If there’s one thing we all know, it’s the difficulty that comes with trying to get comfortable on a flight. The armroom is limited, and the legroom seems to vanish the moment someone reclines their seat in front of you. Still, nothing beats being able to travel and broaden our horizons. So, we do what we must.
Below, we have a few tips and tricks to help you make the most of your time in economy. We’re talking personalized toiletry kits, cocktail kits, and decadent treats for a post-meal moment of joy. Let’s run through each item and see if we can make room for them in our carry-ons the next time we’re flying.
Research the Airline
If you have your eye on a certain travel route and see a few different options coming up, dig deeper into each airline. As you may know, economy is not a one-size-fits-all situation between airlines and aircraft. Check out sites like SeatGuru, which help you measure the pitch and width of the seats, as well as other important tidbits like whether or not there’s power at each seat and WiFi onboard.
Study the Seat Chart
If you’re able to select your seats when you’re purchasing your tickets, don’t take it lightly. Do you want to be by the window? If so, you’ll have to wake people up every time you need to go to the bathroom. Alternatively, maybe you’d rather be in the aisle seat so you have free rein to sit and stand. Just know that you may be tapped on your shoulder the moment you drift off. If you have a little wiggle room in your budget, consider paying for those extra legroom seats. You’ll feel the difference the moment you sit down. And, on a final note, you may be tempted to take the exit row seats because they automatically come with extra legroom. That’s fair enough. But, just remember those seats don’t recline.
Treat Yourself to the Upgrade
Really, more spacious legroom is the biggest key to settling in nicely on a flight. If you can negotiate something within your budget to make room for an upgrade, do it – especially if you’re taking a long flight. If that’s just not within the realm of possibility, keep your eyes open for empty seats. If the flight isn’t full, there’s a possibility the flight attendants will allow you to move to another empty seat that may be less cramped than your chosen one.
Have Something to Cozy Under
Once you’re settled into your seat and the distractions like drinks and food are over, it will be very nice to cozy under a sweater or blanket. If you have room for it in your carry-on, bring a nice, soft blanket that won’t take up too much space. Alternatively, you can make it part of your airport ensemble by wearing a soft, cozy sweater. You can take it off and put it over you as a blanket when you’re ready to settle in.
Bring a Sleep Mask
Despite your best efforts to fall asleep, if someone’s screen next to you is particularly bright or flashing a lot, it’s going to make it quite difficult to catch a few Zzzs. There are countless brands out there on the market to help you close out all the light but not feel like you have something constricting on your face. A good example of that is the Manta Sleep Mask brand. They’re known to be soft and breathable and don’t put any pressure on your eyes.
Elevate Your Feet
It’s a small thing, but the simple act of elevating your feet can put you right at ease. Of course, bringing a small footrest means added real estate in your carry-on. So, what you could do is purchase a tidy little flight hammock that folds up nicely. The moment you pop your shoes off and put your feet up, you’ll be glad you made the extra room for it.
Put Everything You Can Overhead
It’s tempting to want to use that space by our feet for our bags. But all that does is keep us feeling stuffed back in our seats. Then, when someone in front of us puts their seat back, it’s game over. Once you’ve pulled out your blanket, sleep mask, tablet, and other essentials, tuck them in the seat pocket and put the rest in the overhead compartment.
Invest in Noise-Cancelling Earbuds
It’s worth investing in quality noise-cancelling earbuds. Headphones are great, but they can get in the way when you’re trying to get comfortable – and they take up more room in your carry-on or personal item. Popular brands like Beats are so effective that you won’t even hear people coming up behind you when you’re listening to a playlist, podcast, or audiobook. That’s maybe not the best feature when you’re walking the streets in a new city, but it’s a big win when you’re on an airplane.
Purchase Some Duty-Free Treats
To be fair, airplane food isn’t the worst food in the world. But, you know they have better options up there in first class. To elevate your mealtime, purchase a few duty-free treats. Maybe you’ll find some decadent chocolate or other snacks to round out the meal. You can enjoy your treat with the airline’s post-meal coffee and tea service.
Bring a Cocktail Kit
You’ve probably seen these in gourmet food stores. They’re adorable little kits that come in a small box or tin and contain all the ingredients to mix up something fancy. For example, this little cutie will help you whip up an old-fashioned right from your seat. You’ll need to purchase a small bottle of alcohol to go with it. But, as long as it’s less than three ounces, you’ll most likely be clear to bring it through!
Bring Some Refreshing Toiletries
The folks in first class might receive a moist towelette after their meal service. That’s great. But you can have that, too! And it can be something even more tailored to your preferences. For example, you can bring a small pack of washcloths for your face and hands. You can also bring a small misting spray and lotion. Dab on some chapstick or lip gloss and you’re ready to disembark the plane and take on your new city feeling refreshed.
Load Up Your Phone or Tablet
While you’re still home and connected to WiFi, load up your phone or tablet with TV shows and movies. Streamers like Netflix allow you 15 downloads per calendar month. If you have a Premium YouTube subscription, you can also download a slew of your favorite streamers’ latest episodes that you haven’t been able to catch up on.
Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way
Of course, there’s no replacing economy for first class. A lot of this is mind over matter. By finding cute ways to reduce your stress with a cocktail kit or personalized toiletry kit, you’ll take a little bit of the edge off the feeling of being cramped up for hours.
Come on over and take a look at a few more of our travel tips. We love a good challenge like trying to pack for two weeks in a carry-on and invite you to come along for the ride with us! Here’s hoping your next flight is as smooth and easy as they come.