10 Tips for Surviving a Long Haul Flight

If you’re Australian you know how absolutely painful it is to travel practically anywhere, once you go overseas you realise how far Australia is from the rest of the world and we are really living on this island in the middle of no where. To fly to Europe it takes over 24 hours to arrive at the destination and at least 2 flights. Although, in general I think for anyone long plane rides can be quite draining, this year alone I have taken 11 flights so I’ve discovered tips along the way that I hope can help you make your flights more comfortable.

1. Memory foam neck pillow

I cant help but cringe when I see people who have neck pillow made out of beaded Styrofoam, it must be so uncomfortable and I can only imagine the little beads moving around making noise next to your ears. Paying a little extra for a memory foam pillow will make your trip much more comfortable, the pillow moulds to the contours of your head and neck, which will support you for a more pleasant sleep.

2. Sound proof headphones

These types of headphones are good so you can enjoy your entertainment comfortably whilst blocking out the noise of other passengers and the noises from the plane, I can easily have a good sleep with these on as they block sound out, the chord is long enough so on the off chance when im really lucky and get a whole row to myself I can lay down and still watch my movie.

3. Comfortable clothes

My flying attire normally consists of track pants, T-shirt, hoodie or knitted jumper, slip on flats and bed/woollen socks. There’s nothing worse than sitting on a flight for 12 hours and being in tight restricted clothing. Flats are also also easy to slide on when you need to get up to walk around or use the toilet.

4. Only pack a small amount of carry on

I take a small backpack or handbag, big enough for the essentials so it can slide under the chair in front of me. If I’m stuck in the middle seat I hate having to disturb others or get up to get my bag from the overhead lockers. Everything is in arms length when I’m sitting and I know I wont over pack.

5. Take a book or magazine

On my most recent long haul flight from Dubai to Brisbane I watched 10 episodes in a row of Keeping up with the Kardashian’s, I really didn’t feel watching a movie as I had been on 6 flights just on that 1 trip. I wish I had packed something to read so I could entertain myself. Having a book is also good for when you have a long airport stop over.

6. Pay that little bit extra

On my long haul flights I normally fly with Emirates and pay that small amount extra for the added comfort and perks, I find the seats to be slightly better and the entertainment system normally has good movies and shows.

7. Plan your flights and stop overs

Try to book your flights so you depart in the evening and arrive to you destination in the morning, I find this helps with jet lag and it’s easier to sleep when you leave at night. I made the worst mistake departing from Dubai at 10am in the morning and I arrived in Australia around 6am, it ended up being the longest flight as I couldn’t sleep at all then I was super jet lagged for around 5 days afterwards.

8. Seat Guru

Once my seat has been allocated or if I’m feeling up to spending the extra money for a seat of my own (never actually happens) I always check on Seat Guru so I can either be excited for my seat and know ill have a comfortable flight or I can dread the though of the flight for 72 hours beforehand because I know my seat is bad. You simply enter your airline and flight number and you can see reviews about the seat you’ve been allocated.

9. Stay Hydrated

Now, I don’t want to sound like your mum but it is very important to stay hydrated! Aeroplanes basically drain moisture from you, as there is a minimal amount of humidity in the air. I start prepping the night before and though out the day of my flight I drink as much water as possible, on the flight I ensure to drink at least a cup every hour. I always take paw paw balm for my lips and a small moisturiser to use on my body and face throughout the flight.

10. Stay Clean

Planes are pretty gross they carry lots of germs and bacteria, when you think about it you’re literally in a metal container with no fresh air with over a 100 people. This might sound over the top but when I get on a plane I wipe the tray table, TV screen and remote down with a anti bacterial wipe and always have hand sanitiser on me to use before and after I eat and after I’ve used the toilet. You never know how many people have sat on that exact seat for 14 hours before you.

Let me know about your flight survival tips below in the comments !