Are you heading on a long-haul flight and nervous about having to sacrifice comfort for your trip? This ultimate guide has long flight essentials that will come in handy and have you feeling refreshed and relaxed at your destination.

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Most people dread long flights, thinking they will be uncomfortable, tired, and stressed. Well, this long flight essentials guide will help you enjoy your flight no matter how long it is. It will ensure you arrive refreshed and relaxed when arriving at your destination.
This guide will have you prepared for overseas vacations, business travel, and more. We have made the best in-flight essentials guide from neck pillows, to noise-canceling headphones, to snacks, to skincare, and everything in between to make your trip significantly more enjoyable.
In this guide, you’ll find ultimate long flight essentials with carry-on must-haves for entertainment, comfort, and more. These long flight essentials are items that seasoned travelers swear by and guarantee a more enjoyable travel experience.
This post is all about the ultimate long flight essentials.
Ultimate Long Flight Essentials
The Best Comfort Essentials For Long Flights
Comfort is the most important thing, especially on a long flight. These essentials will elevate your comfort and help you relax even when traveling in economy.
Travel Outfit
The most important thing is that the travel outfit is comfortable on your flight. I like to wear a loose tracksuit with a t-shirt underneath. I like loose pants because it is better for you when flying. I always have a comfortable sweater that I can throw on over top of my t-shirt since planes tend to get cold.
Neck Pillow
This is one of the most popular travel accessories you need to have on your next vacation. This Travel Pillow will make traveling so much easier. If you like to fall asleep on flights or in the car, this is for you. The worst is having a sore neck when you arrive at your destination. This pillow will allow you to take a great nap so that when you arrive at your destination, you feel great, refreshed, and ready to enjoy your vacation. Has a snap closure, so you can just hang it from your bag and not have to worry about carrying it separately.
Travel Blanket
A great travel essential for planes is a travel blanket. You always want to make sure you have a blanket with you in case you get too cold or just want to sleep and need a blanket. This travel blanket is super soft and warm. It can be folded up into a bag, so it is super compact. It can also be used for airplane travel and has a clip where it can be clipped onto your backpack or luggage.
Eye Mask
Eye Masks are great to have while traveling. Whether you use it for the travel portion on a plane or in a hotel room, they make a world of a difference from distractions. The worst is when you try to sleep and the person next to you has their light on. These eye masks are made with silk material, have an adjustable strap, and have indents for your eyes to make them comfortable to wear.
Compression Socks
These compression socks are a game-changer when traveling on long journeys. Elevate your blood circulation and muscle support, moisture-wicking and breathable, decrease swelling, fight fatigue, and offer all-day comfort.
Sleep Essentials For Long-Haul Flights
Ear Plugs
Another sleep essentials for long haul flights is these Loop Earplugs. They are great for reducing the noise while trying to sleep on a plane. They are also perfect if you are trying to get some work done on the go and need a quiet atmosphere to focus. Great for reducing noise, at the airport, on planes, in coffee shops, in a park, and so much more.
Sleep Aid
These melatonin chewable gummies are absolutely essential on overseas flights. They help you sleep, and they also help you adjust to the time zone at your destination. These specific ones have 3mg of sleep aid and are blackberry flavored. I typically take them about 30 minutes before wanting to fall asleep, which is usually once I board the plane, and then it is a perfect time to take them.
Hygiene, Health, And Wellness Items For Long Flights
Toothbrush/Toothpaste
These Crest Scope Mini Toothbrushes are definitely essential for long flights. They are super convenient to use and don’t require any water or toothpaste. They come with 6 packs of 2 in each pack. They have soft bristles with toothpaste on them and a pick at the other end. Super convenient for travel and on the go.
Travel Size Deodorant
A travel-sized deodorant is essential when traveling. From the airport to the plane, you move a lot, and having deodorant can definitely help you freshen up quickly and make you smell good.
Hand Sanitizer
Hand Sanitizer is a must when traveling, especially on planes where there is no fresh air and all the germs stay inside. You don’t even realize it, but you touch the overhead bins to put your luggage away, you touch the seatbelt, you touch the armrests and the seats, and probably so many other things as well. Having hand sanitizer can get rid of germs, so you can have clean hands when you eat or even touch your face to freshen up. This Touchland Hand Sanitizer is a fan favorite. Keeps your hands moisturized and doesn’t dry them out. Also has a sleek and compact design and is great to bring on all your travels.
Antibacterial Wet Wipes
Antibacterial Wet Wipes are great to bring when traveling. I first use them to wipe the tray table and anything else I may be touching on my long flight. They are also great to use at your accommodation to clean door handles, sanitize surfaces, and so much more. They always come in handy.
Dry Shampoo
This Kitsch Dry Shampoo is my favorite and an absolute must when traveling. This dry shampoo smells great, absorbs oil very well, adds volume to your hair, and comes in a perfect size for travel. Great to use at the airport to freshen up or even on the plane. It is a powder form, so it is more subtle to use them an aerosol one, which can get on others around you.
Hydrating Eye Mask And Face Mask
These hydrating eye masks help you look awake and refreshed after use, great to have on hand when traveling. This hydrating face mask does wonders for your skin. Planes are super dry, and your skin will definitely need a pick-me-up. These masks leave your skin hydrated and plump after a long flight.
Moisturizing Lip Balm
Lip Balm is a long flight essential for everyone. The worst feeling is when your lips are dry and you don’t have anything to put on them. This lip balm lasts a long time and leaves your lips hydrated for hours.
Vitamins/ Medication
Having all of your vitamins and medications will definitely make you feel like yourself after flying. Take all of your daily vitamins and medications to feel your best. This travel pill container will keep all of your vitamins and medications together, and it also has separate compartments for everything. Prescription medication should be kept in the original packaging with the prescription information on it.
Reusable Water Bottle
This Stanley Tumbler is great to bring on vacation, especially if you love to stay hydrated 24/7. It is insulated with a twist-off lid with a foldable star, making it leakproof as well. Hold drinks cold for hours. This is great to have with you in the pool or on the beach for all your drinks. Also great to use to fill up at airports after you get through security, and great to use when you are out and about and need a drink.
Electrolyte Packets
One of the most important long flight essentials is electrolyte packets. These Liquid IV ones are the best, they provide essential electrolytes your body needs to function. Traveling can be long and especially with long flights, layovers, and time changes, and these are essentials to keep you hydrated and to keep you going. Also helps quench thirst on dry flights. They also come in many different flavors.
Entertainment and Tech Essentials
Headphones
These ultra-comfort Boise headphones are amazing and have fantastic reviews. They are wireless over-the-ear headphones that are noise-canceling and have a built-in microphone. They come in black, white, and rose gold and are worth every penny. The battery life lasts about 24 hours, which is great. Also, these headphones to use on flights since they are comfortable and block out extra noise.
Ipad
This iPad Air is great for watching TV shows or movies on long flights. It has a large screen and is super light to carry. This iPad is super powerful and can be used in place of a laptop as well. It is great to have an iPad for long travel days for so much entertainment. It has lots of memory, which is great for downloading shows and movies when you don’t have data or wifi. A good tip is to download TV shows or movies you want to watch on Netflix, Disney, or other networks, just in case there is no wifif on your flight, you can still access them.
Amazon Kindle
For everyone who loves to read, this is for you. This Amazon Kindle is for you. It is so lightweight and convenient to carry in place of an actual heavy book. The Kindle has a 6.8-inch display and an adjustable warm light that is easy on the eyes. Also has lots of storage and a very long battery life, which is great. Another great long flight essential if you enjoy reading!
AirFly Adapter
A great long flight essential is the AirFly connector. This device is an audio transmitter that allows you to use your wireless headphones or AirPods on planes, and it connects the audio right to them instead of having corded headphones. It is easy to pair, compact for easy transport, has great battery life, and has long-range connectivity.
Portable Charger
This portable charger is a game-changer. It literally has everything you need for charging already attached. The charger has 2 outputs for plugging in other cords. It has a built-in wall plug so you can charge it easily. Also, comes with a USB connector, USB-C connectors, and a lightning connector that pulls out from the sides. You can charge multiple devices at once as well. There is a digital screen that tells you the percentage of battery you have left on your charger. It is super compact to carry and has a sleek design that is available in multiple colors.
Phone Mount
This portable phone mount is essential for plane travel. You hook it on the tray table and can rotate it 360 degrees. Fit your phone into the holder and you can watch anything on your phone hands-free.
Snacks
Some of the best snacks to bring on airplanes are items that are not messy, easy to carry, and don’t need to be heated up. I also like to bring snacks with protein to keep me fuller for longer. The items I bring for airplane snacks are protein bars, granola bars, trail mix, and chocolate-covered almonds. Everyone has a preference for what they like, but these are my long flight essentials for snacks.
Carry-On Essentials Checklist
These are also key items you need to bring in your personal bag as well:
- Passport, ID, Travel Insurance Info,
- Itinerary and tickets
- Cash
- Walled with credit cards
- AirTag
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Long Flight Travel Tips
I always like to have a carry-on when luggage for my trips. This is my favorite carry-on luggage, and it’s the perfect size and easy to roll around. I like to pack an extra pair of clothes, PJs, underwear, socks, and an extra pair of shoes.
I also carry a backpack as a personal item. This Nordace backpack is my favorite to use for long flights. It fits all of my items I listed and fits perfectly under the seat in front of you.
I always put the things I will need on a long flight in my backpack in front of the seat, that way I am not getting IP to grab my carry-on luggage out of the overhead bin and disrupting everyone around me.
Always make sure everything is fully charged when heading on the plane, that way you don’t have to worry once you’re seated about where to find a plug to charge things.
People Also Ask
What are travel essentials for minimalists and people who want to pack light? Check out the blog post “THE ULTIMATE MINIMALIST TRAVEL ESSENTIALS CHECKLIST YOU NEED“.
What to pack for an overseas European Trip? Check out the blog post “THE ULTIMATE EUROPEAN TRAVEL CHECKLIST THAT YOU NED“.
What is a good European travel itinerary? Check out the blog post “ULTIMATE 6 WEEKS EUROPE TRAVEL ITINERARY YOU’LL LOVE“.
Tips on how to pack are only for a carry-on. Check out the blog post “HOW TO PACK FOR 2 WEEKS IN A CARRY-ON“.
This post was all about the best long flight essentials you need.
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