I’ve Been On the Longest Flight in the World—Here’s What I Brought to Make it More Comfortable

I try to steer clear of overly tight clothing on long-haul flights (hello, bloating). I find a flare style to be the perfect happy medium between a tight-at-the-ankles legging and a loose lounge pant. Splits 59 creates the most flattering workout gear, and I’m a big fan of the Raquel’s, which really elongate the leg. I like to get mine a little shorter—they come in lengths of 28, 30, 32, and 34—which prevents the hem from dragging on dirty airplane floors. They’ve survived many tumbles in the dryer, too—no shrinkage or considerable pilling. I like the idea that they can take me from my flight to a workout, should my travel schedule allow.

Buck Mason makes really great T-shirts—soft, perfectly boxy, and 100% cotton. My travel uniform is always a T-shirt under a sweater, because if you’re wearing something nicer like cashmere, you can preserve it for the rest of your trip by letting the T-shirt get smelly instead (much easier to wash). The Pima Boxy Crew is the perfect underlayer, because it’s nice and short and doesn’t bunch up around the waist.

Perhaps this is a controversial take, but I always wear a leather jacket on the plane. My reasons are plenty: It’s on the heavier side, so it saves weight in my suitcase; it’s warm, and I like to drape it over my face to block out light when I sleep; leather is lint and crumb resistant, which is a major annoyance of mine on flights; it’s chic and goes with whatever outfits I’m traveling with. I always feel put-together with a leather jacket on while checking in at hotels, and it came in handy even in humid Singapore, when the AC was on full blast inside restaurants and shopping malls. I’ve had my All Saints number for years.

I find Nadaam cashmere to hold up really well. The Boatneck is one of my favorite styles because, as stated above, I love a T-shirt-under-sweater moment, and the wide neck allows the T-shirt to peek through. If I get hot, I just drape the sweater over my shoulders, tennis-style, or bunch it up and use it as a pillow. I’ve got mine in the Cacao color.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I will not travel anywhere without my Salomon XT-6 sneakers. They’re lightweight and have carried me through so many different travel scenarios, from long city walks to more intense hikes. Because there are no laces, they’re easy to slip on and off at airport security (or if you, like me, are the kind of person to take their shoes off on a plane). I’ve had them for so long that Salomon no longer makes my brown-salmon colorway, but they’re still in pretty good condition.

I love a do-it-all kind of tote, one you could use as a carry-on, office bag, or weekender—and the Liffner Sprout tote fits the bill. It’s big enough to hold a laptop and sits comfortably on top of my suitcase. I have mine in Herb, but I think a darker neutral is always a good idea, as the inevitable wear and tear that comes along with travel will be less visible. The shape is very moldable, too, which is great for storing underneath your seat or in the overhead bin.

I like to use AirPods on shorter flights, but for long hauls, I’ll carry my Sonos Ace headphones. I don’t use them for sound so much as for focus while writing (particularly helpful on this work trip). I turn on the noise cancelation and choose one of the iPhone’s “Background Sounds” to get in the zone. I also wear them to read without distraction too. I’m very impressed by the 30-hour battery life—a godsend on the world’s longest flight.

I always carry a physical book with me in my carry-on, and for this particular trip, I devoured Flights by Polish writer Olga Tokarzcuk—quite literally the perfect thing to read in the air. It’s filled with short stories and little vignettes, all having to do with transit and bodies in motion. I love to mark up books while reading, and this is one I’ll certainly return to again, each time with new notes.

This was the first flight I wore compression socks on, and I must say my Copper Fit debut changed the game for many flights to come. They are long, yes, but hide perfectly under my Raquel flares, and have definitely prevented major swelling. Because these are athletic socks, they also help with sweating, thanks to the copper-infused, moisture-wicking fabric.

The Trtl travel pillow is my travel pillow of choice. It’s compact and slips easily inside my carry-on—I can’t stand lugging around one of those bulky, U-shaped pillows. I really do like the scarf-like technology, and I will sometimes pull the entire thing over my head, like a mummy to block out the light for sleep. I’ve tried the original, as well as the Plus, and I think the latter sits much more comfortably on the neck, thanks to the extension feature.

Are these the best eye patches I’ve ever tried? No. But they’re really affordable and get the job done, so I don’t mind stashing a bunch of them in my carry-on, both for the flight and the jet-lagged mornings that follow. I’ve used all colors—blue, pink, and gold—and don’t exactly notice a difference between them, but they all work to depuff my under-eyes and make them look more hydrated. I’ll usually stick them on right before touchdown.

If there’s one product I’ve convinced my friends to buy, it’s this Clinique deodorant—which I have on auto-renew. Truth be told, it’s not aluminum-free. However, I love the way it’s a roll-on, clear liquid that dries so quickly—no staining or stickiness involved. It always goes in my toiletry bag for a quick swipe mid-flight to feel refreshed.

To protect my lips from ultra-dry air on a plane, I always make sure to pack an extra-strength lip balm. Second to Vaseline, Lanolips is my favorite. It’s fragrance-free and made with pure grade lanolin, which is supposed to mimic the natural oils of your lips. I like that it’s multi-purpose too, so you can rub the excess over your cuticles, or even apply it to your cheekbones as an ad-hoc highlighter.

I like to cleanse my skin at the start of the flight, right before I attempt to sleep. But I’m very careful not to use a strong cleanser, which can really strip your skin amidst the dry air. I love this oil cleanser from One Love Organics, which is super gentle and comes in a perfect, 30 mL travel size.

I keep a tiny pill case stocked with a few of these tiny melatonin tablets in my toiletry bag, for both the flight and the first few days in my new destination. These tablets make me drifty about 20 minutes after use, and I’ve never once had a crazy dream with them in my system, nor have I woken up in a groggy stupor.

My flight to Singapore gave birth to a snack tradition that I continue to uphold: A Ziploc bag filled with a fruit (usually an apple), bag of nuts (usually pecans), and a Macro Bar—my favorite flavor is the Dark Chocolate + Almond, which tastes like a healthy brownie, with the Banana + Almond coming in as a close second. I find this assemblage of snacks hits all the important points—protein, fats, fiber—but I always have to make sure I eat the fruit before the plane lands, to avoid getting stopped at customs.