There are few things that I love more than traveling. I love jetting off to see new places, and exploring the world fills my cup in a way that’s unlike anything else. As a result, I find myself on planes quite often, and have my routine down to a science. I know exactly what to bring with me – as well as what not to bring – and my years of experience have made packing so much easier, especially when it comes to bringing the essentials for long haul flights.
A long haul flight is a flight that lasts for upwards of seven hours. If you travel internationally, you’re probably familiar with long haul flights, and let’s be honest – if you’re not adequately prepared, they can be pretty brutal. However, if you know what you’re doing, your flight can be comfortable, entertaining, and even productive – you just have to know what to bring. If you’re prepping for an upcoming trip, read on to learn about all of my essentials for long haul flights. I’ve got you covered!
MY TOP TRAVEL ESSENTIALS FOR LONG HAUL FLIGHTS
Prepping for a long flight can be exciting and nerve wracking all at once. You’re filled with excitement for the adventure that you’re about to have, but you also know that it’s going to be a long journey before you get there. Personally, I enjoy flying, but I know that not everyone does, and the thought of spending so much time sitting can be one that many don’t quite look forward to. However, there are so many ways to stay comfortable and busy during your flight – you just have to adequately prepare! That’s why I’ve prepared a list of all of my top essentials for long haul flights. It’s important to always be prepared, and I’m here to give you all of my best tips to get there.
The more that you travel, the more you’ll learn yourself and your travel preferences. Before long, you’ll have your routine down to a science, and packing your essentials for long haul flights will be a breeze. But if you’re still figuring things out, don’t worry – I have the ultimate packing list of travel tips to make sure that your upcoming long haul flight is a great experience all around. Traveling can be a little nerve wracking, but by prepping in advance, you can give yourself a fantastic start to your upcoming trip.
For all of my best suggestions and recommendations, keep reading! You’re going to have the most epic adventure – it’s time to make sure you know how to get there in comfort and in style. Ready? Let’s go!
MY MUST HAVES FOR A LONG HAUL FLIGHT
As a longtime travel blogger, I’m often asked what my favorite travel products are. I’ve spent so much time over the years curating my travel routine, from prepping to packing to adventures and beyond. As I’ve traveled more and more – particularly overseas – I’ve really cultivated a list of the top products that I really can’t travel without. This is going to be different for everyone, of course, but it always helps to have someone who knows what they’re doing to point you in the right direction. That’s why I’m here – to be your ultimate travel BFF, ready to help you plan for that trip you have been dreaming of. Have a long haul flight in your future? I’m here with everything you need to know.
You might be asking, what constitutes a long haul flight? A long haul flight is any flight that is longer than seven hours. Generally, these flights are overseas – most flights in the country aren’t going to be quite that long. But when you’re traveling overseas, long haul flights are hard to avoid, and they can be a bit brutal – so it’s important to prepare accordingly.
As you begin planning for your trip, think through when your flight will be taking place. This will affect your planning and packing as well – if it’s an overnight flight, you’ll really want to prioritize being able to squeeze in as much sleep as possible, whereas if you will be flying during the daytime hours (and aren’t much of a napper), you probably will want to think through things that you can bring with you to keep yourself occupied on the long flight so that you don’t go crazy sitting still so long.
No matter where you’re headed, here are my top long haul flight essentials. From headphones to travel pillows and beyond, I have you covered with all of the best recommendations. Read on for more!
1. PASSPORT HOLDER
First and foremost – when you’re traveling, you want to be able to rest assured that all of your important documents are in one palce that you can easily access. From your passport to your boarding pass, any vaccination cards, as well as credit cards and currency, I don’t ever want to worry when I’m traveling where everything is. I love this passport holder that I found on Amazon, as it has a strap so that you can wear it when going through the airport. It’s super secure, which is the top priority, and gives me so much peace of mind.
If you’re looking for a more upscale alternative, be sure to check out my favorite luxe Gucci passport holders, too – they’re so elegant, and I’m fully obsessed. After all, whose life isn’t made a little more fabulous with a touch of Gucci?
2. SLEEP MASK
If you’re going to be on a long haul flight, it’s always best to be able to get at least a few hours of shut eye, but let’s be honest – sleeping on a plane isn’t always easy. There are lots of distractions, it can be noisy, and sleeping sitting straight up isn’t always the most comfortable. Having a good sleep eye mask, however, can make a huge difference in improving not only your chances of getting some sleep, but the quality of it. Named the best sleep mask of 2023 by CNN, this sleep mask does an incredible job of blocking light, and has a firm fit that will stay in place well. It’s incredibly comfortable, breathable, and the handmade mask is such good quality. Plus, despite being such a great product, it’s super inexpensive and affordable. What else could you ask for?
3. NOISE CANCELLING HEADPHONES
I absolutely cannot fly without noise cancelling headphones. From crying children to loud passengers and beyond, you never know what will be happening around you on an airplane, and I think I would go crazy without the ability to block that all out on a long haul flight. With a good pair of noise cancelling headphones, you can focus on your music, movie, podcast, or audiobook in peace. They also can be a lifesaver when you’re trying to sleep. I love Bose headphones because they’re super comfortable and always do a great job of blocking out excess sound while maintaining audio quality. Plus, they have 24 hours of battery life, so you know they’ll hold out strong during your long travel day! These headphones are absolutely one of my essentials for long haul flights.
4. NECK PILLOW
Speaking of sleeping on the plane, I don’t know about you, but I really am not a fan of the pillows on airplanes. I prefer to bring my own – that way, I know it’s clean and I know it’s comfortable. The last thing I want on a long flight is to end up uncomfortable, or to try to sleep only to wake up in pain and starting my trip with a crick in my neck. I always recommend that any frequent traveler have a go-to neck pillow for long haul flights. I like memory foam options as they conform to whatever shape I may need, and I’m especially a fan of choices that both come with a carrying bag for easy storage and are washable.
5. COLLAPSIBLE WATER BOTTLE
A reusable water bottle is a must for any trip. You never know where your adventures will take you, and having a way to easily carry a beverage with you will save you so much hassle along the way. It’s super easy to get dehydrated when flying and traveling, but by keeping a reusable water bottle with you, you can easily fill it over and over again and stay hydrated throughout your journey. I also love choosing a water bottle that is collapsible for the sake of space – that way, when you aren’t using it, you can easy collapse it and stick it out of the way in a purse or bag. It’s easy, convenient, and so much better for the environment – and your wallet – than buying plastic bottles of water every time you’re thirsty.
6. EAR PLUGS
If you want noise reduction in a more minimalistic manner, a great pair of ear plugs will save your life when traveling. Whether you want some extra help sleeping or just some peace and quiet, ear plugs can give you great peace of mind. I love Loop ear plugs because they filter excess noise while still allowing you to hear conversations, so they are super useful for traveling if you find yourself feeling overwhelmed or overstimulated but still want to be able to communicate with the people in your party. As a bonus, they’re also a lifesaver at concerts, so if you go to some fun events while you’re on your travels, they’ll come in handy for keeping your head from spinning!
7. HAND SANITIZER
The last thing that you want to deal with when traveling is feeling under the weather and getting sick, and we all know that you’re going to come in contact with lots of germs when traveling by plane. Hand sanitizer is always one of my essentials for long haul flights so that I can keep my hands clean throughout the long travel day and feel my best for my adventures. Remember to make sure that your bottle is small enough to go on the plane – you don’t want to go over your liquid limit! Grab a travel sized bottle and you will be good to go.
8. COMPRESSION SOCKS
It’s one of the less glamorous parts of long haul travel, but it’s true – compression socks can be a really good idea to wear on long flights. When you’re sitting for so many hours on end, compression socks can help maintain blood flow and circulation, as well as reduce swelling or achey legs. Staying hydrated and getting up every few hours to move around a bit will also help when on long haul flights – keep that circulation up, girl!
9. PORTABLE CHARGER
When you’re traveling, it’s super important to have a well-charged phone at all times. Mapping directions, staying in touch with traveling companions or friends and family back home, and taking lots of photos and videos will all eat up your battery, and you don’t want to end up in a bad spot because you couldn’t charge your phone. That’s why having a portable charger on hand is so incredibly necessary. Keep your portable charger charged and you’ll have your phone battery levels high whenever you need them throughout your trip.
10. LIP BALM
My lips are always the first thing to dry out on a long haul flight. Airplane travel can very quickly dehydrate you, and it doesn’t take long before the delicate skin on your lips grows dry and chapped. Having a great lip balm on hand is a major essential for long haul flights, in my opinion. You’ll stay so much more comfortable, and as an added bonus, if you choose a great lip balm like this one, your lips will look great as well, with a delicious berry flavor added to the tint!
11. SANITIZING WIPES
Like hand sanitizer, I very much believe that sanitizing wipes are one of the essentials for long haul flights. While I know that the plane is supposed to clean everything between flights, you never know for certain if it was done well or even done at all, so it never hurts to bring a packet of wipes to wipe down your headrest, tray, and seatbelt. It’s just not worth getting sick, especially while abroad!
12. BOOKS AND MAGAZINES
Books and magazines are without a doubt absolute essentials for long haul flights. I always want to have something on hand that I can read – after all, what’s better than the feeling of getting lost in a good book? Magazines also give me so much inspiration for my content, and I love flipping through them and seeing what is popular and trending right now.
Happy Place by Emily Henry is easily one of the most popular books of 2023, and makes a great choice for a long haul flight. It’s sweet, funny, thought-provoking, and really fun to enjoy when traveling. It’s not too heavy of a read, and is filled with great characters that you’ll love.
13. HAND LOTION
When you’re on a plane for hours, your hands often quickly dry out. The air is so dry in a plane, and it can be brutal on your skin. I always like to travel with hand lotion that is super moisturizing to stop dry skin in its tracks. I’m often using a lot of hand sanitizer when I travel or washing my hands often, and hand lotion helps to repair and restore my skin from all the moisture that is being stripped from it for soft skin no matter where I am.
14. BLANKET OR SHAWL
Planes are often kept at a pretty low temperature to allow people to sleep and to reduce motion sickness. As. a result, it’s not unusual for me to end up feeling pretty cold when I fly, especially when it’s a long flight. Bringing a cozy blanket or shawl with me has become an essential for long haul flights. It’s so nice to have something to keep me warm, and it feels like a touch of home when I’m spending hours in a small enclosed space. Plus, it helps me sleep, which is always a win when you’re spending hours in the air.
15. PODCASTS AND MOVIES
It can be hard to pass the time on long haul flights. After all, you’re going to be in the air for upwards of seven hours, and that’s a lot of time to kill, especially if you’re traveling alone or struggle to sleep on planes. Before I travel, I always make sure to take the time to download some podcasts, movies, and music that I love so that I will have something to do on my flight. If you’re an Amazon Prime user, you know how easy it is to download anything that you might want to enjoy on your trip. If you’re not a member, consider trying out a membership for your next flight so that you have lots of content to enjoy!
16. APPLE AIRTAG
There are few worse feelings in the world than being told that your luggage can’t be found, and it’s even worse when you’re flying internationally. Now your luggage isn’t just somewhere else in the country – which is bad enough – but it could be anywhere in the world. When Apple AirTags first came out, I knew I needed them for my luggage, pronto. With an Apple AirTag, you can keep track of where your luggage is at any given point, and should something go wrong with the airline, you’ll be able to locate the bag and figure out exactly where it is. Even if you don’t end up needing it, the peace of mind that I have knowing my bag is connected to an Apple AirTag is priceless.
17. BLUETOOTH WIRELESS TRANSMITTER
I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been a fan of airplane headphones. As much as I love being able to watch movies when I fly, I’ve always much preferred my own headphones to the ones provided, and now that I use bluetooth headphones all the time, I can’t just connect my own. Enter the bluetooth wireless transmitter. With this wireless transmitter, you can plug it in to the headphone jack, then connect your own bluetooth headphones to the bluetooth wireless transmitter and get great audio in your own headphones. I’ve been obsessed ever since I first stumbled onto it!
18. TECH PACK
As a travel blogger and content creator, I have to carry a lot of equipment with me when I travel. When you’re operating on the go, it can be absolutely lifesaving to have everything in one place thanks to a handy tech pack, from your many different cords to your SD cards, adapters, and beyond. If you plan to work on the plane, it will be super helpful to have everything in one clearly organized pack, and I love how simple and easy it is to keep things straight with this tech pack. Plus, you’ll never have to deal with the hassle of your cords getting tangled up and knotted together in the bottom of your carry on ever again! Trust me, it’s a game changer.
19. TIDE PEN
We’ve all been there – you’re traveling and accidentally end up spilling food or drink on yourself – or worse, your seat neighbor spills on you. Whether clumsiness or turbulence, accidents happen! If you’re stepping straight off the plan into your itinerary, the last thing you want is to be covered in a stain. (And honestly, even if you’re not, who wants to feel gross for hours on end?) Having a tide pen with me when I travel has saved me on more than one occasion, and now I don’t do long haul flights without them. You never know what’s going to happen when you fly, but you can know that you’re prepared to handle whatever comes your way.
20. DENTAL KIT
When you’re on a flight for over seven hours, you’ll probably find that by the end, you’re dying to freshen up. I like to take a small dental kit with me on flights so that I can feel refreshed by the end, not stale. Plus, I can use the kit for the rest of my trip, making it a good use of luggage space.
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