Imagine you’ve booked your next big adventure. You’re packed, pumped, and ready to embark on a journey you know will leave a lasting impact. The only thing standing between you and this incredible experience is a chaotic dash through the crowded corridors of an airport (or several) and the even worse confinement in an airplane cabin.
When your budget can’t handle the strain of a first-class fare, then the first 8+ hours of your trip are relegated to noxious food, cramped foot space, narrow aisles, and a bathroom shared with every other passenger enduring the same misery. After more than a decade of making multiple long-haul flights a year, I’ve learned there are a few key items that you just can’t do without. These 10 simple items will help take your long-haul flight experience from brutal to bearable.
1. Headphones
This one probably goes without saying, but you’re going to be looking for ways to distract yourself for as many hours as possible. Whether you’re browsing the catalog of in-flight selections or bringing your own favorite entertainment picks on a personal device, a good set of headphones helps you stay immersed in the story you’re watching as the flight time ticks away unnoticed.
I find this is a nice way to damper some of the residual sounds from inside the cabin as well. It helps keep my nerves in check and moves me one step closer to relaxation. Of course, most airlines will provide you with a courtesy pair of headphones if needed, but let’s be honest, these are often uncomfortable, rigid, and lacking in good sound quality. Bringing your own set ensures that you have access to all the available entertainment options with one of your comforts from home.
Bonus: Noise-canceling capabilities come in handy for filtering out airplane noise, whether you’re watching a show or catching a snooze.
2. Chargers
Depending on the length of the flight, the battery life on your devices can take a real hit. If you’re catching back-to-back flights, you may not have enough time to charge up in between. You definitely don’t want to lose all your juice in the middle of whatever you’re watching to pass the time either. For this reason, I always travel with a charger handy. A lot of longer flights these days have charging ports available at your seat. They’re not usually the fastest, but they get the job done over the many hours your stuck in your seat. If you don’t have access to an outlet during the flight, you will at least have the ability to charge up once you arrive at your destination. This isn’t the most ideal, but it’s good to have in an emergency and provides me with greater peace of mind should I run out of charge somewhere between here and there.
3. Sleep Mask
It’s only recently that I’ve come to appreciate this item. I went many years traveling without one, but now that I’ve discovered the benefits of a sleep mask, I would not want to fly without it. It cuts out distractions (there are many on a plane), and it offers a pleasant pressure on the eyelids as you relax or drift off to dreamland. I’ve even found that a sleep mask helps provide relief when my eyes start to dry out mid-flight by encouraging me to keep them closed for longer periods.
There are many great and affordable options on sites like Amazon. For my part, I prefer one made of silk, and the darker colors help block out more light. I got this great set on Amazon, and I love having it with me when I travel. One of the best features is that they’re practically weightless and easily fit in the pocket of your bag.
4. Earplugs
This is another gem I’ve come to rely on. The constant din of noise on flights really gets to me these days. When you stretch that out over many hours, it sets my nerves on a razor’s edge. Earplugs provide such a nice escape from the raucous around you and when paired with a sleep mask, they really take you away from the overstimulation. The simple foam plugs are my favorite because they’re comfortable, effective, and expand to fit your unique ear structure. My earbuds are pretty good at this too, but the plastic ear inserts start to hurt after a while. So I’ve found it’s worth having a pair of earplugs tucked away somewhere. The pair that I use came as part of a set with a silk sleep mask, and I’ve used them on every single flight since I purchased them.
5. Snacks
I don’t know about you, but I get snack-y when I travel. I wish I could say that airplane food has improved over the many years I’ve been subjected to it, but that is definitely not the case. Some carriers do better than others on palatability, but regardless, I almost always find myself famished between meal services. It’s impossible to relax and let the time slip by when you’re hungry, so I’ve found that it’s critical to be equipped with a few of your favorite snack choices. As a nice plus, this also gives you access to nutrition that suits your particular tastes and needs.
I would absolutely suggest carrying extra water with you here as well. Airplane cabins dry you out and quickly. It’s a relief to know you can take a sip whenever you need it, even if it means you’re more likely to need to visit the in-flight facilities.
6. Gum & Mints
It’s really hard to freshen up during the flight. This means that the longer you’re in the air, the more your breath sours. I’ve been on many flights where I could feel the unpleasantness building on my tongue and teeth. It’s not a good feeling, and there’s little you can do about it unless you pack your own toiletries. I don’t like to travel with toothpaste simply because it adds an extra step at security when liquids need to be removed for screening. As a temporary fix, you can pack a stick of gum or tin of mints. Both of these provide such a nice pick-me-up during the journey.
You can also pop a piece as you’re deplaning to make you feel a bit more ready to face the last little hassle of getting from the airport to your hotel. I’m sure the freshness boost is also appreciated by those you cross paths with along the way. I’m a big fan of any little trick to boost that confidence and provide a little more energy to finish the long trip to arrival.
7. Lip Balm
If you’ve noticed, drying out on the airplane is a big concern of mine. There’s not a lot you can do about the cramped leg space, shared armrest, and terrible food, but the dry air in the cabin can take your day from unpleasant to wholly miserable. On top of drying out your throat and eyes, the recycled air in the cabin also attacks the lips. To avoid any cracks or tenderness, I like to have lip balm handy. Whenever you feel the dehydration setting in you can quickly apply a layer of balm and have one less thing to worry about.
8. iPad
Do not get stuck on board without entertainment. I cannot stress this enough. The long flight gets much longer without some form of past time to entertain you. My personal favorite is a stock of movies and tv shows. I’ve learned the hard way that you cannot always trust the airline to provide an appealing selection or anything at all in some cases. You can usually learn more about the in-flight entertainment provided on your flight by visiting your carrier’s website if you’re curious.
But for my taste, I’m usually in the middle of a riveting new show, and I prefer to curate my own collection of shows and films before I travel. The great thing about an iPad is that you can access your favorite streaming apps on it. These apps, like Netflix, Hulu, and Prime, give you the option of downloading some of their selections onto your device for offline viewing. This allows you to continue watching your title of choice without any interruptions regardless of altitude or wifi connection. This is a great way to view shows during layovers or long taxi rides as well.
9. Sweater
I’m cold natured; I wear a sweater 10 months out of the year. But even if you’re not, flights drop the thermostat down to a whole other climate zone. The majority of long flights are frigid, so I don’t cross a jet bridge without a sweater of some kind. I will carry a sweater regardless of the temperature of my departure or destination city.
With the many things you have to endure on a long flight, it’s better to have it and not need it, than to suffer the many hours without it. You can’t relax, you can’t sleep, and it’s hard to even enjoy the anticipation of your upcoming adventure. If nothing else, you can use it as a pillow. I can honestly say, I have never regretted bringing an extra layer of warmth on the plane, even on flights that provide those thin blankets at each seat.
10. Pen
Above all, carrying a pen somewhere within easy reach is just practical. When you arrive at your destination, you’ll often be asked to fill out an arrival document or immigration landing card. The moment you’re off the plane, you will be shuffling through a maze of crowded lines until you clear immigration and customs. You don’t want to be forced to step out of line to find a pen. It’s a relief to fill out whatever arrival documentation is required in the last few minutes before landing so that you are ready to go when it’s your turn to step up to the immigration and customs officer. Pens are great to have if you need to quickly add your contact information on an identification card for your luggage as well.
Time to Fly
This may not be an exhaustive list, but it gives you some good ideas to consider when you start packing. There’s a lot you can fit in your checked luggage, but for your own convenience, you should plan carefully what to carry with you.
The less you have, the easier and lighter everything will seem. Airplane seats are already majorly cramped without having an overstuffed bag at your feet or side. The best thing about the list above is that all of these items can fit easily within a small crossbody and/or the seat back pocket. This frees up a little more space to maximize your travel experience, and in economy, every little bit helps.
Happy travels!
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