In a day and age where seats keep getting smaller and service seems to keep getting worse, air travel has ceased to be fun – or even pleasant.
And I don't know if there's anything worse than a long-haul flight in a cramped economy seat.
But, as any frequent traveler knows, there's often no other option. I personally can't afford to upgrade on every flight I take, and the reality is that most normal travelers can't, either. So, until science discovers a way for us to teleport, I know I'm going to have to continue making the best of those long-haul flights in a constantly shrinking seat.
In light of this, I decided to put together a list of must-pack items that might help make that long flight a little less awful. Here are some of my in-flight essentials:
Comfortable outfit
What you wear on that 12-hour-long flight (and subsequent hours spent in check-in, baggage claim, and immigration lines) really does make a difference. You don't want to look like a complete slob (slobs don't tend to ever get free upgrades, after all), but you also don't want to be uncomfortable for all those hours.
My ideal airplane outfit consists of:
- Stretchy jeans, like Old Navy's Rockstar Jeggings. They look good, but feel like a comfy pair of leggings.
- A comfortable, lightweight t-shirt that will match the other clothes I packed.
- A big soft sweater to go overtop (layers are always a good idea, especially if you get hot/cold easily).
- Compression socks, because they help reduce swelling in your legs and help prevent blood clots.
- Whatever pair of shoes is most difficult to pack – this will obviously vary, depending on where you're going and the time of year you're traveling. In the summer, I'll usually wear my sneakers on the plane. Any other time of year, it's usually a pair of boots.
Slippers
I hate keeping my shoes on on a long flight, because my feet usually swell a little and get very uncomfortable. However, it's disgusting to watch people roaming around on a plane in their socks or bare feet (ewww).
Some airlines will actually give you a pair of plane slippers to use on board. But if they don't, I suggest brining slippers or slipper socks of your own (along with a little pouch to keep them in until you can wash them once you get home). As an added bonus, they help keep your feet warm, too!
Travel blanket
Does anyone else get grossed out by the poorly shrink-wrapped blankets that get handed out on most long-haul flights? They're always so static-y, and I'm always dubious about how clean they actually are. (And then of course there are those multi-hour flights where you don't get ANY blanket.) I recommend traveling with your own blanket, like this CoolMax blanket by Cocoon. I'm a big fan of Cocoon's products, and this travel blanket is small and lightweight enough to fit easily into any carry-on bag.
Good headphones
You can never go wrong with a good pair of headphones on a long flight, whether it's to listen to music, to plug in to the in-flight entertainment system, or to drown out the noise of surrounding passengers. For some people, it's all about the noise-canceling headphones.
Personally, I don't like noise-canceling headphones, and therefore have a nice pair of Bose over-ear headphones, which are really comfortable and still block out a decent amount of noise when I'm watching a movie or listening to music.
Inflatable pillow
I'm the unlucky type of traveler who has a ridiculously hard time sleeping on planes. It's usually a mixture of not being able to get comfortable, and too much going on around me. I've taken to traveling with an inflatable neck pillow for those times when I DO doze off, so I don't arrive in my destination tired AND with a crick in my neck. I like the inflatable pillows more than the memory foam ones because they're much easier to pack.
Eye mask/ear plugs
To try to coax my body to fall asleep, I've invested in a nice eye mask and set of ear plugs. Sometimes it's just a matter of tricking your body into thinking it's bed time. You can find eye mask/ear plug bundles online – I personally like the ear plugs that mold into the shape of your ear.
Coloring book
Can't fall asleep, no matter what you try? Well, then make sure to bring a few things in your carry-on to keep you occupied. Adult coloring books are ALL the rage right now, both because coloring is fun AND it forces you to put down the iPhone and just let yourself relax.
My pick is the “Travel Between the Lines” adult coloring book, which is a travel-themed coloring book designed based on actual travel photos taken by the travelers behind the blog WanderTooth. The story is cool, AND it's sure to stoke your wanderlust. Perfect for a long plane ride.
Kindle
Lastly, I never go anywhere without my trusty Kindle Paperwhite loaded with a few new books. If all else fails, I know I can always pass a couple hours by reading. The Kindle Paperwhite has a built-in backlight, too, so you don't have to bother your seat mate by turning on your overhead light after the crew turns all the main cabin lights off.
Pick these up before your next long flight:
What are some of YOUR in-flight essentials?
*Note: There are some affiliate links in this post, meaning that if you purchase something through one of these links, I make a small commission (at no extra cost to you, of course!). Just one way that I keep this site running!
Amanda Williams is the award-winning blogger behind A Dangerous Business Travel Blog. She has traveled to more than 60 countries on 6 continents from her home base in Ohio, specializing in experiential and thoughtful travel through the US, Europe, and rest of the world. Amanda only shares tips based on her personal experiences and places she's actually traveled!
Really great list! I love the idea of bringing a colour book on the flight – I’ve never thought of it, but it’s genius!
For me, when flying I need a comfortable outfit with a really cozy sweater – I tend to get really cold. I also need shoes that are easy to get on and off, water and a good book!
Your list sounds a lot like mine! And yeah, coloring books are great for flights. And now that it’s acceptable for adults to be coloring in public again… haha, go for it!
Great list! I also like to take a travel toothbrush and some toothpaste, and a change of top. This is for those extra long trips when you have multiple connections, too – during those connections, I always head to the toilets in the airport, brush my teeth, change my top, and feel MILES better and refreshed. Worked a charm last year when I was doing a hellish Bali>Singapore>Dubai>BirminghamUK route. I still shudder at the memory!
Great tip! Having a change of clothes in your carry-on is something I usually do for long trips, too – but mostly just in case my luggage doesn’t make it to the other side with me! 😉
Surprisingly, I can usually fall asleep before the plan even departs. I’m not sure what it is but everyone likes to make fun of me for it haha!
I’m so envious! My sister is like that – she can fall asleep just about anywhere. I wish I had that super power!
Gum for my crazy popping ears and breath as well as ear plugs for the loud people around me.
Kindle, a book, and crossword puzzles. If I’m going to be sleeping on the flight an eye mask and melatonin.
Crossword puzzles are another great suggestion!
Compression socks are a must for any flight I’m on. My feet usually swell up unless I wear them. If I’m on an international flight I make sure to pack my sleep kit (eye mask, ear plugs, blanket, pillow and other stuff to help me sleep), and I use jetlag rooster app and drink water (no coffee or sugary drinks) to help me beat jetlag.
Avoiding caffeine and sugary drinks is great advice for long-haul flights. I do the same (usually starting 24 hours before I fly), and it really does help!
A good book.
Definitely a must!
For the really long flights I like to take one of those portable power sources in case my iPod or kindle dies!
Also a great suggestion! I usually have one somewhere in my bags, too, or a phone case with a built-in extra battery.
Great suggestions! Mine pretty much mirror yours, and then the portable phone battery as someone else suggested. I couldn’t get through any flight or bus trip without my Paperwhite. My ears hurt badly on high altitude flights (not sure how to describe it, it’s like where you feel like you have cotton in your ears for the next day and you can’t hear anything). I found some weird earplugs specifically for that, that you put in an hour before you land. I used them on my last long flight and my ears were fine, so I guess they work ok. They’re not for noise cancellation, but since you only have to wear them at the end it’s not too big a deal.
Good to know those special ear plugs helped! My boyfriend has that kind of issue with his ears on planes, too.
My number one in-flight essential is definitely my Kindle! I can load so many books, it fits easier in my personal bag and keeps me occupied for hours (as I also can never fall asleep on a flight).
I used to be one of those people who would defend “real” books, and swore I would never get a Kindle. But now that I have one? I can’t imagine ever going back!!
I love your in flight travel essentials! I always carry a pashmina. It doubles as both a blanket in flight and a scarf in cold climates. I just got back from a trip to Japan (winter) and the Philippines (summer). I used it every day I was in Japan and NYC were it was in the 50’s, and once on the plane I used it to wrap up in. Not to mention I could wrap my camera in it for extra padding if needed.
I love the idea of the adult coloring books, I wish I had some for my JFK to Tokyo flight. I can never sleep on flights, making me quite bored after getting through all the English inflight movies and snacks.
A scarf/pashmina is always great, too, no matter where you’re going!
And yeah, I’m kind of obsessed with adult coloring books right now!
Hello! Thank you for all the advice that you’ve given on your blog and Facebook!
One thing I like to bring with me on long flights is a scarf, the colder the weather, the thicker the scarf. Comes in handy when I forget a travel pillow!
Another idea for your return flight, if you are not into coloring is to purchase postcards ahead of time and writing them out during the flight. While it is nice to mail them from your vacation spot, I find it is easy to forget but just as nice even after the trip to send.
A scarf is something that I almost always pack, too! They come in handy in so many different situations.
And the postcard suggestion is great, too! I also usually save some of my photo editing for the flight home.
I love the new adult coloring book trend! My friend sent me Unicorns are Jerks. And maybe it’s not really and adult color book, but I love it nonetheless!
And I’d never thought about packing it for a flight. I’m flying to Hawaii this weekend and I may just now throw it in my bag for the long haul!
I love the coloring book trend, too! They’re so fun. My boyfriend wants to buy me a swear word coloring book, which I think is hilarious!
They’re great for flights though – you can even color while you watch a movie or listen to music!
Great suggestions here! The longest flight I’ve ever taken was Athens to JFK (about 10+ hours), so I’ve yet to do a truly long-haul flight. Don’t know if I could stand it! But these tips would all help if I had to.
And I love the adult coloring book!
That’s still a pretty long flight! The longest I’ve ever been on was 14 hours, and I honestly hope I never have to be on a flight that long again!
I need a good pair of noise cancelling headphones. 🙂 Since I’m so scared of flying, I always concentrate on random sounds the plane makes, haha, and they make me nervous. I’ll have to check out Bose, because comfort is a must for me. Great list!
As for me, I need slippers to make it through a long flight as well as my iPhone’s portable charger just in case the seats on my plane don’t have USB slots. Sometimes I need to watch a “comforting/familiar” tv show or movie to calm my nerves, and I have plenty of stuff saved on my phone!
Now to mentally prep. myself for my flight to Spain in two months…
Ohhh good call on the portable charger – that’s definitely another good one!
I personally don’t like how noise-canceling headphones make my head feel (I have sinus issues, though, so I think that’s why), but they definitely do work and many travelers swear by them!
Rachel (& Amanda) – try Bose in-ear noise cancelling headphones – much more comfortable than the big ones in my opinion. You don’t get the same pressure on your eardrums & if you wear glasses there is no “leakage”.
I am a 737 captain (been flying for close to 30 years now) & have counselled many people with fear of flying issues – if there are any questions I can help you with…..
Thanks for the suggestion! In-ear headphones are even worse for me – I’m pretty sure my ears are deformed, because I can NEVER get them to stay in! (And if I do get them to stay in, they hurt my ears something fierce.) I stick to my comfy over-ear headphones. 🙂
I would still suggest trying the Bose version – they have super soft silicone earpieces in 3 sizes to fit different size ears! – maybe check them out next time you are in a duty free or other electronics store. Had a screaming baby one row behind me on an 11 hour flight & wasn’t disturbed!
Amanda, I had my audiologist office make me a set of in ear headphone “covers” they take an impression of your ear and have a mold made that allows ear buds to fit in and then the mold portion is what goes in your ear. They are really comfortable, I think I paid $30 for them and have had them for 3 years. Bonus is they fit well so the outside noise is reduced and you can actually have your music turned lower and reduce damage to your hearing.
That is genius!