6 Ways to Survive Your International Flight

Have you made your packing list? It’s time to think about what you will do on your long international flight. If you have a long layover or delay in an airport, you can spend a lot of time walking around, finding a good restaurant or even finding a bench to take a nap on. In a cramped airplane, you usually aren’t so lucky.

The same air keeps recycling, your neighbor is snoring, and you’re fed up with pacing the same 50 feet of walkway. If you can even get up. You only feel this way after two hours. How will you feel after 10? Here are some helpful tips to get you through a long international flight.

1. There’s always digital entertainment

Most international flights these days offer access to a variety of movies, TV shows, games and music. You could spend your entire flight watching movies. Keep in mind that some airlines have screens on the back of the seat in front of you, while others expect you to use your own device. You could have power in your seat, but it’s a good idea to charge your devices and download content before takeoff. If your airline requires you to download an app, do so while you have a stable internet connection, or you might lose access for the entire flight.

2. Read books or listen to podcasts

It can be difficult to focus on books for the entire flight, but having them available during your trip is useful. They might even help you feel sleepy. Do yourself a favor and load up your devices with several choices. Or, if you find a good, new podcast before a long international flight, you'll have hours of content to enjoy.

3. Make a friend

It’s a shame to start an international trip by ignoring your neighbors. Besides flight attendants, these people will likely have the biggest impact on your enjoyment of the flight. So, start a good conversation right from the beginning. They might be more understanding if you wake them up from a quick nap or accidentally spill your drink on them. You may even find opportunities to share your interests and hobbies, learn about theirs or discuss spiritual things.

4. Pace yourself on food

Many of us eat before boarding because we’re unsure when our next meal will be. Then, if food is served quickly, we may feel obligated to eat that,too. Similarly, we may snack for the next eight hours because we don’t know exactly when the next meal is coming. Want to avoid that sense of food insecurity? Ask a customer service representative or a flight attendant when the planned meals are.

5. Get out of your seat and stretch

Don’t stay in your seat for a whole international flight. Unless you have an aisle seat, you may feel confined for much of the time, but anytime someone in your row leaves is a good opportunity to stand up, stretch, and perhaps take a walk or visit the restroom.

6. Get some sleep

Some of us can sleep through most of a long international flight, even skipping meals. Others can’t sleep at all and end up watching five movies. If you find it hard to sleep during flights, figure out what time it is at your destination and try to sleep during the night there. That might help reduce your jet lag. In fact, we recommend you consider your new timezone as you sleep, eat and manage your exposure to sunlight and caffeine.