Top 3 Long Haul Flight Tips
Most people do not look forward for being on a plane for 6+ hours, so we have some great long haul flight tips. Sure it can be a different story if you are flying business or first class, but there are still a number of things you can do to make flying long distances easier and more enjoyable. I am going to share with you my top 3 long haul flight tips for survival.
Have Options
When you have a bunch of time on your hands, you want to make sure you have options of things to keep you busy so the time doesn’t slow down to a crawl. This tops the list of my long haul flight tips. I always find each long flight different. Sometimes I want to sleep, sometimes I want to watch movies, sometimes I want to read, sometimes I want to write, sometimes I want to listen to music or a podcast, and sometimes I want to do a mixture of all of these.
To make sure I have any of my whims covered, I prepare to have all that I would want before I leave for the airport. I have different books loaded onto my kindle, I download some shows from Netflix onto my device, I look up to see what movies are playing on my flight, I pack a notebook with a pen/pencil, I make sure I have my podcasts downloaded so I can listen without internet, I pack an eye mask, ear plugs and a scarf to make sleeping easier, and I make sure I have my headphones with me.
Snacks and Water
When on a long flight, you don’t know exactly when you are going to get fed, and that little cup of water is just not going to cut it for the whole flight (not to mention you have to have your tray table down so it doesn’t spill). Make sure you pack a variety of snacks, salty and sweet, healthy and treats is the second of my long haul flight tips. No one wants you to become Hangry! haha.
When you pre purchase and pack these at home, you not only save a ton of money (have you seen the prices of snacks at the airport!?) but you get exactly what you would want instead of only choosing from the options the airport shops have. I tend to take my snacks out of their original packages and put them all into one or two zip lock bags. This makes it easier, lighter and space saving.
You want to travel with a reusable water bottle. This way you can take it empty through security and then fill it up at a water fountain before you board the plane. If you through your water on the plane, you can get the flight attendants to fill up your water bottle.
If you do do this, you want to have a water bottle with a wide mouth opening. They will not fill up your water bottle if the opening is too small as they can’t have the openings touch. Also being able to keep your water in the pocket in front of you makes it so much more enjoyable. You can have the tray table up or down, your choice 🙂
Choose Your Seat
When you have a long flight ahead of you, pay the extra fee and choose your seat. The final tip on my long haul flight tips list is to use the app/website Seat Guru to show you were you should Not sit, so you can choose your seat wisely. Knowing you won’t be stuck in the middle seat, or a high traffic area will bring you peace of mind. If you are really tall, I would recommend that you splurge and get a seat that has extra legroom. Seats like the exit row or the font seat, your body will thank you.
I hope these few suggestions give you some ideas on how to survive your next long haul flight. Everyone has their own “secret sauce” to surviving these flights. What are your essentials to survive the plane ride?
Want more resources like my Long Haul Flight Tips?
Our One-on-One Training service will help you plan your dream trip. We will work with you to show you the technologies of planning and booking your trip. We will guide you on how to save money, how to research and how to book your trip online. Let us come to you and we will work together in the comfort of your own home.