Easy Travel Hacks for Your Next Long-Haul Flight

Easy Travel Hacks for Your Next Long Haul Flight

If you’ve got a long flight coming up soon, you’ll want to prepare with a few of these travel hacks to make your trip a little easier. There are 5 things you’ll want to prepare for before any long haul flight: entertainment, comfort, sleep, food, and health. Take a look at these travel hacks to make each of these a little easier!

Entertainment
Comfort
Sleep
Food
Health

Entertainment

I actually love a good long flight, because it gives me a stretch of forced quiet time. The sleep might not be so great, but it’s nice to disconnect for a while! Keep yourself busy on a long flight by relaxing or engaging your brain:

A good playlist
Read a book
Podcasts about your destination
Language learning app
Brain puzzles like sudoku or crossword
Knitting/crocheting
Coloring books
Card games
Journal or write a letter
Audiobooks

Comfort

Sometimes air travel makes you feel just a little bit worn down. The long hours, cramped quarters, the stress of TSA… Treat yourself to a little bit of luxury. Even the simplest bit of self-care can go a long way on a difficult trip.

Baby wipes: use these to freshen up after a night on the plane
Eye gels: give yourself a little spa treatment while en route
Slippers: change into more comfortable footwear as soon as you get to your seat
Upgrade your seats: a seat upgrade is WELL worth it for a long haul flight

Sleep

This is the hard part. It’s cramped, uncomfortable, and just all-around hard to sleep on a plane (unless you splurge for one of these amazing first-class experiences). So how do you find sleep at 30,000 feet?

Foot hammock: you might look a little funny with this contraption, but your legs will thank you!
Multi-purpose scarf: get a scarf that doubles as a blanket — planes can be chilly
Wear comfortable clothes: wear something you can rest in easily and don’t forget to layer up
Create a calming routine: drink some tea, shut down electronics an hour before sleeping, read a book — whatever helps you wind down
Take a sleep aid: talk to your doctor about a sleep aid such as melatonin to help you get some shut-eye

Food

Airport food, while convenient, is usually extremely overpriced. And it’s hard to find something healthy! In order to stay healthy on your trip, you’ll want to find some TSA-friendly foods that give you lasting nourishment. Opt for snacks that are free from refined sugars and minimally processed.

Here are some good ideas:

Whole fruits: bananas, apples, and oranges are easy to pack
Oatmeal cups: bring oat cups like Three Bears Oats for an easy bedtime snack or breakfast.
Popcorn: for a yummy, whole-grain snack grab a few bags of popcorn such as Angie’s Boomchikapop
DIY trail mix: toss together some walnuts, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, and a few dark chocolate pieces for a protein-packed pick-me-up you can easily bring through TSA

Health

You don’t want to start your dream trip out by feeling cruddy! Take a few preventative steps to stay healthy on the plane. Keep your immune system strong and your body energized with a little TLC.

Essential oils: bring lavender to aid sleep and peppermint if you are prone to air sickness
Compression socks: to help with swelling
Drink lots of water: airplanes humidity levels are lower than the Sahara Desert!
Vitamin C: take a vitamin C supplement to boost your immune system
Special meal request: Do you have special dietary needs? Contact the airline ahead of time to let them know of any allergies or dietary preferences. Most airlines are very accommodating!

➡️ Read next: Wellness Travel – What You Need to Know