You have your suitcase packed, the mail forwarded, your itinerary in hand and you are ready for the LONG flight.  Some airlines are gearing up for commercial flights that could last 20 hours or more for the first time. How do you stay comfortable (regardless of how long the flight)?  Here are my suggestions and the tips from some experts.

• Start with your seat selection– choose a good seat when possible. Look at exit row seats for more legroom, aisle seats if you want easy access to the loo or like to move around, windows seat if you want to sleep. I like an aisle seat in the front of the plane.
• Wear comfortable clothes. Pull on pants, compression socks, closed toe shoes, light jacket or sweater and a cozy scarf are my uniform. I love the hoodie style- you can pull the hood up when it’s time to sleep.
• Bring anti-bacterial wipes: a somewhat sanitized area should help you relax and rest a bit easier.
• Prepare to sleep: bring a good travel pillow, sleep mask, ear plugs, toothbrush and some simple toiletries. Being able to brush my teeth before sleeping/napping gets me ‘ready’. I use my scarf as a blanket. I also always carry Visine for my eyes and Aquaphor for my lips and nose.
• Bring your electronics and don’t forget your chargers in your carry-on.
• Bring eye-glass cleaner and wipes: nothing is worse than smudged, dirty eye-glasses.
• Bring your own food: I always stash some nuts, granola, dried fruit and almond butter.
• Take it easy on the alcohol: having too much will affect your sleep on the flight and make you feel worse after landing.
• Stay hydrated: drink two liters of non carbonated water and herb teas.
• Noise cancelling headphones: are a good investment.
• Sleep as much as you can but don’t forget to move around the cabin frequently.
• Avoid extended viewing of illuminated screens–  I try to put away put away the electronics early in the flight- the light messes with your sleep rhythms.
• Make friends with your seat mates: be nice- one of the best ways to survive a long-haul flight is to strike up a conversation with the person next to you. It makes it much easier to get up and move around if you are on a friendly basis.
• Relax: I love to fly because really there is nothing I can do but read, think, meditate and get excited about my destination. The peacefulness is a real bonus for me.

My favorite travel outfit