I dream of flying business-class. Champagne on boarding, eating delicious meals with proper cutlery, stretching out and blissfully snoozing my way to my destination. However, that’s definitely not within my budget at this stage – I’d rather spend the money when I get there than on the way! And so it’s economy class for now. Having recently taken flights totalling over 24 hours to get to and from New Zealand, I’m feeling pretty experienced in how to make the long-haul journey as pleasant as it can be – so here’s my top tips.
1. Pick your flight time and seat
Do you swear by an aisle seat, or are you all about that window view? (I’m pretty sure no-one likes the middle.) Personally I’m an aisle fan, as I like to know I can escape move around without disturbing a neighbour too much. The trade-off is that there’s no window to lean against – but see tip #3 for the move that was a game-changer on that for me.
Likewise, some people like to fly long-haul during the day, others at night – it depends on where you’re going to end up. I like to work backwards from my arrival time – will it be more convenient to arrive at my destination during the day (always appreciated by family picking me up!) or will arriving at night give me just enough time to get to my accommodation and face-plant on the bed?
Window seats do allow for some beautiful views!
2. Get comfy
There’s lots of conflicting wisdom floating around about whether dressing nicely is more likely to get you an upgrade. Most airlines these days will value their loyalty programme customers over anyone else, so if you don’t qualify, think about abandoning the overly-polished heels and a shirt look for one of pure comfort. I love leggings for flying – much less restrictive than jeans while still looking smart under a dress. I also bring my own warm socks so that my toes don’t get chilly, and make sure I’ve got a big scarf or pashmina to cuddle up in.
3. Be prepared
Guys, I’m pretty sure this is my least flattering photo on the blog (no-one prove me wrong). But it illustrates my absolute new favourite long-haul travel technique. I wish I remembered where I read about this, as I would like to write the author a sincere and lengthy thank-you letter. The tip is simple… take your standard neck pillow (firmer is probably better here), and flip it so it’s tucked under your chin instead. No more head dropping forward, and very little rolling around. Genius! I slept so much better this way and didn’t wake up with a crick in my neck like I normally do. Such a win.
Aside from that little gem, I also like to be as prepared as possible. I’m talking pack that eye mask (you don’t always get them these days, damn cost cutting), the big scarf I mentioned above, checking your devices are charged or you have the cord to do so and in my case, triple-checking I have my glasses. Nothing worse than forgetting those! Given I was doing such long flights, I also took the plunge and invested in noise-cancelling headphones, a life-changing experience. I know they’re not in everyone’s budget but they were possibly my best ever present-to-myself.
4. Pop a pill
If it’s seriously long-haul, and particularly if you’re going to be super busy once you land, then think about sleeping pills. They’re not for everyone, but as I can be a light sleeper on planes and find it hard to switch my brain off, I occasionally resort to them. Of course, this should only be at your doctor’s advice and prescription, and other things like homeopathic remedies for relaxation may be more appropriate. My other medicine tip is not just for long-haul, but particularly when I’m flying to or from a wintry destination: I like to take anti-septic throat lozenges try to limit the amount of germs that I’m ingesting. Glam huh?!
5. Snack time
If you don’t travel long-haul frequently you may not be aware, but particularly on the night-time flights, airlines these days usually give you a meal at the start and a meal at the end. That can leave a good 6-8 hours of the dreaded No Meal Time in between. Sure, they might do a munchie run at some point, but if you sleep through that or don’t fancy the cheese sandwich, what can you do?!
Enter, your delicious pre-purchased snacks. If, like me, you rely on food as one of three ways to get you through long-haul flights (aside from trashy books + movies and the above-mentioned sleep), a well-chosen snack can be the key to preventing hanger (anger caused by hunger, totally a thing) and get you through.
6. Stretch it out
Stretch stretch stretch! Obviously, I don’t mean in the comfort of your flat-lay seat. No, in economy you’ll either be traipsing the aisles or performing seated contortions, to the amusement of your neighbour. But stretching is key – and not just to prevent the dreaded deep vein thrombosis. Going for a little walk and performing a few muscle movements every few hours can also help your digestion and the like – perfect if you went a little overboard on tip #5.
7. Get excited!
Whooooop! You’re travelling! You’re on your way to somewhere far far away! GET EXCITED!! Seriously… you can look at long-haul travel as something to be endured, or something special. If you’ve left everything to the last minute been efficient, now is a great time to have a look at that travel guide or blog posts you saved offline, flick through a map to get a feel for your destination, or otherwise simply watch trashy movies to your heart’s content. I giggled my way through Magic Mike XXL on the way back to New Zealand and that time just flew. I love the feeling of having nothing to do other than sit back and relax on a plane – pretty rare these days!
So that’s my two cents – what are your best tips and tricks for long-haul travel?
Want more travel tips? How about my review of Upgrading to Eurostar Standard Premier, or What to Pack for a Winter Citybreak?
