How to Survive Long Haul Flights

I’ve become so used to long haul flights, especially since my mother hails from a country that is a 14-hour journey from where I live (that’s via Philippine Airlines, it’s a lot longer if you fly Emirates or Singapore Airlines due to stopovers).

Maybe that’s why I can sleep on these kinds of flights because I’m so used to them? Who knows. To be honest, I can sleep anywhere. Bus, train, car – as soon as we are in transit, my eyes are already closed and I’m snoring away. The first time I went to Amsterdam, I fell asleep before take off and woke up when we were landing. ?

But, there are some important things you must adhere to when taking a long haul flight because let’s face it, spending 6+ hours on a plane breathing in the recycled air of other people’s breath is not fun. Here are my tips on surviving a long haul flight:

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Wear Comfortable Clothes

Who’s the idiot who decided to wear layers (top and jumper), jeans and boots? And guess which idiot was going to the Philippines? Yeah. Smart move. NOT.

I am an advocate for wearing comfortable clothes especially if you’re going to be on a flight for a long time, but also dress for where you are going to not coming from. A loose top and leggings are great because then you can throw on a jumper if needs be. I’m also a fan of trainers because they’re the most comfortable – especially if they have memory foam in them (Skechers, I’m looking at you).

Stay Hydrated

I always find the air to be dry on a plane, so I find it best to always stay hydrated especially on long flights. (In general, you should always stay hydrated!)

Bring a refillable water bottle with you because it’s much cheaper than buying bottles of water. They always hike the price of water up when you’re at an airport! It’s ridiculous. You can find some good water bottles on Amazon for a decent price.

Also, sheet masks! Don’t worry about scaring your seat neighbour with your sheet mask because who cares – your skin is more important! You might look like Hannibal Lecter, but your skin will thank you after having to endure hours of dry air. (People’s germs are circulating in the air, for God’s sake)

Keep It Moving

Most important! Get up and stretch your legs. It’s always important to get the blood circulating in your legs plus it keeps you from boredom because it allows you to have a peek at what other people are doing on the plane (I love being a nosey parker).

If you are the sort of person who likes to move around a lot, then it’s best to get an aisle seat so you’re not always disturbing your seat neighbour!

Just don’t be that annoying person who takes up all the space in the aisle doing yoga. ?

Sleep

This can be difficult for some people (I have quite a few friends who have said they can’t sleep on a plane), but if you get the chance then do it! Maybe put on a film, a podcast or some music and let that lull you to sleep.

It helps to sleep on red-eye flights, as well, because when you wake up for landing you won’t experience that much jetlag.

Pack a light blanket and travel pillow in your carry on and you are good to go. Also, don’t forget your headphones and a good book (or Kindle, iPad, whatever)!

What tips do you have for long haul flights? Let me know in the comments!