How to Survive a Long Flight Overseas

The day is approaching – you’re leaving on your big overseas trip. But the thought of the flight can make people cringe. Depending on where you’re going, you could be facing 12 hours or more in the air. A flight to Australia or New Zealand, for example, will easily see you traveling for this amount of time. That’s a long, long flight in economy class. But there are preparations you can make beforehand to make your flight as painless as possible, as well as tips for taking care of yourself during the flight.

Before the flight

Make sure you have something to keep yourself occupied. The range of in-flight entertainment options can be wide, and there is nothing worse than the prospect of a long flight ahead with nothing to do other than stare at the seat in front of you.

Pack a few books in your carry-on luggage. Make sure they’re varied in subject, so if one doesn’t appeal to your current frame of mind you have options. Make them paperback to keep down the weight, but make sure they’re long enough to last a few hours. Bonus tip number one: consider a Kindle. Bonus tip number two: if you’re visiting a new place, take a travel book. (I like the DK Eyewitness Travel Guides for their great real-world advice.)

Some people will take school books or office paperwork to review during the flight, but be honest with yourself. it’s just dead weight if you know you won’t focus on it during the trip.

At the airport

Make the most of your layovers if you have them. Walk around and get some exercise. Look for somewhere to have a meal. Just don’t make it too heavy, and if you are tempted to go for something with extra garlic, think about how long you’ll be stuck sitting next to someone else and go for the milder options. Go easy on the alcohol – you can always hit the hotel bar when you get there. And consider picking up a bottle of water to take on board.

The flight

There are two golden rules – one, drink plenty of water, and two, try to keep moving. If you didn’t bring some water on board with you, ask the flight attendants for a bottle. Alternatively, ask them where the water refill station is – longer flights will always have them, and walking back and forth is a good way to keep moving.

If you’re lucky, you will be in an aisle seat. If not, there are a couple of approaches. The best solution is when you have neighbors who get up to let you exit and take it as a good time to get their own exercise, waiting until you return to your seat. Otherwise, wait until they get up and then make your own exit. The worst possible seat – the very middle seat in a section of five. I had this position on a flight between China and the U.S., with neighbors who dropped right off into a deep sleep. In such a situation, make the best of it, and try not to disrupt them too much. If you have to wake them, people are understanding, and if you are as quick and quiet as possible they’ll tend to drop back off to sleep fairly readily.

Speaking of sleep, travelers generally fit in one of two categories – those who can sleep soundly anywhere, and those who will only catnap. Try to get some sleep, but if you keep waking up, keep reading your book and try not to worry about it too much – you’ll only make it worse.

The destination

Remember the flight is only a means to an end. So sit back, relax, and dream about your vacation – it’s waiting at the end of your flight!