A younger, more naïve me was almost as excited about his first long-haul flight as I was about the actual trip. The disheveled state I shambled out of the plane in quickly disabused me of such notions. Long travel days remain something I’ll never relish, but experience and prep have at least made them more bearable.

In my years of traveling, not only have a done multiple long-haul flights, but also overnight bus rides, overnight trains without a sleeper car, and the much dreaded overnight sleep on the floor of the airport waiting for an early morning flight. All of these experiences are, for lack of a better word, bad. But they can become more bearable if you plan ahead, have the right items with you, and do you best to keep a positive attitude.

In this post, I go over the essentials that now accompany me on every long-haul trip. Take notes if this is your first time, so you don’t have to be as miserable as I was. Even if you’ve been around the globe a time or two, you might find a couple of items among my favorites you haven’t even considered.

Comfort Items

Even when flying premium economy, being cooped up in a seat for hours on end can make anyone go stir-crazy. That’s why the following are now on top of my packing pile each time.

A memory foam neck pillow

The few inches of recline in economy seats don’t go far. A firm travel pillow made from memory foam provides great support, letting me actually catch some Z-s during red-eye flights without feeling like I need some WD-40 afterward.

A fleece hoodie

I’ve long since stopped praying to the air vent gods and started bringing a comfy fleece hoodie regardless of the actual destination. Whether I’m stuck in an aisle seat on a newer plane or have to face a neighbor’s cold blasts on an older one, the hoodie keeps most of the cold at bay. And it also doubles as a makeshift pillow or blanket when it’s sleep time.

Compression socks

Catching a case of Economy Class Syndrome is never on my travel to-do list, so I take precautions. You can do only so many aisle stretches and take so many bathroom breaks before people start giving you dirty looks. Compression socks make for toasty toes while also ensuring proper circulation.

Tech Must-Haves

My must-have gadgets focus on making the trip fly by and let me hit the ground running. I always make sure to bring:

Noise-cancelling headphones

These are a godsend for drowning out everything from humming cabin noises to annoying seatmates trying to stir up a conversation. The bubble of calm I feel when putting noise-canceling travel headphones on lets me close my eyes and pretend I’ve already arrived. Or put some music on and lose myself in the beats.

An e-reader

What better time to catch up on my book backlog than 10 hours of sitting in place? E-readers might be my favorite gadget, ever! They can hold as many doorstop novels or business reports as you care to subject yourself to, yet remain compact. I can’t tell e-ink apart from the real thing at this point, and not having the search or dictionary functions would be a serious downgrade.

Plus, it’s great to combo the reader with those headphones to occasionally rest my eyes and continue a story in audiobook form.

A powerbank

It’s a good idea to charge all your gadgets the night before the trip, which I don’t always remember to do. Bringing a powerbank makes this a non-issue since I can plug any gadgets that need topping up while waiting for the boarding call, or during the flight itself if the airline’s rules aren’t strict. Either way, bringing the powerbank means you won’t have to search for incompatible outlets or depend on the jacks your seat may or may not provide.

An eSIM

I dislike the information blindness that happens when arriving in a foreign country. Knowing what I know about public Wi-Fi, that’s not an option, especially not at the airport. I’ve had a lot of success with eSIMs, though.

They work like regular SIMs without the hassle of replacing the card or losing access to your number. You just get a good provider, see what plans they have available for your destination, and get the one that suits you the best. I love how the eSIM automatically switches on when arriving and can check messages or use online maps even before exiting the airport.

Small Health Essentials

Despite experience and preparation, travel days can leave one wrung out. So by health essentials, I mean small but crucial items that help me feel human during and after the ordeal.

The “dry-air survival kit”

That’s what I call the items that make the dry air inside the cabin and its side effects bearable. Lozenges for your throat, a dab of skin cream, eye drops, and some saline nasal spray usually do the trick. Also, stay hydrated and drink lots of water.

Basic meds

Some pain medication and pills that prevent diarrhea and motion sickness. Nothing too exotic, just easily reachable stuff you should already have in a first-aid kit in your carry-on. I keep these in a belt pouch, but fanny packs work just as well.

Wipes

I don’t know who’s been touching those armrests, and after the way some people behaved during COVID, I’m not taking any chances either. I bring two. Disinfectant wipes are useful for wiping down dirty surfaces and peace of mind. On the other hand, skin wipes help with dryness while also providing the freshness one desperately needs to stop feeling like a prune.

Happy Travels

What have your experiences been like on long-haul trips? If you have tips to share, let us know! And also check out our tips for surviving jet lag here. Have a great flight!