says Giacomo Piva, travel industry analyst and cofounder of luggage storage network Radical Storage. “Carry and apply moisturizer at regular intervals throughout the flight, especially for your hands…[and] you’ll reach your destination with plump skin and less irritation.”
Piva even encourages travelers to treat the flight like their own personal spa, using a thick face mask for extra moisture, along with their favorite beauty products.
Refresh before getting off the plane
With lost luggage becoming an increasingly common issue, it’s always a good idea to pack a few outfits in your carry-on just in case. But this advice also serves another purpose.
“It makes a big difference when you land to be able to change into something fresh and put yourself together,” says Vazquez. Packing a small toiletry bag with some basics—like a toothbrush, toothpaste, moisturizer, perfume, and eye drops—goes a long way toward starting your trip on the right foot.
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