Anyone who has been on a flight longer than 3 hours knows that it can get uncomfortable. Both times I visited South Africa I took direct flights that were about 16 hours! Whether you are traveling during the day or overnight, there are several things you can do to have a more pleasant experience. After flying all over the U.S. and internationally, I have created a list of my top tips for staying comfortable on the plane.

1. Wear Comfy Clothes

Looking cute is not worth it on long-haul flights. Unless you are going to a business meeting straight from the plane, I do not feel it is worth it to dress up on a flight. While I do not recommend traveling in pajamas as I have seen some people do – you can wear jeans, leggings, sweater, or t-shirts. If you are flying overnight, consider what you will feel relaxed sleeping in.

Loose, soft, breathable clothes are best. Not only is tight clothing uncomfortable for extended periods, it can restrict your blood flow, which can be dangerous on long flights.

2. Pick A Good Seat

Are you someone who needs to stretch or use the restroom often? Will you need access to your bags in the overhead bin? If you answered yes to either question, an aisle seat may be your best bet. I also find that it is easier to maneuver and dig through anything at your feet from the aisle seat.

Is looking out the window your favorite part of flying? Do you sleep better with a wall to lean against? If so, the window seat is for you!

3. Sit In The Back

Because people tend to fight over the front seats in a section, you have better odds of empty seats next to you if you sit in the last few rows. This will make disembarking much longer, so only do this if you do not have tight connections.

4. Stretch When Possible

To help with blood flow and aching muscles, you should stretch whenever possible. Even if you cannot get up often, you can do stretches while sitting in your seat. At least every couple of hours, you should roll your shoulders and rotate your ankles. I also like to raise up onto the balls of my feet and then rock back onto my heels.

As mentioned above, if you sit on the aisle you can get up to stretch more often without bothering your seat-mates. I like to stand and stretch for a few minutes in an open area near the restrooms or a connector between the two aisles when possible. Just try to stay out of people’s way and time it so you do not get stuck behind a food or drink cart.

5. Upgrade Or Use Miles

If you can, it might be worth it to upgrade or use points to get better seat assignments. Extra legroom can make a world of difference. Your legs will cramp less and you are likely to sleep more comfortably.

6. Hydrate

Due to the high altitude, humidity is lower on planes which means you are more likely to get dehydrated.

While you are offered more drinks and water on longer plane rides, I like to bring an empty water bottle with me when I travel. I fill it up in the airport and can also have my flight attendant fill it up again if needed. This way I always have access to water, no matter the time.

7. Moisturize

The lack of humidity also means you should moisturize during the flight.

If you read about my first trip to South Africa, you’ll know I never travel without face and hand lotion! I have very delicate skin and by the time we got off the plane, I had dozens of little cracks and cuts on the backs of my hands that took days to heal.

Other essentials like lip balm and eye drops should be used every couple of hours.

8. Wear Glasses

To go along with the dehydration tips above, it tends to be more comfortable if you wear glasses rather than contact lenses. Contacts dry out much more quickly in the air, especially if you sleep on the plane.

9. Sleep

I am a horrible sleeper on flights but it is important to sleep if you can. Not only does sleep refresh your body, it has some side benefits – it makes the flight seem faster and can adjust your body to the local time if you are changing time zones.

The three most important things I need to sleep well on flights are an eye mask, neck pillow, and blanket. I had to try out a couple of neck pillows before I found one that felt right.

While they have never worked for me, some people swear by ear plugs. Others love noise cancelling headphones. Currently, I just put in my regular earbuds and play music; however, I am sure I would like noise cancelling ones.

10. Seat Belt Over Your Blanket

Wear your seat belt over your blanket while you sleep. Flight attendants will not have to wake you up to check that you are properly buckled.

11. Pillow Support

As I mentioned above, I bring my own neck pillow. I use the pillow the airlines give you for back support or seat padding throughout the flight.

12. Bring Your Own Snacks

Airplane food is bland and mediocre at best. Bringing your own snacks makes it easier to keep your stomach full. Also, if you have a sensitive stomach or food allergies, having your own food saves you worry and hassle.

13. Toiletries To Freshen Up

I like to have a few toiletries with me on the flight to freshen up before landing, particularly on long-haul, overnight flights. These are the ones I typically have:

  • Toothbrush or disposable product like Colgate Wisp®
  • Mouthwash
  • Facial wipes
  • Deodorant
  • Hand sanitizer

14. Essentials At Your Feet

If you plan to put your bag in the overhead bin, have a small bag/purse/container to keep at your feet with all the essentials you will need during the flight. I keep my entertainment, medication, cell phone, limited toiletries, moisturizers, and snacks there.

This keeps you from digging around the overhead in the middle of the night or interrupting your seat-mate’s sleep if you do not have the aisle seat.

15. Charge Your Devices

You should charge all your devices before the flight (e.g., phone, e-book, tablet, or laptop). I also recommend bringing a portable power bank to charge them during the flight if needed.

While many long-haul flights have charging ports on your seats, they may be broken. I do not rely on these ports or finding an open charging station at the airport, but I will use them if I find them!

16. Plan Your Entertainment

While I love watching movies and TV shows on the plane, do not assume your flight will have TV screens or that the screens will always work.

Below are some ways to plan your in-fight entertainment:

  • Pack magazines, paperbacks, or puzzle books
  • Download books to your Kindle/e-book or phone
  • Save movies down to your phone, tablet, or laptop
  • Load podcasts
  • Pack a notebook and pen

17. Stretch Before Boarding

Knowing that you will be sitting for a long time, I recommend you stretch and avoid sitting too much right before boarding the plane. I stretch and stand at my boarding gate seat around 20 minutes before boarding starts.

18. Check In Early

Checking in early saves you the stress of rushing through check-in and security lines.

On some airlines, you pick your seat at check-in, so earlier times may mean better seat options. Even if you can pick your seat assignment when you purchase your ticket, you can still change your seat at check-in if you see a nicer spot.

The Absolute Airport Guide

These are my techniques for staying comfortable on the plane. They have served me well flying to Europe, Africa, and across the United States. Let me know your relaxation tips in the comments below!

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