The chanceof getting a pen back on a flight is less than 10%. In which case, can you come back and let my dad know! Most modern airlines now have the standard jack instead of the weird 2-pin thing. Jacket, pillow, blanketa basic, cozy jacket or pullover can serve many purposes on a plane. Since then, I have visited 50+ countries on 5 continents and lived in Portugal, developing a special love of traveling in Europe (especially Italy) along the way. No avail. There is no extra cost to you but what I earn means I can keep offering travel advice for free. I tried it on my last few trips, sceptical, but it worked. Another item that used to be given out for free by airlines for good reason if youre facing a long flight with a stint of sleep in between, youre probably going to want to brush your teeth. ), How to Actually Enjoy Summer in Venice (13 Important Tips! Im sure youre not the first person to suffer this and they might have smart solution. Yes, its the 21st century and most of us travel with more electronic devices than we do changes of underwear. These will be much more comfortable for watching in flight movies than the uncomfortable pairs that the airlines tend to pass out. Usually, the stranger next to me isnt too keen to play let me draw a moustache on you while you sleep so I pack other entertainment because we all know the devil makes work for idle hands. Theyre great when you go from home to car to office but I find mine too heavy to take around on day trips. And part of that is adding any new tips Ive got for you. Its one less job for them to quench your constant water supply and youll make a small difference to the environment by using less disposable plastic. And in a survival scenario, I wouldnt count on others tohelped a drugged, semi-conscious person off a plane. I am always on the lookout for travel tips, This article is a huge help. Buying tip: make sure you buy a stick of lip balm rather than one you apply with your finger. Buying tip: the Anker (below) comes in a range offunky colours. Work out what you think youll need and pop it in a handy pill carrying case. Once you deplane and walk, bleary-eyed and exhausted, into an unfamiliar airport for a (potentially long) layover, the temptation to book it right to a lounge or to a meal can be intenseand while those are both excellent ideas for how to spend a long layover, your body will thank you for taking a long walk and letting your body stretch out first. By 3-4 hours, they start hurting. [Memory foam seat cushion for back, sciatica and tailbone pain]. Jeremy swears by chewing gum to help relieve pressure in his ears and counts it among his personal travel essentials for the plane, but it also serves a second purpose: mildly improving your breath for the benefit of those locked in a very small space with you. Bonus: its good for keeping your skin hydrated and can freshen up your underarms, meaning you can get by with takingdeodorant in your carry-on. Toilets, despite the best efforts of the cabin crew, quickly become scented and sometimes, even the smell of the plane food can leave me wanting to gag. ), The Ultimate Mexico & Central America Packing List, 10 Things We've Learned About Love As A Full-Time Travel Couple, If youre in the market for a new bag, we highly recommend our backpack, but any school-sized backpack or messenger bag that comfortably fits under an airplane seat will dowe used a, Im a recent convert to using eye masks, but they make. Given airlines keep long-haul flights frigid (to stop people from passing out, apparently), its good to pack your own toasty face protector. I only carry a handbag, with only what I absolutely need. And then there is frequent just shifting weight from right to left and so on..Any practical suggestions? The trouble is, people who recommend this say they fly long haul and maybe they do, but I fly twice a year and it is 4 flights each time, back to back. If I have everything in hand luggage all that security is a nightmare. If you have problems with sleep (I used to), Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker is life changing. Mainly because the chances of your bag going missing are slim less than 1% so thats a lot of extra bulk for a small risk. Check out my ultimate packing list for a recommendation. Fluid is allowed up to 100ml but you wont need that much most bottles are under 5ml. Bodyshop has a good range. Plus, on most flights, your headrest has corners that turn in to cradle your head. The only thing I can equate to this is when I sit to meditate for long periods of time (though not 14 hours!). Hi Sharon, I travelled to Grenada alone its a great city and very friendly. A tip on sleep and jet-lag: I get horrific jet-lag. Take it from the woman who once, in complete desperation, paid something like 11 Euro for the worlds worst microwaved pizza on a transatlantic flight: put decent snacks on your long haul flight essentials list and be sure you bring enough. This is a personal preference, of course, but long haul flights are the absolute perfect time to forego makeup. Freshen your face and hands when feeling jaded Also a pack of mints. Without a doubt, the most comfortable way to deal with a long haul flight is simply to sleep through it. Problem is, between children cryingand your neighbours reading light, its hard to drift off. it may be pressure on your tail bone that causes all sorts of pains around the hips. Your lists are invaluable and your writing is terrific! As full-time travelers for more than 3.5 years, we have experienced more than our share of long flightsand as a result, weve developed an extensive list of long haul flight essentials and long flight tips in order to keep our travel days running as smoothly as possible. Im not a fan of passport coversbecause the second you need to use your passport, you need to pull it out of its (usually too snug) cover. But before you land, well. Phone, passport and credit card will see me through. Theres something incredibly peaceful about slipping on a pair of comfortable headphones and disappearing into your own world while on a long plane ride. So, if you think youre going to run out of juice on your essential travel gadget, make sure you put a portable charger in your carry-on. While more and more planes (and airports) have USB ports to charge your electronics these days, theyre still far from a guaranteeand theres no telling what your long haul flight situation will be like until you board. Unsubscribe at any time. What are your long haul travel essentials? I only ever use oil sparingly and I agree that the other sense on the plane in a confined space can be overwhelming which is why I do add a dab of oil to myself. They are available for both adults and children. Theyre relatively cheap, easy to pack, can charge multiple devices at once, and can be a lifesaver while you are on the road and need to turn on your phone that has the only copy of your boarding pass. Having your own water is absolutely a long haul flight essential, though: even if youre flying with an airline that provides complimentary drinks and the attendants are liberal with the refills, those tiny plastic cups of water are not nearly enough to keep you going, and nothing says dehydration like hours out of your normal routine at 30,000 feet. We wont send you spam. Theyre inexpensive, take up basically no space, and there are few things more aggravating than your one and only hair tie rolling away in the first couple hours of a 10-hour long flight (ask me how I know). Im absolutely militant about this long flight tip, especially after reading one too many horror stories about pulmonary embolisms, and it definitely helps with flight soreness and fatigue. What about travel pillows? Thank you! Sitting for hours on end in a cramped airplane seat is terrible for your body, so make use of extra bathroom breaks and stretch as often as you can. Its less bulky than a paper book, allows me to carry a whole library of books on board and the in-built light means I dont need to upset my neighbour by shining the light in his eyes. Looking for some books to get you psyched for your trip? How to Take a Traghetto (Cheapest Gondola in Venice! To say nothing of running through airports trying to get to the right terminal and gate dragging the wretched luggage with you. Wait, what? Keep it empty until after security, of course, lest it end up in a pile of trash as you go through the line. I carry 2nd hand disposable books, and discard them as I go. Now Im wondering if I packed my socks for my flight tonight arghhhh. Very useful tips! If youd prefer, you may want to swap typical cozy socks for compression socks for an extra layer of comfort and protection. Also, try to get one with a zipped interior pocket for keeping loose coins. Lets face it, airline headphones are usually poor qualityand if youre going to endure a long haul flight, where youre probably going to spend several hours glued to the in-flight entertainment system, its best done with yourown headphones. However, if youre committed to buying a travel pillow, these travel pillows get the highest star reviews on Amazon. I cant tell you the number of times these little pieces of soft silicone have made the difference between a pain free flight and me wanting to rip the cabin door open to relieve the pain when Ive forgot to pack them. Flights are inevitably quite loud, and when you can put that behind you, the entire journey becomes much more peaceful. Instead, I travel with a slim sonic toothbrush, which keeps my bag (and teeth!) Rather thin or non existent ones as my friends tease me. I bought a blue energy light box from Philips. Thanks for the wet wipes tip! Eight. I wrote this post a while ago and its become very popular so Ill keep it updated every few months. Nothing dries out my skin quite as fast as the dry, recycled air of an airplaneand a few hours into a long haul flight, Im always so grateful to be able to slather some extra moisturizer on my skin. Theres a reason airlines used to include a pair in the amenities kit back in the day. I always take my kindle with me on long journeys, reading is one of my favourite ways to pass time! So far Ive been lucky but if I had your experience, Id only take carry on ;p Smart tip on the luggage photo and shawl. Wrap yourself in your jacket, put on your eye mask, maybe take melatonin if thats your style, and do everything you can to rest. And dont forget, you can find this list of all these products on my the Indiana Jo Amazon Store. Beware the ultra cheap kits the masks will be so snug they irritate your face and the ear plugs are no better than cramming tissue paper in your ears. Get some EarPlanes to stop painful ear popping. Ive also got other travel packing lists there so check it out. Amazon, Bluehost and Prosecco tours) that provide a commission to me if you buy through these links. Snacks! Its so, so easy to end up dehydrated on planes: no matter how generous the flight attendants are with refilling the tiny plastic cups offered onboard, its not enough to stay hydrated on a long haul flight and thats assuming youre choosing to drink water from those cups to begin with. Still, the best thing Id done was buy travel insurance. What about sleeping pills? I fly long haul a lot, so its a good job Im one of those people who loves flying. My bag always has wet wipes and no Im not a mother of toddlers anymore. This is especially important for budget fliers, because on those flights? This moisturizer and this hand lotion come in tiny, airport-approved containers. In the very first version of this post that I wrote shortly after beginning our full-time travels, heres how I summarized the behind-the-scenes of the one-way ticket journey that started it all for us: Thirty. You can take a standard toothbrush on board but I havent yet found a cover that keeps the toothbrush head covered enough that it doesnt leave gunk inside my beauty bag. Dehydration can leave you with a headache, cabin pressure can trigger sinus problems, the lack of proper cleaning can set off dust allergies and strange food might give you stomach issues. Even crossing an ocean doesnt entitle you to a meal as part of your ticket. I usually just travel with my (old, with a jack) iPhone headphones, which work perfectly, but there are some great noise cancelling headphones on the market if you want to drown out the snoring noise coming from the inebriated man in seat 12c. The better thing to do: buy travel insurance. The other things my dad does are: stand frequently, drink beer and try to sleep. Home Blog Posts Planning Packing 15 Long Haul Flight Essentials: What to Take Onboard. Bonus: the Elizabeth Arden lip balm contains SPF so you can keep your lips sun-safe if youre off to warm climes. Subscribe to our newsletter to follow along with our travels and to receive tips and new content via email! Wearing your shoes for the entirety of a long plane ride can be incredibly uncomfortable, but touching the plane floor with your bare feet is also just ew, no. However, ask the cabin crew nicely and they will usually fill up a bottlefor you. World Nomads is one of the most trusted travel insurance brands out there. Result: I bounced into China raring to go, like jet-lag-ness had become my new super travel power. I travel frequently on. It is not a good smell, and your travel companion(s) will thank you for adding a small bottle of mouthwash to your list of travel essentials for the plane. But you also dont want to have to grapple under the seat every time you want to walk up and down the aisle. My prediction was right: these days, weve been on enough uncomfortable, excessively long journeys that we try to limit them wherever possible, but long flights are still a fact of life for us. I admit, Ive never used one the reality of carrying it around for the rest of my trip usually puts me off. Have you anymore tips? I can use this product once every few days meaning is lasts much longer. Looking like youre a half-delirious zombie after finishing a long haul flight is practically inevitable, so make the whole process easier on yourself by rolling with it from the beginning. I have this also! Want more travel packing tips? Heres the deal: airports and airplanes are kind of disgusting. Most airlines prevent their staff from handing out anypills on a flight so its best to pack your own. Obviously, youre going to be packing your essential medication but its wise to take a few just-in-case items on board too. I have had the hand luggage only debate so many times! I wrote a post thats been very popular for solo travellers. As with your travel wallet, steer clear of black if your handbag interior is black. Offline entertainment is the way to go: in-flight movies are a decent option, but usually not enough to keep you entertained for 8+ hours. In a few years, Im sure well decide that a couple of 6 hour layovers and an additional 2 hour layover, 4 planes, and a day and a half worth of travel time are in no way worth saving hundreds of dollars on airfare. Initially I bought it to deal with winter blues but when I looked at the manual I found it had tips on shifting your body clock for a trip. This is a tip I got from a flight attendant. Want to find out read this. I always leave out the socks and they are such a small, but significant item that adds to comfort. If you want a light version, a small fold up shopper will fit the extras like cables but isnt so secure while youre having a nap. Thank you for supporting me. If youd prefer something truly noise-canceling, these are a great option. Or, at all. My Northface fleece pullover has come with me on countless flights and definitely counts as one of my long haul flight essentials. Were full-time travel bloggers who have been exploring the world since 2016, visiting 50+ countries across 5 continents along the way. Youll likely drink water more quickly in a hot country anyway so it usually wont have a chance to get warm. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Saying you know people with astma is easy, experiencing how an astma attack feels when someone dabs oil on their hand is another thing. 14-16 hr flights from Toronto Delhi. And while youre unlikely to be allowed onboard a few hours in advance to sanitise the entire plane, you can take your own measures, in the form of hand sanitiser. Try something herbal like Kalms. clean, is much smaller than my regular electric toothbrush and is powered by a battery that lasts my whole trip. Given that carry on cabin luggage weight is usually restricted to only a few kgs, as much as I find these tips great, Im not sure all the items would fit in a handbag? These days, Ive been wearing these leggings and a comfortable shirt like this on long flights. 33 Weirdly Specific Things Weve Learned in 3 Years of Traveling the World, 75+ Essential Europe Travel Tips You Need to Hear, The Ultimate Packing List for Europe: Summer Edition, 21 International Travel Checklist Items To Make Your Life Easier, How to Plan an Epic 2 Week Europe Trip (+ Europe Itinerary Ideas! ), Is a Colosseum Night Tour Worth the Splurge? You dont want to transfer those straight to your lips. An extra pair of socks will keep your feet warm and give some sense of protection against the filth of the floor. Packing tip: dont forget to pack the associated cable for charging your device. It might also be worth mentioning it to the cabin crew. If theres an emergency, I want to be alert enough to function. Buying tip:if you geta collapsible one, you wont be stuck with a bulky bottle to carry around post-flight. Still, what you take on board a long haul flight can make all the difference to your flying experience. Carrying a Kindle has made taking long-haul flights so much more enjoyable. Now I check everything I can and, as I never fly through America, I can check it right through to my destination (New Zealand to Scandinavia ). The solution: a cheap pair of comfortable socks. Buyingtips: if your handbag is black, dont buy a black organiser (like I did). Youre absolutely right. If you dont want to read the gory details, take it from me the answer is disgustingly filthy. I promise, brushing your teeth in an airplane bathroom is just not worth it. Add in the close proximity to hundreds of people, sleep deprivation, completely stressing out your body by changing time zones, and hours and hours of breathing recycled air, and its way too easy to end up sick after a long flight. Failing that, a rolled up jumper works for me. I got one of these and notices an immediate difference. Also: shops. Everyones entertainment needs will differ but everyone will do well to pack something to pass the time. On a long haul flight abroad, odds are that youll be handed a landing card to fill out with essential details like why youre visiting the country, where youre staying, and personal information. Sure, you can find a prettier beauty-bag than this one but you cant beat it for being ultra lightweight, which is vital when youre packing your long haul travel essentials. I use oils sparingly in my daily life, but with the proximity and air flow in a plane, the scents of varying passengers add up, dont dissipate quickly, and oils are very strong\potent and destroy people with allergies, can trigger headaches and aggravate asthma. The slip on easy and fold down into their travel pouch. Youll have a near heart attack every time you look inside and think, just for a second, that its not there. I always throw some basic pain medication like ibuprofen or acetaminophen into my long haul flight essentials bag. Consider one of your long haul flight essentials to simply be a plan: if you know what to expect upon landing and exactly what fair prices for different services are, your travel day will be much less stressfuland after all, the whole point of voluntarily suffering through long haul flights is to reach the other end and have the stress-free trip of a lifetime. Regardless, compression socks do decrease your chance of DVT. Caution: technically, you shouldnt travel will pills out of their official packaging and, for prescription meds, you should have the prescription attached to the bottle. Want something light and easy to pack instead? Heres what weve learned along the wayand what you need to know about long haul flights, from how to choose your travel essentials for the plane to what to wear. Planes and travel generally will bring your hands into contact with a lot of germs. These ear plugs are specially designed for flights and stop your ears from popping during take off and landing. And I wear a shawl. We use and recommendWorld Nomads and have been customers of theirs for years. I know people who have asthma, I personally suffer from migraines, and Ive never had any complaints with the amount of oil I use. From leaving the house at 4:30 AM to arriving at an Airbnb flat almost 2 days later, thats the approximate amount of time that Jeremy and I spent traveling from San Antonio to Madrid. Im not going to sugar coat it: it was brutal. Advice: if you lend your pen to a stranger on your flight, keep a beady eye on them. A travel hairbrush and hair band can keep everything in place. Sure, its expensive but unlike its much cheaper counterparts, it isnt designed to dry your lips, creating a long-term addiction to lip balm. The Nomader, above, is by far the most popular bottle with a sturdy, leak-proof design while being BPA-free, food grade. Have already tried car seat cushions. In my experience, its essentially never a problem, but be aware that there is always the risk the meds will have to be thrown out if theyre not in their original containers (so maybe dont take important prescription meds out of their bottles). Tip: fluffy socks or not, Id still recommend popping your shoes on to use the bathroom. Hi Vlad, its really difficult to account for everybodys sensitivities. ), 25 Wonderful Destinations for Winter in Europe (Sun, Snow, or Christmas! For flights, pull it over your nose and youll reap two benefits: filter out some of the coughs and sneezes shared by others, and keep your nasal passage warm. Let me tell you, no amount of hydration is going to cure jet-lag. Your face and hands arent the only things to get dried out on long haul flights: throw a small container of Vaseline (Ive carried this size for years) or lip balm into your bag of in flight essentials to ensure you dont land in your destination with chapped lips. I love the Anker mini its small enough to fit in my handbag without noticeable weight but powerful enough to give my iPhone at least one good, full charge. The rule is simple put some on your hands every time youre about to touch something that will go in your mouth and you should be fine. So, thats my list of 15 long haul flight essentials and what to take on board. Madrid on a Budget: What Does a Trip to Madrid Cost? Want something light and easy to pack instead? Nothing smells quite like travel breath after a solid 12+ hours in transit, some of that including sleep. Having food of your own means you can guarantee you wont too hungry before landing! If youd prefer something truly noise-canceling. This might seem like an odd thing to do but when our noses get cold, the common cold thrives. Just please dont be one of those people that dont put their shoes back on to go to the bathroomI can think of few things less sanitary than an airplane bathroom floor. I dont want to cause undue worry but, personally, I cant think of anything more dangerous than drugging yourself on a flight. We dont ever suggest traveling without travel insuranceanything can happen on the road, and traveling abroad is definitely a case of better safe than sorry. This eye mask is an excellent option, but eye masks are a bit of a personal preference thingyou may want to try this popular one as well. Buying tip:if Declor isnt in your budget, any essential oil will work. Love my Airplane Mode mask which I got from Amazon! This is an excellent time to break out a Kindle, bring a book of puzzles (I personally love Sudoku), or play offline phone games. But I did find something that works. Lids and ink go wild in packed bags. That sounds horrible and Im sorry that you have such a bad experience with scents on a plane. Although I dont travel with expensive items, bit by bit my lost stuff totalled over $1500, most of which I was able to claim back. Planes are also the ideal environment for causing hair static. Ill keep adding to this list. The nightmarish layover battle began.. You can find more information about DVT, flights and compression socks here. I once had a flight with a brace brace brace hydrolic failure landing at Bangkok. It makes communicating with the airport officials about what exactly is missing much simpler. Its amazing how much easier it is to sleep on planes with the light of the world shut outand as a bonus, they often come in handy once you land, too, as a frustrating number of hotels have some sort of bright and/or blinking light visible in the room at night. ), 15 Incredible Books About Iceland (To Read Before Visiting! Cue: eye mask and ear plugs. I like these roundtravel compacts because theyfolds away, theyretiny and lightweight and include a mirror you know, just in case you want to check how terrible you look at 3 a.m. Over the course of a long haul flight, youll probably spend way too much time ferreting around in your handbag.