Ten Easy Travel Tips for a Comfortable Flight

Do you want to learn some easy travel tips to ensure you always have a comfortable flight? Well, you’ve come to the right place!

This year alone, I’ve already taken 27 flights, visited 6 countries and 19 cities.

I’m not telling you this to brag. I’m sharing this info to let you know that if there’s one thing I do a lot, for both work and pleasure, it’s get on a plane and fly somewhere. And while I love traveling, flying can be a downright terrible experience, unless you are given the right travel tips for a comfortable flight.

After years of flying all over the world, I’ve learned a few hacks that help make my flying experience as comfortable as possible. Now, I want to share these easy travel tips with you, because we all deserve to feel a sense of adventure when boarding a plane, rather than dread!

So are you ready to get started?

10 Tips for a Comfortable Flight

1. Use SeatGuru

Have you heard of SeatGuru? It’s a resourceful website that give you information about every seat on every plane. All you need to do is type in your carrier, flight number and itinerary, and it will pull up the seat map for the flight you are taking. I always check SeatGuru before I book my ticket so I can ensure I’m picking a comfortable seat for the flight.

2. Splurge on a better seat.

I know, it’s annoying that airlines are now marking up the ‘better seats’ in coach. But if it’s a long haul flight, I’m willing to pay extra to know that I will be in a window seat towards the front of the plane, or an exit row with extra legroom. I’m at a point in my life where I’m willing to pay more for comfort!

3. Hydrate before long flights.

For me, this means not only drinking a lot of water but also taking a supplement. My first choice is Nuun. In a pinch, I’ll also use Emergen-C, but I prefer Nuun because per serving, it only has 1 gram of sugar versus 5 grams in a packet of Emergen-C. Nuun also has a cleaner list of ingredients, but both will do the trick when it comes to hydrating and getting an extra dose of vitamins and electrolytes before flying.

4. Bring your own water on the plane.

Continuing on the hydration theme, I always bring LOTS of water with me when I fly. I’m actually a fanatic about this. I will bring my own S’well water bottle on a flight, two if it’s a long haul flight. Occasionally, I’ll even succumb and buy another big bottle of water at the airport. (I prefer not to do this that often because of the plastic consumption.) Once you’re in the air, you should drink water constantly, especially if you like to enjoy a glass of wine or cocktail as well. I know I always get wine or champagne on the long haul flights, so the extra water is critical so you don’t get a headache.

5. Travel makeup-free.

If your flight is longer than a couple of hours, travel without wearing makeup. The recycled air on a plane has less humidity than our skin is used too, so the combo of that dry air plus makeup can wreak havoc on your skin. My go-to before flights is a moisturizing face cream with SPF because UV exposure is much higher when you’re at 30,000 feet. 

6. Sanitize everything.

Wipe down everything in your seat area with an antibacterial wipe. And when I say everything, I mean everything. The tray table, the armrests, the headrest, the window, the seatbelt, and even the overhead air vents. I don’t want to alarm you but studies confirm that setback tray tables are the dirtiest place on an airplane, even more so than the bathrooms. So, do what I do and make sure you always travel with  Wet Ones.

7. Organize your travel essentials ahead of time.

I always have a small pouch with my travel essentials packed and ready to go. Prepping this in advance ensures I will always have the items I need when I board a flight. In no particular order, here is what I always carry in my travel pouch:

• • Wet Ones
  • Face mask and earplugs
  • Headphones
  • Hand lotion
  • Lip balm
  • Nuun tablets or Emergen-C
  • Hair ties
  • Tissues
  • Toothpaste and toothbrush
  • Phone charger
  • Small nail file
  • Advil / pain reliever
  • Allergy medication

This might sound like a lot but it all fits in my small pouch, which easily fits in my larger carry-on bag. Create your own version of a travel pouch and have it ready in advance, so you never have to stress about forgetting something for your flight.

8. Bring a large pashmina or scarf that doubles as a blanket.

Why? First of all, airplanes can get really cold. Second, you never know if the airline will have clean blankets or not. My rule of thumb? Only accept a blanket if it’s sealed in plastic. Why? Because otherwise, who knows how many people have used that blanket, and I certainly don’t want their germs!

9. Bring your own snacks.

I’ll admit, sometimes I’ll succumb to the airplane snacks, (Anyone else love the Blue Terra chips on Jet Blue?) but in general, they tend to be high in sodium, so I prefer to bring my own. Typically I’ll bring a bag of mixed nuts and dried fruit, or some sort of protein bar. However, I will indulge occasionally with a glass of wine. Yes, I know that alcohol can dehydrate you, but I drink so much water on a flight that I’m not worried about it. And you know what? That glass of wine (or champagne if you’re sitting in business class!), can make the flight a bit more enjoyable. And there’s nothing wrong with that!

10. Be nice to your flight attendants.

First, they deserve it. They work hard to make sure we, the passengers are safe and comfortable, and it’s often a thankless job. Plus, a little kindness can go a long way. You could end up with a comped bottle of wine or even in some cases a last-minute upgrade. Never underestimate the power of human connection and empathy.

Hey! Do you love to travel so much that you sometimes do it solo? If so, check out this post: 5 tips to help you get the most out of traveling alone

Are You Ready to Fly in Comfort?

So what do you think?

Are you going to use these easy travel tips for a comfortable flight? Please tell me which ones resonate with you and let me know what you do to prepare for a flight.

And if you’re looking for more travel tips, check out this post: 7 Tips to Help You Travel Like a Pro.

I hope your next flight is a good one. Onwards and upwards!