How to Enjoy a Long Flight

When preparing for a big vacation, we put so much emphasis on "surviving" long haul flights - why not actually make the most of your time and enjoy a long flight? Check out these tips on how to pass the time and what to pack for your journey!

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​*post updated March, 2020

"Is it possible to enjoy a long flight?"

Until I was in my mid-20's, I had never taken a "true" long haul flight, and once I was finally scheduled on a transatlantic flight for our honeymoon to London, I'll freely admit that I was wondering how I was possibly going to keep myself occupied for a flight of that duration, let alone "enjoy" it!

NO FREE WIFI?!?!?!

Noise canceling headphones ON

​Yet, here I am today, a few years later and now with many trips "across the pond" under my belt, in addition to quite a few across the U.S., and I'll readily admit that I LOVE flying, especially long hauls.

I'll even go as far as to say that I *look forward* to transatlantic flights - want to know why?

Let's discuss what to expect, what to bring, and how to enjoy a long flight! And if you're looking for a free, downloadable carry-on packing guide for Europe, be sure to subscribe to the blog newsletter, below!

How to enjoy a long flight:
​Meals on long haul flights

I often hear people say that "plane food" is terrible...and I definitely beg to differ, when it comes to long journeys! One of the things that surprised me most about long flights is the sheer amount of food you are served in transit. And, of course, now the dining experience is one of the main reasons that I now always look forward to those flights.

Food & drinks to expect on a typical flight

Dinner on a transatlantic flight

On a "normal" flight from a large U.S. city to a large European one, you can expect to receive:

• Kick-off drink (more on drinking, below) and a selection of crunchy snacks; 
• Lunch (generally salad options and one warm option) or Dinner (including bread, main dish from generally a selection of pasta, and two different meat dishes, cheeses, salad, and dessert), accompanied by beverage(s);
• Additional beverages and snacks if you go and get them throughout the flight from the flight attendants (they come through more often on a day-time flight); and
• Breakfast (generally cheese, muffin, yogurt and orange juice, accompanied by two rounds of coffee and water).

What can I expect in economy and First Class?

And guess what - this is all in economy/slightly better in the upgraded economy. If all this seems like a lot of disposable cups and cutlery...well, it is. Why not do your part and bring your own, reusable cup?

In First Class, of course, it's a food and drink bonanza to delight the senses that frankly warrants its own blog post. I don't have a picture of a meal from First transatlantic, but to give you a sense, here's a lunch in First Class on a trans-U.S. flight:

First class domestic flight lunch (not pictured - Chardonnay in a REAL glass)

All of this is to say, flight on a long haul flight across the Atlantic just isn't like being on a bus or a budget airline flight for 9 hours. You pay a premium and, while not necessarily the Ritz, but it's just really not painful, either. I find the food on these flights to generally quite good - and, I'll say that Delta's food options are, without a doubt, the best I've seen.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy being given tons of food!

How to enjoy a long flight:
How do you spend time on a long flight?

Keeping yourself entertained during a long flight is often a source of stress for people, along with trying to sleep. On an East-bound flight, you'll likely go overnight, which comes with different challenges, with the opposite on a West-bound, so I think it's worth discussing them separately.

East-bound transatlantic flights

For my American friends, this will be the first leg of your European vacation- from the U.S. to Europe. And, the end of the trip for European visitors to the States. I will say that Americans do get the short end of the stick on this one. The East-bound flight is significantly harder, and it's really not the best way to start a long vacation. But, never fear, with some easy tips, you'll do just fine.

​And, yes, let's just get this out of the way - you do need to try to sleep.

How to sleep on a long flight

The first couple hours will be occupied with the aforementioned dinner, drink, and snack service. Unless you've taken strong medication or are suffering some sleep deprivation, I doubt you'll be able to sleep during that portion, as there's a great deal of noise and the lights are on. After the food rounds have been completed, the cabin lights will go off, and then you need to try to start relaxing. 

And then, slap on an eye mask and noise canceling headphones and try to sleep, at least for a bit. The brutal reality is, you will feel strangely the next day, due to jet lag, travel exhaustion, and lack of sleep, but just try for a bit and don't stress too much. If you can't sleep, it's not the end of the world, but as your body is still on its "normal" schedule, you likely will get at least some shut eye. 

Entertainment options on long flight

​Be mindful of your screen time on an overnight flight, as it'll only keep you awake, particularly because the in-seat screen is right in your face. I generally watch a show or two either on the in-seat screen or that I previously downloaded on my phone. ​

A gentle reminder that you shouldn't plan to engage in a ton of reading from an actual book on the east-bound flight. They will turn off the overhead cabin lights after dinner and while you do have an individual light above your seat, it's not much light, and you'll likely be pressured by your seat mates to turn it off as the night wears on.

​If you're truly dedicated, I'd recommend a personal book light.

IMPORTANT: Your Airpods won't connect to the in-seat entertainment system. Depending on the airline and your seating class, the airline may provide "normal old school" headphones, for this reason. But if you're concerned about it, or flying on a budget airline, you can always bring your own.

Picking a seat for a long flight

With trying to sleep firmly in mind, I would try to select seats that are not too close to the kitchens or the bathroom, as people will be constantly standing near you while you are trying to sleep. Unfortunately, some of these are "upgrade" seats, so you'll pay a premium to have a bathroom line bumping into your knees for 5 hours.

West-bound transatlantic flights

These flights, naturally, are quite different! They're generally during the day, in both your destination and your departure point. If you're coming from Europe to the U.S., you can easily leave Europe at 11 AM Europe time and arrive in the U.S. in the afternoon U.S. time. Of course, you'll be exhausted the next day, but you don't have to pretend to sleep.

My suggestion : enjoy your time in the friendly skies! These planes have a wide selection of movies and T.V. shows to watch, much wider than the option on domestic flights - find a new favorite! Delta allows messaging (subject to a variety of restrictions), so why not have a free glass of wine and tell your friends all about you trip?

For my fellow travel bloggers: I find the trip home to be a great time to capture memories, details, and post ideas that you might forget as more time goes by after the trip.

How to enjoy a long flight:
​Drinking alcohol on a long flight

Ah, the million dollar question. Free booze abounds, but should you drink during a long flight? My advice differs, depending on your direction of travel.

East-Bound Flight: Ok, so you need to try to sleep. Getting really loaded is not going to help you sleep AND you're not going to feel good after too many drinks, adding not enough sleep on top of it.

My advice: drink the same amount that you might drink on a "normal night." If you regularly drink a couple drinks on a week night, I'd say you can easily do the same, get some semblance of sleep, and even if you can't sleep, normally feel fine. If you do not normally drink, this is frankly not the time to start - wait until you've truly started your vacation and hit the pubs!

West-Bound Flight: As long as you don't have to drive your car home from the airport, enjoy this leg of the flight - you don't have sleep to worry about, it'll feel like the middle of the day, and...what else is there to do! I hadn't intended this post to be so heavy on praising Delta, but here we are - don't forget that Delta serves liquor on its long haul flights, unlike most other major airlines which only include beer and wine. 

Snack binge (note the gin #thanksdelta)

Remember that alcohol hits some people different only on a plane, don't cause a drunken, international scandal, and have a few beverages!

How to enjoy a long flight:
Packing a carry-on for a long flight

Though it should go without saying, but sometimes packing gets the better of us all and we make silly mistakes! Any checked luggage will be very securely out of your hands for your entire voyage. If you have a connection, you may be briefly reunited with your luggage depending on which country you're in, but you also may not.

So, you need to pack your carry-on bag accordingly. For me, you can't beat a cabin bag as your carry-on. I don't run a large risk it will be gate-checked, and I can actually open it on the plane in my seat. If you bring a roller carry-on, you're not going to open your wheeled suitcase in the middle of the aisle...also please don't do that... For my friends who prefer roller bags, what about this (very reasonably priced) roller bag that fits under the seat? 

What to pack in your carry-on for a long flight:

Here's what I include in my cabin bag and/or purse, depending on space:

• A giant wrap that could double as a blanket - it gets a bit cold above the Atlantic in the middle of the night;
• All of my documentation and printed (or saved on the phone) directions to the hotel;
• A hotel tube of hand lotion - all that hand washing and the dry air in the plane really takes its toll;
• Whatever it'll take to make me feel human for the journey to the hotel (generally a hair tie/small hair brush, pack of mints, travel toothbrush/toothpaste, and maybe an eye brow pencil if I'm going somewhere fancy);
• A change of clothes upon arrival in my destination, if my luggage gets lost (check out the full post for most on packing);
• The correct headphones, including a pair of noise canceling headphones, and other light-weight entertainment options.

How to enjoy a long flight:
​REMEMBER: you're on vacation!!

On the beginning, and even the end, of trips, always remember - you are on vacation.

​Yes, you're on a plane, yes it's a bit cramped, yes that guy won't stop coughing and simultaneously kicking you, which actually takes an impressive amount of coordination, but you are not at work, you are on vacation - and there's nothing required of you at this very moment, aside from to sit here and watch my new 'favourite' show, Back.

For more travel essentials, check out my constantly updated list, here. And don't forget to sign up for the newsletter and receive my free, downloadable carry-on packing guide for Europe! And feel free to reach out on social media (links below)!

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