Travel Hacks I Actually Use on Long Flights

OK, Let’s Get One Thing Straight: These Aren’t Hacks

Some people can throw clothes in a bag five minutes before departure. I am not one of those people.

I’m the kind of traveler who starts planning weeks ahead. Spreadsheets are my love language. I track travel dates, activities, and day-to-night looks. I color-coordinate accessories, road-test shoes for comfort, and still end up wide awake at 2 a.m. the night before a 6 a.m. flight, arranging packing cubes like I’m competing for a gold medal in luggage Tetris.

Travel insomnia is real. My brain won’t let me sleep until everything’s in its place. Every cube is logically ordered so I can find exactly what I need without unpacking my entire suitcase in a hotel room. Is it a little obsessive? Probably. But it works.

After hundreds of hours in the air, I’ve learned what actually makes long flights tolerable—even enjoyable. These aren’t tricks or shortcuts. They’re just what works when you’ve been doing this long enough to know better.

Pack Like a Minimalist, Plan Like a Maximalist

Yes, I can fit three weeks of outfits into a standard carry-on. Packing cubes are my secret weapon. Each one has a purpose. Clothes by day, accessories by cube, toiletries in their own compartment.

Everything is color-coordinated around a neutral base: black, white, tan, navy. Then I zhuzh (yes, ‘jooj’) it up with pops of color through accessories or a few statement tops. If your base pieces work together, you can mix and repeat without anyone noticing.

Shoes get road-tested long before departure—cute doesn’t count if you can’t walk a mile in them, and thick soles are essential for Europe’s cobblestones. I always tuck in a small foldable canvas tote for markets, museums, or that inevitable “I’m just browsing” moment that ends with a new scarf.

If my hotel or cruise offers laundry service, I take full advantage. Fresh clothes while traveling? Yes, please.

Check Your Bag (Even When You Could Carry It On)

So yes, I can pack efficiently. But here’s my controversial take: I check my bag nine times out of ten.

Walking through airports unburdened feels like luxury, not laziness. I don’t want to drag a suitcase through three terminals, bump into twelve people, and arrive at my seat already exhausted.

My carry-on holds the essentials—laptop, snacks, a change of clothes, and anything that would ruin my trip if it got lost. But the big bag? Checked, tagged, and tracked. My contact info lives inside and outside the suitcase. I always snap a quick photo before check-in.

That system paid off on a flight from the U.S. to Paris when my AirTag suddenly pinged “Nigeria.” Not ideal. Fortunately, a quick refresh showed it still sitting on the tarmac. A few other passengers compared notes—their bags were showing the same thing. We showed the airline the screenshots. Within an hour our luggage rolled out from behind the scenes.

Could I have avoided this by carrying on? Maybe. But I’d rather have my AirTag and walk the airport freely than white-knuckle my way through three terminals dragging 40 pounds of luggage.

Early Is My Love Language, Too (But Only for Flights, Because They’ll Leave You)

I arrive early—two hours before domestic flights, three for international. Call it a habit born from experience.

Truthfully, I’m not usually an early person. But for flights? Always.

Arriving early has saved me more than once—like the morning I stepped out of my car at the arrivals lane at the airport and instantly realized my phone was still charging on the bathroom counter. Because we live close by, my daughter retrieved it while my husband waited at the drop-off. By the time I’d checked my bag and cleared security, I grabbed two lattes and a macaron from our favorite bakery–so good you’d swear you were in Paris. He was gliding through security just in time for his coffee.

Pre-Flight Phone Prep

Before I even leave for the airport, my phone becomes mission control. Airline apps updated. Google Maps downloaded offline. Itinerary synced in TERN. I register with the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), save my travel insurance info, and download the Mobile Passport Control app—it speeds up re-entry into the U.S., though it’s not a substitute for TSA PreCheck or a Known Traveler Number. Those are worth their weight in gold.

Set everything up before you leave home so you can actually relax once you’re in the air.

Comfort First, Always

Long flights are no place for stiff clothes or stiff attitudes. I board in layers and swap my shoes for slippers before take-off. And I would never—I mean never—walk barefoot on an airplane. My slippers get washed as soon as I land.

I wear compression socks that don’t look like I stole them from my grandma.

If the amenity kit appears with fuzzy socks, sleep mask, and bamboo toothbrush, I use it on the plane. Sometimes I’ll save an item or two and restock my kit for next time. My “plane pouch” lives in my suitcase permanently.

Avoid the Middle Seat (Trust Me)

I’m tall, so aisle seats are non-negotiable. In college, flying standby seemed like a great way to save money on my first trip to Europe. It wasn’t. After getting routed from JFK through Reykjavik to Luxembourg (where I’d need a train to reach Paris), I spent both flights stuck in the middle seat of a 4-person row. Both armrests were taken. I finally gave up and tried to sleep on the tray table. I will never fly in the middle seat again if I can help it. Aisle means legroom, mobility, and bathroom freedom without climbing over strangers. If points or a good fare land me in a lie-flat? I’ll toast with Prosecco and call it a win.

Hydrate Like It’s Your Job (And Pack Snacks)

Once I’m settled in my aisle seat, staying hydrated becomes a top priority.

Champagne is a celebration. Hydration is survival.

I bring a reusable water bottle—just be careful if it’s the pressurized kind. If you open it mid-flight, it’ll squirt you in the face. This has happened to me twice. I didn’t learn the first time.

A hydrating face mist, lip balm, and moisturizer fight the desert-dry cabin air.

Snacks are non-negotiable. I travel with gummy bears in a tiny silicone container. I usually carry a few sweet treats for the crew, too. Not for upgrades—just appreciation. They’re working hard at 35,000 feet. Kindness still matters. Travel karma is real.

Keep Your Passport Close (I Learned the Hard Way)

One more essential to discuss: your passport.

I’ve lost my passport. Once. At Versailles. It involved French police, hotel concierges tag-teaming my rebooking, and an emergency trip to the U.S. Embassy that ended with me holding one of those rare purple emergency passports. So trust me when I say: keep it close.

Here’s something I see all the time: passengers boarding last who tuck their passport into the zipper pocket of their carry-on, then put that bag in the overhead bin. Bad idea.

Overhead bins fill up fast. If your seat doesn’t have reserved space, you could get separated from your luggage—and your passport. Keep it in your personal item tucked neatly under the seat in front of you, or on your body in a crossbody bag. Always.

And in some countries, you’re required to carry your actual passport—not just a photo or photocopy. Keep the real thing on you.

Arrival Philosophy

Once you’ve actually made it to your destination, remember: travel day is for traveling. I never plan big activities the day I land. I leave it open for spontaneous exploring around my hotel neighborhood.

Whenever possible, I pre-book a driver. Sometimes I grab an Uber, but landing at Paris Charles de Gaulle? A pre-arranged pickup just makes more sense.

Once I’m checked in, I explore the neighborhood, eat, and stay awake until local bedtime. That’s how you beat jet lag—caffeine, curiosity, and the stubborn refusal to nap.

The Bottom Line

Travel doesn’t have to be glamorous or chaotic. It can be intentional, efficient, and still full of joy.

Even with all the lists, AirTags, and compression socks, things don’t always go to plan. Luggage goes missing. Water bottles explode. You spill coffee on your seatmate. But that’s the thing about travel—the unexpected moments are part of the story.

You prepare. You plan. You lose sleep perfecting every detail. Then you pack your patience and laugh when the universe rearranges your itinerary.

Plan early, pack smart, hydrate often, and always know where your passport is. The real travel hack? Prepare well enough that you can laugh when something goes sideways—preferably with a glass of Prosecco in hand.

Shop The Story 

These are the travel essentials I actually use and recommend. I’ve tested them on countless flights, and they’ve earned their place in my luggage.

Apple AirTags (4-Pack)
Track your luggage in real-time. Yes, even when it pings Nigeria from the Paris tarmac. Peace of mind in a tiny device.

Packing Cubes Set
The secret to fitting three weeks in a carry-on. Color-coded organization that turns your suitcase into a filing cabinet.

Reusable Water Bottle
Save the environment, stay hydrated. Just remember: open slowly if it’s pressurized. (Trust me on this one.)

Compression Socks (That Don’t Look Like Grandma’s)
Long-flight essential. Keeps circulation going without the medical-grade aesthetic.

Silicone Travel Containers
Perfect for gummy bears, snacks, or liquids. Leak-proof, TSA-friendly, and reusable.

Crossbody Travel Bag
Keep your passport, phone, and essentials on you at all times. No overhead bin anxiety.

Portable Charger & International Adapter
Because “phone mission control” only works when you’ve got power.

Hydrating Face Mist
Combat desert-dry cabin air. Bonus: makes you feel human mid-flight.

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