Travelling by plane for hours on end can take a real toll on your body, leaving you to deal with fatigue, dehydration, dry skin and all manner of other complaints. Instead of suffering through your next long haul flight, discover the top air travel tips from some of our favourite bloggers and help make your extended air travel a breeze!
Jenny from A Taste of Travel
Even though I’m used to making the 24 hour flight from Australia to Europe, I still follow a few elementary rules to try and make the flight bearable and the jet lag less:
I wear comfortable clothing on the flight – nothing too tight around the waist.
I’ll have one drink after takeoff and then drink water for the rest of the trip. Keeping hydrated on these flights is very important.
I find that it’s also best not to over eat on the trip. Light meals are the way to go!
It’s also important to get some sleep on the flight so that when you arrive you’ll be able to follow local times, even if it means staying awake for most of the day! This really does help you to get over the dreaded jet lag much quicker!
Aleney from Boy Eats World
Long haul flights are the trickiest part of travelling with kids as even the most well behaved child will struggle to sit still for extended periods. But after multiple round-world jaunts with our littlies in tow, we’ve perfected the fidget-free flight with kids… and it doesn’t even involve duct taping them to their seat!
Our motto is “Keep Calm and Carry-on!”. To avoid frayed little nerves we always leave extra time before boarding, in transit we let the little things go to avoid meltdowns, and we pack our carry-on luggage with extreme attention to detail! There must be a light change of clothes in case of accidents, snacks for ill-timed bursts of hunger, kids’ and adult paracetamol in case of emergencies, and a variety of entertainment, including comfortable kid-friendly headphones. But the most important thing to pack is the right attitude. By treating the whole experience, from home to hotel door, as an adventure and not a chore, it is all over in no time!
Monique from The Urban Mum
My top tip for long-haul travel comes after many, many years of missing an essential element. Certainly I consistently follow my ‘golden travel routine’ – loads of water, regular inflight movement, wear compression socks (charming aren’t they…), try and book day flights, don’t pack too much, get into the time zone mid-flight and take melatonin to assist with sleep, yet I never arrive at my destination feeling less than zero. Until last year; an extended flight connection time meant a long stop-off at Singapore airport – leading me for the first time to book a transit hotel. What we discovered changed forever the way I travel.
Within the hour we had disembarked our aircraft, cleared immigration and were lying on a deck chair amid a tropical oasis at the Crowne Plaza – ordering a drink while the kids splashed the inflight cobwebs away in the football field sized swimming pool. Later this year, I’ll be arriving more refreshed in Europe via a mid flight stop in Hong Kong, I won’t travel long-haul without one.
Jane from Wicked Walkabout
I love long flights, it means I’m off somewhere far-flung and exciting! The return flight is never welcomed, though. Not being one to feel homesickness, a long flight home needs to be as comfortable and painless as possible!
Noise cancelling headphones, a good playlist of my favourite music and a bunch of downloaded podcasts from TED Talks can help pass the hours easily.
A face cloth and tiny bottle of essential oil such as lavender oil is a delight. I love to rinse the cloth in warm water, add a few drops of oil and cleanse my face and neck. I always carry-on a toothbrush and toothpaste to use.
Eye masks that airlines often supply do not quite make the grade, so a luxurious eye mask is also in my bag of tricks, cutting out as much light helps for a pleasant sleep or at least a way to retreat from the rest of the world for a while.
Carrying as little as possible onto a plane also makes it so much easier to move between flights and find items – I always have my bag at my feet rather than in the overhead lockers.
I take on my Samsung tablet, with photos loaded to edit and sort through on the way home, always fun to relive the time away!
Long haul flights can be tedious, but it’s a privilege to be able to fly across the world. How fortunate are those of us who can indulge in such adventures!?
Laura from Laura Todd
Travel is one of the most amazing experiences, but the long haul flights you have to take to see some of these amazing destinations can sometimes be rough. Here are a few tips to make your flight more enjoyable and comfortable:
You’re going to be in your travel outfit for a while, so wear something you are comfortable in. Tights and a t-shirt are always a good idea. Make sure to bring a jumper and socks as well, it can get very cold on the plane.
Staying hydrated is very important when travelling on a long haul flight. I always like to bring an empty water bottle with me and fill it up once I am through security to take on the plane with me.
Chewing gum is a life saver if you get blocked ears whilst landing, also great when you haven’t brushed your teeth in a while.
Your skin can get very dry on the plane with all the recycled air and air conditioning. Dry lips are unbearable, so bringing my favourite lip balm is most important for a long haul flight.
Look up the local time at your destination and try to adjust to that time as soon as you board the plane. This can really help with the jet lag when you get to your destination and want to start exploring.
Ready to embark on your own long haul adventure? Find and compare a great selection of cheap flights with Webjet today!
Feature Image Credit: 0x010C / CC by SA 4.0.
