Long flight by plane: here’s how to best prepare!

Few people know how to deal with a long-term flight, indeed, it is often the last of the thoughts when planning a vacation: you have to book a hotel, look for cheap flights, prepare documents and pack your suitcase. Yet understanding how to prepare for a long flight by plane can make the difference between a good or a bad start to your holiday: take a look at our tips below, you won’t regret it!

1. Sleeping in flight is the best pastime

Nobody wants to arrive at their destination without energy, only to find themselves perhaps also fighting jet lag due to the long flight. Especially with intercontinental flights, the hours spent on board can become many. It’s okay to have a little conversation, maybe even read a book or magazine, watch a movie or play something, but at least a third of the time in flight you should try to spend it napping.

It might seem like a great idea to binge-watch the last season of your favorite series, but we can assure you that once you land at your destination, the body will make us pay for the hours spent awake with interest. If you have difficulty sleeping, avoid taking caffeine on the day of departure and perhaps have a chamomile or other relaxing drink before departure.

2. Exercise and shower before your flight

Exercise, a nice shower and relax: it seems like a daily routine, but this is what you should do before a long plane trip. Exercising is the best way to relieve stress and a nice shower allows you to relax before departure.

By doing both, you will have guaranteed many hours of sweet dreams once in flight (if you don’t have all this time, we recommend that you dedicate it to the shower!). Also, arrive on time and calmly at the airport: last-minute rides are the best way to accumulate stress, fatigue and if you are on a family vacation, even unnecessary discussions for the last-minute departure!
exercise before a long flight

3. Bring comfortable clothes (and also a ready-made change)

It is said that the dress does not make the monk, but choosing comfortable clothes for a long flight on a plane is essential! Better to leave with loose and comfortable clothes, especially trousers and shoes as you will remain in your seat for several hours of flight (and with few opportunities to move). Remember not to choose too light clothes.

During a long flight, the air conditioning on board could become annoying after the first few hours of flight and maybe having a jacket on hand can always come in handy. Also, don’t forget to have a change ready in your suitcase: so as soon as you arrive at the hotel, if you want you can immediately change into an outfit already prepared and start enjoying your holiday!

4. Take snacks with you and don’t forget the water

Traveling nowadays can hide many unexpected events, which is why it is important to organize flexible trips. But the unexpected can also happen in flight, especially if you have to face a long journey by plane. And one of the most annoying unexpected events concerns the food on board: with so many hours of travel, hunger and thirst risk becoming big problems.

On board there will certainly be snacks waiting for you and probably a meal as well (but watch out, it depends on the airline and the type of ticket you have). To avoid nasty surprises, always take something to eat with you: small but invigorating snacks, nothing too heavy and possibly “dry" (liquid things risk staining). And avoid snacks with strong smells, as you share the journey with other people who may not have the same tastes as you.

Small parenthesis on the water: the environment of the plane is very dry and usually the humidity is around 20%, so it is always recommended to drink about 200ml of water every hour, so take some bottles of water with you (which can be brought on board). In addition, due to the low humidity, lens wearers could benefit from glasses during a long plane trip.
bring your own snacks in flight

5. Tackle a long flight with the right entertainment

Airlines now have more and more services on board and it is often possible to watch movies, TV series and shows directly on board. But nothing can beat the unlimited choice of streaming services that we can access today: download the episodes of your series and all the films you want, so you can watch them in peace during the flight. Or if you prefer to read, bring a good book and some magazines or comics.

For those who want, even carrying a portable console can help pass the flight hours, otherwise you can always rely on the games on your smartphone or tablet. Make sure you have all devices charged before leaving and watch out for so-called “power”

bank “: each airline has its own rules, but usually you can always bring batteries that do not exceed 100 Wh of maximum energy on board (in some cases even up to 160 Wh, but it is good to inquire on the website of the company with which fly).

6. Never skimp on in-flight amenities

Seat by the window or near the aisle? This is the dilemma of every person who has to buy a ticket for a long-term flight (let’s face it, nobody wants the seat in the center). Each seat has its pros and cons: a window seat means that no one will bother you when you have to get up to go to the bathroom. Conversely, an aisle seat will allow you to get up freely as many times as you want and maybe even stretch your legs a little more.

For those who are tall, it is probably better to pay a little more to get more comfortable seats and above all that have extra legroom. You can save on these comforts on short trips, such as a last minute flight for a holiday in a European country. But in a long flight, there is nothing worse than traveling for hours and hours in an uncomfortable position with your legs blocked from the front seat: the flight must be a pleasant experience, not a pain!

7. Stretching is essential on a long flight

Little movement and a lot of time spent in your seat are not exactly a good match, but on a long journey by plane it is normal. Pain in the legs, feet, neck and also are the most common ones if you have chosen an uncomfortable seat or there is little space between one seat and the other.

It is good to do some stretching exercises whenever you feel the need, such as rotating the neck, stretching the arms, lifting the legs and lengthening them, moving the shoulders, massaging the temples. Obviously getting up every now and then to go to the bathroom, perhaps taking a walk down the corridor, is a great way to awaken the circulation and do some movement.

8. Always have a personal hygiene kit

The last few years have changed the way we travel and airlines have new rules for cleaning aircraft as well. New air filters, more cleaning interventions, sanitization of seats on board, presence of hand gel: these are just some of the measures introduced, but having a personal hygiene kit always with you never hurts ( a gel or disinfectant wipes are also enough, with a packet of tissues).

And don’t forget to take everything you need with you to make your long-term flight more relaxing. For example, a pillow for the head, headphones to listen to music (or cancel external noises), a mask for sleep and for the little ones maybe their favorite stuffed animal.
in-flight hygiene
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