When my husband and I planned our trip to Tokyo and Seoul back in May this year, I started to get super worried about one thing: the long 14-hour flight that we would have to take to get there. There are some airlines that offer direct flights to both cities and although I liked the idea and convenience of a non-stop flight, the number of hours scared me. I mean, that should not be a problem when you are traveling first class or even executive class, but we all know that flying in the Economy has gotten worse and worse over the years. I literally googled “how to survive a 14-hour flight” to get some tips; I read some threads on Reddit and watched a couple of videos on TikTok to learn some tricks on what I could do to make my experience less painful, lol. So, now that I’m back – our trip happened this month – I’m gonna share the tips that worked for me in this post.
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1. Choose your seat wisely
When it’s a possibility, my husband and I would like to book an Economy Plus seat or something similar to that to have more leg space. That makes a huge difference, especially for tall people – I’m pretty short, but I definitely appreciate more leg space. Also, be strategic about the location of your seat – and that depends on the aircraft seat map. For our flight, our best bet was choosing the aisle and middle seat of the middle since the aircraft had a 3-3-3 scheme. I would love to get a window seat, but since I’m someone who uses the restroom a lot, it would be annoying to ask the person on the aisle seat to get up so many times. I also like to avoid seats too close to the restrooms because it’s usually noisy.
2. Wear a comfy outfit
I think this should go without explanation, but it’s always good to remember. You will be seated for a long time, and it’s not that comfortable; you will get tired, and you will possibly take a quick nap, so please choose a super comfy outfit. It’s not time to be stylish. My go-to outfit to fly is usually joggers, a long-sleeve top, and a light jacket, but for this trip, I switched the joggers for leggings – and I highly recommend that. Leggings are tight, which helps to reduce swelling, not to mention comfort. Besides that, I added an oversized hoodie to keep me warm and cozy. And I also wore sneakers – but, if you can, bring some slippers. For my flight back, I picked the ones from my hotel, and I am now keeping them for future flights. I hate to wear shoes when flying, but I also find it annoying to put my sneakers back every time I need to go to the restroom.
3. Don’t forget compression socks
Perhaps some people already know this trick – but when I posted about it on my IG, a lot of people were surprised, so I’m not gonna gatekeep this tip! Besides preventing Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) – long flights can increase the risk of blood clots forming in the legs due to prolonged inactivity, and these socks apply graduated pressure, which helps maintain blood flow and reduce the risk of clots; compression socks also reduce swelling, alleviate leg fatigue and boost comfort and circulation. I put mine on right before boarding, and it made a huge difference in how I felt. My husband, on the other hand, didn’t wear compression socks, and he was feeling some pain the next day (so he made sure to buy a pair for the flight back). Compression socks are a game-changer for long flights – and can make a big difference in how your legs feel post-flight.
4. You need to hydrate yourself
Have a refillable water bottle with you and ask the flight attendants to refill it for you. Hydration is crucial during long flights due to the unique conditions in an airplane cabin that can easily lead to dehydration. Airplane cabins have very low humidity levels—often under 20%, compared to 30-60% in typical indoor environments. This dry air causes moisture to evaporate from your skin and respiratory system, leading to dehydration faster than on the ground. Also, keeping yourself hydrated helps with circulation, reduces fatigue and jet lag, and helps maintain skin hydration as well.
PRO TIP: bring some electrolyte packets with you! I saw this tip on TikTok and, apparently, they are more effective than mineral water for hydration under conditions such as when taking a flight.
5. A foot rest can be a amazing for short people
My husband had seen someone using an inflatable footrest during a work trip, so I decided to buy one for our long flight and I have no regrets! I don’t think it’s a good solution for very tall people – but, for reference, I’m 5.1 (157cm) and it made my seat a little “cozyer” than normal, giving me space to rest my legs while trying to take a nap or watching a movie. And the best part is that it is super lightweight – just 0.8 pounds – and it can be folded into a small drawstring bag to carry around.
6. Have a neck pillow
I think this is the classic, right? There are a lot of neck pillows on the market today, and I believe they can help you be more comfortable when trying to sleep during a flight, especially by balancing your head.
7. Don’t forget noise cancelling headphones
A good headphone with noise canceling can also provide you more comfort while sleeping on the plane – especially because airplanes are really noisy, even when everyone is silent. I ended up using my Airpods during this flight, and they helped a lot – only because my headset was stollen and I didn’t want to buy new ones asap. But my favorite one is from Bose.
8. Bring a sleep mask
During a long flight, the cabin lights will be lowered, but there are still lights from the monitors and even smartphones. Having a sleep mask is helpful not only to block the light but also to make yourself more comfortable and relaxed when trying to sleep/rest.
9. Tablet / Phone Holder
For a 14h flight, I didn’t want to rely only on the entertainment options onboard. I know the catalogues have usually a lot of options, but it all depends on my mood, so I downloaded some movies and TV series to have options and got this tablet/phone holder to achieve a best viewing angle while watching on the flight.
10. Pack some snacks
I also don’t like to rely on airplane food and snacks, especially because, let’s face it: airplane food is horrible when flying economy. The smell usually makes me sick. When I have the option, I usually have lunch/dinner at the airport before boarding, but on a 14-hour flight, you can’t rely on eating only before the trip. You can also help yourself by bringing some snacks. I like to have options cause most of the time, what they offer is not that healthy.
And what’s my verdict, after trying these tips?
Well, I thought the experience would be horrible – but it was just… bad. Or not pleasant. Let’s face it: none of these tips is gonna make you feel like you are flying first class, but I’m pretty sure it made my experience less miserable lol. I used all these tips again when flying back home!
EXTRA TIP: fight jet leg with this app!
Ok, so, like I said at the beginning of the post, right after booking this trip, my immediate concern was around the flight, and then it was around jet lag. I mean, Tokyo and Seoul are 13 hours ahead of NYC time, and I wanted to enjoy the best of my time while traveling. But how to deal with jet lag? A friend of mine mentioned this app called Timeshifter, and she told me she loved it, so I decided to try it. And let me tell you: it was a game-changer. We followed 85% of the plan, and we barely felt jet lag effects.
So, how does this app work?
Timeshifter combines the only elements shown to reset the circadian clock (light-dark exposure and melatonin supplements), and alleviate the symptoms (light, melatonin, caffeine, naps), and not surprisingly, the sum of their effects is greater than the individual parts. There are many scientific studies attesting to the benefits of the app’s approach, and their algorithm has been used for many years by NASA, F1 drivers, and elite athletes, and more recently by astronauts and mission controllers at Axiom Space.
All you have to do is include your flight info. Two days before the trip, the plan starts. The app sends you notifications for when you should get some light when to avoid light, when to have and avoid caffeine, and when to take melatonin (that’s not a request, but it really helps!). The plan includes your time on the flight, which goes about two or three days after your arrival. We had no issues waking up in the morning; we didn’t feel crashes in the middle of the day. Yes, the first two nights, we woke up two or three times, but we were able to get back to sleep quicker. On my second day in Tokyo, I remember getting a comment from a follower who was in Japan for 4 days, and she mentioned the jet lag was killing her. That’s when I realized: ok, I think this app works cause we are feeling great.
You can try Timeshifter for free for one trip and then you can choose an annual plan for $24,99 or $9,90 for each trip.
And that’s a wrap! See my tips in action on the video below!
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Content creator and journalist in New York City. Here, I share lifestyle, beauty, NYC tips, thoughts, and the struggles about living in the most amazing city in the world! I’m not gonna pretend to be another person: I’m a Brazilian immigrant and I think this is my soul, it is part of who I am. I hope you enjoy my content! Follow me on Instagram!
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How to Spend 4 Days in Tokyo- Our travel itinerary - Laura Peruchi | NYC
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