Long flights can be rough, but they are necessary to explore some of the most beautiful corners of the planet. We spent 34 hours traveling from Minneapolis to Christchurch (you can see the stats here). It was long, but we enjoyed our travel time. We wanted to share the things we bring, pack and plan for that help us enjoy long flights.
Pre Planning
Picking your seat is the most important thing to do to be comfortable on any flight. Are you a window person that likes having the wall to lean against but sometimes you have to climb over your sleeping neighbor? Or do you like the aisle so you can get up and walk around often?
We are both – it depends on the length of the flight. We like to know the layout of the plane and where the doors are. For this long flight, we went with the second to last row because it went from 3 seats to 2 seats so we got the aisle and window and could switch off.
Check out Seat Guru for info on different planes & airlines.
Entertainment
We always download a few movies and television shows to our phones before leaving for the airport. It’s only possible to do with good wifi and the airport usually does not have that. We also make sure to have at least one book each – much easier now that we own these.
We also recommend getting a headphone splitter. We purchased this one. It makes it easier because you can share one device and then have another when the battery runs out. We keep this little gadget all charged up so we can charge anywhere and anytime.
Snacks
We have learned the hard way that you never fly without snacks. We have been offered only meat sandwiches on a nine hour long flight where we ended up just consuming the free red wine while flying over the ocean. ALWAYS have snacks.
Something Salty + Candy + Vegetables
This is the magic equation for us. It can get us through any bad airplane hanger situation and help us avoid headaches and crabbiness.
Buying food in the airport is ridiculous, so anything you can put in your carry on is a win. We included granola bars and nuts in our bags this time, so we just had to add a candy bar and veggies/hummus from the expensive airport gift shop. It’s worth the $20 to not get hangry on a 14 hour flight.
Some airplane food is not bad. We have had great luck with Virgin Australia and IcelandAir, but you just can’t always count on it.
Clothes
If you’re anything like us, you have enough comfy in your wardrobe that you’ll be covered for long flights. Wear comfortable clothes, but stick to basic solid colors so you look somewhat put together. Black pants with an elastic waist, a big comfortable sweater or sweatshirt and warm socks. That works for guys and ladies. It’s simple, you will be comfortable and you won’t look like a slob.
Justin was also very excited to finally purchase this belt. He swears by this accessory. You can leave it on through security, it is comfortable to wear and it is low profile so it goes with everything.
Extras in your Backpack
Night Cream—We use this every night, so we made sure to have it where we could reach it on the flight over the ocean before we got some shut-eye. It’s small enough to be in your carry-on, but one jar lasts months.
Toothbrush & Toothpaste—You will want to brush your teeth multiple times. We made sure to keep these accessible under our seats so we could grab them easily.
Melatonin Gummies – These come in handy if you are struggling to fall asleep on those long flights. They don’t leave you feeling super groggy and you aren’t at risk of doing weird stuff on the plane.
Headphones – Make sure you packed them. The airplane ones are horrible and wasteful, so do yourself a favor and double-check. I love having some noise cancelling headphones to escape into my own little world.
Layovers
Take advantage of layovers and your ability to move around. Airports make great people watching spots. If you look hard enough, you can find some local gems that are unique to the area you are laying over in.
For example, in Charlotte’s airport, you can find a quiet rocking chair and some Cheer Wine and give yourself a tiny taste of North Carolina. Each place has a flavor even in a boring airport.
If you have really long layovers or you fly a lot, I recommend looking into lounges. Many credit cards give you access to certain airline lounges, so you should read the fine print. We used the Delta lounge at LAX thanks to our SkyMiles cards. Apply for your own using this link and you can get 50,000 bonus miles.
There is another option if you travel internationally more. Priority Pass offers lounge access in more than 1200 airports. You pay for an annual pass, and it gets you access to many different lounges along with guides that tell you what amenities and food/drink options they provide. Once you figure in the amount you spend on snacks, drinks and time on crappy WiFi, this will pay for itself. Get all the details here and sign up if you’re interested.
In Summary
We are two people that did not love to fly when we got married a decade ago. After years of work travel and racking up miles, we both find the whole experience enjoyable now. It is all about being prepared and enjoying the journey.
Let us know your tricks to enjoy those long flights.
Pin this for your next big trip.
