VERB TRAVELS: How to Survive a Long Flight
By Kate Bray
I always loved flying. The people watching in the airport, the excitement and anticipation of a new destination or an old favorite city, the thrill of possibility that awaits you on the ground as you soar overhead… there’s nothing quite like it! I’ve been very fortunate to travel a ton in my twenties: my jobs out of university have allowed for a fair bit of travel around North America, my best friend was a flight attendant and hooked me up with some perks, and I’ve just plain made it a huge priority to travel as much of the world as possible.
While my love of travel will never wane, my love of flying has certainly decreased as the frequency of my travels have increased over the years. Flying is exhausting: early mornings, late nights, cramped spaces, bland food, annoying seat mates… should I go on? Routine flight disturbances are annoying enough on a short haul flight, but long haul flights are a whole new ball game. If you’re used to filling your flights with one (1) movie, a short round of expense sheet admin, and a 45 minute podcast, I’m sorry to break it to you, but that plan just isn’t going to cut it on a flight from San Francisco to Sydney, Australia (speaking from experience). So without further ado, here are all of my tips for surviving a LONG (8+ hours) flight.
Choose your Seat Wisely
I pretty much never pay extra to select my seat on a flight. Typically I just try to select the best of what’s left as soon as my flight is available for check-in. Sure, it’s meant that I’ve ended up in the middle seat between disgruntled couples who were hoping for an empty middle on more than one red-eye across the Atlantic, but ultimately I’ve been just fine leaving it to chance.
The only time I have paid extra for advance selection was for my 15-hour flight from SFO to SYD, and friends, I’m SO glad I did. On that beast of a journey, I opted for the window seat because it allowed me to have the wall to lean against while I attempted to sleep. It worked out okay, but if I had to do it over again I would have chosen the aisle seat to allow for more frequent movement around the cabin. Regardless, I’m so glad I wasn’t stuck in a middle seat for that flight. The gal next to me seemed so cramped and uncomfortable, and if you’re not springing for business class on a flight of that magnitude, trust me when I say the $25 fee (or whatever it is) will be worth it. If you want to get extra technical with your seat selection, I recommend using Seat Guru to help identify the very best seats on any plane.
Dress for Comfort
Look, I know we’re all hoping to magically be transported to a bygone era of smartly dressed Pan-Am crew members and fellow passengers in their best flight attire while smoking cigarettes and sipping martinis as soon as we board a plane (No? Just me?), but it’s almost 2020 and we’ve made progress and cigarettes are gross.
Anyway, I do think there is still something to be said for dressing smartly on a plane if you’re traveling for business or are hoping for an elusive upgrade, but you can look sharp while still being super comfortable. And, if there was ever a time for those “rules” to fly out the window, it’s on a long-haul flight.
I wear pretty much the same “travel uniform” every time I fly, whether it’s for a domestic jaunt to a nearby city or if it’s a journey comprised of several legs. You just never know what will happen when you travel. A 10-hour red-eye journey home from Mexico to Halifax with only one connection can quickly turn into an all-North American tour of the continent spanning 34 hours before you know it! (Not that I’m bitter or anything). Point being, I like to be comfy. I like to be cute. And I like to be prepared. Here’s what I wear pretty much every time I fly:
- Lululemon’s On the Fly Pants: Not to call myself an influencer, but I’ve gotten a number of fellow VERBians hooked on these pants for travel days. What can I say? They’re the comfiest pants I’ve ever worn. They have a flattering drawstring waist. They never wrinkle. They can be dressed up and dressed down. They feel like pajamas and they almost look like dress pants. They’re the best! As a short person (5’2), the ⅞ length is perfect for me and reaches my ankles. This is the style I wear most often, but I love the true crop for summer.
- A soft, plain T-shirt. I like these ones by Madewell because they hold up really well in the wash and I find them flattering. But… it’s a t-shirt. Wear what you like!
- Layer 1: Usually a jean jacket, but if it’s not a work trip sometimes I’ll wear a hoodie.
- Layer 2: Whatever jacket or coat I’m bringing for the trip, if applicable. I’m typically carrying this with me in the airport and ask to hang it up on the plane, or I stow it.
- Layer 2, alternate: If wherever I’m going is warm enough that I don’t need more than a jean jacket (or a windbreaker that I stuffed into my carry-on at the last minute), then sometimes I like to bring a scarf or pashmina to act as a blanket on the plane. Any scarf will do, but my old faithful is a Vinyasa scarf by Lululemon because of the many ways it can be worn and snapped together.
- Slip-off shoes, like ankle boots or espadrilles, depending on the season. This year I traveled to the US more than anywhere else and quickly became annoyed at how often I had to take my shoes off at security, so I recommend not bothering with laces or complicated buckles.
In-Flight Essentials & What to Do
Okay, you picked the best seat possible and you’re feeling comfy and cute. Now what? You’re going to need to pass the time.
Catch some ZZZs. There’s no easier way to make time fly than to sleep for a few hours in-flight! I am lucky that I don’t have a very hard time falling asleep on a plane. I can conk out right after take off if I really want to, but no matter how easy it is, the fact remains that it’s never comfortable to sleep on a plane.
I always pack a memory foam neck pillow in my carry-on luggage to ensure that I have proper neck support (get OUT of here with the foam beads… trust me, you deserve memory foam at LEAST!). Next time I feel called to invest in a new travel accessory I’m going to bite the bullet and buy a TRTL pillow, which is basically a neck wrap/support/pillow thing that looks way easier to travel with than a chunky neck pillow.
Avoid Deep Vein Thrombosis. Okay, not the most fun topic, but it is important! Take it from me, your internet friend whose had two types of blood clots of varying severity that occurred not because of, but after trans-Atlantic flights. Every time I fly for more than 4 consecutive hours, I’m sure to pack and wear my compression socks. These bad boys can keep you safe in-flight, and help you to avoid general muscle soreness that can come with sitting in one place for too long. They’re pretty heavy duty so I try not to put them on until right before my flight. Because they’re so thick and they go so far up your leg, they can be a great added layer of insulation for a cold plane.
Another thing that will keep you safe (and will break up the monotony of a loooong flight) is to get up and walk around at least every 2 hours. Remember how I had a window seat on my 15-hour flight from SFO to SYD? Yeah, I didn’t get up to walk around nearly enough because I didn’t want to disrupt my seatmates. My courtesy resulted in my left arm going numb for the second half of the flight and I was in pain for 72 hours after landing in Australia. Never again.
Pro-tip: bring a HUGE reusable water bottle with you and fill it at the airport after security. Keep sipping all the way through your flight (and have the flight attendants re-fill it for you). This will keep you super hydrated and will help you to feel refreshed and healthy. Plus, it will make sure you’re using the restroom often which will force you to get up and walk around at regular intervals.
Get Comfy and Down to Business
What you do in-flight may depend heavily on the purpose of your travel. If it’s a work trip, I usually hop on the in-flight wifi and pass the time by keeping on top of my emails and projects. If I’m traveling for leisure (or, let’s be honest, if I can’t possibly write another email) it’s a very rare excuse to stay unplugged and pass the time with a good book, a movie I’ve been meaning to watch, or to start a new TV series. I watched all of Big Little Lies on a flight home from Australia and it really helped the time fly.
To make these lazy moments more enjoyable, you can enhance the experience with some of my favorite luxuries that will make your long flight even better:
- Noise cancelling headphones or earplugs to really drown out your in-flight neighbors.
- A sheet mask. I have no shame. I am absolutely that person that will wear a sheet mask on a plane and feel fantastic about myself for doing so. Planes are SO dry, sheet masks are super easy and low mess (you don’t have to wash them off!), and you will feel so refreshed. I like to put mine on when the plane lights go down. Bliss.
- Delicious snacks to enjoy with your in-flight entertainment. I’m a procrastinator, so I usually pay an arm and a leg at the airport to grab some snacks and candy for the plane (and I also like to check out the different offerings when I’m in an international airport), but you’re probably better off stocking up on your favorite snacks from the grocery store or dollar store ahead of your flight. You never know how grim the snacks may be on the plane (and they’re so expensive!), so it’s fun to have your faves to look forward to.
- A nice beverage. I hate spending money on plane snacks, but I have no problem buying a glass of wine or a beer on a plane. If there’s a moment to treat yourself, it’s when you’re crammed in a metal tube for hours on end.
Looking for more travel inspo? Check out our latest VERB TRAVELS article, here.
Kate is a Content & Social Media Influencer Manager at VERB Interactive — a leader in digital marketing, specializing in solutions for the travel and hospitality industry. Find out more at www.verbinteractive.com.
