Going on A Long Haul Flight: Here’s Your Travel Essentials Packing List
"Don't make me walk when I want to fly" - Unknown
There’s nothing more exciting than going on holiday ✈️🏖️🏝️
But once the initial excitement has subsided, reality kicks in, and you have to think about what flight essentials you need to pack…
Long-haul flights can be exhausting, so whatever you’re travelling for (business, vacation or seeing loved ones), spending hours in the air requires a bit of preparation.
The right travel essentials make a huge difference, so you can stay comfortable, entertained, and refreshed.
In this post, I’m sharing everything you need to pack for a stress-free flight. There’s comfort must-haves, in-flight skincare, and even a few tech gadgets to keep you entertained.
So, before you zip up your carry-on🧳 check out this ultimate travel essentials packing list to ensure a smooth and enjoyable flight. ✈️
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Comfort and Clothing Essentials
Comfort is key when it comes to a long-haul flight, or any plane journey for that matter.
Check out my top comfort and clothing essentials below:
Comfortable and Breathable Outfit - think butter soft leggings, comfy joggers and a cosy sweatshirt. Also a breathable top (cotton is best) to wear underneath your sweater or hoodie will come in handy! It’s all about the layering…
Easy to wear, slip-on shoes - airport security will often require you to remove your shoes. A pair of cushioned trainers or loafers that can provide good support, allow for some swelling and are breathable are a MUST!!!
Lightweight scarf or Pashmina - you’ll be thankful to take some form of scarf, pashmina or blanket, because the aeroplane’s temperatures fluctuate (it gets super cold with the in-flight air con 🥶)… plus it can be doubled up as a pillow or blanket.
Neck Pillow - long-haul flights can really give your neck a battering, and usually, you’ll want to try and get some sleep. Here’s where an inflatable or memory foam neck pillow can be your saviour, giving you that much needed support.
Compression Socks - unfortunately, sitting for long periods of time on a flight can cause blood clots and DVT (deep vein thrombosis), therefore a good pair of compression socks can help prevent this. They gently squeeze your legs to promote blood circulation. They aren’t pretty, but are essential on lengthy flights.
Cosy socks - warm, fluffy socks can be a godsend on a plane, especially if you want to take your shoes off mid-flight to be more comfortable. There’s nothing worse than having cold feet.
Eye Mask and Earplugs - flights are noisy and busy (think cabin lights and the general hum of the plane) so trying to sleep on them can be super hard. An eye mask and pair of earplugs should be a necessity in your travel bag, as they’ll help you to sleep and rest better.
Reusable water bottle - water is key for hydration on a flight. Once you’re through security, fill it up and take it on board.
Snacks
Plane food isn’t the greatest, or the healthiest, therefore taking some yummy and healthy snacks is a MUST!
Healthy nuts and bars - think nuts, trail mix, granola bars, dark chocolate, or dried fruit, which can give you some much needed energy.
Crackers and Cheese - a perfect snack to munch on when you get a bit peckish in the air!
Sandwiches or Rolls - you can either buy sandwiches in the airport (or in the shops on your way, as they’ll be a lot cheaper) to take on board, or make your own at home beforehand, to take with you.
Fresh fruit - apples, oranges or bananas are a great “throw in your bag” snack…
Crisps and popcorn - another quick and easy item to pop in your travel bag is a packet of crisps or popcorn.
Mints and Chewing Gum - these can help with ear pressure when taking off, but are also great if you feel a bit nauseous or anxious.
Tea bags or herbal tea - take a sachet or two of your favourite herbal tea on board. You can then just ask for some hot water during the flight.
In-Flight Skincare Essentials
Let’s be honest - flying isn't great for your skin (cabin air is extremely dry) so keeping it hydrated during a long-haul flight is essential.
Here’s how you can maintain a fresh and glowing complexion, and it all starts with the pre-flight prep!
Pre-flight Prep
Hydrating Serum - applying a serum that’s hydrating will help to lock in moisture before you even board the plane.
Rich moisturiser - next up, apply a nourishing face cream, to moisturise and keep your skin super soft.
SPF50 - if you’re flying during the day, you’ll want to apply your factor 50 sunscreen. This will protect from the UV rays through the aeroplane windows.
In-Flight Refresh
Face wipes or Micellar water - it’s important to refresh your skin during a flight, and gentle face wipes or soothing micellar water will do the trick. It’s amazing how much oil and dirt can build up. Try Bioderma Sensibio H20 Micellar Water
Face Mist - the only way to combat dry air is for your skin to drink in a refreshing facial mist. Spritz away whenever you feel your skin needs it. Try Caudalie Beauty Elixir
Overnight sheet mask - you may feel uncomfortable applying a face mask (and you can skip this step if you are) but if you’re ok with it, your skin will appreciate the benefits of a hydrating sheet mask so much! Try LANEIGE Bouncy and Firm Sleeping Mask
Lip Balm - who wants dry, sore lips. Not me... Applying a thick hydrating balm will prevent your lips from chapping. Apply every hour or so to keep in the moisture. Try LANEIGE Lip Sleeping Mask
Under Eye Patches - tired eyes can feel gritty, so adding some cooling under-eye patches will sooth the tiredness and help to reduce puffiness. Try Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Eye Patches
Hand Cream and Cuticle Oil - keep hands soft and moisturised with a Shea Butter hand cream and a cuticle oil. Cuticle oil pens are super easy and convenient for travelling. Try L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream
Post-Flight Freshen-Up
Light Moisturiser - once your flight is over, your skin will be thirsty. Refresh your skin with a light moisturiser and spray some more of your face mist for extra hydration. Try La Roche-Posay Hydraphase HA Intense Light Moisturiser
Tinted Moisturiser or BB Cream - you may want a light, hydrating coverage after a long-haul flight, to add some oomph back into your complexion. A tinted moisturiser will work too! Try Erborian BB Crème or bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Moisturiser
Concealer - boost tired eyes and dark circles with a touch of concealer. Try Maybelline Instant Anti Age Eraser Concealer
Dry Shampoo - flights can flatten your hair, what with sleeping and leaning on a headrest constantly. Zhuzh it up with dry shampoo to give it some much needed volume. Try Living Proof Perfect Hair Day (PhD) Advanced Clean Dry Shampoo
Health & Hygiene Essentials
We all need a few must-have hygiene essentials on a long-haul plane ride…
Electrolyte tablets - get some minerals back into your body by adding some electrolytes to your water. This will help after the flight dehydration. Try HIGH5 ZERO Electrolyte Tablets
Hand Sanitiser/Wipes - absolute must-have travel essentials, to keep your hands clean (lots of people on flights mean lots of germs) and to wipe down your tray table! Try Neal's Yard Remedies Natural Defence Hand Sanitiser
Toiletries - make sure you can freshen up before, during and after a flight, with essentials such as a travel toothbrush and deodorant. Try Colgate Travel Toothbrush and Wild Mini Deodorants
Medication/Supplements - if you take medication, don’t forget to take it with you Remember to keep it in its original packaging too!
I would also take a paper copy of your prescription, or if you can’t get hold of this, make sure you are able to access it on an app/phone, in case you need to show it to flight crew or security.
If you take vitamins or supplements, you can pack these too. Most airlines accept gummies, capsules and gels in your carry on luggage. My tip would be to also keep them in the original packaging with clear documentation.
If you suffer from travel sickness, don’t forget to pop travel sickness pills into your bag too.
In-Flight Entertainment & Tech
Long-haul flights mean plenty of time to watch a few episodes of your favourite series or read a book…
Let’s take a look at what you can do to entertain yourself during those hours on a lengthy flight, plus some awesome tech to indulge in:
Noise-Cancelling Headphones – block out the background noise and relax. Having a good pair of headphones that can immerse you in your music or a movie is exactly what you need when flying. Try Bose QuietComfort SC Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones
Smartphone - none of us go anywhere without our phones, and smartphones can do so many things. If you don’t have a tablet, your phone can do all the same things, so make sure to download anything you want to watch or listen to, before you head up into the air.
Tablet or e-reader - before travelling, be sure to load up your iPad or Kindle with books, box sets and podcasts, so you have plenty to relax and switch off to. Try Kindle Paperwhite
Journal or notebook and a pen - sometimes crazy ideas and thoughts come to you when you’re 30,000 feet in the air. A pen is also essential if you need to complete any customs forms.
Portable Charger (power bank) - devices tend to run low when you least expect them to, and when you really don’t want them to (think middle of an episode and it’s the most amazing part) so make sure to pack a portable charger to prevent this from happening. Try Anker PowerCore 20000mAh
USB flash drive or external hard drive - if you’re planning on working on the flight, or just want to have a backup of movies etc, then you need to take a USB stick or external hard drive with you. Try SanDisk Portable External Hard drive
Important Travel Documents
The one thing that makes me super anxious when travelling is the travel documents.
I am that person who checks, double checks and then checks a further five times, to make sure we have everything.
So make sure you have these items to hand and at the ready:
Passports - the most important document of all is your passport. You can’t travel without it and you wouldn’t believe the amount of people who forget them. Make sure you’re not one of them and keep it somewhere safe (I have a travel wallet which is for our whole family’s passports and paperwork, and it's personalised, and super cute). I keep it in my backpack or handbag, so it’s easily accessible whenever I need it.
Travel wallet - as mentioned above, we have a travel wallet for all our insurances, travel cards and boarding pass printouts etc. It helps to keep things organised, and in one place. Try Passport Holder Travel Wallet
Boarding Passes - I always take printed copies of our boarding passes, wherever we go. So far, I’ve always managed to use the digital version, but you just never know when technology is going to fail, so take paper copies of any documents as well.
Carry on Bags
Before you leave, I also wanted to share a few flight carry-on bags for you to fit all of your items and essentials in:
So there you have it, my long-haul flight travel essential packing list so you’ll be fully prepared to relax while flying ✈️
It doesn’t have to be an overwhelming experience, so let’s recap on what essentials you should board the plane with:
Comfort and clothing essentials, to help you stay cosy throughout the journey.
Snacks to ensure you have healthy options on hand.
In-flight skincare to keep your skin hydrated and refreshed.
Health and hygiene products to stay clean and comfortable.
In-flight entertainment and tech to pass the time effortlessly.
Important travel documents to stay organised, and make your journey as smooth and stress-free as possible.
Wherever you go, and however long your flight is, use this travelling essentials guide to help you 😀xoxo
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