A long-haul flight is technically any flight that lasts longer than 6 hours or that travels across multiple time-zones. And with that extra time in the air, comes extended exposure to low oxygen levels and dry cabin air, restricted movement, and disrupted circadian rhythms. Your body goes through a lot, which can leave you feeling groggy, tired, and a bit bloated. But with a little preparation, your next long-haul flight could be surprisingly smoother than you expect. So we’ve prepared this checklist to help get you comfortable flying long-distance.

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1. Choose your seat strategically for a long-haul flight

Where you sit on your flight matters a lot, especially flying long-distance. It can dramatically affect your exposure to turbulence, impact your ability to sleep, and even have influence over the risk of circulatory issues you’re exposed to. So whittle down what it is you want to prioritise during your flight:

• The best place to sit when flying long-haul if you hate turbulence:  Seats over the wing. Overall, this area of the plane experiences less bounce because the aircraft's centre of gravity and stabilising structures are concentrated there. So on a long-haul flight, sitting close to or behind the wings should offer the smoothest experience than elsewhere on the plane. The further back, the more turbulence you’ll feel.

• Want peace and quiet on your next long-haul flight? Sit here: Generally speaking, the closer you are to the front of the cabin, the less you’ll be exposed to engine noise and airflow interference, making it quieter. In this area, the bulkhead rows (the seats located directly behind a cabin divider such as the wall separating travel classes, the galley, or the lavatories) typically offer more legroom space. However, these seats are commonly designated for bassinet use, which supports families traveling with infants under 12kg. So, just keep in mind that this area is thoughtfully set up to support parents and their little ones during the journey.

• Sit here for extra legroom on long-distance flights: If bulkhead seating isn’t what you’re after, another option for additional space without premium pricing, are the exit rows. These seats typically offer the most legroom in economy but do come with eligibility requirements, such as being over 15 years old, able to understand safety instructions, and being physically capable of assisting in an emergency. Recline may also be restricted, and fixed armrests can slightly reduce seat width. Still, for tall travellers or anyone wanting to avoid cramped knees on a long-haul flight, the trade-off is usually worth it.

Pro Tip: Use seat-mapping websites like SeatGuru to review aircraft layouts before choosing the seat on your next long flight.

2. Stay hydrated on long-haul flights

The cabin environment is a desert in disguise. Humidity can drop below 20%, compared to 40–60% at sea level. This can dry out mucous membranes and deplete fluid levels, resulting in dry nasal passages, flaky skin, fatigue and a higher risk of jetlag. In fact, medical advice suggests drinking 200-250ml per hour maintains optimum hydration when flying long-haul. 

And let’s not overlook skin hydration. While TikTok and Instagram is full of ‘skinfluencers’ and their GRWM 10-step skincare rituals at 35,000 feet, many dermatologists advise against introducing impurities from shared surfaces to your skin as it could cause irritation or exacerbate existing problems such as eczema. What they do recommend is using a simple hydrating mist to help reinforce your skin’s moisture barrier, soothe dryness and help maintain better moisture retention. 

Also, everything gets super dry at altitude with the recycled air, which can dry out your nost and lips. Saline sprays will replenish moisture in nasal passages, and beeswax-like or petrolatum-based lip salve helps lock in moisture to protect lips against dry cabin air. 

PRO TIP: It’s important to remember that while a night cap might add a touch of luxury to your tray-meal, that glass of wine, G&T, or whatever your alcoholic trolley-tipple of choice will most likely make your flight more restless and contribute to jetlag. 

As alcohol not only exacerbates dehydration but also disrupts REM sleep, it is best to limit your intake, especially on a long-haul flight. Otherwise, the lack of hydration combined with poor sleep naturally can even impact emotional regulation and memory consolidation - which is why some people say they can feel ‘out of it’ after a long-distance flight. 

3. Get moving when flying long-haul to prevent Deep Vein Thrombosis

This is what’s going on behind the scenes when you’re sitting still on a long-haul flight. Being stationary for prolonged periods can slow blood flow and combined with the dry cabin conditions and low oxygen levels, blood can thicken, creating the perfect storm for Deep Vein Thrombosis. But when it’s as easy as staying hydrated, taking a small stroll once an hour and investing a good old pair of compression socks, you and I have no excuse not to get moving on our next long-distance flight.

PRO TIP: When selecting flights, aisle seats are a great option to facilitate movement and reduce DVT risk. And when looking for compression socks, shop for knee-length options that meet a recommended compression level of 15-21mmHgto reduce the swelling on flights and promote circulation in your lower legs.

4. Choosing the right gear when flying long-distance

Disrupted sleep on long-haul flights is a major influence on jetlag, so when packing, look for items that actively work towards optimising the best quality rest that plane travel allows, such as influencing the noise levels you’re exposed to, the temperature, light exposure, and low humidity. 

• Blackout eye masks for better sleep on long-haul flights: studies show that blackout masks can enhance REM sleep by preventing light disruptions. Some even come with built-in audio systems that allow for streaming white noise, meditation tracks or soothing sounds to block cabin noise and ease into sleep when flying long-haul.

• Noise-cancelling headphones for deeper sleep on a long-haul flight: Noise‑cancelling headphones use Active Noise Cancellation technology to detect ambient sound and then emit inverse sound waves to cancel it out. This can reduce cabin noise and can improve rest on long-distance flights by lowering sound-induced sleep disruptions, allowing your brain to enter deeper sleep stages. 

• Flying long-haul with a portable charger is a must: Most of us end up relying on charging facilities on the plane but devices are becoming increasingly incompatible with the basic USB plug-in options. Carrying a portable powerbank when flying long-distance takes that stress away. Most major airlines allow for power banks under 100 Wh in cabin baggage but always check with the airline you’re travelling with and airport you’re flying from. (Here’s additional information on what you can take in your hand luggage)

• A headphone splitter: Sharing entertainment when travelling in a pair can be a great way to ignore turbulence and help the hours pass by faster than anticipated when flying long-distance. Headphone splitters make  it easy for multiple people to watch together when there’s only one screen and audio jack available. 

• An adapter to use your wireless headphones with the IFE: Many airlines still use dual-prong audio systems, which means having to swap out your headphones of choice for the standard plug-ins ones offered by cabin crew if you want to watch the in-flight entertainment on a long-haul flight. That is, unless you pack an IFE adapter. These allow for seamless swapping from the IFE films library to what you've downloaded to your phone, including that podcast series you really wanted to get through.

5. Packing the right food for flying long-distance

It turns out that there's an actual reason why food on a plane tastes so bland. The low humidity and the high cabin pressure reduces sensitivity to salty and sweet flavour profiles which can throw tastebuds off balance. Additionally, with desert-like dry conditions impacting nasal passengers, we’re also losing the ‘taste’ we get from our sense of smell on long-haul flights. 

Look for food that contains soy and ginger, which has been shown to help with nausea when raiding through the airport looking at last-minute snacks to pack. Nakd Bars are also a great option as they’re low in sodium and refined sugar while being high in fibre and magnesium. This should help avoid bloat and support muscle relaxation. And because they won’t spike blood sugar, they’re also great at mitigating jetlag too.