{2025} 12+ Tips for a Comfortable Long Flight to Europe

Planning a long haul flight to Europe? Your favorite Europe travel expert has rounded-up her 8 easy tips to help you have a comfortable long flight to Europe!

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Ready for your long haul flight to Europe?

Lucky you!  Whether it's your first transatlantic flight or your fifth, long haul flights can be intimidating. But they don't need to be. I didn't actually travel to Europe for the first time until our honeymoon when I was 26. I feel like it has given me some special insight into how intimidating these trips can be, since I didn't grow up taking them, and how "worth it" the travel is. 

That said, with a bit more information, and with a few easy tips, I'll have you sailing through your flight to Europe, without fear, so you can get onto the more important business of actually enjoying your trip.

{2025} 12+ Tips for a Comfortable Long Flight to Europe

Wear the right shoes
From the minute you begin your journey at your local airport, lugging your suitcases out of your trunk, walking to a shuttle, and, of course, going through security (thankfully this is less of an issue than it used to be!!!), and hauling through the airport to your gate, wearing the "right" shoes is obviously important. You'll want great walking shoes that won't give you blisters on Day 1.

You'll also want to select shoes that can serve a few other purposes. 

Your shoes should be shoes you'll actually want to wear in Europe. So while they certainly can be sneakers (yes, you can wear sneakers in Europe), they should be clean, in good condition, broken in, and have minimal logos. Some logos are fine (Adidas), but try for more neutral colors that will match more of your outfits, and avoid anything too flashy.

Additionally, please, please, please do not wear sandals on a transatlantic flight. Not only are they generally not the shoes you'll want for your trip, but your feet will freeze!! It gets cold on the floor of the airplane over the Atlantic in the middle of the night. Wear close-toed shoes, preferably with socks.

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FAQ: Should I wear compression socks on a long haul flight to Europe?

Sure! If you have a medical condition or are prone to swelling or are concerned about blood clots and deep vein thrombosis, it's a good idea to ask your doctor before traveling on a long-haul flight. Blood circulation is good for all of us! In addition to getting up and walking around, compression socks may provide additional comfort and blood flow for your legs and feet. Want to learn more? Don't take my word for it. UCLA Health: Wearing Compression Socks on Long Flights Helps with DVT

Loose-fitting clothing
Whatever outfit you put on at 2PM in Indianapolis will stick with you all that day, through the night, and into the early morning in Europe. You'll still be wearing it at 9AM Madrid time. So your international flight outfit should :

• Be comfortable
• Have layers
• Not include a tired pair of leggings as pants (sorry! They're uncomfortably tight on a long flight and look like PJ's in Europe, unless you style them exactly perfectly)

FAQ: Is flying first class to Europe worth it?

This is a tough question to answer. Flying first class to Europe is almost unbelievably expensive. If it is within your price range and a lie-flat seat is tempting you, one great way to save money is to do First Class only on the flight to Europe, and to fly in a less expensive class on the flight home, when you'll be awake anyway. If First Class isn't an option, but you'd like to 'treat yourself,' I'd recommend upgrading to Business Class (if the flight has it - many don't) or even Premium Economy, which can give you a few extra perks, without the hefty, First Class price tag.

Think through your seat choice
If you are able to choose, should you pick a window seat or an aisle seat for a long haul flight? 

A few things to consider when selecting a seat:

• Location of other family members
• Mid-flight bathroom usage (for me- the deciding factor)
• How bothered will you be by people bumping you, walking up the aisle?
• Sleep position (lots of people want the window to sleep on)

The common wisdom is that frequent flyers select the aisle, and less frequent travelers will opt for the window. This has held true in my experience. I don't like asking people to get up so I can go to the restroom, and if they're asleep, that's especially difficult. Conversely, I don't mind getting up for others.

Bring a bag you can access during flight
While I would very, very strongly advise against using a "tote bag" as your purse during your time exploring Europe, I would equally strongly encourage you to bring a tote bag with you on the long flight. Bring a bag you can fold up or leave in your hotel room when you're on your trip. You'll want it on the flight, to slide under the seat so you can access it during the flight. This should go without saying, but do not expect to be able to get into the overhead bin during the flight at any time. There are lots of food and beverage services and, while less than on a lot of domestic flights, there will still be period of turbulence when you should remain seated.

Stick to the "schedule" of the flight
Transatlantic flights have a rhythm and a schedule. Go with the flow. You will be happiest if you do not fight the machine. When the lights turn off, don't try to read a book. Try to sleep like everyone else. And I think you will be pleasantly surprised with the food. Yes, I've had better, but the food is generally edible and will power you through!

FAQ: What's the schedule on a long haul flight?
On the way there...
Takeoff
Drinks (yayyyy)
Dinner service (more drinks yayyyy)
Dinner clean-up
OVERHEAD LIGHTS OFF
Overhead lights ON
Small breakfast service (croissant, juice)
Land and deplane!

On the way home...
Takeoff
Drinks
Lunch service
Drinks keep on coming, if you want them!
Snack!
Land and deplane

Careful on the screen time
Speaking of the schedule of the flight, be careful with the screen time on 'night flights.' When the overhead lights turn off, you will still see a lot of people watching shows and movies, as it's generally not that late. But after an hour or so, the TVs will slowly start turning off.

I always pre-loud hours and hours of audiobooks onto my phone to be sure I will have plenty to listen to as I try to sleep, and if I can't. Any sleep specialist would recommend against having a screen blaring in your face when you're trying to rest!

Don't forget the noise-canceling headphones
As much as I lecture about sticking to the schedule of the flight, and I will reiterate that most people do and conversations etc will pretty much cease overnight, nothing is perfect. I was on a flight to Spain with a hysterical baby who cried for 5 solid hours. Bring those noise cancelling headphones. Preferably the over-ear ones, but the noise cancelling AirPods work too!

FAQ: Should I bring a travel pillow and eye mask on an international flight?

The general consensus is yes, a good neck pillow make it easier to get some shut-eye during a long journey. If you bring that tote bag that can fit it, I'd say go for it! I'll also admit that I generally don't bring one because I'm already carrying so much *stuff.* Many airlines will give you an eye mask on international flights. They do help block out the minimal light in the airplane cabins when you're trying to sleep on an overnight flight, especially if you are seated near the bathroom or have a neighbor who won't turn their light off, etc.

Don't overdo it on the alcohol...drink water, and think twice about sleep aids
One of the fun things about transatlantic flights is that they are significantly nicer and more fun than domestic flights. The planes are bigger, the flight attendants are friendlier, the other passengers are happier because they're almost exclusively on vacation, there is food, and the alcohol is free!

But don't let that derail your plans. Two drinks is plenty for me, and then it's time to snooze! Don't derail your first day in Europe with no sleep AND a hangover. Drink plenty of water on a long haul flight, like you would on a domestic flight, and even more if you're consuming alcohol. It's a long time to be up in the dry air on these long-haul journeys.

And a note on sleep aids...
On my second trip to Europe, I decided it would be a good idea to take some Benadryl to try to sleep on the plane. Dear Reader, this was not a good idea. I didn't sleep any better than I had without the medication, but that also meant I wasn't able to "sleep off" the Benadryl. My first day in Edinburgh was a hazy, jet lag mess to say the least, and that's before I even got to sample any of that delicious whisky...

FAQ: Can I bring my own food and drink on a flight to Europe?

You can bring food and drink with you onto the plane. The flights generally leave later in the evening, so you could also eat dinner in the airport before you take-off, if you're not interested in eating the airplane food. That said, the airplane food on international flights isn't too bad. If you do bring food with you, as always, I'd encourage you to be mindful of your fellow travelers and not bring something pungent. You CANNOT drink alcohol that you brought with you onto the flight yourself, so don't get any ideas about Duty Free. It's gotta stay in the bag/box.

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Thanks for Stopping By!

I hope you're feeling well-informed and empowered before your long-haul flight! A trip to Europe is an incredible treat - enjoy! And don't let concern about the long flight stand in your way. And, while you're there, I hope you'll take some time to explore the many other free resources I've created to help Americans enjoy their time 'across the pond!'