04 Aug How to Survive an International Flight

I’ve been on my fair share of international flights. Over the course of these flights, I’ve developed a system to make myself more comfortable, calm and collected. I get asked a lot how to survive international flights, so I thought I’d share some of my tips as well as some of the products I use to have a peaceful flight.

My Travel Rest
Plane seats are not comfortable. They’re small, they’re hard, and you get no leg room. Because of this, if possible, I usually opt for bulkhead or emergency aisle seats (I wish I could fly business or first class, but hey, your girl does not have that kind of dough). Another thing that has totally been a game-changer is the travel rest. I’m not going to lie, this thing does get me a couple glances, but boy does it make me more comfortable. I love that there are a couple options of how you use this, which helps when you need to shift your body weight in your seat. Another thing that I appreciate is that it’s compact and easy to carry. I highly recommend this, especially over those neck pillows, which force your head forward.

Dramamine
I get motion sickness…bad. So this is an absolute must whenever I travel. This has definitely saved me a couple times on those more turbulent flights. I usually opt for the drowsy formula, because I prefer to sleep through my flights. I also like the tablets because in an emergency, you can hold and dissolve them under your tongue for faster relief.

Sanitizing Wipes
I usually have a pack of travel wipes with me at all times, but I make sure to have them on flights because we all know how particularly germ-y planes can be. I know most people carry hand sanitizer, but I prefer wipes because they’re more effective at actually removing dirt. I also like having the option on wiping down the head rest, tv screen, arm rests, etc.

Nintendo Switch
Flights can be long and I can be a very impatient person. I also have a hard time sitting still in general, so the in-flight entertainment usually gets old for me pretty quickly. Because of this, I love traveling with my Nintendo Switch. Not only is this my favorite gaming console at the moment (besides my PC), but it’s travel friendly and easy to pull out and play for short or long periods of time. My favorite games are Stardew Valley (super peaceful game that’s easy to play for hours), The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (completely deserves game of the year for 2017), and Skyrim (when I’m looking for something more complex and long-winded). Here’s the case I travel with to keep my switch safe and the screen protectors I use… because nothing is worse your switch taking a damaging spill.

Beats Headphones
Nothing ruins a flight faster than a crying baby. Since the bulkhead seating attracts families (because that’s where the baby basinets are), it’s not uncommon to sit near an unsettled baby. Over-the-ear noise-cancelling headphones are super important for me because they allow me to zone out and be at peace in my seat. I really don’t know how I traveled without these!

Earbuds
This might seem excessive, but I also travel with your typical, run-of-the-mill 3.5 mm jack earphones. I do this because it’s hard sometimes to sleep with full-blown over-the-ear headphones. I also have these in case my Beats headphones die. I usually have a set of these in my travel bag at all times so it’s not really an inconvenience for me to have them.

My Hydroflask
I LOVE my hydroflask! I always have this on me, especially when I travel. I like to have access to my own water (and lots of it!) when I’m on a flight. You can dump them out before you go through security, and refill them at water stations a lot of airports have or have the flight attendant fill it up for you. It also helps me stay hydrating because I try to drink 1-2 of these during an international flight.

Netflix
I always make sure to download a couple movies and shows on my phone through Netflix in case the tv screen at my seat is broken. I also like to do this because sometimes I don’t care for the in-flight entertainment selection.

External Battery
Since I travel with so many devices, I like to keep a portable charger on me. This is great to have in case of an emergency and sometimes, the outlets around the seats are not strong enough to actually charge my devices. This is the type of thing you’ll be glad you have when you need it!

Guided Meditation Soundtracks
This might sound a little woo-woo, but I download guided meditation tracks on my phone. I’m not going to lie, I do get a bit of travel anxiety so this is something that helps calm me down. I also use this to fall asleep when I’m traveling or even when I’m at home!

So these are a few tips and tricks I use to make myself more comfortable when traveling internationally. Please share what you do because I’d love to pick up some more tips!

xoxo,
Morgan