10 Tips To Manage Long Haul Flights
Long haul flights are generally considered more than 6 hours. The current longest flight in the world, at the time of writing, clocks in at a whopping 18 hours and 40 minutes from New York to Singapore.
Last summer we travelled to South Africa and they were the longest travel days we have had to date. 40 hours to get to Cape Town and 30 hours to return from Johannesburg. Long flights can be tough on the body. Here are my tips to help manage long flights:
1. Purchase your ticket in the highest cabin class you can afford.
Whether you pay cash or use points you have saved up, flying business/first class with lie flat seats on very long flights will make everything about your trip better. It gives you a great opportunity to sleep, prevents your legs from swelling, and my favourite - the bathrooms are used by less people and will be more clean! That is not water on the bathroom floor 😉 . If business class is out of reach then paying for seats that have extra leg room gives you that extra bit of room to stretch your legs and gives you a little more personal space.
2. Dress stylish, but comfortable
While it may seem that wearing pajama-like clothing on a long flight is ideal you won’t look very put together. Wear an outfit that is just as comfortable and has style! Check out the Canadian company Encircled for their stylish and very comfortable clothes that are perfect for travel. I always wear The Dressy Sweatpants with a plain t-shirt and an open long cardigan. I also like to dress in dark colours because I am bound to drop food on myself! I have heard stories of passengers being picked for upgrades based on how they are dressed!
3. Avoid alcohol and caffeine
Alcohol and caffeine dehydrate you. Planes are notoriously dry and can compound the situation. This can cause nausea and headaches. Coffee is also a diuretic, which can cause heartburn and digestive issues, not to mention the jitters that can heighten anxiety that some people have when flying. Before I land I like to have a cup of coffee to give me a little pep in my step for all the adventures that are coming and even a mimosa to celebrate the beginning of my vacation!
4. Take advantage of lounge access during layovers
If your long haul flight has a layover of at least three hours I suggest going to the lounge if it is included in your ticket, or a perk of your credit card, or simply pay for it. Many lounges offer free food and drinks, a quiet place to sit in comfortable chairs and sometimes even the bonus of private showers. My personal favourite lounge is the Al Mourjan Business Lounge in Doha, Qatar!
5. Have activities to keep you busy
An iPad/tablet downloaded with books, audiobooks, movies, podcasts and games can keep you busy for hours. Having everything compact on one device saves room in your personal item or carry on. Do not rely on the airplanes entertainment system. They breakdown often enough and being stuck on a long flight with nothing to do will make the flight feel a lot longer than it actually is.
6. Compression socks
Wearing compression socks helps increase circulation and reduce the risk of swelling, or worse, deep vein thrombosis. Compression socks provide gentle and constant pressure helping your veins and muscles move blood more efficiently, thus reducing swelling in your legs. You can find compression socks almost anywhere, but I suggest having a custom pair made. Your legs are measured, you can pick the fabric and colour, and they take about a week to come back. Some insurance plans will cover part of the cost if you have a prescription from your health care provider. Having custom socks is especially beneficial if your legs are larger or smaller than the average person. I had mine fitted through a local pharmacy.
7. Noise cancelling headphones
Blocking out the noice of other passengers and crew and the hum of the aircraft engine will help you be blissfully unaware of what is going on around you, encouraging you to relax and hopefully catch a few zzzz’s. Nobody wants to listen to the crying baby or the person who is lucky enough to be sleep, but also snoring - loudly! I love these ones from Bose.
8. Get in synch with your destination
Jet lag is something that I have a really hard time recovering from. So I do my best to start the trip with syncing my current time zone with the time zone at destination. I set my watch and my phone to the destination time zone and while I might not be at my destination, I mimic normal activities based on local destination time. If it is bedtime at destination, but only 3pm for your body clock, do your best to sleep or even just close your eyes and rest.
9. Stay hydrated
Bring a refillable water bottle with you. Flight crew are busy and cannot always get to you quickly to give you a glass of water. It is recommended to drink 8oz of water for every hour you are flying. Water not only helps you stay hydrated, it helps you arrive at your destination feeling refreshed and helps ward off unpleasant travel-related symptoms like headaches. Another consideration is to purchase a hydration multiplier powder to add to water like Liquid IV. I love the Takeya water bottles. They keep things very cold for a long period of time. They come in a variety of sizes and colours too!
10. Get out of your seat
It’s important to move and stretch while on long flight. Get out of your seat every couple of hours and take a lap or two around the plane. This encourages blood flow helping you feel energized, and combats swelling and cramping. If you are not able to get out of your seat, maybe due to turbulence or a sleeping seat mate, it is a good idea to do some exercises in your seat.