If you’re like me this summer you have quite a few long haul flights coming up but you absolutely hate being on a plane for hours. I’ve gathered some tips to consider for packing for a long haul flight that’ll make the travel experience a breeze.
When packing for an international long haul flight to Europe, Asia or anywhere else in the world you’ll want to include items that provide comfort, entertainment, and make you not feel so icky and gross once you land.
Note: Links in this post are affiliate links, it just means I get a commission if you decide these items are helpful!
What are some tips for packing for a long haul flight?
Consider a sleeping aid to make air travel easy
When flying from the US to Europe you’re likely going to be flying overnight, which means you’ll have to figure out a way to get some sleep on that flight. The more sleep you get the less groggy you’ll feel the next day when you land in Europe (usually early in the morning/afternoon).
This time around I’ve decided to use a sleeping aid to make travel easier and I’ve purchased Unisom, which had some great reviews online. The main ingredient is Diphenhydramine which I’ve taken before and has made me super sleepy super fast.
I’m using it in a few days for my flight and I’ll update this post to see how well it works!
How to make sleeping on long haul flights comfortable
Of course if you have a sleeping aid you’ll want to be able to sleep comfortably even in economy. I’ve ready countless reviews on different neck pillows and honestly it boils down to what feels good for you and pricing. Do you want your neck pillow to be soft, wrap around, hold your head back to the seat behind you, etc. There’s super expensive neck pillows, but I can’t imagine spending $60+ on something that has such mixed reviews and relies so heavily on sleeping preferences.
I ended up purchasing the BUYUE neck pillow from Amazon and honestly I really like it. I tried it out for a bit and its super comfortable, easy to configure in different ways so that it’s comfortable for you and how you prefer to sleep.
It comes in a great carrying case and includes a sleep mask and ear plugs which is so necessary for flights!
What to wear on a long haul flight
Compression socks are my new go to when it comes to long haul flights! I never really used them before because I didn’t have problems with soreness or swelling during long flights (mostly because I always walk around every hours or so).
However, compression socks take it to the next level! They improve circulation and blood flow so that you don’t experience any swelling from sitting for so long!
Additional comfort to improve circulation when packing for a long haul flight
Using a Memory Foam Foot Hammock during your flights also improves circulation during a long flight. Elevated seats are less likely to experience swelling during a flight.
This foot hammock comes in a super easy to pack carrying case and is easy to set up in your tray table. I’ve started using these and have also seen a difference in how my legs feel after a super long flight.
Noise cancelling headphones for long haul flights
This is probably one of my favorite purchases in the last year! It’s the Sony XM6 headphones! I’m a big fan of these headphones (started off with the Sony XM4), and they make traveling so much better. The noise cancelling actually works and my favorite part is they fold into a carrying case.
I bought the XM4 and didn’t really like that the XM5 headphones didn’t fold, but thankfully with the release of the XM6 we finally have the folding back along with the super nice case.
Include toiletries and snacks when packing for a long haul flight
I’ve made a separate post on eco-friendly travel essentials, and a few of those items are also great to include in your carry on so that you can refresh yourself during the flight.
Items such as the eco-friendly toothbrush + toothbrush holder and the toothpaste tabs make it easy to not feel so gross when you wake up from sleeping for so many hours!