How to Get Comfortable on an Airline Flight

Staying comfortable on a long airline flight is possible with the right planning and by adding a few items to your carry on bag. While you are booking your trip carefully select your route and your seat with comfort in mind. To stay more comfortable on the flight, make sure you dress appropriately and take care of your skin. Products like EarPlanes and Bose Noise Canceling Headsets will also make your flight much more comfortable.

Seat Selection

Seat selection is one of the most important decisions when it comes to comfort. An upgrade to first or business class will certainly make your trip much more comfortable but unless you are willing to pay the big bucks or you are an elite member of the airline's frequent flier program, this is probably not an option. (Of course a mileage run or two may help you reach this level, be sure to check out my mileage run article).

But don't worry, there are still several options to make your trip more comfortable in coach. The commonly known choices are window versus aisle and front or back. But not all seats are the same. Some may have electrical outlets, some may not. Some seats may not recline as much while others may have special equipment underneath restricting leg room.

A great way to find out what to expect is on SeatGuru.com. On SeatGuru.com you will find seating diagrams specific to each type of aircraft for each airline. Each seat is color coded to let you know which ones are better or worse. Avoid the red if possible and make sure you read the comments for the yellow seats.

People often disagree over which is better when it comes to window or aisle. Window seats of course give you a great view but often at the cost of shoulder and head room. Of course this can also be a benefit because it gives you something to lean against while you sleep. A window seat also seems a little more private as you have at least one direction to face where you won't be facing another passenger. The smaller aircraft will have more of a curve so you will lose more shoulder room, you probably won't notice as much on a wide body. Getting up can also be difficult if the person in the aisle seat is trying to sleep. By the way this is especially bad with the sleeper seats up in business class.

Aisle seats are usually better for shoulder room because you can lean out some. Of course the trade off here is that you will get bumped more by people walking in the aisle. Getting up is much easier when you have an aisle seat but you will probably have to get up more often to let the people in window and center seats out.

Some people really like bulkhead seats but they are very rare and hard to get, even for elite frequent fliers. Be sure to understand the difference between knee room and leg room. Bulkhead seats usually give you more knee room but at the expense of leg room, in other words you usually won't be able to stretch your feet out like you would if you had a seat in front of you. You will also have less storage space as you won't have a seat pocket in front of you.

Exit row seats usually offer the best in knee and leg room but they do tend to be a little narrower because the tray tables are in the arm rest. You probably won't be able to reserve these unless you are an elite member of the airlines frequent flier program but you can request the exit row at the airport. The exit row won't be an option if you are traveling with anybody under 15.

Non-Stop or Connection

Most people prefer non-stops because you get done with your overall trip much faster. There are some benefits to making connections other than a lower fare. The biggest advantage is that it gives you a break and an opportunity to get up and walk around. You will also get the chance to get some better food. Airport food may not be the best but at least it is better than what you is available on the flight.

Comfortable Clothes

Many people don't realize that your body actually expands while your in flight due to lower air pressure. Loose fitting clothing or clothing with elastic is the best way to stay comfortable during your flight because your body will be able to expand.

The outside temperature while cruising is usually forty to fifty degrees below zero. The cabin is heated of course but most people still find that they get cold on longer trips. This is especially so when you are seated in window seats or close to doors.

Shoes are a special case because you want to find a balance between safety and comfort. Many people take their shoes off due to the expansion effect but leave them on for take off and landing. I always like to have my shoes on just in case something bad happens. While it is incredibly unlikely that anything will happen, I would hate to have to try and escape a burning airplane in my socks.

Keep you skin moist and your body hydrated

Airline cabins are a very harsh environment for your skin. The combination of dry air and low air pressure can dry out your skin and body very quickly. Counteract this by drinking plenty of water and bring some skin lotion.

Don't forget about airport security. You will need to make sure that the bottles are less than 2.5 ounces to get it through airport security. You can buy water to carry on at one of the airport gift shops. Some airlines also sell it on the plan but the price is much higher than even the airport shops.

Carry On baggage considerations

Nothing eats up leg room faster than a lot of carry on baggage. Keep this in mind while packing. If possible try and fit everything in the bin above you. The hard part here is that everybody else will have the same goal so try and board as early as you can. If overhead bin space looks scarce, consider watching the bins in rows well before you get to your seat. If you see a spot, grab it. Having your luggage in a bin in front of you is much better than behind so you won't have to go against traffic when you arrive. You will also be able to keep an eye on it.

Taking care of your ears

The changing air pressure as you climb or descend can be very painful for your ears but there are a few tips to help. The most common is just try and keep your mouth moving. Drinking, chewing, and sometimes even talking all work to open up your Eustachian tubes and allow your ears to equalize the air pressure. If you have a cold, antihistamines can make a big difference.

If you have a really hard time with this there is a product called EarPlanes. EarPlanes are a special type of ear plug that slows down the pressure change and makes it easier to keep up. You put them in before you take off or begin descend and you need to leave them in until you stop changing altitude. EarPlanes also reduce noise by about 20db so you may just want to leave them in for the whole flight. Do not use normal earplugs! They do not work the same and can cause ear damage.

Another product that you will find very friendly to your ears is Bose Noise Canceling Headsets. Most headsets just replace the offending noise with music or some other acceptable noise. But the end result is still an increase the amount of noise hitting your ears. The Bose headsets actually cancel out the cabin noise caused by the engines and airflow. They do this by monitoring the external sounds and playing the same sounds out of phase which cancels it out. The headsets will plug into any normal headset jack.