Survival Tips for Long-Haul Flights in Economy

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I’ve traveled overseas in Business Class and Economy seats. Business Class is better. No doubt about that. But it’s also more expensive. Waaaay more expensive – my direct flight from JFK to Nairobi cost $1200 round trip for Economy and more than $8400 for Business Class. So it was an easy decision for my daughter and me to book the cheap seats and steel ourselves for a grueling 14 hours on the way there and 15 hours on the way home.

Here are my tips for surviving a long-haul flight in economy, based on many, many hours doing just that on this flight and others.

Choosing the Right Airplane Seat for a Long Flight

lines of people at Kenya Airways check-in counter — Kenya Air’s app did not make it easy to move my seat to find a better spot on the plane. Photo credit: Tess Fisher

The key to real comfort in economy on a long flight is to get lucky enough to get three seats to yourself. Then you can simply put up those armrests and stretch out. No, it’s not a cushy lie-flat Business Class seat. But it’s the next best thing. I call it the poor folk’s lie-flat seat.

So how do you increase your chances of ending up in an empty row? You download the airline’s app and obsessively check the seating chart several times a day. I sometimes move my seat 10 times before I actually board, including while I’m waiting in line to get on the plane.

On my most recent flight – that 14-hour trip from JFK to Nairobi – this approach didn’t work at all. I was flying Kenya Air and the app was not updating. It turns out it didn’t matter. The plane was full. I was stuck in a middle seat for the duration. But I got lucky on the way back. As I was waiting to board, I checked the app, found an empty row and moved myself there just in the nick of time.

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Bulkhead Seats

These are good for the extra legroom. And they’re often left open until the last minute while the airlines wait to see if a family with an infant boards. The bulkhead seats are where they hang the baby bassinets.

But there are a couple of downsides to bulkhead seating:

You have to put all of your stuff in the overhead bin because there is no seat in front of you, hence, there is no underseat storage. So you’ll have to get up and down to access your stuff. And you need a lot of stuff on a long flight!
The armrests are usually stationary. So even if you happen to get the row to yourself, you won’t be able to move them so you can stretch out across the row.
The TVs pull out from the armrest. The movement can affect performance, so I think it increases the chance the TV won’t work. And you really need the TV to work when you have to kill 10+ hours of time. Plus, they have to be put away for landing, so you’ll have to turn off the movie early while everyone else gets to keep watching.

Aisle Seat vs. Window Seat

Woman takes a selfie to show she has 3 seats to herself in economy class on a long flight — The big win: a row to yourself in economy! Photo courtesy of Tess Fisher

There are benefits to both. An aisle seat gives you easier access to get up to use the bathroom. It also makes it easier to take a walk and stretch whenever you feel the urge.

But, if you plan to pop a sleep aid and conk out for most of the ride, a window seat is the answer. Your seat mates won’t need to wake you when they need to get up to use the lavatory or take a walk. Just remember to pull down that window shade when you take off so the sunrise doesn’t wake you.

Seat Choice Secret

If you’re traveling with someone, don’t choose seats next to one another!

Counter-intuitive, I know, but when I travel with my 6-foot 3-inch husband, I book him on the aisle and I take the window seat, leaving the middle seat open.

Best case scenario: No one chooses that undesirable seat and we get the extra space to ourselves. Worst case: The plane is full and someone ends up between us.

It’s usually easy to get that person to switch my window seat for their middle seat and hubby and I cozy up for the flight.

Exit Row

Airlplane wing against the blue sky — Photo credit: Shutterstock

See the bulkhead section above. Exit rows offer extra legroom, but the tradeoff is fixed armrests and seats that don’t recline. Plus, there are age restrictions on exit rows so unless you’re traveling with someone age 16 or older, you won’t be able to sit there together.

Should You Pay for Economy Plus?

It may seem like the right time to pay a (relatively) few extra bucks for that Economy Plus seat, but do your research first. An extra fee seat doesn’t necessarily mean extra leg room. On many flights, you’re just paying to sit closer to the front, which is great if you have a tight connection but you won’t get any extra legroom. Seats with actual extra legroom can cost $200 or more on a long-haul flight.

SheBuysTravel Tip: Check out SeatGuru to look at seat maps of the exact aircraft you’ll be flying before spending the money for an economy seat upgrade.

Long Haul Flights with Babies

When flying internationally, you will pay an infant fare for a baby. In very rare cases you may be able to get away with just paying taxes, but we recommend buying a seat. Having a lap child on a long flight is a LOT of work. Buy them a seat, research which carseat you can use on that plane and order a bassinet for the baby to sleep in. You’ll thank me later when you were actually able to sleep on the plane!

Timing is Everything

For a long-haul flight that lasts 10 hours or more, you’re going to switch from day to night or vice versa. For a shorter long-haul flight, consider booking the overnight (red-eye) flight to maximize your natural sleep cycle.

Tips for Sleeping on a Plane in an Economy Seat

tween sleeping on a plane across three seats — Best sleeping on a plane in economy strategy? Choose your seats strategically to increase the likelihood you’ll have an empty row so you can lie down. Photo credit: Nasreen Stump

Honestly, I don’t really sleep on planes. Too much activity. Too much noise. Too much light. Too many interruptions. Instead, I expect to stay awake the majority of the time, with a few small naps along the way. And I fly in a day early, book a hotel close to the airport with a free shuttle and head straight there the minute I clear customs. I fall into bed and sleep for 12 hours and wake up ready to go.

Here are some other options for getting a little shut-eye on the plane:

Upgrade to Business Class

Woman's legs showing off a seat in business class for a long flight — Scoring a cheap upgrade to business class is always the best way to survive a long flight. Photo credit: Cindy Richards

Yes, I know this isn’t a financially feasible solution for everyone. But a business class lie-flat seat is the bomb! On a recent flight home from Paris, Air France emailed me an offer I couldn’t refuse: A measly $400 to upgrade to business class. Heck, yes!

Use Sleep Aids

I tend to be pretty susceptible to drugs. When I need to sleep, I take Benedryl. Works like a charm for me. You may already have a sleep aid in mind. Options include sleeping pills such as Unisom, or a more natural choice such as melatonin (choose one with a 7-hour release to help you stay asleep).

Now, the kiddos. Should you give your kids an antihistamine like Benadryl to make them drowsy for the flight? First of all, don’t try this without discussing it with your doctor. Second, be aware that it actually makes some kids more hyper rather than sleepy. If your doc says it’s OK, give your kiddo a test dose before you fly to see how he responds.

SheBuysTravel Tip: Whatever sleep aid you want to use for you or your kids, test it BEFORE you fly. You want to know how your body will react to whatever you take.

Set Sleep Triggers

Nasreen Stump, a mom of four and frequent traveler, strongly believes in the power of suggestive thought and rituals. Her kids knew it was time to sleep when she handed them a specific nighttime stuffed animal, a special small blanket and a soothing spray of lavender mist on the pillow.

Sleep rituals work just as well for adults. It takes 21 days to form a habit. If you mist your face every evening at home with a lavender toner, over time you will associate it with sleep. Bring a travel-size when you fly and — boom — your body knows it’s bedtime.

Support Your Head on a Long Flight

If you’re in economy on a full flight, any sleep you get will be in the upright position. Consider buying a SeatSleeper. Yes, they look totally goofy. But they actually are comfortable and prevent head bounce. One of the main reasons people startle awake is because they’ve jerked their head around. These also work for long road trips. Feeling cheap? I once saw a businessman use his necktie in the same way on the headrest but I promise the actual product is less creepy.

Another effective but silly-looking option: Use an actual neck brace. It’s not as sexy as a neck pillow, but it will keep your head from flopping around. It’s what I use. I just wrap a scarf around it so it’s not quite so obvious.

What to Wear on a Long Flight

Comfort and layers are key here. No tight waistbands. No tight anything, really. In fact, I never even wear a bra on a long-haul flight – this is the time to break out a cammie. And the layers are important to manage air temps. Planes are always too hot or too cold. Layers mean you can take off or add as needed.

Wear comfy shoes that are easy to slip on and off. And bring a cheap pair of slippers with rubber soles to wear to the lav. Those floors can be pretty wet and gross after hours of use. You won’t want to walk there in your socks.

Compression socks are de riguer, no matter your age. Sitting with your legs hanging down for that many hours will lead to swelling in your legs, feet and ankles. The socks will help. And they come in so many cute styles these days!

SheBuysTravel Tip: Check out our list of the best travel pants for long flights. My personal favorite: The Athleta Retroplus Straight Leg Pants. They are just as cute as they are comfortable.

If you’re flying with littles, make sure the outfits are uncomplicated. There is no button struggle like a small airplane bathroom struggle with an “I need to pee NOW” toddler.

What to Pack in Your Personal Item for Long-Distance Flights

People gathered outside of Nairobi's airport — Welcome to Nairobi – finally! Photo credit: Tess Fisher

Water Bottle

It is super important to hydrate on long flights. Flight attendants will come around several times to offer those little cups of water. But you should drink more than a few little cup’s worth of water during the flight! Fill your water bottle often while waiting for the plane to take off and make sure everyone’s bottles are full before you board.

This one is my favorite because it fits in cup holders but also has a great clipping spot on the top so it can be clipped onto something and carried hands-free. If, like me, you’re traveling to or from someplace it is not safe to drink the water, splurge on a LifeStraw water bottle to keep yourself safe while you hydrate.

Face Mask

Especially during flu season, pack a few medical face masks. You’re going to be stuck in that metal tube with these folks for a few time zones. Wearing a mask is a good call if you’re seated next to a hacking Typhoid Mary when you can’t be moved.

Foot Hammock

This was a recommendation from my friend, Nasreen, a true road warrior. She brings one because she’s short and if she reclines her seat, she can’t always touch the floor. That means her legs hang down, increasing the swelling in her feet and ankles.

I’m not short, but I do like to prop up my feet to give my legs a rest on a long flight. I bought this one before my 14-hour flight to Kenya. I was very happy to have it. I hung it from the seat back tray table and used it off and on throughout the flight.

Seatback Organizer

This might have been the single best thing I bought for my long flight. Being stuck in a middle seat meant it was really hard to even reach my underseat bag, much less have room to pull it out and search for the thing I needed. This seatback organizer fit over the tray table and came with pockets to stow the stuff I would need regularly – eye mask, ear plugs, charging cords, Kindle, phone, etc. As an added bonus, it covered the tray table so I didn’t need to worry about when it was last cleaned.

Comfort Items

Common recommendations are earplugs, eye sleep masks, travel pillows and blankets. You likely will get a pillow and blanket on the plane, but they will be of much lower quality than the products you would bring – especially those thin little blankets.

I always travel with this eye mask and this blanket (I’m usually cold on flights).

SheBuysTravel Tip: If you bring your own things, make sure they are washable – you’ll want to toss them in the washer the minute you get home to get rid of all of those plane germs. And don’t buy black – it just increases the chances you’ll leave it in a rental car trunk.

Noise-Canceling Headphones

Two women in airplane seats wearing headphones on a long flight — Nose-canceling headphones help keep the noise at bay. Photo credit: Tess Fisher

A good pair of noise canceling headphones can make for a much improved long-haul flight experience. There are also travel-friendly ones for babies and toddlers to help them sleep on the plane.

SheBuysTravel Tip: Many kiddos have ear pain on flights. We swear by EarPlanes and always pack them, along with a few lollipops. Sucking or chewing can also help ear popping. These motion sickness suckers can solve two problems at once.

Portable Power Pack and Charging Cords

Yes, the seatback likely will have a USB port and there may be a standard plug under your seat. But there is NO GUARANTEE either will work! I can’t tell you how many times I have been stymied by a lack of power on a long flight. So come prepared with a really good portable power bank. I never leave home without this one from Anker.

SheBuysTravel Tip: Don’t forget to pack all of your charging cords in your easily accessible carryon!

Glasses

Do you usually wear contacts? Not a good idea for long haul flights. Contact lenses draw moisture from your eyes and a 12+ hour flight is a long time to have them in your eyes. Even contact lens manufacturers recommend switching to glasses for long flights. It’s also great if your glasses have blue light protection since you’ll be staring at screens.

Toiletries

I packed the toiletries I wanted to be able to easily access in this organizer so all I had to do was pull it out of my bigger under-seat carry-on when I was ready to refresh at the end of the flight. Here’s what I packed inside:

Brush
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Deodorant
Makeup removal wipes
Travel tube of lotion
Facial mist
Eye drops
Makeup

Snacks

There will be meal service, but it may not come at the time when your stomach wants it. I refused a meal the airline wanted to serve me at 2am in favor of a nap, then woke up hungry four hours later. I always fly with healthy snacks – dried fruit and nuts.

White Noise Machine

I did not do this, but Nasreen swears by the power of this portable white noise machine. It includes a USB (plug into seat) or can run on battery power and has a headphone jack so you don’t irritate anyone else on board. Her kids use it too. She brings these toddler-friendly headphones and a 5-way audio splitter so her kids can all plug into the same sound machine.

Editor’s Note: This is an updated version of a post written by Nasreen Stump.