Flying can be a hassle no matter the distance. Trying to kill time during a 20-hour + flight can be especially tough. Some flights are so long that it feels as if you are moving into the plane. Having traveled several 12 – 20-hour plane rides I have picked up some tips for long flights.
Flying to Asia or South Africa does not have to be a horrendous experience. We always complain that we do not have time in our life to do the things we want to. Then when faced with the prospect of a 18-hour flight, in which we will be uninterrupted we become filled with dread. Look at a long flight as an opportunity. The walk to your seat during a multi-hour trip does not have to feel like a walk to the electric chair.
If you are new to international travel or even if you are a season traveler these tips for long flights should make your time go by quicker. Hopefully, you are reading this before you even booked your trip, that will give you an advantage when it comes to maximizing your comfort. Some of these tips for long flights are best used before you start the booking process. Others require some advanced planning, before you step on the plane. Below are my best 26 tips for long flights.
1) Sleep
I am not endorsing sleeping pills or anything like that… but check with your doctor to see if he has an Ambien lying around. Well, maybe not Ambien, you might sleepwalk off the plane. Getting a night flight and possibly taking something to help you relax is a great way to kill time on a long-haul flight. If you sleep 10-hours of a 20-hour flight you are halfway there. This will give you the bonus of getting to your destination rested enough to enjoy the first day.
2) Bring the Right Gear
Given so many of these tips for long flights are dependent on you bringing the right gear I moved it up the list. You want to bring just what you need and nothing else on the plane. You certainly want a tablet, whether it is an iPad or Amazon tablet, the more memory the better.
Adding the Netflix App or paid YouTube app that give you the ability to download videos is a must. Most likely you will not be able to get Wi-Fi on the entire flight, so you need some things already downloaded.
Chargers and extra batteries are important to have as well. Some planes have places you can plug-in to, others do not; at very least you can plug in at any layover you might have. Extra batteries could be a life saver and prevent a trip from being terrible. Here is an extra battery pack from Amazon that I recommend.
Secondly, bring anything to make your trip more comfortable, neck pillow, slippers etc… something to remember before getting on the plane. Do not depend on the pillows in the cabin, especially if you are flying economy. Take a minute to think about what you need to be comfortable for a 15 or 20-hour flight.
3) Study a Language
If you are sitting on a plane bored for 20-hours, there is no excuse for you not to know at least the basics of the language spoken in the area you are going. I am not saying you will be fluent, but you should know the major things, like “thank you” and “Hello”. You can download some lessons from Babbel or a couple of videos on your tablet.
It would also help to understand some of the local customs and traditions in the area you are visiting. It is better not to look like a typical tourist if possible. At the very least the locals will appreciate your attempting to speak their language and learn their customs.
4) Learn a Skill
How often do you get 17-20 hours of free time? Everyone has a skill (or two) they want to learn and still everyone complains they do not have the time to learn one. Like learning a language, you now cannot use this excuse when flying. Obviously, you cannot learn all skills on a plane, unless there is a big bathroom surfing is probably out.
How about lock picking? How about Microsoft Excel? Pick some random skill and throw 20 hours at it, see what happens. Worse case you still can’t pick locks, but you kept your mind occupied for the long flight. Once again it is essential you use a tablet, you can download YouTube videos and learn from there. You can pick up just about anything on that platform. A laptop would work better especially if you are trying to learn a Microsoft word application.
5) Bring Your Own Alcohol
Of all my tips for long flights, this may be one of the more controversial. I am not telling you to get drunk on your flight…but it helps. Most international flights have alcohol available for free, but these days that is no longer a guarantee. Plus, the stuff they give you could be swag anyway, so bring the good stuff yourself.
You may be thinking that you cannot get it past security, but that is not entirely true. Read my post here on bringing alcohol on a plane. Please do not become a meme if you drink control your behavior.
6) Plan Your Trip
Either a travel book or some downloaded videos will help you keep yourself occupied while flying. The more information you have about the area you are visiting the better your trip will be. If you did not already, now is a good time to set your itinerary for your vacation. Figure out where you will eat first, what you want to see, and when. Make contingency plans in case it rains etc… if it is on the way back, start planning your next trip or place you want to visit. The purpose is to kill time, building excitement about your destination does this.
7) Aim for a Layover (With a Lounge)
I usually hate layovers, but sometimes they are needed. After 10-hours in a metal box, one might start getting a little antsy. A nice lounge with a shower, something to nibble on, will revitalize you. Just aim for a layover of about 2-hours or more. Your long flight time will not be any easier if you are sprinting to your gate. Give yourself some time to relax and stretch your legs. You also can charge all your devices and use the airports WIFI to download any items you may need.
8) Choose a Stop Over
A stop over is different from a layover because it allows you to explore a new area at no additional cost for a longer period. A random (make believe) example is going from the United States to Asia. You would stop-off for two days in Europe and then fly out from there. Iceland Air is notorious for allowing these, but there are many other airlines that use stopovers. It is worth at least seeing if it is an option. One of my best tips for long flights is to shorten the flight time.
9) Upgrade
This is one of my more expensive tips for a long flight. Let us be clear if you can afford to upgrade do it. First class and business class are substantially better than economy class. I flew business class to Italy; it was truly an exceptional experience. The room, the comfort, even after 12-hours in the air I did not want to get off the plane.
If you cannot afford business class (which is understandable). Premium economy makes a lot of difference as well with some airlines. Lufthansa had a good one if I remember correctly. You get more room and a better meal; the extra leg space is key to your comfort. If you bring your own food on the flight, you almost feel like you are in first-class.
10) Find an Empty Row (If you can)
This may not always be the case, but I have been lucky enough to get an entire row to myself once or twice. I find my comfort and happiness is directly correlated with the amount of people I must deal with. Being able to lie down was almost (but not really) like sitting in first class. Ask when you check in, you might get lucky. You may at least be able to find a seat with no one next to you. It also helps to cozy up to the flight attendant, she might be able to help you out.
11) Keep Eating to a Minimum
In terms of tips for long flights, this may seem counterintuitive. I mean eating helps with boredom does it not? There are a couple of reasons I do not eat on a long flight. 1) Your taste buds are actually affected by the altitude; food won’t taste as good. 2) I like to eat at the location I am visiting, and I want to be hungry when I get there 3) And this is the most important reason, I want to avoid having stomach issues when trapped 30 thousand feet up. No one wants you to be in that little bathroom with uncontrollable bowel problems…not you, not the other passengers, not the crew…no one!
12) Dress Correctly
This is not the time to wear your best tux…20+ hours in a plane requires comfort. I usually poo-poo people wearing sweatpants, but I will overlook this when you are in a seat for over 10 hours. This goes for slippers as well, just come dressed for comfort you will be here a while. The looser your clothing, the easier it will be to sleep. Also wear something a bit warmer, especially if you get cold easy. Some planes are especially chilly. Of course, our trip back from Japan it was extra hot, so that is not always the case. Be sure to wear warm clothes that are removable if need be.
13) Bring Earplugs
This is one of those tips for long flights that is invaluable when needed. Most of the time earplugs are not necessary, but once that lady sits down next to you with a baby in her arm you will be happy you have this item. I know I know I am the A-hole, but sorry, it can be awful to hear a baby cry for hours at a time. It will also prevent you from following tip #1, sleeping.
It isn’t always babies, there may be some loud snorer, or the couple behind will not shut up. All of which is my problem not theirs, therefore I bring earplugs. In lieu of earplugs, noise cancelling headphones will suffice.
14) Take Care of Your Legs
I hear getting blood clots are a real drag, so one should dodge these. Even the occasional foot swelling is not something that should be ignored. It is easy to avoid such problems with a few simple steps. First, walk around every two hours when you are not sleeping. Second, stay hydrated, this helps circulation. Lastly, buy compression socks these help reduce swelling and keep your legs healthy. In terms of tips for long flights, keeping your legs healthy is one of the easier ones to follow.
15) Make Sure Everything is Charged
This may seem like a no-brainer, but it bears repeating, come with all electronic devices fully charged. Some planes have outlets, many do not, let us not risk being in the air with only the bad magazine and their supply of out of date movies. Charge everything, your tablet, your phone, and all your extra power sources. Just make a note of this, the alternative makes for a terrible trip.
16) Find the Right Seat
Sometimes I wish they would put a picture of the person who bought the seat next to me just so I know if I should move it. Since you cannot do this, do the next best thing, buy your seat early and pick a good location. Many times, the sides of the plane have no middle seat, this is where I like to go. Some people like a window seat, it helps with sleeping, but not me.
I prefer the aisle, for a few reasons. If you are flying alone and there are two people next to you there is no way you are getting out when you want to. It can make you feel as if you are in a prison. Flying to Japan, we had the worst seat mate. I only would go to the bathroom when he got up. I would get back to my seat and he would be there buckled in, then sighed when he had to move. Being a hostage for a 15-hour flight was not a good experience.
17) Binge Watch
Finally, an excuse to binge watch television. Let us face it, you do this at home anyway. Now you can do it guilt free with someone handing you free drinks. This is where a good tablet and Netflix comes in. Make sure you have enough memory to download a couple of seasons of whatever show you are watching. Try Supernatural out for a spin, it has 15 seasons on Netflix, you can fly to Mars and back and still only be halfway through the show.
18) Keep Hydrated
I already mentioned this in terms of keeping your legs healthy but being dehydrated will affect your overall comfort level. Yeah, you may have to go to the bathroom more often, but you feel much better when you have a steady stream of water going through your body. Plane water is not always the best, but your options are limited.
19) Have Some Toiletries Handy
You want to feel like a human being after your flight? Bring some toiletries. Being in a tight metal box for over 12-hours can make one, let us say a bit rank. I am not saying take a bath in the sink on the plane, but a little toothpaste goes a long way to making you feel like you are not human garbage. Deodorant will also be appreciated by those around you. Face wash or at least wipes may help you feel a bit better as well. If you are stopping and can get to a lounge, they usually have showers, bring everything needed you may feel like a new person when it is all said and done.
20) Read A Tough Book
I mean a really tough book. Like The Wealth of Nations or War and Peace, something that is so complicated it will occupy your mind. Act like you must write a report after touchdown for your A-hole high school English teacher. I say this, because the more you get engrossed into a difficult read, the less you will be thinking about the guy next to you removing his socks. The point is to get distracted until you lose track of time. I understand many of you may get bored, but if you force yourself to read something tough, your mind will not be focused on time.
21) Plan Your Life
20 hours with nothing but your thoughts…time to map out what you really want out of life. How often can we just think about what we want, who we want to be, and how we will get there? Free time is not something most of us have a lot of, when on a long flight, time seems like all there is. Make use of it, try to be a better version of yourself.
22) Download (and beat) A Random Video Game
If you do not want to be a better version of yourself, take the opposite approach and do something that wastes time. Video games have ruined more teenage sex lives than the chastity belt. Some people play for days, literally days without a break. Find a game like that and you are golden. Remember, there is usually poor Wi-Fi on flights across the world. Download a game like Kingdom Rush to your iPad or phone…you will be landing before you know it.
23) Choose Your Airline Carefully
If you never have flown United for 15-20 hours, then you do not know true pain. Some airlines are just terrible. I paid extra for premium economy on United and it was the most uncomfortable seat I ever have flown in. Moral of the story is pay a little more for a better airline. If you can swing it the foreign airlines are much higher quality so stick with those. By foreign I mean compared to US airlines. One of the best tips for long flights is to pick the right airline.
24) Keep Your Space Clean
This is another one of those vital tips for long flights. There is nothing worse than having a cluttered seating area. Do everything you can to minimize what you bring on to a plane. I know I mentioned a lot of things to help the time go by, just do not overwhelm yourself. If you can avoid putting a bag underneath the seat, then do so.
You do not get that much room in your seat, why shrink the space you do get? It is also important that you do not create too much trash around yourself. Get rid of the bad dinners (or avoid them all together) as soon as possible. This is why I like the aisle seat so much; I can get rid of my garbage a lot easier and have my space back. No need to make your living space more claustrophobic than it already is.
25) Work
Sure. you love this idea, but what else do you have going on? Remember you most likely won’t be able to connect to the company drives, so download anything you can work on to your laptop. A lot of people (not me) worry about all the work they will have on their return. Two 20 + hour flights can help ease some of those worries.
If you must, you can check your email at the airport before you leave and work on any problems on the return flight. Which brings me to my next and final tip.
26) Do Not Forget About the Return Trip
Anything you use to kill time on the flight to your destination you will want to have on the way back home. So, if you are downloading a bunch of videos or T.V. shows then double the amount for the return trip. If space on your electronic device is an issue, erase what was used on the trip to your destination once you make it to your hotel. Take some time to add some more items for the return.
A flight to Japan can be a total of 30-40 hours when you think of it in terms of round trip. You need to come prepared when flying long distances. The return trip is especially daunting because you are leaving a vacation and probably heading back to normal life. It is even more important to keep yourself entertained on the way home.
Conclusion: Tips for Long Flights
Those are my tips for long flights. It is my hope you found this list useful and I have given you an idea or two as to how to get through a long plane ride. If you have any other tips for long flights, please share them in the comments… I always love new ideas.
