How To Have The Best Flight Of Your Life, Without Paying For First Class

Photo by Ahmed Syed on Unsplash

9 Hand Luggage Essentials For The Perfect Flight

Do you dread long-haul flights?

What if you’re sitting in front of a screaming child?

What if the cabin is too cold or too hot?

What if you’re delayed and the journey is even longer?

What if the plane food isn’t nice?

When you’re not good at sleeping away the hours, long-haul flights are… well…long, aren’t they?

I used to find myself returning to the map page more often than not to check how long was left of the flight.

I would get so bored of watching the map and try to watch movies instead, but there are only so many movies I could watch before I got bored!

I used to dread going on long-haul flights, but over the years I’ve found ways to make the journey much more pleasant and comfortable.

Now I’ve figured out what works for me on long-haul flights and I know exactly what I need to bring to make it a pleasant journey for myself. If you struggle with getting fidgety and bored, I’ll share with you what helps me:

What To Bring For A Pleasant Long-Haul Flight:

A blow-up neck pillow — specifically a blow-up one so it folds up nice and small to pack in your bag!
Eye mask — get some shut-eye and the hours will whiz by!
Plenty of snacks — preferably healthy, to keep you feeling good throughout the journey. I would pack pretzels, protein bars/balls, dried fruit, etc. Snacks are good, especially if you’re not keen on plane food.
Something(s) to save you from boredom— a book, TV series, movies, music, Sudoku/Crossword/Wordsearch, mobile games, colouring, work on your laptop, etc.
Easy to slip on and off shoes -I love to take off my shoes as my feet swell during the flight. My shoes of choice are Crocs 😆 don’t knock them til you try them!!
A pair of fluffy socks or compression socks — keep your tootsies warm, increase circulation and prevent swelling in your feet and legs.
Layered clothing — I would wear a vest, a cardigan and bring a jumper to ensure you’re not too hot or too cold
Ear plugs — get to sleep faster and drown out the chatter of people and the hum of the engine. On some airlines, you can request a pair from the cabin staff and they provide them for free.
Lip balm and moisturizer — I always get chapped lips and dry skin when I fly, I blame the air conditioning and the self-inflicted dehydration because I don’t want to get up for the bathroom too much!