Photo: Suzanne Hanover/©Universal Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
Air transport has become an increasingly miserable experience for most people in recent years. Before you even get on the plane, you have to navigate hordes of airport security and hope that, on the other hand, your flight isn't on its way. a Boeing 737 Max and is not delayed or canceled. The food and drinks inside the airport are ridiculously bad and overpriced, while finding a seat near your boarding gate feels like The hunger Games. By the time you finally settle into a small seat with little legroom, you may already be uncomfortable and cranky – and you're not even halfway there. to your destination.
If, like me, you're not a huge fan of this experience, long-haul travel can be particularly difficult, especially if you're stuck in economy class with no hope of a free upgrade. So how do you survive a long flight? Here are eight suggestions from Cut staff for strategies and travel essentials this will help you pass the time, feel comfortable and even get some sleep.
My husband and I always reserve the window and aisle seats in a row of three seats, which often means the middle seat will be empty. (Not always, but worth a try for the extra space!) I also bring inflatable seat cushions and pillows to try to make the experience more comfortable. — Chantal Fernandez, feature writer
I've done a lot of long-haul international flights – I'm talking 12+ hours – and I start changing my schedule in the days leading up to a trip. I use the app Timeshifter: I enter my flight date and number into the app, and it gives a game plan for the days before the trip and after. It tells me when to sleep, when to avoid caffeine, when to sunbathe – all of which can help minimize jet lag! — Tariro Mzezewa, morning blogger
If you leave me to my own devices, I'm one of those weirdos who look at the map during the entire flight. In order not to alarm my tablemates, I started to give myself some distractions. Preparation begins days in advance, when I accumulate the podcasts and documentary films I want to consume. I download them and start the flight with them. Then I always carry my own eye mask, earplugs, and melatonin gummies (and reserve a window seat). I pop one of these candies a few hours later and I sleep.. — Joanna Nikas, Deputy Style Editor
I'm a nervous traveler, so I like to engage in various low-effort activities outside of constantly checking flight tracking. Having noise-cancelling headphones on hand is essential for listening to the playlists I downloaded (Beyoncé's full discography and calming sounds) and trying to get some sleep. I also keep my iPad handy with books to read and apps to keep me busy, like Happy Color, which is simply painting by numbers. If all else fails, use some of the extra time to free up space on your phone by deleting apps and old screenshots. Just bring a charger. — Chinea Rodriguez, business writer
My best advice is not original: spend as much unconscious flying as possible. Pull a sleepless night in advance, drink melatonin or an edible, depending on your needs. Then drink a big glass of water, put on your noise-canceling headphones, and go to sleep. I also always wear a hoodie with the hood up. Planes are disgusting and I don't want to get lice. Plus, it's more privacy. — Rachel Bashein, editor-in-chief
Sleeping on planes is almost impossible for me. If I have to stay awake for six to ten hours on a tube that crosses the sky, I will watch exactly one in-flight movie and then spend the rest of the time perfecting my language skills. If I travel to a Spanish-speaking country, I like to listen Mobile Radio, a great podcast that tells stories from across Latin America. For elsewhere, there is Duolingo. I may not be rested when I get off the plane, but at least I'm mentally prepared to chat with my taxi driver. — Catherine Thompson, editor-in-chief
I don't eat airplane food. It's not a spark plug problem, it's an SCI problem. So it's always important to have enough snacks when taking a long flight and to have had a good meal before boarding. If I don't have time to eat ahead of time, I grab a sandwich from my favorite takeout bakery or pick up something at the airport. But I always buy snacks before going out. I tend to grab something savory, something sweet, and then a fun drink that I've been wanting to try so I have those to look forward to while I rot in my seat. — Brooke LaMantia, editorial assistant
Long flights are hell, and my friends who are rich enough to fly first class or bold enough to Xanax themselves into unconsciousness really understand that. I'm too paranoid to play around with sedatives thousands of feet in the air, so I try to make things more tolerable by taking care of my body as best I can. I use Colgate Wisps so I don't have to spend three minutes in an airplane bathroom brushing my teeth, carrying a nice-smelling travel-size hand sanitizer and lotion, and applying deodorant every few hours . It's hard to feel like a human when you have about two feet of legroom. It helps. — Danielle Cohen, editor
