Surviving the long-haul flight can be quite the challenge.
Let’s face it, even the most avid travelers don’t spend their time looking forward to the days when they’re stuck on an airplane for ten hours, cramped between uncomfortable seats, annoying passengers, and screaming children. Long haul flights aren’t even that much fun when you’re offered free wine.
Unfortunately, those lengthy flights are a necessity for those of us who want to explore some of the most far-flung areas of the globe. If you want to truly earn the title of “adventurer”, and grab some memories in the most incredible places on earth, then you’re going to have to put up with the occasional stressful flight.
Fortunately – you don’t have to dread your next experience. Our flying tips and tricks should help you to at least get the most out of your long-haul flight, so that you leave the airport at your end-destination feeling fresh and entertained, instead of drained and disappointed.
Tip 1: Try to Upgrade
Alright, so this solution for surviving the long-haul flight might not be ideal for everyone, but it’s hard to argue with the results. When travelling long-haul, you have no better friend than your frequent flier miles when you’re looking for inches of extra leg room, wonderful free drinks and snacks, and all of the relaxation you could possibly ask for when soaring through the skies.
If you don’t have the cash to upgrade the old fashioned way, you can always try one of our tips for sneaking your way into first class. If those don’t work, then don’t worry, we still have some flying tips and tricks that can help you to survive on a standard seat.
Tip 2: Power Up
Want some quick and easy entertainment on your flight? Then look no further than your smartphone, tablet, or any other of your favorite gadgets. Technology has come a long way over the years, and today you can easily watch your favorite shows, listen to a podcast, or enjoy a selection of your most beloved tunes in an instant, without having to pay a penny (unless there’s a charge for Wi-Fi!)
Just make sure that you have your worldwide power convertor in your luggage, and remember to charge up before you go so that you don’t lose power half-way through your flight. You could always try taking an additional battery with you just in case, or a portable charger.
Tip 3: Bring Your Go-To Gear
When it comes to surviving the long-haul flight, most frequent flyers have a bag of go-to gear that they simply can’t take off without. This is the hand luggage that contains your worldwide power convertor, a set of reliable ear plugs, an eye mask, a neck pillow, and even a set of noise-cancelling headphones.
While it’s generally a good idea to limit the amount of things you try to pack into your hand luggage, it’s a good idea to invest in at least a couple of your favorite survival tools. The chances are that the inconvenience of lugging a little bit of extra weight through the airport will easily be dwarfed by the potential misery of spending fifteen hours in discomfort, surrounded by wailing children.
Tip 4: Wear Comfortable Clothes
While part of being fresh on your arrival might mean changing into a new set of clothes that you’ve put in your hand luggage, that doesn’t mean that you have to wear stuffy clothing or your Sunday best when you’re actually on the flight itself. Instead, remember that the best flying tips and tricks involve wearing comfortable clothes.
The temperature on planes can fluctuate, and you might fall between periods of freezing, and boiling at random times. Wear comfortable clothes that you can layer or remove as you need to, and make sure your footwear is cozy too – it will make surviving the long-haul flight much easier.
Tip 5: Look After Your Health
Finally, surviving the long haul flight in a way that leaves you feeling fresh and comfortable at the end of the ordeal, involves simply taking the time to look after yourself. While your worldwide power convertor can keep your devices charged, there are few things that can help you if you run out of power on the way to your destination. Caring for your health means remembering:
- Hydration – The air on a plane is incredibly dry. In fact, it’s a lot like spending a number of hours sitting in the desert. That means that it’s generally a good idea to take plenty of water with you that you can sip on during your trip.
- Deep vein thrombosis – The formation of blood clots in the veins can be particularly common in people who take plenty of long-haul flights. With that in mind, remember to walk up and down the hallways in the plane frequently, and even consider wearing compression leggings if your doctor recommends it.
- Illness and bacteria – Finally, remember that everything around you might not be as clean as you think it is. You may benefit from taking a couple of anti-bacterial wipes along with you, just in case.
Surviving the Long Haul Flight
Surviving the long-haul flight, particularly your first one, can be a very difficult experience. Often, it leaves people feeling jetlagged and overwhelmed by the possibility of doing it all again a week or two later just so that they can get home. But don’t give up on that far-away vacation idea yet!
However, it’s worth remembering that sometimes, the discomfort of a long haul flight is well worth the results that come at the end of it. The chances are that you’re not lucky enough to have been born in a place that somehow lingers close to all of the potential sights you might want to experience. Hopefully, the flying tips and tricks above should help you to make the best of your next long-haul experience, but we hope that you’ll let us know in the comments if you have any additional suggestions that we, or our readers could use.
