In the old days of long haul flights, you’d see rows of people making do with the sad mini pillow and crackling with static every time they wriggled under those fleece blankets which airlines provide. Upon landing in some far-flung country, necks were cricked, all feeling in feet was long gone, and eyes were puffy. But nowadays, you’re more likely to see flight-savvy young things trussed up in hi-tech neck pillows and luxurious silk eye masks. I recently flew to Mauritius and was dreading the two 12-hour night flights (cue tiny violins).
I’ve never been able to sleep on aeroplanes, but I’d seen TikToks of Gen Z’s complex flight-time rituals involving hammocks which suspend from chairs, multiple neck supports, and complex combinations of masks, and decided to put them to the test. They may look ridiculous, but who’s laughing when they are sound asleep and you are sat blinking at the little plane moving over the globe on your screen?
24 hours of airtime later, I have perfected the best tips and tricks to nail a long haul flight.
Invest in a futuristic neck rest — or a window seat
@misstiffanyma The only way i can sleep 8+ hours on a plane ✈️ travelhacks travellife travelvlog
♬ original sound - Tiffany Ma
I’ve never understood neck pillows. Does anyone truly find the classic U-shaped ones comfortable? Not I. But all sorts of ergonomic, state-of-the-art alternatives are cropping up. One that has been doing the rounds on TikTok is the Trtl travel pillow (£49.99, trtltravel.com), a sort of neck brace that makes it look a little like you’ve been in some terrible accident. It prevents cricked necks by providing support to your neck and head so you don’t have to lean to the side. It’s a boon if you’re stuck in the middle seat. For a squishier alternative, the Ostrichpillow Go Neck pillow (£69, ostrichpillow.co.uk) is a wraparound memory foam number with raised sides which you can rest your head on.
Both of these options are great for middle and aisle seats. But I still think the most elite choice if you can bag a window seat is bringing a pillow from your bed at home. You might look like a little lost child walking through the airport with it, but the comfort is hard to beat. Rest it upright on the window side armrest so it gives support to your shoulder and arm, too. In terms of baggage allowance, airline staff tend not to mind if you carry a pillow with you, as long as it’s not secretly stuffed with clothes.
Get your feet up
Not only does sleeping in a chair position feel unnatural, but it is bad for your circulation and your back. But there are other options. I invested in an inflatable foot cube (they sell all sorts, like this one I bought for £19.99 on Amazon). That way I could curl up on the closest thing to a bed you’ll get in Economy. For an easier but slightly less cosy option, invest in a foot hammock. It hangs from the tray table and the height can be adjusted.
Block out the noise
As I boarded my flight, I was wondering why there were quite so many children. Hundreds of them. Hundreds! I checked the dates and my heart sank: I realised I was on flights which bookended half term. Luckily, I had thought ahead. In order to block out the squall of a hundred children and the rumble of a jumbo jet, you need really, really good noise cancelling headphones. My favourites are the Bowers and Wilkins Px8s (£499, johnlewis.com), which have buttery soft leather and feel like listening to music in an opera hall. They don’t do that weird vacuuming thing when you turn the noise cancelling feature on, which I find too disorienting on a flight.
Babies shrieked throughout the night, I’m told, but I didn’t hear a thing. If you prefer nodding off without music or a podcast, try the Loop Dream earplugs (£44.95, loopearplugs.com). They block out up to 27 decibels of sound and are designed to be comfy, even when sleeping on your side.
Give your eyes some space
Eye mask savants will know that all the best ones have little cavities for your eyes, so you can blink without your eyelashes getting squished. A little like a bra for your eyes, and equally as becoming, Slip have a great option (£55, slipsilkpillowcase.co.uk) which allows you to blink freely beneath blackout blinds. If you don’t like straps, go for Drowsy Sleep’s wraparound mask (£69, drowsysleepco.com). It’s made of mulberry silk and feels like being ensconced in a cloud.
Stay hydrated
It’s a fact of life that they never give you enough water on a long haul flight. I feel guilty for making my way through a ton of plastic cups and still end up parched. Reusable water bottles are never big enough – bring along an empty 1.5 litre plastic bottle and refill it once you are through security. The humidity in an aeroplane cabin is usually around 10 per cent (even the Sahara Desert is 25%) which means your skin will dry up, too. Slather on a thick moisturiser, like Augustinus Bader’s The Rich Cream (£74, cultbeauty.co.uk) or your favourite night cream. Keeping your skin hydrated is especially important on the return journey if you want to maintain a tan.
For the first time in my life I was actually comfortable and cosy on a flight. I slept a solid seven hours each way and didn’t have that groggy flight hangover I usually get. With all these new gadgets you might look a bit like you’ve been mummified in memory foam, but believe me, it’s worth it.
