9 Best Items to Bring on a Long Haul Flight

What you need, how to pack it and alternatives if you’re feeling ultralight.

     If you’ve ever been on an airplane longer than 10 hours straight, you know the feeling, it’s the exhaustion before you’ve even arrived at your destination, the disgusting stickiness of having sat in the same spot for an eternity, the nausea after you checked to see what the time is at home or any of the plethora of unpleasurable experiences of the air travel. It doesn’t matter if you try to sleep through your flight or you just choose to raw dog every waking moment of recycled air, the conversation of comfortability while trapped in a metal bird scorching through the sky resonates with everyone.

I have compiled my current list of nine must haves to be in it to win it for your next almost unbearably long journey.  I have had the fortune/misfortune of being on several long haul flights over the past few months and i still can’t tell you if i’ve enjoyed or loathed the experience but changes i made definitely helped me be more comfortable. After 20 years of air travel as an adult I have seen most of the challenges flying presents and even though I'm not looking forward to discovering the next, you best believe imma be ready. 

9. Water bottle(s):

I'm going to start this blog series off pretty logical and easy. It seems like most people carry water bottles around on a day to day basis. Especially in my hometown of LA, they are as essential as a pair of black platform Chucks. The major message has been heard, we are humans and we need to stay hydrated. Fortunately, most airports have water bottle refill stations, so feel free to bring your own. Just make sure it's completely empty so that you are compliant with TSA regulations. I also would advise that you have a place to put the water bottle in your carry-on for easy access. Carrying all your stuff through the airport and shuffling with important paperwork can be cumbersome so be sure to have a place to store your water bottle in the personal item you’ll have with you on the plane. 

Here’s where it can sound a little excessive but trust me. I always suggest that you purchase a nice cold, big water bottle when you arrive at the airport before you depart. I like to do this even if I’ve brought my own because I hate being without water especially while in the dehydrating sky. So, most of the time. I double down.  I like to sleep on my flights, and if I wake up thirsty, I don’t have to worry about bothering the flight attendant and waiting for water. I am also not responsible enough to be drinking out of a teeny tiny plastic cup with refills for 10+ hours. Once I’ve purchased a water bottle, I can also easily refill it at stations all over the airport if I have a connecting flight or layover. Plus if I choose to dump some electrolytes in there, I can easily just recycle the bottle and get a new one without having to give it a wash or eternally taste the vitamin remnants or I just use the bottle I brought. I try to always have a water bottle on me, but when in a pinch purchasing one and reusing it is just as good. It’s a plus if you get some reuse out of it and if you lose it you haven’t lost one of your personal favorites. Always try to recycle where it’s available and of course, hydrate! 

8. Toiletries:

     No one likes their breath when they first wake up in the morning, not brushing your teeth on a 10 hour flight is the exact same thing. It’s always important for me to brush my teeth at the end of any long-haul flight with water from a water bottle, of course, and NOT the water from the sink in the lavatory (Also another reason to always bring your own water bottle). You can use the bottled water to splash and wash your face, giving yourself a little reset before you arrive at your destination. Just a little bit of hygiene help can make you feel like a completely new person. Wisps are a nice option but they’re just another thing to carry. If you’re uncomfortable brushing your teeth in public and prefer something like this, i understand. I have little items I have to have as well but I’m always considering how to downsize. There are also a lot of companies that make shower wipes or personal care wipes that are excellent for quick cleaning. Maybe select a wipe that can serve double duty, cleaning surfaces as well as yourself. Traditional Wet Ones are perfect for this purpose. Check out which option is right for you. Always try to choose a small package so you can pack it in the bag you keep close to you on your flight.

It’s well known that airplane cabins can be incredibly drying, between the hand sanitizer, recycled air and altitude, your skin hydration will suffer. It’s always a good idea to keep lip balm and moisturizer easily accessible while in the air. These little luxuries are essentials for me daily and i couldn’t imagine boarding a plane without them. My favorite lip balm is Kosas Baseline. It has hyaluronic acid for deep hydration and has the sleekest bulk free tube. It’s perfect to toss in any pocket or bag or in this case your easily located flight bag.

 7. Compression Socks:

      Have you ever taken your shoes and socks off during a long flight and was shocked by how swollen your feet are? I know this sounds like an intro to an infomercial, but If you would’ve told me a couple years ago to try compression socks, I would’ve thought you were crazy. It just sounded like too much, i foolishly thought i was too young. Now, getting on a long flight or working a long day without them sounds insane. Maybe it’s my age or maybe it’s statistics. Maybe it’s just the hypochondriac in me. Anyway, I’d like to do everything I can to prevent a random blood clot from taking me down during vacation. It took me a long time to come around to the idea but now I'm die hard. At the very least not feeling like my feet are swollen to the size of Shaq’s when I land is worth hiding in the airport to change my socks (please note: don’t change your socks on a plane, no naked feet please). Pack these socks in your carry on or anywhere you can quickly grab and change into them before the flight. I like to purchase knee length then wear them loosely pulled down until in the air. This allows for the compression to work when i need it and allows for an extra layer of warmth while in the cold skies. Compression socks have unexpectedly become a travel essential.

6. Sleep Eye Mask:

  I sleep like a vampire, I prefer a cool, completely dark room. My eyes will constantly process any light in the area even if it’s a tv. I need something to block the light from my eyes even during the day but especially while I'm sleeping. I do not feel fully rested if I’ve had to fight brightness.  Light can have drastic effects on your circadian rhythm, your internal clock. It’s possible to help control your exhaustion and for some even combat jet lag. Bringing an eye mask for your flight also covers you if your hotel room doesn’t have a blackout curtain, if you’re on a sleeper train, or found a place to crash real quick. You’d be amazed at how refreshing a quick nap or a long flight can be in the dark.  I’ve owned many eye masks and I can say that the Lewis and Clark sleep eye masks that are easily available on Amazon are the absolute best. Pack your eye mask in its own lightweight pouch in a bag with the rest of the items on the list to prevent digging around for it during the flight. 

5. Headphones:

 Babies cry. I know, I know, this cold hard truth is a reminder for myself as well. They have cried since the dawn of time, however, we are fortunate enough to live in the day and age of noise canceling headphones. I prefer headphones to AirPods or earbuds just for my own comfort over a long haul flight. As you’ve probably gathered, I like to try to sleep on planes. I don’t want to run the risk of losing an AirPod while I’m asleep and have it be gone forever before I’ve even gotten anywhere. (Please note, I still travel with AirPod Pros in addition to headphones.) Headphones are easy. Find a pair that is comfortable enough for you and definitely spend the extra cash for noise canceling. If you’re worried about connecting your personal headphones to the airplane you can easily purchase an AirFly and plane adapter on Amazon and connect to whatever you want to watch with Bluetooth. Make sure to store your headphones and air fly with everything else you need immediately in a separate pouch.

4. Earplugs:

I really struggled with putting earplugs in their own category but then I started thinking about how many times I’ve used them. They’re excellent in the airport waiting for the plane if everyone is too loud and you still would like to hear your gate announcements better than you would while listening to music. You can use them to knock down the hum of the plane during a long flight while you’re recharging your headphones. Earplugs can also be the sleep insurance you need while laying down in a hotel enveloped in sound. They’re essential for large events in indoor venues as well. The best part of earplugs is you can grab some super cheap pairs, not worry about losing one and toss them when you’re finished. You can also purchase some that you can get more uses out of like Earplanes, which also help regulate air pressure in your ears or Loop earplugs, which are gorgeous and perfect for events like concerts too.

3. Pillow:

      Ah, the dreaded pillow argument. Minimalist and ultralight travelers would argue against bringing one entirely I get it it’s just another thing to worry about. My body is aging terribly the thing I now worry about is neck pain. Which I no longer get it now that I travel with a pillow. Are used to have a job that required me to take 2 to 4 planes every weekend for almost 2 years my first couple of weekends everyone had neck pillows and to be honest I thought it was ridiculous. I thought it was just another thing to worry about I quickly learned my lesson, and didn’t travel without a pillow after that. Now, many travel pillows later. I’ve learned my lesson and I have one that I prefer and now I’ve had the same one for years. Sure it’s another thing to have on me, and it’s larger than the average U shaped pillow but it makes the difference. I can squish it down into a tiny bag for travel and I get to use it every night in the hotel too as well. I use the coop, home goods camping pillow. It might be too bulky for others, but it’s perfect for me. I hope you find your perfect pillow match.

2. External battery:

This item might’ve ranked at number one if I wasn’t old enough to remember traveling without cell phones. An external battery is definitely now the second most important thing you cannot get on a plane without. You can get one to charge any of your devices including larger laptops, MacBooks and iPads not to mention small essentials, such as headphones, AirPods, reading lights, and anything else that has a USB or USB-C cable. External batteries now have incredible capacity and charging speeds. I have several that I switch up, depending on the needs of the trip. All of them are made by Anker  and are available on Amazon. Store this with all the cables that you’ll need in a pouch, with your headphones and air fly.

1. Dress in Layers: 

If you chose to do one thing on this list, it needs to be this. Stacking your body with many different pieces of clothing has so many benefits that I'm usually shocked more people don't utilize this travel hack. 

Airplanes can be freezing when they reach their cruising altitude and hot as hell when they turn off the air while taxiing to take off. You need to be able to adjust accordingly. Stacking clothing also has the added plus of helping to lighten your bags by wearing some extra bulk. Dressing in layers really is essential to most travel. 

What do you mean layers? I'm not advising that you wear your thermal underwear on every trip. Thoughtfully prepare your travel clothes. Can you wear what you wore on the plane as pajamas? Can you wear it more than once? A scarf is always an excellent choice for an airplane. It’s incredibly versatile.

If you prefer to travel ultralight and you dress in layers properly it may help you eliminate two items on this list. Sure, the airline provides “blankets” and “pillows”, you could argue but if you've read through the article you're already well aware of why I like to bring my own pillow. It's the exact same concept. Why not use your clothes and accessories instead?