# Tips for  surviving long air flights?



## suesam (May 16, 2009)

I am not actually scared to fly but hate long flights. I get so impatient in that tiny little space. It drives me nuts.We flew to Hawaii a couple of years ago and it drove me batty.  We are going to go to London from the Midwest in December and I am starting to fret. Anyone else dread long flights and what do you do to survive? 

Sue


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## Passepartout (May 16, 2009)

Aisle seat.
Get up and walk to the john and back- if 2 aisles, do a couple of laps. Do this at least every 2 hours. 
I-pod and/or portable movie player. Noise canceling headphones.
Book.
Hand-held game(s)
Favorite snacks- jerky, nuts (not peanuts).
Naps- sometimes well medicated. 
No or minimal alcohol.

When we go to Europe, we like flights that leave in the evening. They feed you, turn on the first movie, you bundle up in your blanket, headphones, go to sleep and wake up in time for OJ, a splash of water on the face and land, ready to start your adventure. Stay up as long as possible your first day there and you will acclimate more quickly. Going East is waaaay easier than going West.

Have Fun!

Jim Ricks


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## javabean (May 16, 2009)

Aisle seat for sure on longer flights or flights at night. I second that suggestion. For shorter, daytime flights I prefer a window seat with my nose pressed against the glass . 
Check out seatguru.com and compare the space allotted per passenger. It will also tell you if the plane has individual tv screens or overhead tv screens. 
I have heard that seats in the rear of the plane are less safe but I have found that speaking very generally, there are fewer young children in back, more teenagers traveling in large groups (they tend to fall asleep in each others laps after the initial excitement), and less people walking around. And if you want to walk around, you've got the entire length of the cabin to wander. 
Safe travels, 
Deb


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## Talent312 (May 16, 2009)

Typically, I'm asleep as soon as they let us put our seat-backs back, sometimes before.
If there's food, my wife will wake me up (as she's an entertainment-nut).


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## ausman (May 17, 2009)

It is not really a long flight.

However I recommend Scotch, if that doesn't work, then more Scotch.


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## calgal (May 17, 2009)

If you are talking about actual survival, one aspirin will thin your blood a touch and may reduce the risk of blood clots. Also staying well hydrated and walking  up and down the aisles reduces the risks.


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## ronandjoan (May 17, 2009)

javabean said:


> seats in the rear of the plane ...and less people walking around.
> Deb


So many planes have the only coach restroom in the rear and so ther e is a lot of traffic going back there and waiting in the aisles.

Check seatguru for location of restrooms


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## Dori (May 17, 2009)

We are taking a very long flight to South Korea at the end of this month, and I booked us both aisle seats.  I tend to get very antsy, so it will be quite an adventure!  I am bringing my travel Scrabble along, but it will be tricky trying to play if we have to reach across the aisle.  Thanks for the tips!

Dori


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## Kozman (May 17, 2009)

Don't be afraid to turn around and give the evil eye to the child kicking the back of your seat.  And, you might as well give one to the non attentive parents as well!!!


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## Jimster (May 17, 2009)

*long flight*

Shall I state the obvious- fly 1st class.    I recently got back from Hong Kong and with the lay flat seats and the 16" video screen in the seatback it was like going to the movies and watching a quinituple feature.  Are upgrades worth it?  YESSS


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## Cathyb (May 17, 2009)

After any meals, we use Lunesta and get five pretty good hours of rest with no after-effects.


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## Keitht (May 17, 2009)

Travelling 1st class is something I suspect most of us can only dream of.  Try for exit row seats if travelling cattle class, so at least you can get up and down easily and can sleep if you wish without being disturbed by others needing to get out of their seat.
If you think Iowa to Hawaii is a long trip try London to Hawaii!!  29 hours from the time we left home to arrival at our hotel.  Obviously not all that time in flight, but exhausting all the same.  It took me 48 hours to get over the trip so we would have been better off taking a 2 day stopover in San Fran on the way.


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## suesam (May 21, 2009)

Thanks so much for the great responses! I know it is not really THAT long of a flight but I just have a real problem sitting still that long. Adult ADHD possibly? Pre menopause? I can surely find something to blame it on! 

Thanks again everyone! 
sue


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## loosefeet (May 21, 2009)

Sleeping pills and a valium can help (honestly!).  Plus, all the other suggestions about hydration, walking around (when you are awake) and keeping yourself entertained.


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## Numismatist (May 21, 2009)

Go to your doctor, I get a Valium for both trips, calms the soul...


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## PeelBoy (May 22, 2009)

I guess nobody will do what I did in my last trip from Toronto to Beijing.  I brought my laptop and worked all the way till I was "ordered" to log off.

In 30 hours return, I developed 5 audit tools - a very productive trip.


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## Hoc (May 22, 2009)

Jimster said:


> Shall I state the obvious- fly 1st class.    I recently got back from Hong Kong and with the lay flat seats and the 16" video screen in the seatback it was like going to the movies and watching a quinituple feature.  Are upgrades worth it?  YESSS



But Cathay's First Class is much much better than those of many other airlines.  So, for example, if you fly first class on American, it's better than flying coach, but still not the experience of flying First on Cathay.


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## Hoc (May 22, 2009)

javabean said:


> Aisle seat for sure on longer flights or flights at night.



The problem with an aisle seat on a trip where you intend to sleep is that the flight attendants and many passengers will brush you while walking by, thus waking you repeatedly throughout the flight.  A window seat will prevent that, but depending on your need to go to the restroom or get up and walk, you might have to inconvenience your seatmate.


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## Hoc (May 22, 2009)

Keitht said:


> Travelling 1st class is something I suspect most of us can only dream of.



However, through this summer, British Airways has a special where you fly in business, and your traveling companion flies free.  That works out to about $1,700 each, round trip, all in.  That's only $700 each more than flying coach on most airlines this summer.


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## lvhmbh (May 23, 2009)

I guess I don't understand why flying first class is only a dream to some people.  I UPGRADE!!!!  I have never spent the money for 1st Class but haven't flown in the back of the plane for years.  I would prefer, especially on long flights, to pay for a coach seat and upgrade.  I handle the miles in my family and don't use cash unless it is under $10 (and even then I've been known to use the CC).  We pay off our CC's so we don't pay alot of interest but those miles sure add up!!!!


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## pedro47 (May 23, 2009)

Get up and walk and drink liquids (water) not alcohol or beer.  You can also purchase the white supports sock and hoses to avoid legs cramps. Background two flights over the Atlantic and one over the Pacific Ocean. Flying is safe and so much fun & faster to your destination.


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## PigsDad (May 25, 2009)

lvhmbh said:


> I guess I don't understand why flying first class is only a dream to some people.  I UPGRADE!!!!


Hello!?!  McFly!?!  For those who only fly once or twice a year, they simple don't have the miles or status to upgrade without spending $$$.  They would rather use the miles for a free ticket (which it may take a few years to accumulate enough miles even for a domestic ticket).

Kurt


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## Fletcher921 (May 25, 2009)

I save our FF miles for our first class Europe flights.  I Then I toast my travelling companion with a sleeping pill and Champagne as soon as the movie and meal  ends. We try to fly one long flight rather than breaking the trip right in the middle so we get a long 7-9 hour sleep.


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## lvhmbh (May 26, 2009)

If you only fly once or twice a year you have all those lovely miles from your CC to use!  I pay for my groceries, gas, meals, etc. etc. etc. on my CC and pay the balance each month to avoid fees.  I even used it partially to put a down payment on a car!  Believe me it really adds up!  Status is hard to obtain but miles aren't if you do it that way.  Of course, you have to decide what airline you like best or use AMEX and have them transfer them in.  We fly to Aruba alot so use AA but if we have AMEX miles we can fly almost any airline.  I personally feel that Delta has a poor airline program (oh, I'm sorry you can't fly to San Fran non-stop on a frequent flyer ticket or even upgrade) but I haven't had any problems with the other ones!


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## cindi (May 26, 2009)

Can you get elite status at airlines using CC miles, or is it only actual flight miles?


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## Jimster (May 26, 2009)

*status*

You get status on airlines by what we generally call BIS- Butt in seat miles.  You can get a 5,000 elite miles with the platinum united card from chase but it costs $140 a year.  I find that with a bit of planning it is possible to get status each year and it is certainly worth it.


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## cindi (May 27, 2009)

Jimster said:


> You get status on airlines by what we generally call BIS- Butt in seat miles.  You can get a 5,000 elite miles with the platinum united card from chase but it costs $140 a year.  I find that with a bit of planning it is possible to get status each year and it is certainly worth it.





Thanks Jim.  It has long been a wish of mine to get elite status.  If I kept taking the shortest flights and made more connections each time, perhaps I could squeak it out one year.  Hard to do when you live in such an out of the way and expensive place to fly from.  No mileage runs for me.


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## Hoc (May 27, 2009)

cindi said:


> Thanks Jim.  It has long been a wish of mine to get elite status.  If I kept taking the shortest flights and made more connections each time, perhaps I could squeak it out one year.  Hard to do when you live in such an out of the way and expensive place to fly from.  No mileage runs for me.



1.  A lot of people in your situation will fly to somewhere like New York, Chicago, LA, San Francisco or a major hub, and will then fly two or three mileage runs in a row from that hub before going home.

2.  You can get lifetime elite status on American Airlines by earning a million miles (gold) or two million miles (platinum), and they count all miles you earn, from credit cards, bonuses, anything.

3.  You can get quick elite status on American by flying 10,000 points or 5,000 points in 3 months or less.  You sign up for a challenge.  But I think that, this year, they just started charging for you to do a challenge.  About $200, I think.


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## Hoc (May 27, 2009)

Generally, before earning top tier status on American, which pretty much guarantees an upgrade (and a flat bed) on long international trips, I used to prefer shorter flights.  I would then get up and walk the airports in between my connections, so that long trips were a bit easier.

Now that I get upgraded consistently, I prefer the longer trips, where I can eat a meal, watch a movie or two or some TV shows before settling in and getting an 8-hour sleep on the bed.


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## cindi (May 27, 2009)

Hoc said:


> 1.  A lot of people in your situation will fly to somewhere like New York, Chicago, LA, San Francisco or a major hub, and will then fly two or three mileage runs in a row from that hub before going home.
> 
> 2.  You can get lifetime elite status on American Airlines by earning a million miles (gold) or two million miles (platinum), and they count all miles you earn, from credit cards, bonuses, anything.
> 
> 3.  You can get quick elite status on American by flying 10,000 points or 5,000 points in 3 months or less.  You sign up for a challenge.  But I think that, this year, they just started charging for you to do a challenge.  About $200, I think.



Wow, now that is an idea!   I may just have to look into that idea.  I am pretty much stuck with Delta now, with them absorbing NWA. I think United may still have some flights out of here, but it is pretty much Delta having taken over the stranglehold.


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## Hoc (May 28, 2009)

cindi said:


> Wow, now that is an idea!   I may just have to look into that idea.



Particularly if you can find and book a timeshare in the hub city.  That way, you do a turnaround, spend a night in the timeshare, and then repeat.  It gives you an entire week to get your runs in.  There are sometimes some decent runs from Orlando, where getting a timeshare for a week is extremely easy.  Or a timeshare in a bit more difficult city.  Or a cheap motel 6 or something (perhaps via Priceline) in a place like St. Louis, Chicago, Los Angeles or Dallas.


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## cindi (May 28, 2009)

Hoc said:


> Particularly if you can find and book a timeshare in the hub city.  That way, you do a turnaround, spend a night in the timeshare, and then repeat.  It gives you an entire week to get your runs in.  There are sometimes some decent runs from Orlando, where getting a timeshare for a week is extremely easy.  Or a timeshare in a bit more difficult city.  Or a cheap motel 6 or something (perhaps via Priceline) in a place like St. Louis, Chicago, Los Angeles or Dallas.



I am liking this idea more and more!    Incorporating the timeshare as a homebase makes it all the more appealing.

I love going to Orlando anyway, so I could see doing exactly what you say.  Have to see if airfare out of Orlando is as low as out of other large hubs. I am guessing yes.  

Thanks for the excellent suggestions!


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