Overnight Economy Flights: How to Survive the Long Haul

Originally published on LeonardRaymundo.org

Flying does not come easy for all travelers, especially for those flying for 10-12 hours or more. Overnight flights can be difficult for even the most experienced economy flyers, and not having an actual bed to sleep in like those in first class doesn’t help. However, there are a number of tips and tricks you can use to make the trip itself much easier, the following being just a few.

Take Advantage of Upgrades

This does not mean immediately upgrade to first or business class. Not only is that often an extremely expensive decision, it would contradict this entire blog. But, if you can pay a little extra for additional legroom or a recliner seat, take advantage of those small opportunities to maximize your comfort and chance to actually sleep on the flight.

These upgrades might also come with priority boarding, allowing you to beat the rush of everyone else joining you on your flight. Knowing how long and taxing immigration lines can be, this perk alone is usually enough to convince economy flyers that the small bump in price is worth it.

Eat Beforehand

Almost everyone has heard the cliche line from standup comedians, “What’s the deal with airline food?” The reason being, airline food is not always that great. It’s even lower quality in economy. To avoid getting on a long flight with an empty stomach, essentially relying on the in-flight meals, eat in an airport restaurant or at home before your flight. This can also help you fall asleep sooner and faster while you’re up in the air.

Do Not Drink Beforehand

Unlike food, drinking liquids right before the flight will only result in you having to stand up and use the restroom more frequently. The same goes for drinking one too many alcoholic beverages mid-flight. While there’s nothing wrong with a glass of wine or two to help you sleep better, pounding several drinks will have adverse effects and can also prevent you from being able to sleep for longer periods of time.

An effective strategy is to hydrate as much as you can the day before your flight. This will prevent feelings of extreme thirst the day after while allowing you to casually sip before your plane departs, also preventing one too many bathroom breaks.

Block Out the Sound

The final piece to the puzzle of falling asleep on an overnighter is making sure that too much noise is not the reason you spend your entire flight awake. Invest in a nice pair of noise cancelling headphones to block out the sounds around you, which are sometimes unavoidable. Smaller children don’t often take kindly to air travel while their parents don’t want the attention. Let everyone be and create your own quiet space with headphones and an eye mask for added effect.

The Frustrations of Flying

Jetsetting sounds cool, but frequent travelers are all too familiar with the time-consuming, exasperating process that is boarding an airplane. It seems like having a nice, stress-free experience at an airport is almost impossible given the amount of rules and checks you go through before boarding your plane. The entire procedure can be stressful and exhausting, but preparing yourself in advance can make things easier, letting you focus on the good times you’re about to have at your destination.

A common dilemma most of us face is the time in which flights should be boarded. Do you attempt to be the first in line? Or, is it better to wait and join the last few boarders? There are a large number of airport amenities to take into consideration when deciding whether you should board now or later, which can be seen as a positive. Lounges, for example, are a great reason to hang back and enjoy a cocktail while your flight boards. Should you choose to wait however, you will most likely have much less space in overhead storage for your baggage; an inconvenience that can make any flight unenjoyable.

In-flight upgrades are rare. If you’re offered one, take it. The chances of that happening however, are fairly slim. Most airlines rarely offer upgrades, so if you are not at the gate in the event of them calling your name, you will be quickly passed on. Just one reason to perhaps skip the nearest airport lounge, however tempting the cocktails may be.

Delayed flights are perhaps the most frustrating events to take place when flying. Regardless of the reason, arriving at the airport and working your way through the TSA all in a reasonable time only to be told your flight will not be departing for several hours can drive any traveler mad. Unfortunately, this is one flying frustration that is out of your control, so long as you are not the direct cause for the delay (and I hope you’re not).

Depending on where you are traveling and how much you plan to bring, luggage can be another extremely tedious task that comes with flying. You are trusting all of your travel possessions to be safely and carefully transported to the destination you of your choice while it is completely out of your sight. Though that certainly can be seen as a convenience, the chances of losing or having your luggage damaged still remains. The worst part is that should your luggage be lost somewhere in the process of transporting it, most airlines very rarely reimburse you for their mistakes. I suggest packing light, and as minimal as possible.

Though the distance of your flight is entirely up to you, leaving one time zone and entering another can be disorienting, and certainly frustrating. Having to endure jet lag during the first few days of your trip can put a serious damper on your time away, and can even affect your overall health.

I’ll end this blog on a positive. As frustrating as flying may be, it really does open you up to a whole new world of experiences you wouldn’t have otherwise. You open your mind to new perspectives . So, in the few hours or so it may take to get on a plane, just know that the seeing the world is a privilege we should all be thankful for.