We can now fly direct from Newark, New Jersey, to Singapore in just under 19 hours, thanks to the marvel of human flight. That also means that passengers spend nearly a whole day off the ground, in cruising altitude limbo, only to arrive with jet lag that outweighs tiredness.
Long-haul flights are an unavoidable evil for any serious traveler. How do they manage to do it? Here are 5 suggestions for surviving — and perhaps enjoying — a day in the air.
Long-haul trips are nothing new to me. You’ve heard of them: those long, day-long flights over the clouds that take you from one side of the world to the other. You could even say I go out of my way to find them. I’ve flown directly from New York City to Australia’s Northern Territory twice, with stops in Los Angeles and Sydney in between.
My 15-hour flight to Johannesburg felt like a breeze in comparison to that 25-hour adventure (without layovers). Long-haul flights aren’t fun unless you’re being pampered in First Class, but there are a few methods to make them more pleasant. In 12 simple steps, here’s what I’ve learned.
Below are 5 Hacks to survive a long-haul flight
- Purchase your tickets as soon as possible.
Waiting and expecting a $20 price drop is rarely worth the effort. Not only will buying ahead of time give you peace of mind in the weeks and months leading up to your departure, but it will also increase the chances that enough seats will remain open for you to choose where you want to sit—whether you want to cuddle up to a window, have easy access to the aisle, or stretch your legs in an exit row.
If you wait until the last minute, you’ll almost certainly end up in the dreaded center seat (along with your elbows). Are you a frequent flyer? It’s now or never to use those miles for an upgrade.
- Dress in your most comfortable clothes.
You could feel like you’re 20 again in that fitting blouse and skin-tight pair of jeans, but after 15 hours of sitting (and attempting to sleep) in them, you’ll never want to look at them again. Stick to a “comfy-chic” dress code of neutral, loose-fitting layers that you can move around in when traveling long distances.
You’ll not only stay warm on a journey, but you’ll also avoid deep vein thrombosis, a severe ailment made worse by sitting in cramped positions for a lengthy period. Compression stockings, which reduce swelling and the risk of blood clots, are also recommended by experts.
- Purchase a quality travel pillow, earplugs, and sleep mask.
We understand the allure of opening your personal care package—the small toothpaste! Socks made of wool! You always forget your earplugs!—but even on the greatest foreign airlines, these small comforts seldom quite live up to their potential. (We can’t tell you how many times our sleep mask bands have snapped, our pillows have deflated, and our earplugs have never quite stayed in.)
Taking a flight that will last more than 12 hours? It’s time to invest in a good pair of moldable plugs that remain in your ears, a silky (even adorable!) sleep mask that you won’t even notice you’re wearing, and a good neck pillow that keeps your spine aligned so you don’t wake up with a crick in your neck.
- Bring your headphones with you.
When it comes to sitting in the same seat for hours on end, every inch of leg legroomholy, no matter how tall or short you are. Don’t make it any more difficult for yourself by bringing an unnecessary huge personal item, which you’ll be compelled to put under the seat in front of you if you also have a carry-on. Choose a bag that is both multifunctional and soft, allowing you to compress it if necessary.
- Carry your yown ss or purchase some before getting on the plane.
One of the best things about long-haul flights is how well you’re fed—you’ll usually get at least two full meals plus a mid-flight snack to satisfy your hunger. But what happens when the lights go out, the flight attendants vanish, and hunger pains strike? So, what’s next? Bring snacks and a bottle of water with you, especially if you’re the type that craves salt.
