Surviving Long Haul Flights: 18 tips to actually enjoy long flights

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I boarded my first solo long-haul flight in 2019 on a trip to Peru that took 32 hours. I’ll be so honest, it was rough. I didn’t know I needed to book a vegetarian meal in advance, I didn’t download enough entertainment, and I cried with exhaustion on a layover in Bogatá. Safe to say I’ve learnt A LOT since then. I’ve travelled all around the world discovering the best solo female travel destinations, and long story short, I’ve been on a lot of long-haul flights.

Over the years, I’ve developed a flying routine that has made these 10, 12, 14-hour flights so much more enjoyable. That’s why I’m sharing my top 18 tips for surviving long flights. If you are a frequent flyer or long-term traveller looking for comprehensive travel and health insurance no matter where you are, check out SafetyWing’s Nomad Insurance Complete plan to stay covered when it comes to emergency and ongoing medical care, wellness therapies, and even your flight getting delayed.

Pre-Flight Tips

Tip 1: Charge EVERYTHING

I know it goes without saying, but with the super tech-reliant world we’re living in, there’s usually something that slips under the radar to charge. Here’s my night before a long flight charging list: laptop, iPad, AirPods, portable charger, and Switch.

Tip 2: Have an ongoing packing list

I usually start this list a few days (even a week) before flying. Anytime an ‘I can’t forget to bring that’ thought pops into my head, I throw the item on the list and then check it before leaving the house. Usually, it consists of the obvious but easily forgotten items like my toothbrush, hair ties, ear plugs, and glasses case.

Tip 3: Buy lots of snacks

Airport snacks are SO EXPENSIVE! Do yourself a favour and grab a few of your favourite things before leaving for the airport. I like to bring a savoury and a sweet option, and I never go anywhere without a pack of strong mints – they’re the best thing to fight take-off and landing nausea.

Tip 4: Bring tea bags

This might not apply to everyone, but as a Brit, I really love tea. I like to pack a few of my favourite tea bags into my hand luggage so when the cabin crew comes around to offer tea and coffee, I can just ask for hot water.

This is such a small thing, but having my creature comforts like my favourite tea really makes a difference for a 10+ hour flight.

Comfort Tips

Tip 4: Get an infinity pillow

I need you to trust me on this one – the infinity pillow is THE BEST option. There are about a million different types of travel pillows to choose from, and I’ve probably tried them all.

Speaking from experience of a LOT of long-haul flights, a loop–style pillow like this is the only travel pillow that matters.

Tip 5: Look into footrests

When the flight is more than 10 hours, I really don’t care about looking like an idiot. To take your comfort to the next level, I really recommend looking into footrests that fit into your economy seat.

There are foot hammocks, although I don’t like to disturb the passenger in front of me or, my preference, inflatable footrests.

Tip 6: Bring an eye mask

An eye mask is one of my holy grails cannot live without amenities – and not just for flights, I use mine every single night.

If you’re like me and really struggle to sleep on planes no matter how tired you are, then I really recommend trying out an eye mask. I still don’t sleep amazingly, but with an eye mask, I can probably get at least a few hours of actual sleep.

Tip 7: Pack a hoodie

I made the mistake of not packing layers once on a flight across Thailand and I vowed never to let it happen again. Airplane temperatures are unpredictable and when they’re cold, THEY’RE REALLY COLD. Not having a hoodie on a cold flight feels unbearable, trust me.

Flight Entertainment Tips

Tip 8: Invest in a Switch

I wish I had bought a Switch years ago. I finally got myself a Switch Lite last December before my 14-hour – yes, FOURTEEN-HOUR – flight from Tokyo to London. I was flying alone and dreading how to spend the time. It turns out I didn’t need to worry as I somehow lost 7 hours alone playing Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Let me be clear, I’m not a gamer girl and I haven’t played a video game in probably 10+ years but it doesn’t matter. A Switch is the real MVP for long-haul flights.

Tip 9: Download the trashy shows

Picture this, you have an upcoming long-haul flight and deciding what shows you want to download for the plane. You think the plane is the perfect place to finally watch that documentary, high-brow TV show, or 3-hour biopic that you’ve been meaning to see. Listen to me, DOWNLOAD THE TRASH.

When you’re 6 hours into a flight with another 6 hours to go, you’re not going to want the dry stuff, you’ll want the familiar, comfort shows that require zero brain power and pass the time like nothing else.

Tip 10: Download Podcasts

There comes a point on super long flights that you don’t want to stare at a screen anymore, but you still want some form of entertainment – enter podcasts. I like to download 3-4 hours of podcasts to have on in the background as I fly or to fall asleep to.

Tip 11: Dumb game apps pass the time

Here’s the thing, I love playing sudoku on planes. I can lose literally hours trying to solve hard puzzles or mindlessly swiping on games like two-dots. These apps are simple and some of them are really dumb – but that’s what makes them perfect for long-haul flights.

In The Airport Tips

Tip 12: Walk around and stretch

These days more than ever, I like to be safely seatbelted in my seat for as much of the flight as possible, that means limited time walking around or stretching my legs. To fight cramps and restless legs, try to be as active as possible before boarding by walking a lot in the airport and having a good stretch when waiting at the gate.

Tip 13: Fill up your water bottle

Airplanes really dehydrate you and sometimes the cabin crew isn’t as generous with water as you would like. I always bring an empty water bottle through customs and look for a water fountain in the airport, if I can’t find one, I’ll ask at a cafe or restaurant for them to fill my bottle or just bite the bullet and buy a plastic bottle from an airport store.

Tip 14: Try and eat a meal

I know airport food isn’t always the best, however, at least it’s there! When you’re cruising high in the sky with only questionable aeroplane food and snacks, you’re going to wish you’d eaten that meal when you had the chance.

Working on Planes

Tip 15: Don’t rely on WiFi

Plane WiFi is slowly becoming more reliable, however, it certainly isn’t a guarantee. If it’s essential for you to get something done before landing, you need to plan ahead and download the documents or applications necessary to complete your tasks even with no internet connection.

Tip 16: Use noise-cancelling headphones

I get distracted so easily, and with all the noises, people, and actions that happen on a plane, I rely on my AirPod pros and noise-cancellation to get anything done. Noise-cancelling headphones are a game-changer for working on flights.

Tip 17: Prioritise tasks

In my experience, the best way to ensure an efficient work session from a plane is to have a very clear task list before I even board. I need to know exactly what I need to get done on the flight and try to keep my expectations extremely realistic – flights are unpredictable and you’re probably not going to be able to work for 8 hours straight.

Bonus Tip…

Tip 18: Jetlag is a choice

I know this is controversial, but I’ve lived this truth on many occasions. Sometimes sleeping on a long-haul flight is THE WORST decision you could possibly make.

To defeat jetlag immediately, you need to plan ahead. Look at what time you land at your destination and work backwards, for instance, if you land in the evening, DO NOT SLEEP ON THE FLIGHT!

You want to be as tired as possible when you arrive so that you can sleep through the first night and get over jetlag within a few days. If you land before 5 pm, you can get away with trying to sleep on the flight.

The golden rule of jetlag is NO NAPS. It’s tough, but after the first 2 days, you’ll be glad you stayed awake.

Want to Learn to Work Remotely?

You can find so many resources on how to transition into remote work and start working from anywhere. This lifestyle has allowed me to work and travel at the same time, live abroad, and experience an entirely different sense of purpose.

Working fully remotely takes flexibility to the next level, although getting used to long-haul flights might be one of the few negatives of being based far away from home.

Surviving Long Haul Flights: 18 tips to actually enjoy long flights