We’re all about a great deal on a flight, but eight-plus hours in a cramped economy seat can deliver you to your destination tired and stiff. To make your journey more comfortable, control whatever you can: Create decent sleeping conditions, bring your own tasty meals, and freshen up on board. Here are five ways to make that long-haul flight in economy more bearable.
1. Get travel accessories to help you sleep better
Sleeping while sitting upright isn’t easy, but a handful of travel accessories can significantly improve your chances of snoozing for a few hours.
Neck pillow
Neck pillows are crucial for getting some shut-eye, whether you’re flying or taking the train. Among Afar editors’ favorites are the Trtl Pillow, which wraps around your neck like a scarf and is secured with a Velcro closure. An internal support mechanism keeps your head cradled in an ergonomic position, preventing a stiff neck. The puffy Infinity Pillow, meanwhile, is like a scarf meets a sleeping bag meets a pillow. Wrap it around your neck to sleep against your seat, or roll it up to snooze against the tray table or window.
An eye mask and essential oil
To create a dark environment for sleep, bring along a silky soft eye mask like this one from Asutra, filled with lavender and flax seed. Wearing it also means you won’t fall into the trap of endless in-flight entertainment; the screen’s blue light stops your body from making melatonin and keeps you awake. And since lavender is known to help with relaxation and has antimicrobial properties, consider dabbing on a few drops of essential oil, too.
2. Wear compression socks
In most business-class amenity kits, you’ll find branded socks to keep your toes toasty. You can do even better by opting for compression socks, your best defense against stiff legs and swollen feet and ankles (plus they’ll keep your legs warm). Be sure to get socks that go all the way up to your knees; ankle compression socks are no match for an overnight flight to Europe in economy.
3. Elevate your feet
Keeping your feet elevated is crucial not only for comfort but also to cut down on the risk of deep vein thrombosis, or DVT—blood clots that can be caused by long periods of sitting. An airplane foot hammock is a padded footrest that elevates your feet a few inches off the floor, which helps alleviate back pain, stiffness, and, when combined with compression socks, swollen feet and ankles. The foot hammock’s straps loop around the metal arms of your seat tray, and you can adjust them to find the most comfortable height for you.
4. Eat well and drink plenty of water
Forget settling for an iceberg salad, a soggy slice of terminal pizza, or a tiny bag of pretzels. Bring a healthy meal from home; it will cost you far less and be more satisfying than pricey airport food and will give you something to look forward to on the flight. In reusable containers or recyclable foil, pack a few snacks like nuts, cut-up vegetables, or fruit for a short flight, or something more substantial for a longer flight—think steamed sweet potato with black beans and brown rice or a hummus and veggie sandwich. Make sure anything that’s liquid or spreadable doesn’t exceed the TSA three-ounce limit; for example, no whole jars of peanut butter or full-size containers of hummus.
If you don’t have time to pack food, some airport shops sell wholesome snacks such as mixed nuts, low-sugar Greek yogurt, and crudité boxes with hummus; these will keep you full and help you sleep better. Packaged miso soup or oatmeal often come in self-contained bowls, so all you have to do is request hot water from the cabin crew.
Above all, bring a reusable water bottle and fill it before you board. It’s essential to hydrate throughout the flight; having to go to the bathroom will get you out of your seat. Yes, this interrupts sleep, but it also helps you stretch your legs.
Related: The 11 Best Water Bottles, According to Frequent Travelers
5. Freshen up on board
Airplane cabins are dry. Protect your skin and keep it hydrated, and you’ll feel less zombie-like on arrival.
Reusable face wipes are perfect at home but not necessarily practical on a flight. A small pack of wipes, like Patchology’s 15-pack, rich in vitamin B5 and Bioitin, can be used before applying a sheet mask (see below) and at the end of long hauls. They’re a gentle and cooling way to get rid of excess oil and gunk from dry airplane air and may even wake you up a bit.
- Buy now: Yina Divine Bio-Cellulose Masks, $98 for 5 masks, yina.co; Lapcos Milk Sheet Mask, $20 for 5 masks, lapcosusa.com; KNC Beauty Star Eye Masks, $25 for 5 pairs of masks, kncbeauty.com
If you’re on a really long flight—anywhere in the USA to Asia, for example—you’ll have time to apply a sheet mask. After cleaning your face midflight, pop one on. Anyone looking at you is just jealous of how dewy your skin will be. The moisturizing sheet masks from Yina, an organic skincare brand founded by two traditional Chinese medicine doctors, are packed with skin-soothing ingredients like ginseng, licorice, and evening primrose. The more budget-friendly Lapcos Milk Sheet Masks calm and plump skin. To give your tired under-eyes a boost, try KNC Beauty’s Star Eye Masks.
Don’t forget the sunscreen
For the final step of your high-altitude skincare, apply sunscreen—yes, even at 30,000 feet in the air. You’re closer to the sun and its damaging rays, and airplane windows only filter out some dangerous UVB rays, the kind that cause sunburns, but can’t completely block UVA rays, which can still cause skin damage. Put on sunscreen, like Supergoop’s Unseen SPF 50 and, if you’re in the window seat, close the shade to keep harmful rays at bay.
Related: Here’s How to Arrive at Your Destination Looking Like You’ve Just Had a Facial Instead of a 10-Hour Flight
To wrap up your in-flight refresh, brush your teeth and swipe on deodorant. Make sure these toiletries are easily accessible before you take off to avoid any postsleep stumbling through the overhead compartment.
This article was originally published in 2020 and most recently updated on March 4, 2025, with current information. Kristin Limoges and Erika Owen contributed to the reporting of this story.
