With almost 40 countries visited, and residing on the west coast of the United States, I’ve taken a lot of long-haul (6-12 hours) and ultra long-haul (12+ hours) flights. In 2017 alone, on my Round-the-World ticket, I took a total of 15 long-haul and ultra long-haul flights. With all of these flights and through plenty of trial and error, I have perfected the steps and found the items needed to make those long journeys as comfortable as possible.
Everything I am sharing below is intended to keep you healthy and comfortable in the air and ready to hit the ground running upon arrival. I’ll start by sharing some tips to help you prepare for your journey and then tell you everything I pack in my carry-on. These steps and products have been tested and never fail me! I’m not a beauty blogger or health expert or sponsored by any of the companies whose products are mentioned below. I just want to make that long journey easier for you!
Prepping and Planning
- Try to arrive at your destination during the day. No napping. Grab some coffee and power through. Not only do you avoid spending your vacation time napping , you’ll also get past that jet lag more quickly!
- Do everything you can to upgrade your airline class of service. Plan in advance. Use points or find out the cost for a cash upgrade. Sometimes you’ll be surprised. Flying in international business or first class, or even premium economy, completely changes your long-haul experience for the better.
- Make sure you’re enrolled in loyalty programs so you can collect points and upgrade in the future.
- Long flights with long connections? Pay for lounge access or plan something inside or nearby the airport to pamper yourself.
- Find out what the airline provides in your class of service. With a quick google search you can usually find out the food that will be served, entertainment offerings (and if it’s free) and if an amenity kit will be provided and what’s in it. Quite a few international airlines provide an amenity kit no matter the class of service you travel in.
Pre-Departure
- Take a probiotic. Many illnesses start in the gut and a probiotic may help prevent catching another passenger’s funk.
- Hydrate! Make sure you are drinking enough water, especially in the 48 hours leading up to your flight. The humidity level is kept very low in an airplane and passengers can lose up to 8% of their body’s water over the course of a 10 hour flight.
- Load up on fruits and veggies pre-take off and pack healthy snacks so you can avoid eating too much of whatever less healthy options they serve on-board.
- Chug some water with an Airborne tablet before boarding.
- Chill out with a glass of wine. That’s right, I will never be the person who tells you not to have alcohol before/during a flight. We’ll address all that dehydration stuff in other ways.
What to Pack in Your Carry-on
Most airlines will allow you one personal item and one carry-on bag. Check each airline’s carry-on policy beforehand.
- Pack whatever you need for entertainment/work. I usually have my laptop, my Kindle or a book, and a notebook.
- Wear compression socks or compression pants. Long flights can cause swelling and, on rare occasions, blood clots. Compression helps increase blood circulation and reduce the risk of swelling or, worse, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and clotting on a long flight. If I’m not wearing these, I pack one or the other to change into on board.
- If you can’t dress in layers, bring a scarf or wrap. Every flight I have been on feels like either an oven or a freezer.
- Earplugs and an eye mask (if not provided by airline)
TSA-compliant toiletry bag containing:
- Toothbrush/paste (if not provided by airline)
- Face wash. I like Clinique’s Fresh Pressed Renewing Powder With Pure Vitamin C. They come in small packets, so they are great for traveling and they give my skin a nice glow.
- Overnight moisturizing mask. Again, with that whole dehydration thing. This will help you avoid waking up and looking 10 years older. And, it’s just a nice thing to do for your skin. I like Boscia’s Super-Charge overnight moisture. It is light, invisible and effective. I apply this right before I go to sleep. This has been harder to find lately, and if you are out of luck, try Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask.
- Moisturizing lip balm because, DEHYDRATION. Not a waxy Chapstick. Something more like Aquafor or something with coconut, aloe or shea butter in the ingredients. I like Kopari’s Lip Glossy.
Looking Fresh Upon Arrival
- Hyaluronic acid sheet mask. Again, that hydration thing. Hyaluronic acid has MANY benefits. The sheet mask will help pull moisture to the skin to hydrate it and make it look more plump. I like Hada Labo Tokyo Anti-Aging Facial Sheet Mask. They are compact and effective. Once I wash the overnight mask off, I place the sheet mask over my face for 10 minutes.
- A light moisturizer. Any will do. I pack whatever samples I have from my Sephora orders or from visits to make-up counters.
- Light make-up. I don’t like to bring my entire make-up bag in my carry-on, but want to avoid terrifying people before I can access my luggage. Again, I’ll use any samples from Sephora or the make-up counters, but I really like Wander Beauty’s products that are compact and meant for traveling.
- Towelettes. Don’t be stinky. These are great for a little wipe down in all the important areas. I like BVLGARI Eau Parfumée au thé rouge Refreshing Towels. Or for a more budget friendly option, try White Towel.
These are exactly the products I take in my carry-on. I arrive feeling great and ready to explore my new destination. I’ve linked most of the products listed. Or, you can find them all here. Play around with mine or try your own variation and favorites!
Questions? Comment below or message me- I’m happy to help!
*Featured image courtesy of Airbus