On long flights I am always well prepared. I would never board a plane without my little helpers. Here I am always well equipped. A long-haul flight can sometimes be very exhausting during the many hours of flying.
And since a warrior never goes to war without weapons, I have some long-haul flight tips for you and for the flight inpetto, which should not be missing in the hand luggage and also already at the airport for your trip.
9 long haul flight tips – just relax!
1. Yeah! Earplugs, which eliminate noises
Earplugs are an absolute must. Nothing stresses your nerves and your stress level more than screaming kids, the engine noise of the plane and yakking loud seat neighbors. Only when I really isolate myself from the outside world can I relax.
Exactly this relax is extremely important for me on long-distance flights, I do not like to arrive completely exhausted at the destination airport. Earplugs help me to prepare for my trip or even the arrival at home. Not to forget, of course, also when sleeping and in the hours in which I want to relax.
I use the noise cancelling ones, which are a bit more expensive and cost around 180€. I have already written a detailed review:
Alternatively, and if you have a smaller budget, I can also recommend the ones for a long-haul flight, these are available in a practical six-pack for just under 15 €.
2. Moisturizer, the helper in dry need
Girls, dry skin on the plane belongs to the past. I am not the biggest beauty expert, but I also struggle with dry and tense facial skin. This is not only for the ladies of creation, but also for the men. A small tube of a good moisturizer must be in the hand luggage.
There's nothing more refreshing than stretching your legs, freshening up and applying a good face cream. My favorite cream is from Vichy and available in every pharmacy, I always have it in my luggage and close at hand. Also for dry hands or elbows the face cream is suitable.
I use the following is not greasy and provides the best moisture even in the driest air.
Not without my sleeping mask!
Bright cabin light, the annoying reading light of the seat neighbor and open sun visors, unfortunately accompany almost every flight. Sometimes it doesn't help to squint your eyes during a long-haul flight. This causes headaches and is simply uncomfortable after a while. Here must be an aid. This can be either a big scarf or even more practical, a super comfortable sleep mask.
One of my favorite long-haul flight tips for any airline is to completely escape the scenery for once. I would no longer fly without my favorite. Here I have already tried a few models, but none has convinced me as these. The mask has a small bridge under the eyes, which prevents the sleep mask from coming into direct contact with the eyes. It's comfortable and has room for even the longest eyelashes.
3. Pay attention to your seat choice
I prefer to sit on the aisle on flights. I often have to go to the toilet because I drink a lot of water (see previous tip). At the aisle I can also just stand up in between and stretch my feet a little bit. Especially on long-haul flights that go overnight, I do not want to wake up many people unnecessarily.
The aisle seat as a seat may seem a little unsexy at first, but it also has advantages. In general, the flight attendants do not come through the aisles with the carts very often. This really keeps within limits.
To really get the seat you want, you should definitely check in online beforehand, because at the airport there is no guarantee that you will get the seat you want.
4. Tips for a relaxed neck
An ode to the in neck pillow: Never again would I fly without you! On the flight is still so short, you are simply my most faithful companion.
But honestly, how can people fly without neck pillows?? There's nothing more uncomfortable than those little knobbly airplane pillows, is there?? If there are any at all.
You are spoilt for choice when it comes to neck pillows. There are inflatable neck pillows, which are particularly suitable for light luggage, or models with memory shape, which can do a little more.
My neck pillow not only supports my neck, but my chin as well. This is especially comfortable in case your head often falls forward during the flight. So the pillow supports the entire head. The push button on the pillow is also very practical, with which you can easily attach the neck pillow to your backpack.
I use the following . It may look a bit unusual, but its middle part provides excellent support for the chin.
Looking for more relaxation on your long haul flight?
5. Yoga on the plane? Not a bad idea at all!
I know it sounds completely crazy, but you can do yoga on a plane during a long haul flight. I'm not talking about complicated contortion exercises in the aisles or on the toilet (if that's even possible), but relaxed yoga exercises on your seat.
During long flights the body tenses up massively, which can manifest itself in fatigue, headaches or in the worst case in thrombosis. A little movement is good and the blood can circulate properly in the body again. For most exercises you don't have to stand up, but you loosen your muscles and can breathe consciously for a moment.
You may be a little embarrassed to bend over? Just remember that you won't see the people around you again anyway, with the exception of your possible companion.
Thermal water spray, nasal spray& Lip balm
In airplane cabins it can become gladly times very dry. That's because the air is filtered several times. This is especially noticeable when your nose, lips and eyes dry out. The mucous membranes simply get too little moisture.
But even here I can help with a simple long-haul flight tip by keeping your mucous membranes moistened. You can do that wonderfully with . This spray is very gentle on your nose and does not cause any additional damage to the mucous membranes.
For an extra fresh kick I recommend you a , this practical spray is also available airplane size with our 100 ml. Just refresh yourself in between spraying the spray on your face. This has a pleasant cooling effect, if you take a deep breath, it will also be good for your respiratory tract.
I've also always been prone to dry lips, so bad that they tend to split open on planes without proper care. A good lip balm, preferably without mineral oils, can help.
I use the following for years and am very satisfied.
6. Big scarf, an absolute must.
If the airplane blankets, (if there are any with the airline) do not quite suit me, I use my own scarf. For this I always have a large scarf in my hand luggage, which can be a blanket, clothes, as well as a warming accessory during the long-haul flight. Sometimes I want to isolate myself a bit more from the outside world and so I can simply tie the scarf around my head if I want to.
Nuts in the luggage – food for the brain
Against the next open secret, this long-haul flight tip helps: Healthy snacks that you can easily pack in your hand luggage. I would love to eat more fruits and vegetables on flights, but since this is very difficult especially on long haul flights or flights with a stopover, I always have a pack of healthy nuts in my luggage.
Nuts are not only good for the heart, the little helpers also provide you with all kinds of minerals and vitamins. Nuts are also a super booster for the brain. The snack makes hardly any mess and is handy and quickly stowed away.
7. Drink, drink and drink – preferably lots of water
Dehydration. Such a stupid word and simply also so avoidable. By forgetting and perhaps sometimes a small phobia before the airplane toilet (yes, I had that also once) most do not drink at all or also much too little. This leads to a much too low fluid balance.
Whenever you can order a water, you should do so. On long-haul flights, you can also get drinks and water from the flight attendants at any time. No matter how thirsty you are, never drink the water from the airplane lavatory taps, it is not germ free.
Even if it's tempting to drink a little alcohol on long flights, always remember that alcohol can also lead to dehydration. If you can't resist, then always order a water with it here too.
8. The last row?
Either you hate it, or you love it. Sitting in the back row is not for everyone, after all you are sitting very close to the toilets. That's exactly what many people think and therefore shy away from booking a seat in the back of the plane. But you can also be lucky and the back of the plane is free and you might have more space.
9. Tips: Compensations for your flight
All my best tips to relax are of no use if you have problems with your flight. Also I was already in front of the situation that a plane was in front of me, but could not take off. Then comes the uneasy feeling and the realization that the flight was actually canceled.
Honestly, it is quite normal that most of us do not shine with expert knowledge in such a situation. My heart also went into my pants and I started to search the internet for what to do now.
Instead of shining with (dangerous) half-knowledge in such a situation, you can simply put your whole story in the hands of professionals. Airhelp will take care of your concerns and make sure you get a decent one.
So instead of fretting you can just sit back and plan your next trip and long-haul flight after you've digested the downtime. It's much more relaxing than dealing with it yourself, isn't it??
Travel packing list and other preparations?
I have published my detailed and minimalistic packing list for backpackers and globetrotters here, so that you don't forget anything important. You can also download the checklist to print out!
Here you can find my helpful packing list with many tips:
Here are the best tips for your trip:
Open& honest: In this article you will find links to online stores (marked with an asterisk *), where I get a small commission when you buy something. There are no extra costs for you. Promised. You support me and my blog and make sure that there will be great and helpful articles here in the future as well. Thanks for that!
