Let’s be honest, flying isn’t always the most comfortable of experiences; after all you’re in the same seat for hours at a time, there’s not a huge amount of room, and trying to get some sleep can feel like an impossible task. Luckily, there is no shortage of useful tips and tricks to make the journey that little bit easier, but trying to sift through them all can feel like a daunting task.
I’ve been a travel editor for over a decade and have been lucky enough to board a fair few flights; over the years, I’ve been filtering out the hacks that work, and those that let me down.
Here are five simple tips I swear by for almost every flight, especially long-haul, that require you to buy lots of expensive gadgets to make them work…
1. Pack your own toilettries bag
While most airlines offer up an amenity kit, I find that having my own favourite products makes a wealth of difference. Having a toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant and a bit of dry shampoo can do wonders to help you feel fresh when you land, especially if you’re waking up from a night flight, or have ended up on a delayed flight. I haven’t mastered the art of an in-flight skincare routine, but I do often pack the likes of wipes or make-up remover just to give my skin a break if it’s an overnight. Of course you’ll need to check hand luggage rules for any 100ml limits, but a bit of prep and you can pick up any last-minute extras at the airport too.
2. In-flight meals
Long-haul ticket prices rarely come cheap, so I was prone to trying to get my money’s worth when it came to in-flight meals and snacks. However I often ended up feeling nauseous, which was particularly awful in the stale air of a plane cabin. Nowadays I’m more tactical. For example if I’m on a night flight, I’ll have a ‘proper’ dinner at the airport, and then skip the plane food. If I manage to sleep, I tend to turn down breakfast if I’m just waking up, as again I found it was making me nauseous. Instead I pack some snacks that travel well, such as pastries, so I can have a breakfast a bit later when I’m ready and hungry. (The added perk on night flights is that if you don’t eat the evening meal, you can get to sleep when you’re tired, rather than awkwardly having to wait for when crew come to tidy all of the trays away).
3. Pack a scarf
I know, it’s hardly groundbreaking, but I always have one handy even if I’m headed somewhere hot and sunny. It can double up as an extra blanket, a makeshift pillow or just something a little cosy to have on the plane, not to mention it’s a nice-to-have when the airplane aircon is in full force.
4. Don’t stay in your seat (unless the seatbelt sign is on)
Move around! You won’t get 10,000 steps in and you’re unlikely to walk very far, but just occasionally standing up and stretching your legs can make a huge difference. You’ll feel less stiff, it’s a very minor but helpful change of scenery, and it can help keep the likes of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) at bay. I try and get up once every couple of hours, so I try to book the aisle seat so that I’m not constantly disturbing the other passengers on my row.
5. You will not sleep well
Unless you have booked a First Class seat and have one of those fancy lie-flat beds, your sleep will be disrupted. There is no point in adding extra stress to try and force yourself to snooze. Light meals, staying hydrated and a cosy blanket/good eye mask can all help of course, but sometimes we just have to accept that a flight is not something your body is built to deal with. If you can’t sleep try power naps instead of one big snooze, or if you just want to chill out listen to calm music or a podcast. When you arrive at your destination, have a think of some extra activities to stay busy if you need to stave off the jet lag!
Have you got any good travel tips or tricks you’d like to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
