Hey !
If you clicked on this, I assume you’re the kind of person that loves to travel. And if you love travelling, you might one day be confronted to this kind of ordeal : a Very Long Flight.
I’ve been travelling all my (short) life since I was about three months old, I’m actually pretty used to sit down for hours and hours in an uncomfortable skimpy cold seat, surrounded by dry air and lifeless light. But being used to it doesn’t mean I can’t go mad because of the loooong hours of confinement !
That’s why in this post I’m going to show you what I bring or do on a long flight plane to make the trip a lot more enjoyable and confortable !
My last plane trip was actually a Paris – Cali (Colombia) flight (with a halt by Madrid), so 12 hours of plane. But this list can without a doubt apply to any flight you might find difficult !
Ps : If you wish to know about my vacation in Colombia, here’s my Colombia – Travel Diary #1 Post 
• Bring Something To Read
The most practical option, books are awesome when you’re travelling because of many reasons :
- They don’t run out of battery
- They smell nice
- They can entertain you for a long time it it’s a big book
- They come in so many versions : novels, fantasy, magazines, coloring books… there’s a book for every taste !
Personally I took this one with me, « The Third Humanity » by Bernand Werber (if you like science fiction and transhumanism I highly recommend it !)
• Watch Some Movies
On long flight trips, you often have access to a screen device to entertain yourself. There you can watch the films you didn’t get to see at the cinema ! Aaaand since a movie is mostly 1 hour long, you actually spend time pretty fast.
I got to watch La La Land, Logan, and Fantastic Beasts (all three were quite awesome, i’m glad I chose them !)
• Bring Your Laptop On Board
You can use your laptop for a lot of things, even if you’re offline :
- You can blog on the plane, writing some posts in advance on word, or editing pictures you took
- If you don’t like the movies that are proposed on the plane, you can bring various films of your choice on your laptop to watch, and even some series !
- Maybe you’re into video games ? If that’s the case, download some offline games to play on the plane
And much more ! Of course use it on plane mode and don’t forget to bring your charger, most planes have plugs to charge your devices.
• Bring an Earphone Splitter
Travelling with many people ? How uncomfortable is it when you want to watch a movie together on the plane, but you can only connect one pair of earphones on your device ? Someone solved this problem for you, and created the Earphone Splitter where 2 or even 3 people can watch a movie together, each one connecting their own pair of earphones !
• Use Your Phone On Plane Mode
Just as your computer, plane mode has changed everyone’s life on the plane, since you don’t need to shut your phone down anymore ! You can use it for almost everything you do on your computer offline, write posts on your notes app, edit pictures with offline apps, play offline games, and also watch videos saved on it ! If you don’t have a laptop, a smartphone is actually a great substitute.
• Wear A (Very) Confortable Outfit
The main problem when you’re locked on a plane for several hours, is that you get tired, but you can’t lay down to sleep. Some people actually manage to sleep in a sitting position, I’m not one of those. BUT, i’m very small, so I can always bend/roll myself on my seat in a way I know I won’t move, with knees to my chest, arms on my knees, and forehead on my arms.
For these kind of positions, I need to wear something stretchable and warm, since it can be easily cold on planes.
Here’s my take on a confortable outfit ! A warm hoodie, a wide shirt, some leggings, and comfy sneakers. Not very fashionable, but very cosy to wear :
• Don’t Forget Your Power Banks & Cables !
As I already mentioned it in my 11 Travel Essentials Post, power banks are a must have when you travel. And since there isn’t always a plug to charge your electric devices (it happens, even for long hour flights), better bring those just in case ! But also bring every charging cable you need, because most times there are plugs, and even USB ports.
• Prepare Some Music Playlists
Listening to music can be a great way of relaxing on the plane if you can’t manage to sleep. But it can also be useful if you’re really bored to listen to music you know will cheer you up and distract you from the boredom ! Prepare those beforehand on your phone or mp3 device, so all you’ll have to do is hit the play button ?
• Hydrate Your Face
Planes are cold, but they are also very dry. The air easily irritates your skin, so you better apply some hydration cream on your face to minimize the damage ! Don’t forget your lips, and bring some chapstick too. Pampering yourself on board can also help you feel more confortable and less confined during your flight.
Small containers and samples are a good option since you’re only allowed to bring 100g of liquids and creams.
• Play Some Card Games
If you’re travelling with other people, or of you like to interact with others on the plane, this can be a great option of passing time ! Card games come in so many different versions, and they’re always fun to play ! Even if you’re by yourself, you can play the card game called Solitaire.
• How About Bringing Your Gaming Devices
If you enjoy video games and have a portable gaming device, why not bring it with you to play on the plane ? The most practical to me is the Nintendo SP, old but gold when it comes to compactness, it’s really small and can fit anywhere ! I play my old Zelda Minish Cap and Zelda A Link To The Past on it ?
• Use Wifi Internet Access On Board
Many companies offer these kind of services nowadays, in exchange of a fee. If you’re really addicted to being online, or if you just want to experience tweeting your location from the plane, this can be an option of entertainment too !
These were my tips to survive hours on a long flight plane trip !
What do you do when you have a hours to spare on a plane ?
Share your own tips with everyone !
That’s quite a flight! I have a 2 1/2 year old and I can’t even imagine trying to entertain her for that long without being able to get up and move around… I guess people do it though! The longest we have attempted is Seattle to New York which is about 9 hours including one layover.
That must be challenging indeed ! My parents used to put my brother and I into cardboard boxes at their feet, that way we had some space to play. But we were very quiet children to begin with, so they could’ve taken us anywhere ! ?
I’ve never been on a plane? but I plan to someday, even though I’m probably gonna be a little scared lol. I still wanted to read this and found it interesting and helpful☺️✨
Oh, that might be a shock then the day you’ll fly for the first time ! Flying on a plane is quite amazing even for someone that traveled by plane all their life like me, looking at a landscape of clouds is really a beautiful sight ?
I love clouds lol☺️ so I know I’d love that view
Alls I know, is that when I was an exchange student in Holland (before the Interwebs), I bought a 6-pack of Heineken in the duty-free shop at Schiphol a shared it with my neighbors on the 10 hour flight back.
Sometimes, the old fashioned ways are best ??
Awesome tips and great pics (:
I once had a 13-hour bus ride, but I’ve never been on such a long flight!
Awesome tips! Applying a sheet mask does wonders for your face; You dont look so exhausted when you land.
This post is so helpful, I’m one of those people that get bored easily so these are going to be super helpful. My skin gets super dry at plane, so I always need some kind of moisturizing face spray or mask. xx
Thanks dear ! ? I feel you, I’m the same way too ?
That’s really useful, thanks! The longest I’ve had so far was 8 hours: about halfway through I was getting quite claustrophobic. And it was 2003, so I didn’t have options for devices ?.
Thanks Niall ? Oh I remember those dark times where all you could do was stare at the sit in front of you… that was awful !
This is a great post! Thankfully it isn’t a 12 hour flight, but we’re flying out on Sunday and I’ll need some of these xx
I have a 10+ hr flight at the end of this week, and you and me have similar ideas! I am making playlists, got my earphones ready and even bought a puzzle book ! 🙂
Awesome ! That’s exactly the kind of things I’d do indeed, the point is to keep the mind busy ? Hope you had a great flight ! ?
These are all GREAT tips (and FWIW my travel wardrobe is usually identical to yours even though I’m guessing I’ve got at least a decade on you, if not pushing 2 ? …) – And yes, it takes up room in the carryon, but I totally agree about the old fashioned, big ol’ fat paperback. The only other tip I have is *IF* you can at all swing a last-minute upgrade (which I managed to do once, last minute, thanks to a ton of frequent flyer miles), do it! For a flight that long, esp. international, airlines often have « arrival lounges » where you can shower, grab a snack, or even SLEEP for a few hours til you can check into your hotel – but only if you’re flying in a class above economy. (Also there’s more wiggle room, better options for sleeping in your seat, and better food! ? )
Thank you Flossie ! Fashion has no age haha ? This is a great tip indeed, thank you for sharing ! I have a friend that does that regularly, and he’s really happy about it. We don’t get to do it often though, since we have to get the tickets to Colombia really early to get the cheap ones. I’ve been once on buisness class, and yeah everything is just… better ?
I love that you mentioned the smell of books! Haha my husband makes fun of me because I like the smell of books.
Ooh, a fellow book lover ! ? I think the smell of books is a big part of what makes books awesome haha ?