In 2022, I took two of the longest flights of my life, traveling between Auckland, New Zealand, and Los Angeles.
While the flights were some of the longest of my life, they were also some of the most luxurious. For both trips, I had a business-class seat.
But even with that extravagant perk, there were still a handful of things I did to make the flights go smoother.
In June 2022, I headed to New Zealand for the second time. I was eager to return to a country filled with rolling green hills, fresh seafood, and welcoming people. The only thing I wasn’t eager for was the flight there.
Flights from the US to New Zealand are among the world’s longest flights. I traveled from my home in Denver to Los Angeles, where I boarded a 13-hour-long Air New Zealand flight to Auckland.
The flight clocked in at 12 hours on the reverse route home. Business Insider received a press rate for the round-trip flight to Auckland.
Even with my business-class ticket, which included seafood dinners, endless Champagne, and lie-flat beds, a long-haul flight is tough. Regardless of where I was sitting on the plane, here are a few things I did to make the trip easier.
I chugged water both mornings leading up to my flights.
Frequent bathroom breaks aren’t ideal on a flight, but being dehydrated is even worse.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, the atmosphere in airplane cabins makes it even quicker for people to get dehydrated. There are lower humidity levels, which can lead to dry throats and eyes.
Passengers need to drink more water both before and during the flight. The Aerospace Medical Association recommends travelers drink 8 ounces of water each hour they’re on a plane.
While I wasn’t able to drink 104 ounces of water on the flights, I made sure I boarded my long-haul flights hydrated. When I’m dehydrated, I have lower energy levels and don’t feel like myself.
Since both flights departed in the evening, I had plenty of time during the day to drink water. I also made sure I packed my reusable water bottle to fill up both at the airport and before boarding the flight.
I planned a comfortable layered outfit designed for all temperatures.
For decades, flying involved suits and ties, dresses, and elegant attire.
Today, not so much. For many travelers, including myself, the main goal for a long-haul flight is comfort.
For me, that means pants that aren’t too tight, shoes that I can wear for hours on end, and, most importantly, layers.
Since the temperature can vary between airport terminals, lounges, and the flight itself, I always make sure my outfit can withstand both warm and cold environments.
For both of my long-haul flights, I wore sneakers, flowy pants, a tank top, and a warm layer. I was thankful I had a versatile outfit. While the airport lounge was freezing, there were points throughout my flight where I was glad I could unzip my jacket or take off my sweater to cool down.
At the airport, I stretched and made laps around the terminal before my flight.
The knowledge that I would be confined to an airplane seat and tight aisles for the next 13 hours was a daunting realization leading up to my flight.
So, before boarding, I attempted to get all my energy out.
Before heading to the airport, I either took a long walk or went for a run. Once I arrived, I continued as many simple exercises as possible.
In Los Angeles, for instance, I tracked down an empty airport hallway and did some stretches. At Auckland’s airport, I took long laps around the terminal.
I boarded both my long-haul flights feeling tired, which also helped make falling asleep easier.
Before boarding my long-haul flights, I fueled up on healthy food like salad and fruit.
Most of my decisions leading up to the flight were designed to help me avoid feeling sluggish during my travels and after I arrived at my destination. That included what I ate before I boarded the plane.
Unfortunately, on the way to New Zealand, I made the mistake of devouring a cinnamon-sugar pretzel. For the rest of the flight, I was bloated and lethargic.
While a pretzel might not typically upset my stomach, according to the Cleveland Clinic, the changes in pressure can cause gas inside your stomach and intestines to expand, hence a stronger bloated feeling.
Business Insider previously reported that fiber and protein can help travelers feel better after a long-haul flight. When I headed back home on my return flight, I made sure my snack choices were on the healthier side. That included a few bowls of salad, an apple, and a protein-packed bowl of ramen.
After settling into my seat, I made an effort to say hello and thank my flight attendants.
The role of flight attendants is often overlooked. Beyond pouring drinks and making sure passengers have their seat belts buckled, they perform behind-the-scenes safety checks, navigate stressful situations, and think on the fly when things go wrong.
The bare minimum I can do as a passenger is to let them know I appreciate their work.
For my long-haul flights, I thanked my flight attendants before the plane even lifted off the ground. I also took the time to learn names and have quick chats.
By the time we took off, the flight attendants felt more like friends. Later, when I wanted a glass of water and a snack, I didn’t feel guilty approaching them since we were on a first-name basis by this point.
I have friends who pack gift bags or bars of chocolate for flight attendants at the beginning of their flights. On my next flight, I think I’ll follow their example and throw some candy in my purse to thank my flight attendants for their hard work.
I kept my flight essentials in my backpack but picked a smaller bag to maximize legroom.
No matter where you’re sitting, legroom is precious on a long-haul flight.
I kept that in mind when I packed for my flight to New Zealand. Instead of the larger backpack I normally bring for trips and place under the seat in front of me, I grabbed a smaller, purse-sized backpack.
It was just large enough to fit my laptop and essentials like headphones and an eye mask while not taking up all my legroom.
Sure, the smaller backpack meant I had to sacrifice packing an extra shirt or two, but I was thankful that I could fully stretch my legs in my seat.
Packing two types of headphones is a long-haul flight must.
I haven’t found a single pair of headphones that I can comfortably wear for more than a few hours.
With that in mind, I knew I couldn’t wear either my Airpods or my over-the-ear headphones for 13 hours straight.
So, I made sure my backpack had enough room for both. When I got to my seat, I was also surprised that business-class travelers received a pair of nice, over-the-ear corded headphones for the seat’s TV.
Between the three pairs of headphones, I could listen to movies, music, and podcasts for hours without achy ears.
A small bag of toiletries with a toothbrush and lotion kept me feeling refreshed.
In business class, a small bag of toiletries was waiting for passengers when they arrived at their seats. Inside was a thin eye mask, lotion, lip balm, ear plugs, a pair of socks, and a toothbrush and toothpaste.
No matter my seat class, I always pack the toiletries I think I’ll need for a flight. So, in addition to what Air New Zealand gave me, I also packed my own toothbrush, face wipes, a plush eye mask, spare face masks, lip balm, and gum.
Between the two sets of toiletries, I had everything I needed to fall asleep and feel refreshed after the long-haul flight.
A comfortable eye mask helped me fall and stay asleep.
Since I knew I wanted to attempt to sleep for the majority of my long-haul flight, I made sure to pack an eye mask that was comfortable.
Air New Zealand gave each business-class passenger an eye mask, but I thought my personal one, which I found had more padding and was more comfortable, was worth the space in my backpack.
The eye mask helped block out light, so between that and my noise-canceling headphones, I nearly forgot I was on a flight.
I came prepared with a hefty list of downloaded podcasts, music, books, movies, and TV shows in case boredom struck.
On many long-haul flights, passengers have their own personal TVs with shows, games, music, and movies.
While my screen provided ample entertainment, I also wanted access to the shows and music I loved.
Bon Iver, for instance, has an album I often listen to fall asleep. And I know I can devour the podcast “Criminal” for hours on end.
Since I couldn’t guarantee Air New Zealand would have my favorite shows and podcasts, I came prepared with them all downloaded on my personal devices.
I was productive for a few hours on the flight and in the airport lounge, which helped me relax and fall asleep later on the flight.
I always have the naive hope to be productive on a flight. The reality is that rarely happens. The lead-up to a flight typically involves last-minute packing and lengthy security lines. When I’m seated on a plane, I’m ready to relax.
The pressure to accomplish work felt more intense on a 13-hour flight that was part of a business trip. I’d feel like I wasted an entire day if I disembarked the plane without checking anything off my growing to-do list.
So, I did a little work in the airport lounge. Once the seatbelt signs were lifted and I was allowed to pull out my laptop and tray table on the plane, I spent about two hours working.
I didn’t work for very long, but by checking a few things off my to-do list, I felt zero guilt falling asleep a few hours later.
While business class inherently makes a long-haul flight easier, simple things like chugging water and having three pairs of headphones made the flight a breeze.
Thirteen-plus hours on a plane can be hard on the body, so I was shocked when I disembarked both Air New Zealand flights feeling refreshed and energized.
Yes, having a lie-flat bed for a nap helped, but I also prepared more for these long-haul flights than I prepared for shorter flights.
So, whether my next flight is across the world or the country, in business class or coach, I’ll make sure I have multiple headphones packed and a few chocolate bars for my flight attendants.
The post I took a 13-hour flight from the US to New Zealand. Here are 11 small things I did to help make the trip easier. appeared first on Business Insider.
