After surviving one of the worst travel experiences in high school from Taipei to Los Angeles, I swore to myself that I would always make myself the most comfortable at any flight.
So imagine this: I had eaten a heavy load of saucy beef, fried foods, and everything a high schooler has no hesitations on eating. I was previously at a family dinner before I flew out of Taipei, so not eating was unacceptable. Then, after checking in at the airport and waiting for my late night flight, my stomach started to gurgle and bubble an hour before the flight. This was my first international flight alone and I spent the next hours in pain and discomfort.
I was seated in the middle flight in the back, and the woman to my left (and aisle) was a pregnant woman. The next 12 hours were complete hell. I was queasy, and I felt terrible for asking the woman to keep getting out of her seat so I can use the toilet. That, the flatulence, and the constant sharp pains shooting from my stomach. I was wearing the most uncomfortable clothes, somehow thinking tight jeans and a tight shirt was a good idea. I was completely mortified, but also in pain. I don’t know how I endured those hours flying, but somehow I managed and that memory has stuck with me since. I now make an extra effort to fly comfortably and take care of myself while I’m up in the air.
I’m now 30 and I always plan my trip out as below. I go the extra effort to make myself more comfortable, especially if I know there’s a layover, a long flight, and I’m in economy. One day I’ll be in business class, but for now, it’s economy.
Below I’ve created a video for you to watch, or you can continue reading down below!
PRE FLIGHT
Wear comfortable clothes – this one’s definitely a big one for me. I can’t believe I used to wear tight fitted clothes, like jeans that’d suffocate my waist, or tight shirts that cling to my body. Now, I usually wear a t-shirt or tank top combined with a zip up hoodie and pants that are loose and comfortable. If you’re going to be sleeping on a plane or staying on a flight for more than 5 hours, I would really think it makes sense to be comfortable.
Bring your valuables and travel documents near or close to you – I always have a small bag like my Lululemon Everywhere belt bag with me near my feet. It usually consists of my passport, wallet, battery pack, airpods, a pen, and any travel docs I might need. I also have a note on my phone where I’m staying, such as the name of the hotel address, my point of contact, and anything I need to report if I’m bringing it into the country.
Download all your songs, movies, shows, etc. you want to listen to – I like doing this in case there’s a show or album I’ve been obsessive about. Definitely do this when you are connected to WIFI and have it ready on your phone or laptop so you can watch it while offline. This keeps you entertained and happy if there aren’t any good shows on the airplane, or if you don’t get inflight entertainment at all.
I bring a little bit of currency with me – I do this out of comfort. Just in case I need it for something, like when I land in the new city, there’s something I need to pay or I want to purchase, like a bottle of water. This is my personal preference, but I do like having some country currency in case I want to purchase anything at the airport right when I land.
If you have the means to or you have points, get the seat with extra legroom – if you’re tall and want more breathing room for your legs, I’d recommend thinking about booking your seat with more legroom. I would do this from time to time if it’s a really long flight. My favorite travel cards are the American Express Platinum, United Mileage Plus, and Chase Sapphire Reserve & Preferred. You can also see what seat to get through Seat Guru, which was a popular tip through my travel community. The site does give a very good approximation of how much seat room you should expect.
DURING THE FLIGHT
Stay hydrated – I always carry my 40 oz iron flask water bottle with me wherever I go. Just as comparable and technical as Hydroflask and Yeti, I bought this on amazon because I loved the lime green color, look and feel of the bottle. While it is pretty hefty to lug around, I’ve gotten so used to it. I tend to bring it empty at an airport, fill it up when I’m at the gate, and then have a big bottle of water to drink on the airplane. I normally drink A LOT of water so I like having it on hand, so I’m not always asking the flight attendant for water.
Bring lotion, facial cleanser, face masks, etc. for your skincare routine – having a pouch of small travel carry ons will make your night on the plane a bit more comfortable. The plane usually has some toiletries, like a toothbrush or facial wipes, but if you need something more advanced, like facial wash or lotion, you should bring your own. You can also use sheet masks for your skin. I like using the Mediheal masks, specifically the tea tree ones. It’s so refreshing and soothing.
Make sure your immune system is strong – I like taking an EmergenC before I hop on the flight to boost my immunity and wipe down the seats, seat handles, and screens that I’ll be using with antibacterial wipes. The worst thing is getting sick from a flight and then having the rest of your trip recovering from it. I would err on caution when flying on airplanes. You’re traveling with other people who may or may not be spreading germs or may be sick.
Take time to decompress and reflect – what a lovely time to be up in the sky, away from everything else. There’s something comforting about being up in the air. It makes me feel smaller than life, but also appreciate the world I get to live in and being able to have the privilege of traveling from place to place. While people can connect to WIFI these days on airplanes, I do not. Instead, I use these hours to completely disconnect from the rest of the world and think about my life while journaling.
Don’t feel bad about asking for things (but do it kindly) – flight attendants are generally more than happy to help you with anything if you ask nicely.
Get up to stretch in your seat or out of your seat. You can even wear compression socks to help with bloating – This will help tremendously. No one should be cramped in that position for that long of a time. You definitely should get up to stretch, move around, and get the blood flowing. My sister really likes wearing compression socks when she flys; it helps with the bloating and less exhaustion of her legs.
AFTER THE FLIGHT
Be prepared to find transportation or your way out of the airport – this helps decrease the amount of stress you’re about to take on. Coupled with excitement but also being overwhelmed, stepping into a new city could be a jarring experience. I like to make sure I know what transportation I’m taking, and how I’m going to be getting to my hotel or accomodations.
Use the restroom when you get off the flight even if you don’t need to – I know people are usually fighting to get out of the airport, but I like to use the restroom one last time before I head out simply because you never know how long the trip to your hotel or accommodations will take. Such a silly thing, but trust me, I’ve sat in traffic after landing at the airport and trying to get to Bali. Traveling gets less complicated when you don’t need to use the restroom as badly.
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