When heading on a long-haul flight it’s best to be prepared. You want to land at your destination feeling refreshed and organized, as opposed to frazzled and exhausted.
Whether you are a seasoned traveler or someone that hasn’t really ever gone abroad, there are many things you can do that can make your journey that bit more successful.
From packing snacks to booking into an airport lounge beforehand and sorting out things like parking your car at the airport with Parking Up. In this article we take a look at some top tips for your next long plane ride essentials!
Long Plane Journey Tips for a Comfortable and Hassle-Free Flight
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Book an airport lounge
When it comes to preparing for a long plane journey, there is nothing to get you excited and ready than booking a lounge at the airport. There are many lounges to choose between, and some are included with your airline if you have enough loyalty points with them.
When you book an airport lounge, you can enjoy things such as a guaranteed table, complimentary food and drinks, wifi, charging points and views of the runway. Alternatively, you can also sign up for PriorityPass membership to get access to thousands of airport lounges around the world.
It can make your trip feel extra special and you can fill up on a good meal before getting on the plane. Why not have a glass of fizz or two and celebrate your upcoming trip in style? This will really make it exciting and can help calm any pre-flight nerves too!
Pack wisely
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As with any trip, it’s important to pack wisely. You will likely have a suitcase that you have checked in, but you also need to have a bag that you will take on the plane with you.
Pack this with things such as snacks for the journey, a travel pillow and skincare items that can help you feel fresh when you get off the flight. You could bring a travel toothpaste and toothbrush, travel sized cosmetics and antibac wipes to sort out the plane area around you and make sure it’s clean.
Keep your documents that you will need at the destination all together and organized so you don’t need to worry about having to rifle through all your things when you arrive.
You should also pack an extra layer in case you get cold and could pack a pair of shorts to change into when you land if you are going somewhere hot.
Bring snacks with you
While airplane food might be okay, when you are on a long haul flight, you might find you get peckish. To stop this being a problem and affecting your flight experience, bring some snacks with you.
Not only can this make the journey a bit more entertaining, knowing you have your favorite snacks to feast on, but also means you won’t get peckish halfway through your trip. You could get a snackbox online which has different compartments for different food items, or bring snacks you have pre-bought at a supermarket.
Dress for comfort
When it comes to a long plane journey, you might want to look good, but you also want to be comfortable.
While we all want to wear our best airport chic look, this can soon not feel so great when you’re crammed into your plane seat, seams digging into your waist, fabric itching your skin and you’re either too cold or too hot. Instead, dress for comfort, wearing clothes that you can easily sleep in and that will be soft on the skin.
It’s good to aim for comfy trousers on your bottom half, then layer up for your top half. This means whether it is too cold or too hot, you can either put another layer on or take one off and it will be much easier to reach an optimum temperature.
Consider upgrading your flight
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If you have the funds to do so, upgrading your flight is always worth it. When you upgrade your flight will be much easier as you’ll have better leg room so you can stretch out to sleep, as well as better amenities, nicer food and more attentive service.
Above all though, the ability to get a good sleep will serve you best and make sure you not only have a quicker flight, but you also arrive feeling much fresher and well rested.
You could pay for the full upgrade to business class where you have a proper bed and all the extras, or you could pay to move from economy to premium economy. Both of these can serve you well and ensure you have a much more positive experience on your flight.
It tends to be that if you want to upgrade until the day you can get a better deal than when you book, however you might not get any availability so it is a risk!
Pay for your seat ahead of time
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It can be tempting to save the money and not pay for your seat ahead of time, but this can be a rookie error on a long flight.
When you’re going short haul and will only be on the flight for a couple of hours, you can get put anywhere and just deal with it. When you have to spend hours in the same place however, you want to make sure you’re comfortable.
Think about where you prefer to be on the plane. Do you like an aisle seat so you can get up and stretch your legs whenever you want to? Or would you prefer a window seat so you can lean against the side of the plane to sleep, aren’t interrupted by people needing to get past you for the toilet, and have a better view? Do you want to be near the back of the plane? Or do you perhaps want to guarantee a seat with your friend or travel partner?
These are all things to consider and it can really be worth paying a little more to sit where you want to. After all, you’re already paying a lot to go such a distance, it’s worth paying a little extra for the seat you want!
Have everything ready for your destination
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When you land after a long flight, you’re going to be exhausted and the last thing you want to do is rifling through your bag for your visa confirmation or your passport.
Have a section of your bag ready with everything you might need for your destination so you can easily find it when you land. This could include things like toiletries for a quick freshen up and perhaps a change of clothes.
This will make a big difference to how relaxed you feel when you arrive and you can simply sail through Arrivals, grab your luggage and just look forward to the trip that is ahead of you. It’s such an exciting time and you want to make sure there’s nothing to stress about once the plane journey is out of the way!
Conclusion
These are just a few things you can do that can help you to prepare for a long plane journey.
Long plane journeys are never the most pleasant of things, but they are a means to an end and well worth it when you get to your destination. By planning ahead and seeing what you can do to prepare for your journey, it will make it a lot more effortless and enjoyable.
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