Long flights aren’t fun for anyone. There’s nothing grand about sitting on a plane for hours with crying children, dry air, and uncomfortable seats. The outcome, however, is more than worth it. After taking many long flights and planning more in the future, I’ve learned the ins and outs of what to do and what not to do.
1. If you’re taking a flight into a different time zone, try to adjust your sleep schedule ahead of time. Obviously if you have big things planned up until your trip then you cannot adjust your sleep schedule. If you can go to sleep earlier or wake up earlier it will pay off in the end. You’ll be either adjusted to their time or close to adjusted. This will help you in the long run. This can help reduce jet lag and will help prevent you from being tired for any plans you have while on your trip. The day of the flight make sure you’re tired. If this means pulling an all-nighter – do it. You’ll be thankful for it later. The flight will pass much faster if you sleep while on the plane. Bring a little face mask, and ear plugs to help drown out the light and noises.
2. Don’t forget to pack snacks. Plane food is never good and sometimes they run out of one of the options and you get stuck with something you don’t want. Make sure to bring travel-sized food to help ease your hunger until you can get something decent.
3. Make sure you stay hydrated on the flight. Drink plenty of water before and during the flight. Unfortunately, this means you must get up more often to use the restroom, but it will be worth it in the end. By staying hydrated you won’t be as tired once landing. The air is also very dry on the plane so it will help keep your skin hydrated as well. I would also pack a small travel sized lotion just in case you are prone to dry skin.
4. Make sure you pack any medications you will need during your flight because you won’t have access to your checked luggage. If you get headaches often make sure you have some type of painkiller with you always. Also, pack anything you may want for entertainment on the plane such as a laptop, or other electronics. I also pack a blanket and small neck pillow. International flights usually supply you with these but on the off chance that they don’t you’ll be prepared.
5. Lastly, if you prefer a specific seat, check online to see if there are any open seats that may be to your liking. You can usually switch seats online to get one that is best for you. In my travels, I’ve found pros and cons to each seat.
If you are in the window seat: you don’t have to keep getting up, you control the window and whether it is open or closed, you can see all the magnificent views outside and you can lean against the window to sleep. The cons to this seat are that you must make everyone get up if you must use the bathroom. If you have to use the bathroom often, this seat is not for you. It’s also very difficult to get out of this seat because there is very little space between the seats.
Aisle seats are useful to those that need to use the bathroom often. You can get up whenever you want to or need to without being a hassle. The downside is that everyone is going to make you get up if they have to go to the bathroom.
My recommendation is to go for the last row of the plane, the middle row but aisle seat. This seems to be a good pick. There is no one sitting behind you so no one will be hitting the back of your chair. You are right near the restrooms if you need to use them. There is a little standing area if you need to stretch your legs. Also, if there are two aisle seats then the person in the middle may alternate sides and make you only get up one time throughout the flight.
These are some things I have found most helpful to me throughout my experience flying.