How to Survive Long-Haul Flights: Melissa Biggs Bradley’s Tips for Long Flights

How is it that I don’t dread long-haul flights? Maybe because after years of logging thousands of flight miles, I have come up with a strategy that allows me to minimize discomfort and make the most of the journey. Below are some of the long-haul flight tips and tricks that I rely on to travel comfortably and hit the ground running.

Routines give us comfort, and travel often seems like the enemy of predictability, but there are lots of aspects of travel that you can control, which is why I lean into rituals. For starters, I rely on one carry-on bag for all of my travels—the Indagare tote bag. It is tried and tested—in fact, I purpose-designed it for what I knew I needed: maximum space, a waterproof bottom, an interior zip pocket, a strap so it slips on a wheelie bag, and a pocket for a water bottle. I keep these items in the bag, always: a pouch filled with a variety of Apple charging blocks and cords; a portable power bank; and a foldable duffle for extra purchases. (See what else is always in my carry-on here, including in-flight must-haves.)

In the same vein, you shouldn’t have to start your packing list from scratch every time you travel. Make your life easier by relying on the lessons of the past and keeping track of what is always handy on the road. I have multiple packing lists—for example, a safari list, a toiletry kit list and a universal packing list—which I run through before heading out the door. These checklists keep me from ever forgetting things like my passport, chargers, sunglasses and AirPods.

My father always wore a blazer on a plane, and I still cringe at the number of people wearing actual pajamas and slippers in airports, but I believe in finding a middle ground. I have a travel uniform that consists of comfortable stretch pants (Spanx flares are my favorite); slip-on sneakers; a cotton shirt; a three-quarter cardigan; a cashmere scarf and compression socks (I love Falke’s). The result: it is as comfortable as pajamas but looks stylish enough that I can go from sleeping on the plane to a meeting without looking rumpled (or embarrassing my father).

One of the ways that I avoid jet lag is starting to adjust to the time zone that I am traveling to a few days in advance by shifting my sleep schedule. Before I get on a flight I have set my watch to where I am going. For example, when I leave New York next week to travel to Johannesburg, even though my flight is departing (via Dubai) at 11:20 a.m., I will eat my “dinner” before boarding the flight, because it will be eight hours ahead, or 7:00 p.m., already in Joburg. When I get on the plane, I will mentally be preparing for bedtime—so I will read or watch a movie for two or three hours and then go to bed at 10:30 p.m. South Africa time. I will sleep for seven to eight hours and wake up with a few hours before landing, which will be the morning in both Dubai and South Africa. I will eat brunch in Dubai before boarding my flight to Joburg, and on the next flight, I will stay awake the whole flight and arrive in Joburg in time for dinner.

As a sleep obsessive, I monitor my sleep with an Oura ring and have learned certain tricks that help me signal my body to sleep. Regular habits like taking melatonin or magnesium or drinking tea before bed are easy to bring on the plane, as are silk sleep masks like my favorite model from Drowsy. I also love apps with specialized white, blue or green noise to cue sleep.

Ever since a friend of mine flying to Hong Kong had her passport stolen during the flight, I make sure to keep my valuables either with me or locked in my bags when they are in the overhead. I have heard multiple stories of people who have slept soundly on flights only to discover that money, jewelry or electronics had been stolen from the carry-on bags that they had stored in the overhead compartments. The TSA-approved padlocks on sale in airports are the ideal deterrents.

I learned years ago from a stewardess on Singapore Airlines that traveling at thousands of feet has a similar effect on your digestion as being under anesthesia. (To put it plainly—the increase in gas is why you may experience fellow passengers' flatulence.) You are much better off eating a meal a few hours before boarding and minimizing eating until you disembark. You should hydrate as much as possible, which is why I always travel with a large refillable water bottle and packets of electrolytes. And as tempted as you may be to drink caffeine or alcohol, it is best to avoid both as they dehydrate you. The advantage of depriving yourself of plane food, which is never very good and always over-salted, is that when you arrive wherever you are traveling, you can kick off the adventure with a good meal—which also helps your body adjust to your location's time zone.

It’s great when you have access to lots of channels for movies and other entertainment on board, and when the internet and power sources at your seat work, but too often they do not. So it is always smart to have loaded your Kindle or iPad with plenty to read and watch to keep you busy. Additionally, I always make sure that all of my electronics and extra power banks are fully charged before boarding so even if the power sources don’t work in my seat, none of my items will die in-flight. Finally, since the internet access varies so much from flight to flight, it is always better to prepare not to have it and be pleasantly—or unpleasantly—surprised if you do.

Of course, if you can upgrade yourself to a premium cabin (and preferably on an airline like Emirates that has lounges in their business class area), you will have room to move around and a more extensive choice of food and entertainment. Educate yourself on airline loyalty programs and credit card perks to maximize your strategy—and when you have an Indagare Custom Planner membership, our team of flights experts can also advise you on your options.