TRAVEL
10 Simple Ways To Stay Comfortable While In Flight
These tips really help, especially if you’re flying long-haul!
I’m going to say it. Flying is uncomfortable. You’re strapped into a tight seat with little room for maneuver, squished up against some strangers, and flying in a tin can 35,000 feet above the ground. It doesn’t sound cushy at all.
Here are 10 ways to make your flight more comfortable. Every little bit helps, especially if you’re flying long-haul!
1️⃣ I’ll Pay. Yes, I Will.
Pay for a lounge prior to flight. It’s a great way to relax before you fly, especially if you are a nervous flier. You can calm your anxiety before take off.
As an example, take the Plaza Premium Lounge at Hong Kong International Airport. If you fly frequently, you may want to consider signing up for one of the Lounge packages. For 151USD, you get 5 visits to the lounge.¹
That’s less than $40 for one visit and you get access to delicious food and refreshments, shower services, relaxing seating areas, and so much more.
Hey, you’re travelling! Let’s do it in style and comfort.
2️⃣ Dress For Comfort and Not For the Catwalk
This makes a lot of sense, right? Ditch the flip flops, heels, and shorts. It can get cold on the plane and you also want to make sure you’re well protected in the case of an emergency.
Wear a comfy hoodie or dress in layers. If it gets hot, you can peel off a layer or two. Make it convenient for yourself too!
3️⃣ Say NO to DVT!
Try compression socks for long flights. If you’re like me, your feet might swell up while you’re in flight. Compression socks can help reduce swelling and also reduce the risk of DVT. What’s DVT?
DVT stands for Deep Vein Thrombosis. Blood clots can form in your legs, causing pain and swelling². Even worse, the clot can travel into your lungs and cause a pulmonary embolism. Yes, it’s as severe as it sounds.
If you’re prone to swelling, wearing compression socks can be a great idea.
4️⃣ Be A Pacer
Get up and walk during the flight. Sitting in that poor excuse of a seat is an invitation for muscle stiffness and soreness. Take a walk up and down the aisle. You can even go to the back of the plane and do some stretches. Who cares if someone is watching? At least you aren’t the one with a stiff back!
5️⃣ Empty Your Pockets
Take unneeded items out of your pockets. There’s nothing like having some weirdly shaped object jamming into your hips as you’re trying to get comfortable in your seat. Ouch!
6️⃣ Meditate
If you can’t fall asleep, close your eyes anyways and meditate. You can always listen to a meditation podcast and feel the stress melt away.
7️⃣ Don’t Be A Bladder Hero
Don’t hold your bladder! There are tons of people who prefer to “hold it” because there’s only a half hour until landing. It’s likely that everything will get delayed and you’ll be sorry. Just go.
8️⃣ Pay Attention To Seat Reservations
Take note of what seat you reserve while booking your flight. Are you tall and need to stretch your legs into the aisle? Don’t book a window seat!
Try to reserve as early as possible to avoid disappointment. The best seats can get booked up very quickly.
9️⃣ Bring Your Travel Pillow If You Want
If you need certain items to be comfortable, bring them. Just don’t end up bringing so much that they end up taking over your seat.
These items below might be some things you can bring to make you feel more relaxed and comfortable during the flight.
- Sleeping eye mask
- Neck pillow
- Personal blanket
🔟 Don’t Turn into A Raisin
The air in the cabin is super drying. An acceptable range of humidity is typically between 30% to 65%. Guess how much the percentage is on the plane? It’s between 20% to 30%!³ No wonder my throat feels like the Sahara desert and my skin looks like a snake’s skin! Yuck.
Use these tips to stop yourself from drying up like a raisin.
- Avoid alcohol
- Bring eyedrops
- Bring moisturizing hand cream
- Drink water
Hopefully, these tips help you stay comfortable during your flights! Too bad we haven’t discovered how to teleport ourselves. Until then, we need to find all the hacks we can to be comfortable.
Are there any other ways you use to stay comfortable during flight? Do share! I’m curious to check out other tips and tricks.
This story was inspired by Stacey Cass. See her story below!
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