How To Make Long Flights More Comfortable (Step-by-Step)

Qantas, Perth to London Heathrow: 17 hours and 15 minutes. Air New Zealand, Auckland to New York JFK: 17 hours and 50 minutes. Singapore Airlines, Singapore to New York JFK: 18 hours and 50 minutes.

Yes, those are nonstop flights, and those times don’t include boarding, deplaning, and everything else on either side. So, if you’re soon planning on spending just a few hours flying across the country or to the other side of the pond, know this – surviving a long-haul flight is very possible, to extremes that you may not have even known existed!

Flying long-haul, for whatever duration you decide fits in that category, doesn’t have to be miserable. In fact, I have an unpopular opinion – I love it.

I am someone who is happy to seek out interesting routes, thrives on long layovers, and likes to check various international flights off my bucket list. I am also someone with a wife who does NOT enjoy any of that (some would call her normal), who is somewhat afraid of flying, and who is also obsessed with travel. We make it work quite well – and for that reason, I am confident in providing long-haul flight tips.

Below, we’ll take a look at what you can do to prepare for long-haul flights, along with how to make long flights more comfortable on the ride. With any luck, you’ll arrive as ready as ever to explore and make the most of your trip!

Prepare for a Long-Haul Flight In Advance

1. Book Your Flights Carefully

Among the top-tier tips for long flights is to take action before you even book it – by booking the right one! The airline you select, and even the aircraft that they use to operate the route can have a considerable impact on how comfortable you are during the journey.

However, you may need to be familiar with what’s offered on which airlines, and you may come across some carriers that you’ve never even heard of. When you use sites like Momondo, you’ll get a snapshot of some basic comforts and inclusions to expect. Take a look at the screenshot of a search above – Norse Atlantic Airways’ flight doesn’t even include a carry-on bag (pah!), while the United flight offers one of those plus wifi.

Google Flights does a great job with this, too, as it points out whether the aircraft has an in-flight entertainment system or if you can at least stream movies to your personal device. Skyscanner puts a handy one-click filter right at the top so you can see the fastest possible…