How do you deal with a long airplane flight?

[C-Ya]

I thought this would be a fun subject. Especially since I have committed to a flight that is 17.5 hours long.

I must admit, I have anxiety just thinking about it. My previous record is 12 hours. I was unable to get to sleep on that ride, so I was awake for the entire 12 hours.

For my 17.5 hour flight, I did upgrade my seats, to be more comfortable. But it is still going to suck.

I found this drawing on a travel site. I busted out laughing when I saw it. I think I have done every position listed below. lol.

What is YOUR strategy for a long flight?

 

[whiteworks]

Walk the isle once an hour.

 

[mesquito_creek]

Lay flat business class…. Or see you Doctor about some flight drugs.

 

[rivermobster]

Alcohol and sleep.

Not tired? Start reading a Good book. Pretty much Anything by Stephen King works for me.

Dean Koontz is also right up there. Try Plumb Island.

On a flight that long, James Michener, might be a better choice. Chesepeek Bay is awesome.

Noise cancelling earbuds, with a phone Full of good music too.

Enjoy the flight!

 

[El Rojo]

Booooooooooze

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

Lie flat business class. No other option.

 

[Radioactive]

Wait a minute..........., can't you buy your own plane by now. Get one like Tony Stark

 

[Singleton]

Lie flat business class / first.
I fly the late departures, so I am tried when I board and crash out

 

[ToMorrow44]

I flew 17hrs from ATL to South Africa last year. It wasn’t terrible. I upgraded to Delta premium select, but not the lay flat. Come to find out I can’t sleep on the lay flat seats anyway

Most of those long international flights depart late at night so they get you on, serve dinner, and you GTF to sleep lol. Then they’ll serve breakfast a little while later so it breaks it up. Definitely get up and walk around. Stretch in the galley area. Watch some movies and you’ll be there in no time.

Get a window seat so you can lean up against the side of the plane, you’ll sleep much better.

 

[clarence]

Lived/worked in the Middle East for most of my career and flew back to the US once or twice a year.

Tried everything.

Sucked every time.

 

[DarkHorseRacing]

I went to South Africa once, longest time I’ve ever been in a plane. Going down wasnt so bad, some empty seats to get a little more nap room. Coming back we were packed in like sardines. This was on a 747 at the time.

I went and bought a bunch of magazines I liked to read, and brought a book or two.

Nowadays, you can probably just get on the plane wifi and stream on your phone to your hearts content (video, audiobooks, music).

Also it’s important to get up and walk the isle on the regular. And since air in the plane is pretty dry, drink lots of water (and if you have to use the restroom, another reason to walk).

 

[Ziggy]

Xanex

 

[beertruck]

I typically sleep sitting up with my head nodding down. I'm usually asleep before wheels up. Its a blessing as I fly 50 flights a year cross country.

 

[DWC]

Lay flat and lots of alcohol. Ended up going to Guam twice in the last 4 months. SOB that’s a lot of time in the air. I was like the storage war guy when the flight attendant went buy.

Then again, not much different than normal flights.

 

[17 10 Flat]

Last time on a longish flight Chicago to Maui nonstop. About an hour in they brought beverages. At that point told us the middle area where the flight attendants get the sodas, water and snacks would be self serve. Ended up being a hang out spot for us passengers.

Was either a Boeing 767 or 777 don't recall.

 

[boatnam2]

Ny Limit is 5.5 hours, which happens to put me in Hawaii lol

 

[bonesfab]

When I went to saudi, it sucked big time. On the way home we stayed up all night and the flight was like 5:00 in the morning. 3 advil pm's adn I was out for most of the return flight. Cattle car sucks.

 

[Done-it-again]

You will hate the flight if flying that long in coach, might get away with premium , but the seats are still the same, just 4" more legroom.

Business class min....

Or first.

 

[poncho]

Really good movies and books on the tablet with good headphones, I would be 5150 alone in my thoughts that long.

 

[DBMX]

I fly to Asia quite a bit and its a 14 hour flight from LA. Generally its in Premium economy, but also fly coach if the schedule is a lot more convenient. Not a chance the company is popping for Business class.

The entertainment options on the flight are really good so I just watch movies the entire time. Plus, I generally leave at 1 AM, so its about 3AM by the time the flight gets up and everyone settled and the lights get turned off. It makes it much easier to fall asleep for a few hours. I'll usually take an over the counter sleeping pill and will be knocked out for 6 hours.

If there is not a good entertainment plan on the plane, download as much as you can to a tablet and watch that.

 

[ChevelleSB406]

I do the LAX to London flight pretty regularly, Premium economy is a must. Next trick is alcohol. Most important piece is noise cancelling headphones. Blanket on and head nodded forward with the provided neck pillow. I don't sleep much, but after food and the movie, it generally is pretty painless. It was a nightmare before noise cancelling headphones.

Also underrated, where you choose your seat. I really like the back row of premium economy, as the bathrooms are at the front, so no one walks past me on way to bathrooms, that shit wakes me up every time. Food and drink carts same, they only come to you and drop off, no second trip past.

 

[mesquito_creek]

Go find the most comfortable place you know in your house… anything counts, like a recliner or your favorite chair on the patio. Bring all your favorite food and drinks. Now go sit there for 17 hours and report back…

 

[Caydens Cat]

Pod life here. Costs coin but heck, better than misery. Add a cocktail, Xanax and ambien and I’m out.

If you have the means why start a trip in coach? No sleep, dragged out when you arrive, etc.

took the family to Bali and did pods… nobody was beat up or exhausted at arrival. hit the vacation at full charge

 

[92562]

I did 16.5 hours in coach a few years ago and took a flight that departed near my normal bed time. I slept the first 5 hours, walked around and then binge watched an entire series on Discovery+ and got up to walk every 2 hours. I lived.

 

[Ziggy]

Pod life here. Costs coin but heck, better than misery. Add a cocktail, Xanax and ambien and I’m out.

If you have the means why start a trip in coach? No sleep, dragged out when you arrive, etc.

took the family to Bali and did pods… nobody was beat up or exhausted at arrival. hit the vacation at full charge

What airline has the pods?

 

[checkrdpast]

I don't, 6 hrs max.

 

[Ace in the Hole]

I raw dog the long hauls. No noise cancelling head phones, no recline on the seat, no phone, no watching anything except the flight map. It's the new thing to do in the cheap seats...

in reality I chase points and maximize them....first/business or nothing on long hauls..

 

[Flatsix66]

After a few million miles I'm done flying. Well, just one more next week....then i'm done.

 

[2Driver]

Lay flat and lots of alcohol. Ended up going to Guam twice in the last 4 months. SOB that’s a lot of time in the air. I was like the storage war guy when the flight attendant went buy.

Then again, not much different than normal flights.
View attachment 1411438 View attachment 1411439

I recall that guam flight being a bit skanky too

We did coach from Palau to Guam to HI to La to PHX

I told my wife either we aren't going past HI anymore or we are flying in those lay flat seats I considered commandeering on the way back from Palau.

 

[HNL2LHC]

6 hours flights every other month makes it routine. 15 + year ago did Orlando-TX-Honolulu. The TX-Honolulu killed me, it just seamed so much longer. Now if more than 6 hours lay flat is the way to go. Last year Phoenix to London with lay flat was easy. Food before and after a bit of sleep helps. Been doing noise cancelling for about 5 years. If I am up on a longer flight I do tend to get up and use the bathroom often. I also have my favorite seats that make it better as to getting on and off the plan as well as making it easy to get up and walk around.

 

[C-Ya]

Jet Lag:

Sydney Australia is 14 hours ahead of SoFlo. Our 17.5 hour plane lands at 7am Sydney time.

I have always had trouble adjusting to the time difference. It usually takes me 3 or 4 days until I feel normal.

Here is my strategy for the 17.5 hour flight.

I recently read this about Jet Lag. Whatever time zone you land in, try to stay awake until at least 9pm local time. My plan is to try to stay awake for the first 9 hours of the flight, so that the sleep I do get, is the same as Sydney. Then once off the flight, I just have to stay awake until 9pm.

When I think of the above, I cannot help but be reminded of the pic below. Below is what my wife and I are going to look like as we take a boat tour of Sydney Harbour, in order to kill time before we can check into hotel at 3pm.

 

[shintoooo]

Ny Limit is 5.5 hours, which happens to put me in Hawaii lol

I'm exactly the same. I tell my wife there are so many places in the world we can see that are 5.5 flight hours away.

 

[gqchris]

I am poor, and I still manage to scrape money, or points, to get Lie Flat on anything over 5.5 hours. I am NOT subjecting myself to Coach for that long.

Take everyones advice sir and get the upgrade.

I cant sleep on flights no matter what, but having the legroom is a blessing from above!

 

[FCT]

A few Tylenol pm and a couple shots of tequila for long international flights.

I probably snore pretty loud but I’m sleeping and can’t hear it

 

[CarolynandBob]

Whatever you all do, do not ever fly aeroflot. 1 time I flew LA to Moscow. 12 hours in couch on Aerflot. I would shoot myself in the head before I did that again. Man we do some dumb shit when we are young and have no money.

 

[SkyDirtWaterguy]

What route are you flying that is 17.5 hrs in the air? Los Angeles-Singapore?

 

[Dalton]

The long ones in economy suck, if I do fall asleep, I wake up with a stiff neck. I used to drink a bunch then pass out, but then the ride really sucks when it wears off, unless you keep going of course lol. If you can, make the layover halfway through to break it up.

Also, in biz class I would always see ear plugs in the amenity bags, but only about a year ago started using them, they help quite a bit. I'll put the ear plugs in, then noise canceling headphones on top of them, that really works. I would add some foam ear plugs to your list.

 

[coolchange]

DVT

 

[WYRD]

You will hate the flight if flying that long in coach, might get away with premium , but the seats are still the same, just 4" more legroom.

Business class min....

View attachment 1411441

Or first.

View attachment 1411442 View attachment 1411443

What's the difference in cost for a transatlantic flight?

 

[Dan Lorenze]

I'm cheap, I just upgrade to the Emergency Exit row or a bulk head. I just can't justify and extra grand or two to get into business. Noise cancelling headset, a couple of movies, some drinks, buy the WIFI if it's affordable and get up and stretch every once in a while. But, watching movies makes the time pass the best for long flights. Also, bring your favorite snacks so you're not so dependent on the same old pretzels they hand out. Just make yourself as comfortable as you can.

 

[WYRD]

Never been overseas anywhere except Hawaii. For that flight we selected a red eye and took a bunch of Tylenol PM with a few drinks at the airport bar before we boarded. Knocked my ass out I was lucky I woke up to get off at the other end LOL

 

[941Punk]

Miami to Rome twice a year is 9-11 hours each way.

Melatonin or something stronger, two glasses of wine, no sleep the night before the flight. Noise cancelling earphones with ear plugs, 963hz long play video on YouTube, neck pillow, eye mask, and this crazy thing from Amazon. https://www.youtube.com/live/dr0ah6aEL1o?si=JYy_y_dZ34mh3VA2

 

[JL95]

RDP continuing to RDP lol.

 

[ChrisV]

I stay my ass home

 

[sirbob]

I used to do so many long-haul flights American used to send me my own pajamas

The most basic thing that people don’t think about who don’t travel regularly is starting with the right mindset. The trip is half the fun. There’s a pretty long period in my life where I used to buy my airline tickets as a one-way around the world. I might typically fly to London for work then to Singapore then on to Sydney Australia, and then back to LA over a 2 week period.

On a lot of those overnight to Europe trips, I would stay up very late the night before and then once I land, I try to stay up as late as possible, even though you want to go to sleep as soon as you land.

I always love that feeling of being somewhere in the air having no idea where you are and knowing that no one else in the world knows exactly where you are.

 

[hallett21]

If you have the means upgrade.

A few beers before the flight and cocktails along the way helps lol. I usually just lock in and watch a bunch of movies or shows. Walk around every few hours and drink a ton of water.

Flying to Sydney is a long ride. Wife and I then did another 5-6 hour flight to Bali lol.

 

[Done-it-again]

What's the difference in cost for a transatlantic flight?

I use miles for these trips and they very but usually 150-250k miles per person depending on travel dates. I don’t buy 1st class domestic tickets cause it’s not worth it generally and only get first with upgrades.

I transfer Amex miles to europlan and fly any carrier that is part of air Canada and that is usually Lufthansa, Swiss, air Canada.

 

[lbhsbz]

My back and neck are on fire after about 3 hours….i couldn’t do it. I’d go old school like Burt Munroe and a take a boat.

 

[Done-it-again]

Never been overseas anywhere except Hawaii. For that flight we selected a red eye and took a bunch of Tylenol PM with a few drinks at the airport bar before we boarded. Knocked my ass out I was lucky I woke up to get off at the other end LOL

Funny you say this. But there was a guys once flying to Amsterdam that took an ambien and had a drink after the meal and people thought the guy had died as he didn’t move to get out of the plane. Stewardess’s has to shake him a bit to get him going. Lol

 

[Cobalt232]

If you are on a 787 don't get a window on the sunny side. There are no shades, the windows dim, but not all the way black.