Last Updated on December 2, 2025 by Lauren Belzer Sanford
I have officially been on 4 long-haul flights with more upcoming for our international destination wedding and honeymoon in Europe, eeeeek! Although I know that I haven’t been on that many long-haul flights, I do feel like I’ve mastered the art of the long haul, especially when it comes to flying economy.
I don’t mind flying, nor do I mind flying economy, but let’s be real…when your flight time hits double digits, you can go a little stir-crazy. Here are my tips for making a long-haul flight a bit more enjoyable and a little less boring!
Dress Comfortably
I will truly never understand the people who wear jeans or fancy outfits on planes, even for flights under two hours. But hey, more power to you! For a long-haul flight that consists of many, many hours of sitting in an airplane seat, my best and top tip is to dress comfortably. Matching lounge sets are the perfect travel outfit in my experience!
Get Your In-Flight Entertainment Ready
Whether you’re an avid reader, a movie binger, or a music listener, it’s always important to ensure you have all of your in-flight entertainment options set up and ready to go. This means making sure you download whatever it is you need for your flight before you even head to the airport.
Yes, there are typically TV screens on long-haul flights, but they don’t always work, and you also aren’t guaranteed to like the options they give you. If you have an iPad or tablet (or even a laptop), be sure to download your favorite streaming app(s) and download movies and TV shows so they will be available even in airplane mode!
If you’re a reader, a Kindle is a great option. I love mine! Again, download a few book options to your Kindle, because you might even be able to get through more than one depending on how long your flight is! A few easy but fun reads that you could easily finish on long-haul flight are:
- Happy Place by Emily Henry
- This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune
- Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune
- One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle
The same goes for Spotify or Apple Music…be sure to download your playlists so you’ll be able to listen to your favorite tunes from wherever you are in the sky.
If you’re trying to avoid screen time or change it up, a crossword or Sudoku book is a great option to have on hand, as are adult coloring books & colored pencils – I even have a miniature coloring book. Having options to transition between is key to making your flight feel like it’s not dragging on, and on, and on!
Invest in Some Noise-Canceling Headphones
Trust me, you will thank me later – but whether corded or Bluetooth…noise-canceling, over-the-ear headphones are a must for long-haul flights. Something about the whir of a plane for 10+ hours makes me bonkers, so having the option to cancel everything out and put on light jazz in the background while you read or zone into a movie on your TV screen or iPad is just so nice.
I have some “older” Beats Solo headphones that Max got me for Christmas a few years back that I love, but I’ve also heard wonderful things about headphones from Bose and Sony and Apple’s AirPods Max. High-quality noise-canceling headphones are often not inexpensive but are a well-worth investment even if you’re not a regular traveler.
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
Flights can be super dehydrating so make sure you’re drinking water leading up to the flight, and through its duration as well. Fill up a reusable water bottle at the airport before you get on the plane! Yes, you’ll run out, but you can always your. flight attendant for more water and some planes even have water stations in the galleys for you to self-serve whenever you need them.
Plus, you’ll likely want to carry a bottle around with you as you explore your destination instead of spending money on water at every corner store, especially if you’re going to Italy where you can fill up your water bottle with a lot of their fountains. A great, sleek option is a 24 oz. Owala water bottle! The FreeSip option is awesome and locks up to prevent it from leaking.
Catch Some Z’s, or Don’t
If you’re anything like me, sleeping on a plane is a challenge. If you can, try to get a little shut-eye on the plane, even if it’s a 30-minute nap. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced jet lag, simply because I try not to pay attention to the whole “if you’re going to be on a plane from this time to this time, try to go to sleep between this time and this time” crap…that stuff stresses me out more than it helps, so instead, I just listen to my body. If I’m tired, I’ll close my eyes. If I’m not, I’ll watch movies or read a book for 14 hours straight if I have to. What’s important is adjusting to the timezone you’re in when you land. If you overthink it, you’ll just stress yourself out and make things worse than they need to be.
Don’t Forget Your Portable Chargers
There is quite literally nothing worse than being mid-song or mid-TV binge when your device decides it doesn’t want to carry you through the rest of the flight. Power banks and portable chargers should always be on hand!
My personal favorites, especially for a phone, are the iWALK and Anker portable chargers that plug right into the bottom of your device cord-free! But, if you have multiple devices to keep alive, you may want to also consider bringing along a true power bank with multiple charges.
Enjoy the Ride!
If you’re on a long-haul flight, odds are you’re going somewhere really awesome and very different from where you live. Enjoy the flight, and try not to think too much about how long it is! Just think about where you’re going (even if it’s home after an international trip), enjoy all the in-flight amenities regardless of the cabin you’re flying in, and be present in the experience.