How to Survive a Long-Haul Flight

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Sooooo… I’ve been planning a trip to NYC after the first of the year (woop-woop) and as I started to prep for my 5 ½ hour flight, I thought it might be nice to share how I survive my long-haul flights with you all!

Traveling inexpensively usually means taking the LONG route. This typically involves something along the lines of economy seating, long layovers, and even longer air time. I’ve come to find, that sometimes that’s part of the adventure. After traveling to and from Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, and South Korea, I like to think I’m pretty well versed on long air time!

If I’m being 100% honest, I actually love to fly! There is something invigorating about being 30K feet in the air, where no one can reach you …unless you purchase the wi-fi, I suppose. However, not everyone feels the same. Which is why I figured I’d share my top 10 secrets to surviving a long haul flight!

Grab yourself some tea, snuggle up, and let’s get started!

1. Set Your Clock!

First things first, before heading to the airport, set your clock (watch, iPhone, etc.) to the local time of your destination. I like to use the World Clock app on my iPhone. As you fly, do your best to go about your daily schedule using the local time of your destination. For example, although it might be 9 pm in Seattle, it might only be 3 pm in Melbourne. So, instead of trying to get some shut-eye, do your best to stay up for a few more hours and then eat a meal similar to what you’d have for dinner. (Tip: try eating carb-rich foods as they have been found to make it easier to cope with jet lag).

2. Pass the Time with Netflix Downloads!

Up until last year, I never realized you can actually DOWNLOAD selected shows and movies from Netflix to your iPhone, tablet, or laptop. Rookie mistake, I know. Find a new TV series to binge or download a few of your favorite movies. You’ll need wi-fi in order to download, so be sure to do this BEFORE you hop on your flight. But what if you don’t have a Netflix subscription? No worries! Netflix is currently offering 1 free month to anyone who signs up. So, utilize that free month and then cancel your subscription when you get home! If I am correct, companies like Amazon Prime and Hulu allow you to download selected shows and movies as well. Podcasts and music are also good options to help pass the time.

3. Bring a Portable Power Charger!

Keep all of your electronics fully juiced with a portable power charger! These little guys come in handy for long flights… and when you’re trying to binge watch Gossip Girl. A lot of airlines offer electronic plugins at your seat, but it’s always better to be prepared! I bring one with me every time I travel. Here are a few of my favorites! 

4. Face Wipes & Spot Treatment

I don’t know about you, but my skin has a mental breakdown when I’m on a plane for too many hours. It legitimately does not care if I am supposed to meet Justin Timberlake the next day, it will go full on acne-prone tween within hours. After an unfortunate happenstance when I flew into Australia for my brother’s wedding and ended up with a HUGE pimple under my nose the day before the wedding, I swore I’d never fly without spot treatment ever again. It didn’t help that halfway into our 24 hour flight I ended up with a really cute looking mound of my cousin’s toothpaste underneath my nose to try and bamboozle the gol’ dern thing off my face. It was definitely the highlight of the flight… at least for my cousin and flight attendants. Now I always fly with Neutrogena face wipes and Clean & Clear spot treatment. 

5. Avoid Sodium!

Okay I’m not going to lie, this is a toughie for me. Mostly because I love bloody marys, chips, and basically any delicious snack that ends in ‘ITO’, BUT, it really does help on long haul flights! According to the medical community, the body doesn’t do so well digesting foods loaded with sodium (go figure) — and digestion at 35,000 feet proves even more difficult. Not to mention, no one likes kankles.

6. Compression Socks

And that brings me to my next flight hack: compression socks! Nothing says, “i’m single and ready to mingle” quite like a good ol’ pair of  knee length compression socks. Sure they might make you feel like Prince Charles minus the kilt, but they are cuter than trying to shove my swollen kankles into a pair of strappy high heels. #yolo

7. Rosewater

Honestly, I really just love rosewater, so naturally it’s always a staple in my carry-on! Well.. at least 3.4 fluid ounces of it (thank you TSA). It’s proven to reduce redness in skin and has antibacterial agents that help fight pesky acne. Not to mention anti-inflamitory properties which can reduce puffiness. Oh… and did I mention it smells good? And I suppose if someone is all up in your airplane space, you can give them a quick spritz to the face to passive-aggressively tell them to backkk up. They can’t get mad because now they smell better. I personally love the Mario Badescu facial spray! 

8. Drink Lots of Water/Avoid Caffine

Honestly, I only obey this rule of thumb on my long haul flights, mostly because I love Starbucks and I’m not a camel. But, it does help with jetlag lag! 

9. Wear Layers & Bring a Change of Clothes

There is NOTHING worse than checking your bag and then coming to find out your luggage has been lost. Trust me I know! This is why I ALWAYS pack an extra pair of clothes in my carry on, and some type of layer in case it gets cold. Also, I’m notorious for spilling on myself, so an extra shirt seems to come in handier than you’d anticipate. 

10 Invest in a GOOD neck pillow! 

Okay, I can’t emphasize the importance of a good neck pillow enough! Let’s face it, there is no cute way to sleep on a plane. Unless you are Tom Hardy or a puppy, you are most likely going to look like you just took a full shot of Novocain to the face and refuse to withhold any more saliva from here on out. Or maybe that’s just me? Either way, a good neck pillow can help you minimize the drooling and hopefully help you catch a few Z’s. I highly suggest the Travelrest Neck Pillow or if you have no shame whatsoever, test out the inflatable Mauvana neck pillow and let me know what you think. (I’m honestly dying to try it out myself). 

I would love to hear how you endure your long haul flights! Share your tips below