Taking that first flight longer than six hours?
These tips help you avoid total exhaustion after a long flight to your dream vacation.
Oh, the excitement! The anticipation of the unfamiliar! Learning history, walking new places, meeting people, and eating different food! Let the adventure begin!
It’s been too long since I crossed an ocean and my bohemian self is eager for an extended plane ride. With that hovering in my thoughts, I re-think the tricks I’ve adapted to survive changing time zones.
With my first European adventure (from the USA), I learned to stay upright until my usual bedtime. When I succumbed to an upon-arrival or afternoon nap, it takes me days to acclimate. Limiting caffeine and alcohol, and putting my head to the pillow as usual, finds me refreshed the next morning.
After several trips west to east, I had the opportunity to take some jaunts to Hawaii. Experiencing both overnight flights and early morning departures, if I followed the same plan—vertical until bedtime—the next day I was well-adjusted. (Since I am rarely well-adjusted, this is a treat.)
The more you fly, the more you observe others, applying, and refining what works for you.
Take Off!
The airplane lumbers down the tarmac. Maybe you squeeze the armrest or press your face against the window. Your heart beat speeds up a little bit as your anticipation of adventure increases. Bravo to each emotion! You’re doing something new!
1. Travel with disinfectant wipes. These cloths are handy for cleaning trays and armrests. Yes, call me Felix Unger. (*Pre-Covid-19. It’s more essential than ever to take precautions. Don’t forget to pack a few masks.)
2. Take hand-sanitizing wipes. Although the bathrooms remain surprisingly clean (thank you, flight attendants), I’m a freak about clean hands. The liquid stuff serves a good purpose, but the packets convenient.
Carry On Bags and Other Luggage
3. We check a bag because husband overpacks for every trip. The essentials are tucked in my backpack: toothbrush/paste, eyedrops, mascara, underwear. You get the idea. The things I have to have for an overnight.
4. It’s wise to make copies of your passports and each carry a copy of the other’s. Email a copy to yourself and to a friend. You never know.
About Carrying Food on a Flight
5. Please, argh, don’t carry on McDonald’s. Nothing has ever smelled so foul as Mickey D’s in a confined space! Extended flights are among the last where dinner and breakfast are included. Vegetarian meals have defaulted to Indian cuisine. I love Palak Paneer, Pakora, curry—yum. But to eat it when I’ll be sitting for hours? For me, that’s not a good idea. Stick with food you know agrees with your digestion without an after dinner stroll.
6. For snacks, we’re partial to Trader Joe’s Scandinavian Swimmers. Because they are chewable, they help with the cabin pressure by making our ears pop. Sometimes I’ll take Reese’s Pieces or a cut up apple—depends on if I’m feeling bad or healthy!
7. Whatever your antacid of choice is, don’t forget to pack them for your flight. They can be a real tummy saver.
8. Breakfast varies by airline. It can be something pretty decent or a dried up roll with maybe a real egg on it. This is when that cut-up apple comes in handy. Keep it fresh with a shot of lemon juice skirted into the baggy.
Remaining Comfortable Flying Overseas
9. Skip the alcohol, or have only one drink. Consuming too much alcohol will dehydrate you, drying out your skin and causing discomfortable. It also puts you in danger of irritating your seat mates.
10. Drink water. Buy a couple of bottles before you board and drink up! There is usually a cart in the rear galley offering glasses of water. Drinking a lot of water keeps you hydrated and causes you to get up and walk to the bathroom.
11. Speaking of getting out of your seat—do so! Without disturbing others, (don’t leverage against the seats around you—someone is sitting there!), unhook the seat belt, and move. Walk the aisles at least three or four times depending on the length of the flight. This helps circulation and you’ll feel better.
12. Compression socks. If you have any circulation issues, talk to your doctor about the pros/cons of compression stockings/socks. They can be invaluable for containing swelling in your feet and legs.
Plan on sleeping while the pilots do their job?
13. My husband takes half an Ambien and he’s good to zonk. Me? I’ve tried everything, I simply can’t sleep on a plane. I read, write on my Mac (if there’s room), and junk out on movies.
14. Note about sleeping: If you are a snorer, try a Breathe Right strip (or something like it). Your seat mates will appreciate it.
15. Ear plugs, ear buds (don’t rely on the airline headsets—they aren’t the best) or noise canceling? Take your pick, but take one.
16. Wear loose shoes, but be cautious about removing them or you may not get them back on. (That’s when the compression socks work exceptionally well.) It’s normal to swell up on a flight, so loose shoes (and clothing), are more comfortable. Your feet will feel well when you disembark and take that long walk to exit the airport.
17. Find the right travel pillow. Formerly, I was a fan of a crescent-shaped neck pillow full of tiny beads. Then my niece got me hooked on a Trtl Pillow—what comfort!
Miscellaneous Air Travel Tips
18. Be cordial to the unknown person beside you, but make it clear that you are going to read, sleep, or watch TV. Don’t start talking or you may be listening for the duration of the flight.
19. Motion queasy or a nervous flyer? Bonine works—even a half—or wrist bands can do the job.
Safety On the Flight and After
20. I’m a fan of PacSafe backpacks. They are slash proof, have an RFID pocket, and locks on the zippers. Every little bit of safety helps.
21. Jewelry. Think about leaving your bling at home. Taking diamonds or flashy jewelry with you attracts pickpockets and other unwanted attention.
You’ve Landed!
Whether or not you’re a fan of flying, you’re reading this because your dream destinations are luring you onto the planes. Your determination to have an adventure will help you withstand the delays and overcome difficulties.
When you land in that new airport, walk the long jetway, go through Customs, and emerge into fresh air. The first view means everything you experienced while flying will have been worth it.
Let me know what tips you have for surviving long flights!
Bon Voyage!
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Hi Rose, all great ideas. Except if I drank a lot of water I think I would be an enormous pain in the rear to my seats mates as squeeze Past to go to the bathroom. Lol. One thing I sheets take with me is cough drops. It never fails, I get a sore throat from that recycled air blowing on me.
I hear you about the water thing–there’s a fine balance to be achieved between hydration and being a pain!
Great on the cough drops–you are right on that air drying me out. They’ve been added to the Travel Checklist. I’ll have to upload a new version of that with all the great ideas I’ve been given.
All good tips. For fellow motion-sickness sufferers, in addition to the wristbands, I recommend Stugeron – available in almost every country but the United States.
Thanks for adding that one, Nadine!
Yes, great tips Rose and along with the suggested eye mask above, I’d add a pair of socks so you can remove shoes if you wish (and won’t disgust your neighbors with foot odor, have experienced that from a fellow traveler!!). It’s far more comfortable to me to be able to walk around the cabin in sock feet during a killer 10-12 hour flight (and more sanitary than barefoot). I also like to take a light wrap/pashmina/shawl for the times that the a.c. is overpowering or if you just want to block the light and forgot your eye mask!
You’re right about adding the wrap to the list, Jamie. I’ve seen people do the sock-thing, too. For me, that would depend on which shoes I’m wearing. Gotta’ make sure I can get my feet back into them when we land.
Ew, foot odor. That’s like smelling McDonalds for me!
I relate to you about not being able to sleep on flights. I usually take the red-eye and I still can’t sleep.
As far as snoring, my husband has sleep apnea. It is chronic because, when his orthodontist was realigning his teeth as a kid, he pushed his upper palette into his windpipe. So when he sleeps it gets blocked and then he snores loudly and can even stop breathing. At home he has a C-PAP machine which is helping save his life, but he can’t plug it in on a plane. And while he tries not to fall asleep on planes, if he does, the whole plane will hear it and there’s nothing he can do about it.
Erica, I want to add another note to this comment. As a writer, I always, always know people have backstories. We all do–it’s like the Billy Joel “Stranger” song. There’s always more going on. I completely forgot to think that this snoring chap could quite easily have been your husband! Not so fun for him at all. Apologies!
Many a traveler is going to thank you for these great tips. I can see it now – everyone fighting over the aisle seat LOL. I liked all the tips but I think the one that will be appreciated most by other travelers is ‘don’t pull on the seat in front of you’. I can just imagine how annoying that would be. I also like the one about sanitizing the area around you. It’s like using shopping cards. Using your description, whose cooties were left behind?
HA! That’s right, Lenie! It’s like when people slap their trays down and shove them back up–it’s like: Do you not realize there is a person in front of you?
Cooties—tiny children who touch everything. Ha ha. I truly think I’m channeling Felix Unger at times. I never used to worry so much about germs!
Those are some great tips. I’ve yet to fly that long yet, but it should happen next year!
You will, Jason! What do you think your destination will be?
Good tips for surviving long flights. I used to be able to sleep on flights, but find it much more difficult now. I am going to try eye pads on my next overseas flight.
I forgot about the eye pads, Donna. Thanks for mentioning them. I’ve tried them–I use them i hotels all the time–but I still can’t sleep on the darned plane!
These are wonderful tips Rose! Having spent 20 years as a road warrior – mostly traveling to other countries – I’ve had more than my share of long trips. I believe the record was 36 hours thanks to snow storms and diverted flights. Learning to adjust to the time difference is especially important. I never had a problem traveling east to Europe, but man those trips to Japan, Australia and New Zealand killed me every time!
I can’t imagine a trip as far as Japan, Australia & New Zealand! But coming back from Europe always messes me up for at least a week. I just can’t seem to adjust.
Thanks for these great tips! I never thought about bringing the nose strips. That’s awesome!
That fellow was so loud, Sabrina. It was hysterical!
Maybe someday I’ll be able to try these……
Yes! That’d be great fun for you and me!
Great tips! It is so hard to stay up that first day tho!
Yes, but I torture you so well, don’t I?
Great tips! Especially about the water. Personally, I think it’s a mistake to down wine or liquor to sleep! I do only aisle seats too, because of all that water! LOL
I hear you about the wine, Jacquie. It doesn’t do anything for me—I’m still awake and I still crave water!
So true, Annette. I used to love a window seat, too. Now I only opt for one if I’m flying with my husband and there are only two seats on that side of the plane!
Good tips even for NOT so long flights. Two years ago I took my first plane trip in almost 30 years! I booked window seats so I could take in the scenery. Now I fly several times a year and have learned to book aisle seats so I can get up to use the restroom without climbing over my seatmates. I’ll do my sightseeing once I’m on the ground, thank you very much.