Jacq and the City

My Long Haul Flight Survival Guide! ☆☽

I often associate the holidays with flying – a lot of flying and flying for a longgg time. This is because I tend to go back home to Hong Kong every Christmas and unfortunately, that involves a very much unanticipated 12-hour flight from London and back. I have however managed to find ways to make these flights a lot more bearable after the twenty-something long haul flights I have been on for the past few years (gosh that sounds like a lot of time spent on planes haha! The longest flight I have been on recently was a non-stop 16 hours flight from Hong Kong to New York and back… I have no idea how I survived that!!). I really want to share these tips that I have learnt from my own experience with you in case any of you are going on a long flight soon and are dreading it <3
1☆ PREPARATION REDUCES THE STRESS OF FLYING BY A WHOLE LOT
I used to pack super last minute for all my long flights and that really just created a lot of unnecessary stress. I have since learnt to manage my time better and to make sure that I have enough time to pack everything (and not miss out anything important), and also to clean my flat up a little before I leave so everything is neat and tidy when I head out to the airport 🙂 Seeing everything packed and clean just eases my stress levels so much and make travelling a little more enjoyable ♡
2☆ CHOOSE YOUR SEAT (IF YOU CAN!)
If your airline gives you the option to choose your seat before your flight, make sure to do that so you can choose the best seat for you 🙂 Of course, this only applies to those sitting Economy class (like me haha) and if you are lucky enough to be sitting Business or First class for a long haul flight then you can probably sense my jealousy all the way from here 😛 I always choose an aisle seat for long haul flights if I can because it makes sleeping and going to the bathroom so much easier, especially since you will be stuck on a plane for hours. I also like to choose seats in the front to middle part of the plane as oppose to the back of the plane because you can hear less of the engine and feel less of a bump during turbulence (which I am not a fan of at all). ♡
3☆ HYDRATION IS YOUR BEST FRIEND
I have only come to terms with this recently but I have truly found the importance of hydration and the perks of hydration on a long haul flight! I find that if I drink enough water on a plane, I don’t get the uncomfortable feeling in my stomach that I usually get when I have been on a flight for too long as much, and I am also able to sleep better and get off the plane looking better 🙂 Also, instead of getting water from flight attendants on the plane, I like to buy a bottle of water after security to bring on the plane with me so I can sip on it 24/7, e.g. when I wake up in the middle of the night, during take off and landing, random times when I feel like drinking water but am too lazy to call a flight attendant etc. 
Skincare wise, I always bring a lip balm (the Nivea lip balm works really well for me and is hygienic as it is in a lipstick form) on the plane for long flights. Overnight face masks also help my skin stay moisturised throughout the flight (I especially like the Laneige Water Sleeping Mask on planes because it gives a cooling sensation and you don’t have to take the mask off until you get off the plane!) ♡
4☆ SLEEPING IS KEY
If you are struggling to figure out what you can do on a 12-hour flight, sleeping is the answer. On average, I can sleep for around 5 to 6 hours on long flights and that helps a lot because I will only be awake for half the time of the actual flight and it makes time passes by so much faster 🙂 If you have trouble falling asleep on planes, try getting sleeping tablets that could help you fall asleep easier on long haul flights from your doctor or pharmacy 🙂 Make sure you are not using the sleeping tablets for the first time on the actual flight though because if the medicine ends up not working for you or if you have an allergic reaction to it, you don’t want to be only finding out when you are on your flight! ♡
5☆ COMFORT OVER EVERYTHING ELSE
Unless you are going to be on TV and there will be 1000 cameras following you around at the airport, give up all expectations of ‘airport fashion’ right now. After all the flights I have been on, I have learnt the hard way that you will be SO glad you wore those sweatpants and sneakers while you are on a super long flight and went with no makeup + glasses instead of a full face of makeup + contacts 😛 Wearing comfy clothes makes sleeping so much easier and you also don’t have to bother with taking off your makeup and taking out your contacts on the plane 🙂 
6☆ MULTI-USE YOUR NECK PILLOW!
I always bring a neck pillow with me on the plane not because I like to use it around my neck but because I usually put it behind my back for extra support 🙂 Sitting on the plane for too long can cause me really bad back pains but the extra back support I get from my neck pillow helps A LOT. I especially like those inflatable neck pillows because they don’t take up much space in your bag and you can inflate them on the plane ♡ I never go without my neck pillow nowadays on long haul flights and it is a complete lifesaver 🙂
These are all my tips for now and I hope this has not been too lengthy to read! ♡ If any of you have any more tips that can help make long haul flights easier please share them below because I would love to know them 😀 Also, to anyone who is travelling this holiday season, travel safe and I wish you an amazing trip to wherever you are travelling to! <3
♡

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