Many people dread flying long distances. Some people even avoid traveling because of the stress of being on a plane for so long. Long plane rides don’t have to be bad, though. When you plan accordingly and show up ready, you can actually enjoy the flight and visit every place on your bucket list.
Bring Your Own Comfort
Image via Flickr by Andrew Feinberg
The worst thing you can do on a long flight is to rely on the airline or flight attendants to provide your comfort. Even if a plane has pillows, blankets, eye masks, and meals, you never know when they might run out. Worse, maybe the airline never provides such amenities. Even if you do get provided with a shabby pillow and thin blanket, you’re unlikely to be comfortable. Bring your own inflatable pillow, a cozy blanket and socks, and anything else you need to stay comfortable during a long flight.
Move Seats
Find out the type of plane you’re on and then head to websites that explain the best seats on the aircraft. You might think the exit row seat is great until you get on board and realize that you’re next to a bathroom. When you check in, see if there are any specials to change to an upgraded seat. The cost might be worth it for the extra leg room. When you’re on board, scope out any empty seats or rows and ask the flight attendants if you’re able to move to that particular seat if it’s empty. As long as the airline doesn’t charge a premium for the vacant seat, there shouldn’t be any issue.
Stay Entertained
When you’re bored on a long flight, you start to notice everything. The seats start to feel smaller, and every noise gets more irritating. Find out in advance if there is in-seat entertainment on your flight. If there isn’t, download movies or shows to your device. Take advantage of promotions through your cellular provider like the free Wi-Fi with T-Mobile’s GoGo Inflight. Just for being a customer of a fantastic network, you can browse the internet to kill time on a long flight.
Escape the Noise
A major gripe people have about flying is all the noise. You have babies crying. You have people with one too many margaritas talking loud enough for the pilots to hear, and you have flight attendants chatting in the galley. Nothing is more distracting when you are trying to sleep than all the background noise. Bring ear plugs and buy a good pair of noise-canceling headphones. Don’t spend the money on Bluetooth unless it comes equipped with a cord or you won’t be able to use it with the in-seat entertainment. Even if you just download a white noise app, you’ll be grateful that you can tune out the engines, people, and babies during a long flight.
Stay Hydrated
Plane food is full of sodium, and the dry air will chap your skin and lips quickly on a long flight. Bring an empty water bottle through security and fill it up before boarding the flight. Don’t pass up water when it’s offered. You may even consider bringing your own lower-sodium food. When you get dehydrated on the flight, your body starts to retain water, making the long trip even more uncomfortable. Make sure you drink plenty of water before, during, and after the flight.
Pack the Right Toiletries
Since you can bring small amounts of liquid on board, make sure you pack the right ones for comfort. Bring a face spray to keep your skin refreshed and hydrated during the flight. Bring lip balm and hand lotion also to keep your lips and hands hydrated. Consider bringing a dose of a sleep aid or melatonin to help you fall asleep, but make sure you don’t take it until after takeoff. You may even consider bringing essential oils to help you relax during a long flight.
Traveling can be stressful, but when you prepare accordingly, you can make your flight as painless as possible. Pack your bags appropriately, and you can enjoy the journey and not just the destination.