By skyforbes 
Last Updated on 27th May 2024
This post about long haul flight tips contains affiliate links.
Travelling on a 30+ hour flight is not something that you want to do very often; in fact, it’s probably something that most people will only do a handful of times in their lifetime – if that.
Our 30+ hour flight to New Zealand a couple of weeks ago was the third time I’ve been on a plane that long (I’d done it twice going there and back to New Zealand in 2011/2012) and it’s not a journey that I’d like to make on the regular.
However, the power of flying really is truly amazing and I’m so grateful that you’re able to get on a plane and in just a matter of hours (or days in some cases…), you’ll arrive at a new destination, ready for an incredible adventure.
As I’ve completed the journey numerous times now and know exactly what it’s like and what you can expect, I’ve compiled a list of my top tips on how to survive a 30+ hour flight!
1. Try and book a night flight – long haul flight tips
Booking a night flight can be a great thing to do if you’ve got a 30+ hour journey ahead of you. While it will feel like you’re travelling for days on end (especially if, like us, you need to set off from your home at lunchtime to get to the airport on time), I truly think night-time flights are so much better when it’s long-haul.
A night-time flight will mean (hopefully!) that you’ll be able to sleep well, so even with the numerous different timezones you’ll be flying through, your body and sleeping schedule won’t matter too much.
Both legs of our flights to New Zealand were night-time ones and while we didn’t sleep great on the second flight, it still made it much easier to get some sleep.
2. Purchase your seat before your flight if you want to sit somewhere particular
We didn’t receive the details of our seats until we checked in 24 hours before as we didn’t purchase our seats when we booked our flights. It turned out that the airline hadn’t sat us together (which is SO annoying when you clearly want to be seated next to the person you’ve made the booking with…) so we had to wait until we got to the check-in desk and asked for our seats to be moved.
The moral of the story is, if you want to make 100% sure that you’re sat next to your travelling companion, book your seats when you book your flights. Booking your seat beforehand also means that you get to choose where you want to sit; at the window, in the aisle or at the very front of the plane for extra legroom.
3. Consider purchasing an upgrade
Another thing to consider when you’re embarking on a 30+ hour flight around the world is whether you should pay extra to upgrade your seat to either business or first class.
It definitely makes the plane journey easier and way more enjoyable, but obviously, upgrades are notoriously expensive so you’ll have to decide whether it’s worth parting with the cash for extra comfort!
4. Book lounge access – long haul flight tips
One of my top long travel tips is to book lounge access for the airport and this is something that we did before we flew to New Zealand (in fact, I booked a yearly lounge access pass for me which gives Matt discounted access too).
Instead of paying for us both when we arrived in Guangzhou, we just showed them my pass and then purchased a discounted pass as well.
It’s well worth booking lounge access if you have a layover that’s over at least three hours. Our stopover in China was almost 8 hours and those three hours (most lounges only allow three-hour access at a time, but you can always extend it if needed) in the lounge were blissful; we showered, put on a fresh change of clothes and ate as much food as we could before we got on our second flight.
If you’re travelling around the world, or even if you travel regularly, lounge access passes can be a great investment, especially if you pre-book them in plenty of time.
5. Embrace the plane food – it’s really not that bad!
For so long, I’ve heard people complaining about the dire state of the plane food, but I’ve truthfully never experienced really bad plane food.
It can be a good idea to try and check the food options before you fly so you’re aware of what you might want to eat onboard.
But honestly, my best piece of advice would be to try and embrace the plane food as it’s really not as bad as you think – particularly on long-haul flights. They (nearly) always have great options available and will cater to many different dietary requirements as well.
6. Bring snacks with you – long haul flight tips
Having said that, some plane food can be questionable, to say the least, so it’s better to be prepared rather than go hungry.
Make sure you pack numerous snacks in your carry-on luggage that you know you’ll enjoy eating even if the plane food isn’t good.
7. Make sure all your electronics are fully charged
One of the worries that many people have about flying long-haul is what to do on a 12+ hour flight to keep yourself entertained.
Fingers crossed, most long-haul flights will have built-in entertainment systems where you can watch a range of movies, TV shows and listen to music and even play games!
However, in the event that you’ve picked the worst airline possible (sorry!), it’s a good idea to ensure all your electronics are fully charged and that you have a selection of Netflix series or films downloaded and ready to watch.
Having all your electronics fully charged also means that you can rest assured that you can contact people when you’ve landed at your destination without worrying about your phone battery being dead.
8. Drink plenty of water – long haul flight tips
Another one of my top travel tips for long flights is to drink plenty of water because man do I get dehydrated whenever I fly. Even if I’m on a short European flight to Prague or Oslo for example, my mouth and throat get so dry and I usually arrive at my destination with a sore throat.
In order to combat that, I try and drink as much water as possible while flying. We’ve started bringing a huge empty bottle through security with us so that we can fill it at one of the airport’s water fountains once we’re through security.
Failing that, just stock up at one of the airport shops before you fly as even though you’ll be able to get bottled water on the plane, I never usually find that it’s enough.
9. Moisturise your face regularly
Another great tip that I always abide by is to carry a 100ml bottle of moisturiser with me on the plane so that I can moisturise my face throughout the flight.
It’s no secret that the air on planes thoroughly dries your skin out and leaves it looking much worse for wear when you land at your destination. By moisturising your face regularly throughout the duration of your 30+ hour flight, you’ll hopefully arrive looking and feeling much healthier!
10. Bring a jacket/jumper/blanket
Planes are invariably freezing cold so save yourself from a chilly journey and pack a jumper or hoody of some sort to ensure you stay as warm as possible for the duration of your 30+ hour flight!
Oftentimes, long-haul flights will provide you with a small blanket and pillow for your flight but they can often be pretty flimsy and not warm at all so it’s often a good idea to bring your own. Or at least a large scarf or shawl that can double up as a cosy blanket!
11. Pack a simple toiletries bag – long haul flight tips
Regardless of the duration of your flight, you’ll probably have a small clear, airport-approved bag of toiletries with you anyway, but I think for a long-haul flight it’s particularly important to be equipped with the bare essentials in terms of toiletries.
Even if you’re not booking yourself into a lounge, on a 30+ hour flight, you’ll likely want (and need!) a freshen-up at some point so make sure you have all the essentials. Pack things such as a mini shower gel, toothpaste, toothbrush and a compact hairbrush; a simple freshen-up can make the world of difference when you’re travelling for over a day!
12. Don’t forget Vaseline or lip balm! – long haul flight tips
As well as bringing face moisturiser with you (and ensuring you use plenty of it!), you should also pack a tin of Vaseline or a lip balm as well.
Despite trying to drink as much water as possible, I still get pretty dry lips on a plane so some Vaseline every hour or so sorts them right out!
13. Try and get as much sleep as possible
This can be an incredibly hard thing to do, especially if you’re not sitting in the luxury of first class, equipped with endless champagne, a seat that turns into a bed and someone who practically wipes your arse for you, but you should still try and get as much sleep as possible on your 30+ hour flight.
As I mentioned before, Matt and I didn’t sleep great on our second leg but we managed to get a lot of sleep on the first one so we felt much better when we landed in Guangzhou.
Booking a night-time flight can definitely help you to get as much sleep as possible as your body clock will already be accustomed to going to sleep as you set off in the air.
14. Bring a spare change of clothes (or at least clean underwear)
Similarly to packing a toiletries bag, you should also bring a spare change of clothes and underwear with you, even if you don’t manage to have a shower at the airport.
A 30+ hour flight is seriously no joke and it’s safe to say you’ll be feeling less than clean by the time you arrive. Freshening up and putting on a fresh set of clothes (or at least just some new underwear) can make the world of difference and leave you feeling much cleaner for your second leg.
15. Pack painkillers and antibacterial hand gel or wipes
My final tip when travelling on a 30+ hour flight is to bring some painkillers and antibac with you. It’s no secret that a plane full of hundreds of people is absolutely teeming with germs so try and eradicate as much risk of you becoming ill by hand sanitising as much as possible when flying and at the airport.
If you do become ill while flying or you can start to feel the germs making their way through your body (ew), bring some paracetamol or ibuprofen with you so you can catch whatever bugs you may have caught straight away.
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Have you ever been on a 30-hour flight? Do you think you’d be able to manage?! Let me know in the comments or on Instagram at @imjustagirl_16.