Dreaming of going to your honeymoon in the ever-so romantic Paris or for an all paid corporate trip to Australia? Well, then why don’t you look excited? 

Oh, right! You’re stuck on a long flight in economy. Well we hear you and we definitely know the infuriating feeling of being stuck on a plane for what seems like forever.

WNY Holidays is no expert in life but we definitely know a thing or two about traveling and we’ve got some travel hacks for you to survive a long haul flight in economy. So, let’s get to it then, shall we? 

Before we start, let’s debunk the greatest myth of all times. Flying for a long time isn’t as glamorous as celebrities make it seem. With their fancy glass of champagne, airport looks and big-roomy seats, they make flying for a long distance flight seem like something you would want to do. Right? 

But what we fail to realize is that the luxuries of business class rarely last in economy. In economy, we encounter other ‘luxuries’, like the crying child, the cramped up middle seat, the armrest fight with the person sitting next to you and many more. So it is your job to make yourself as comfortable as you can be on a long haul flight. 

The first hack of getting through a long haul flight is to wear comfortable clothes. While this may seem like a given while traveling, we still see many people ditching convenient clothes for their ‘airport looks.’ WNY Holidays strongly advises otherwise. Think of any outfit you would be happy wearing for an entire day. We say the entire day because there may always be a chance that your flight gets delayed or you’re in the plane for longer than expected. Our suggestion is to wear a comfortable pair of jeans or joggers with a t-shirt or sweatshirt. And NEVER forget your shoes. Save your heels, jewelry and accessories for the trip and be as minimalistic as possible. 

While you should always be prepared for the worst, it should not be the case while packing your cabin luggage. Which brings us to our second point, keep very basic cabin luggage. We wouldn’t want you struggling with a big bag for 10+hours. Our solution- only carry basic toiletries, a water bottle and any form of entertainment apart from your travel documents. 

The third hack is to always get a good seat. The key to surviving a flight in economy is choosing the best seat as per your requirements beforehand. If you want a seat with more leg room, we suggest you opt for a seat near the exit rows. If you’re looking for a seat which gives you the comfort of moving around in the plane, choose an aisle seat. Psst! Even though we love children, if you want to avoid crying babies on the plane stay clear from the first few rows of the plane as this is where you find a special provision for babies exclusively on international flights. Thank us later!

Number four- don’t be afraid to move around in the plane. Just because you have a seat assigned doesn’t mean you can’t stretch your legs every now and then. Not only do we strongly recommend stretching, but health experts state that this prevents you from having deep vein thrombosis. What this means is that you might be at the risk of developing blood clots in one or more deep veins, especially in your legs. You wouldn’t want this to happen, would you? If you feel conscious or scared to move around in the plane, we suggest you do some stretching on your seats. Easy!

Worried that you might fall sick after having the food in an economy plane? Or do you have any specifications or allergies which leave very few food items you can consume? The fifth hack is to always carry something small to eat on a plane. While this may not seem very modern and practical, carrying food will help you survive a long journey without thinking about food the whole time. Nuts, cereal or protein bars, a salad or some fruits are always a go to snack you can carry.

Have you ever felt really dehydrated or thirsty on a long flight? Well you’re not alone. Aircrafts are always a very dry place which means chances of you being dehydrated are pretty high. Dehydration can cause irritation in your eyes, your skin feeling dry and in extreme cases a numbing sensation. Sounds scary, doesn’t it? Well, all you need to do is carry your own bottle of water or ask for some every now and then and stay clear of tea and coffee. 

Lastly and something we enjoy a lot. SLEEP! Prepare yourself to sleep in your economy seat. Since you wouldn’t be getting the 5-star treatment of a business class traveler..*sighs in disappointment* We would advise you to take your own light blanket, basic toiletries, neck pillow and any essential oils to give you a good night’s rest. After all, nap time is our very own happy hour. 

Now that we’ve spilled all the hacks, WNY Holidays hopes that you have an amazing experience in your next long haul flight. And before we sign out make sure to check out how you can pack like an expert.