It’s nice to bring your own headphones for using the inflight entertainment, as the onboard headphones are repeatedly cleaned, but not always. Noise-canceling headphones are great for listening to some relaxing music or even when taking a nap. They may also be useful for blocking out the noisy family sitting behind you.

Essential for long-haul flights, a comfortable eye mask will help avoid the red eye and improve the quality of sleep. Memory foam eye masks tend to be most comfortable and work much better than the airline masks. You can also try the self-heating temporary eye masks. Very soothing on a flight!

There are all kinds of travel pillows out there now, especially aimed at the long-haul traveler. It’s all down to personal preference, but a child’s mini feather pillow is extremely comfortable, easily washed, and feels luxurious. Comfort is everything.

It’s always useful to have a bag of snacks available, especially if the inflight meal isn’t great. Take a selection of healthy snacks to keep you going. Cereal bars, fruit, crackers, individually wrapped pieces of cheese, and nuts and seeds are all good options.

Avoid the mad rush at the airport or finding that the only seat available is in the middle of two strangers. At least by booking your seat in advance, you can plan your comfort better.

Download your favorite shows or movies in advance, and you’ll always have something worth watching. The inflight entertainment might be broken, or the airline doesn’t have any. Seeing familiar shows that you enjoy is also very comforting during a potentially stressful flight.

Always make sure that your travel clothes are comfortable yet appropriate. It’s amazing how many people dress from their holiday and then realize it’s actually winter at home. Loose layers often work best and can be taken off if too hot at the airport or added if freezing cold on the aircraft.

3 Scarf

A scarf is always useful as an extra layer and can be rolled up and used as a pillow in case you forgot one. It can also be used as a blanket when the air conditioning gets too much.

Make your own amenity kit in advance, so you feel like you can have a treat onboard. Collect or buy sample-size products in a small toiletry bag. A comb, toothbrush and toothpaste, cologne, and facial spray are all nice to have at hand. Feel refreshed during your flight.

The best thing of all to take onboard your flight. A large bottle of water should keep you hydrated. You might only get a couple of glasses of water from the flight attendants, and they won’t have enough water onboard to offer everyone a large bottle. We lose so much water from our bodies during a flight, so it is very important to drink lots of water to keep healthy.

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