Cramped leg space, iffy airplane food, and the occasional bit of turbulence can sometimes make the actual ‘travel’ part of traveling less than dreamy.
Are you planning a trip and you want to know how to survive long flights? Besides pampering yourself with a luxury neck pillow like OSTRICHPILLOW GO, here are a few simple steps to help you arrive at your destination rested, relaxed, and ready to hit the ground running
Tips for long flights
If you really want your long-haul flight to be as comfortable as a quiet ride, you'll need to start preparing before actually getting on the plane. It will take a few minutes but your experience will be much improved.
Don’t forget to pack the essentials
Airports aren’t the easiest places to freshen up, which is why it’s great to take advantage of the opportunities you have. So whether it’s to spare your seatmate from bad breath or just leave yourself feeling more minty fresh, it’s always good to keep a toothbrush handy. Not only will your dentist thank you, but this packing tip could also come in handy if your bags don’t arrive at your destination at the same time you do.
Bring some snacks
Changing time zones, staying awake during odd hours, and travel in general can make your stomach rumble even if it’s not meal time. Thankfully, as long as it’s solid, security will let you carry in your own food.
Healthy options like cut fruit and vegetables are a great way to balance out the heavy feeling you might get from the typical offerings found in airports and airline menus. It’s also much cheaper than buying a $12 salad by your gate.
ust remember - if you’re flying internationally you likely won’t be allowed to carry fruit and vegetables through customs, so make sure to eat or dispose of any leftovers before you land.
Stretch your legs before takeoff
Airline and airport guidelines recommend you arrive a few hours before your flight, which can mean a lot of time spent sitting by the gate. Rather than taking a seat, after you’ve passed through security take advantage of the extra time to walk around and stretch your legs.
Bonus: Scavenger hunts are an easy form of entertainment and can give you some direction as you wander around. Seek out the cheesiest souvenirs on display, scope out all the cafes in your terminal before buying a drink, or just try to find the most expensive airport prices to gawk at.
What to do on long flights
After completing the previous checklist, it's time to finally sit on the plane, fasten your seatbelt and gently recline your seat - always remember to politely ask the passenger behind you. You have several hours ahead of you and it's easy to succumb to boredom, so to find out how to survive long flights, just try to follow our suggestions.
Let yourself relax
Though it can be tempting to consider flight time the perfect opportunity to catch up on work, once the cabin door closes it’s often hard to muster a motivated or productive mindset.
Instead of stressing yourself out with a to do list you might not have the energy to complete, think of your time in the air as an opportunity to relax - which means listening to your body and giving it what it needs. If that’s zoning out to some in-flight entertainment, catching up on a good book, or simply enjoying the view, do that.
Stay hydrated
Not only are planes notoriously dry, but airplane food is also notoriously salty, the perfect recipe for finding yourself seriously dehydrated. It can be tempting to skip drinking water if you want to avoid using the plane’s bathroom, but staying hydrated, along with getting rest, is a key way to arrive at your destination feeling refreshed. To avoid experiencing dehydration-related fatigue, try bringing a refillable water bottle to the airport and don’t be scared to ask your flight attendant for plenty of top ups.
Sleep!
Waking up early to catch a flight, crossing time zones, and travelling 10+ hours are all understandably tiring. While there are a lot of tips that can help you on how to survive long flights, one of the best - and most basic - is to catch some shut-eye.
If you’re the kind of person who needs a total comfort experience, consider bringing along OSTRICHPILLOW GO as your travel companion. Not only does sleeping on the plane help you arrive at your destination ready to start exploring, it also has the benefit of making your flight pass much, much faster.
These suggestions were brought to you by our team. When we aren’t busy designing travel pillows and dreaming up products like OSTRICHPILLOW GO, you can find us power walking through airports. That's how we became experts on how to survive long flights!
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