Seat selection surprisingly plays an important role when it comes to flying long-haul. It’s becoming more and more common for airlines to start charging for seat selection nowadays, however when flying long-haul it can be well worth paying that little extra fee in order to choose your own specific seat on the plane. Alternatively, certain airlines allow free seat selection during their online check-in process. A great website to help assist with your seat selection is Seat Guru, their website displays a number of seat layout maps, specific to your chosen airline and flight route. The layout maps offer important information about each individual seat, such as bathroom proximity, recline functionality and seat dimensions, based off of previous traveller’s experiences.

There are a number of factors to consider when choosing your seat for that whopping 10+ hour flight. Do you need to make a quick flight connection? Sit near the front of the plane for a quick exit. Are you a nervous flyer and hate turbulence? Choose a seat closest to the wings as this part of the plane remains fairly stable. Do you want a long sleep without being disturbed? Sit away from the bathroom in a window seat so no one needs to manoeuvre past you. Me personally, I like to sit in an aisle seat, I don’t need to wake anyone else up to use the bathroom and I’ve also got the freedom to get up as many times as I like without being a nuisance.

It’s almost always cheaper to fly with budget airlines in comparison to national carriers, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best option, as the saying goes, you get what you pay for. It’s also worth noting that the majority of budget airlines don’t include baggage, seat selection, meals or drinks, whereas some non-budget airlines include all of these hidden extras. Therefore, once these additions have been accounted for, the fare prices may not vary as much as you initially thought. Even after you’ve accounted for all the extras, it may still be worth paying out that extra bit of cash to fly with a better airline, as you’ll see below. Skytrax is a great website for researching airline ratings and standards, the sire boasts a ton of helpful and handy information covering almost all global carriers.

There are a number of benefits associated with opting for a higher rated airline, superior on board service, greater selection of entertainment, wider variety of food and drinks, better customer service support and a speedier airport experience. On board service is arguably the most important factor when it comes to flying long-haul, from seat pitch and bathroom facilities to cabin crew service and overall flight experience, the highest rated airlines pride themselves on their bespoke on board experiences. Alongside this, they also offer a wider selection of entertainment and refreshments, again enhancing the overall long-haul flight experience. Speedier boarding and priority over airport gates and takeoff slots also gives larger airlines the added benefit of providing a much smoother airport experience. Not to forget, certain airlines are also much better at dealing with cancellations and alterations by providing a higher level of customer service in the unlikely event of any problems or issues occurring.

This handy tip has been around since the start of commercial flying and is still as important today, as it was all those years ago. When we’re stuck sitting in one position for a large number of hours, our blood flow has the chance of starting to slow down, reducing circulation, and causing blood to pool in the legs. This is due to the lack of movement from being crammed into that tiny airplane seat with pretty much no room to do anything.

There are a number of ways to prevent circulation slowing down whilst flying, with frequent stretches being one of the most important techniques, a practice that can be easily conducted from the comfort of your own seat. Doctors strongly encourage passengers to regularly stretch throughout a flight, flexing the calf muscles, rolling the ankles and clenching the toes are all fantastic ways of inducing strong blood flow around the legs. On top of stretching, it’s also crucial to stand up and have a good walk around the cabin in order to really get the blood pumping, it’s widely recommended to do so at least once every hour.

It’s always critically important to stay hydrated in all aspects of life, but it’s even more crucial when it comes to being on board an airplane, especially during a long-haul flight. The air is dry, the humidity’s low and the oxygen levels are significantly reduced, no wonder we feel unpleasantly dehydrated and groggy whilst flying. This can cause a whole load of problems, from dry skin and itchy eyes to tiredness and fatigue, whilst also potentially increasing the risk of picking up any nasty germs and viruses that are lingering onboard.

It goes without saying, you need to make sure you’re drinking plenty of water throughout your entire plane journey to keep your hydration levels at a comfortable position. Make sure you buy a big bottle of water before boarding the plane, as the airline’s refreshment service may be scarce and infrequent. It’s not only drinking water that will help you though, make sure you’re eating fresh fruit and vegetables as well as sodium rich foods before and during your flight, in order to help the body retain a good amount of water. Sufferers of dry skin should also consider a good skin moisturiser, whilst passengers prone to dry eyes should bring eye drops along with them.

We’ve all heard of the term “jet lag” well trust me, it can really mess up your plans for a good few days. It’s best to try everything you can to reduce its effects, adapting to your destination’s time zone is one of the best ways for attempting to beat the notorious and dreaded jet lag! This will help your mind and body transition more quickly and easily into the new and unfamiliar time zone of your destination. In the days leading up to your flight there are a number of different techniques you can try to help your internal body clock fight off the symptoms of jet lag.

Firstly, attempt to switch your meal times to match up more closely with the actual meal times of your destination’s time zone, this will help keep your digestive system in a good routine and allow your body to use its energy stores more appropriately. Secondly, try to do the same with your sleeping pattern, this will make it easier for you to fall asleep and stay awake at more suitable times upon arrival. Understandably it’s difficult to match your sleep and dining patterns with your destination’s time zone but by shifting them closer together you’ll increase your chances of successfully winning the battle against jet lag. You’ll also find airline’s use this technique onboard, in an added attempt to help your body clock adapt, by serving meals and dimming cabin lights to match closer with the flight destination’s time zone.

I personally find it extremely difficult to fall asleep on a plane, but on the odd occasion I’ve managed to, a good set of ear plugs and a comfy eye mask have been absolute lifesavers. We can all relate to how painfully uncomfortable plane seats are at the best of times, so when it comes to needing to grab some well-deserved shuteye onboard, you’re definitely going to want to equip yourself in the best way you possibly can.

Some airlines have started to incorporate mood lighting and dimming during some of their longer routes in order to help passengers relax onboard, but this still doesn’t make for ideal sleeping conditions. A good set of ear plugs will drown out the constant noises humming around the cabin, a moment of silence onboard is certainly hard to come by, especially with the prospect of

We all love a good playlist, but there’s something special about listening to music 35,000 feet above the ground, I don’t know what it is, but it just seems to hit totally different. You get this weird sensation that it’s just you and the music, no distractions and no interruptions. When you’re flying high above the clouds, you’re not just physically disconnected from the world below, you’re also mentally disconnected, free from all your unwanted worries and stresses.

Make sure you’ve got a good mix of songs downloaded to your device in time for takeoff and the switching on of airplane mode. It’s pretty crazy how quick time flies when you’re listening to music too, as long as you’ve got a big enough playlist, you’ll be touching down at your exciting destination in a matter of no time.