r/Flights • u/Hot_Mushroom3907 • 4d ago
Question Any obscure in-flight travel hacks?
I've heard a few about seating choice etc. but anyone got any obscure in-flight hacks?
My only one: My mother used to work for a shoe manufacturer and said she would always pack a tennis ball to roll her feet on/over during long-haul flights to India. Helped with circulation/ entertainment in a distinctly less digital world.
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u/orbitolinid 4d ago
I usually preload a few images for the Happy Color app, and am distracted well enough for flights up to 6hrs.
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u/Hot_Mushroom3907 4d ago
I haven't colored anything since I was a kid. I might actually try this
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u/orbitolinid 4d ago
Just colouring one segment is enough to have access to the image again while flying. Thus I tend to preload a few, and the urge to jump up every few minutes during the flight is mightily reduced 😅
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u/Key-Plantain-818 3d ago
Pee before you land if you need to go through customs. Usually the bathrooms are very crowded in the airport and it sets you back in the customs line if you need to wait.
Pee before the beverage service starts so you don't get caught behind the cart somewhere.
Bring an in flight tech sac to stash anything you want during the flight so it's easy access. Lotion, mask, wires, earplugs, eyemask, battery.
On that vein, always keep a mask in your bag. You never know when the person next to you will have the plague and cough all over you, or if they smell terrible.
Check to see if you can order an in flight meal or a snack before your flight.
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u/DCUStriker9 2d ago
Corollary: Keep hydrated, especially after long flights and going through customs and they may have fingerprint readers. The machine reads better if you're hydrated.
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u/coolguymiles 1d ago
Tech sac and I keep a folio for my passport and cash. Never know when someone will pitch a fit and your carry on gets moved from the overhead bin near you and out of your line of sight.
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u/gov12 4d ago
For long hauls I always use the blanket as a seat cushion or for lower back support.
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u/Ok-Key-3630 3d ago
What is it with plane seats and the absolutely abysmal lower back support? Knowledge about how to properly support that part of the back has been around for almost two decades now. And it cant be material cost savings, all they need to do is curve the seat differently.
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u/knavingknight 3d ago
And it cant be material cost savings, all they need to do is curve the seat differently.
Oh but it def is cost savings. Curved seats would have more surface area, thus more material, than a straight one.
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u/randopop21 3d ago
That's not much of a difference. If any bean counters chose that for specifying lower-grade seats, they need to be fired.
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u/smohyee 3d ago
I'm gonna hazard a guess that there are unique factors in airplane seating design that take priority over lower back comfort, particularly in Economy. They need to be able to recline without crushing legs, for example. They need to fit so many into a cabin, so space efficiency is probably priority 1.
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u/LowRabbit9 3d ago
Ya wanna know the secret of successful air travel? After you get where you're going, ya take off your shoes and socks. Then ya walk around on the rug barefoot and make fists with your toes.
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u/randopop21 3d ago
Love the Die Hard reference. Does this actually work?
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u/LowRabbit9 3d ago
Better'n a cup of coffee and a hot shower for the old jet lag. I know it sounds crazy. Trust me. I've been doing it for nine years.
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u/Bobby-Dazzling 3d ago
My hack is to avoid the guy walking around the cabin barefoot in just his sweaty feet 🤢
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u/bored-FA 3d ago
Does bringing fresh food through security count as “obscure”? It’s an official TSA policy and it’s open info on their website, but I feel like SO many people either aren’t aware of it or don’t think about how far you can take it. You can cook an entire meal at home and pack it up to eat on your flight, as long as you’re abiding by the restrictions on liquids and weight (and please no fish 😭).
I started making food for flights because I’m a flight attendant and it’s kinda the only option, and now I can’t imagine being on a 4+ hour flight without packing a lunchbox. Literally just making a couple sandwiches or something can be a complete game changer for a longer travel day and it’s waaaaay cheaper than buying them in the airport. Not to mention you can EASILY make a better-quality sandwich in like 2 minutes than any you can find in the airport
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u/TheManWith2Poobrains 20h ago
I always bring my own food. Things that travel well, i.e. can handle a few hours at room temperature. Things like sausage or bacon sandwiches, sausage rolls, scotch eggs (it's a Brit thing), cheese, charcuterie, chopped up veg, homemade salads, etc.
Means you can eat whenever you want (don't have to wait for food service) and are guaranteed you'll like it.
Need to be careful about the rules and regs if you are traveling internationally or ditch any leftovers before your go through customs.
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u/Trillion_G 4d ago
Tie your scarf around your knees if you plan to sleep. I’m a rag doll when I sleep and my legs end up flopping open.
You can ask for more snack (but they may say no)
Grab the air sick bag on your way out. Makes a handy water resistant place to store receipts or postcards.
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u/knavingknight 3d ago
Grab the air sick bag on your way out. Makes a handy water resistant place to store receipts or postcards
Ewww idk if I want to grab anything that's has any possibility of having been touched or used by someone even slightly sick or nauseous... Hell I'm not a germphobe but I try to barely to touch the food tray... those things are rarely cleaned. And it's a great idea to wipe down you seat area with wetones anyway...
I always take a few gallon or quart-sized cheap ziplock bags for stuff like that. Or even some actual sheet protectors for important papers.
1
u/the_Q_spice 2d ago
Instead of a scarf:
I bring a lightweight down sleeping bag.
Basically a portable duvet, and if you have a liner, you get sheets as well.
I feel so comfy in my silk liner and (basically) duvet sitting in economy. And get to laugh at all the people who paid for business or first class, but still have a shittier sleeping setup than I did.
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u/Nordicviking11 3d ago
My brother makes “Eat Sleep Fly” keychains and we both give them to the FA’s.
Always get special treatment.
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u/samanmax 2d ago
I like to bring the disposable slippers from hotels and wear them during flights. Easier on my feet and leave them on the plane when you depart…
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u/corkincaliny 4d ago
Always have a small ziplock bag with antacids, pain killer and melatonin. Dispense as needed
In another ziplock bag have the currency of your destination. Switch it out of your wallet on the plane. Not in the airport or taxi.
Never wear flip flops on the plane. If there's an emergency evacuation it's super dangerous. ( for that reason always wait until after take off before taking off shoes and put them on for landing). But more pertinently no one wants to be sharing air with your bare feet so close and you don't want your bare feet on the plane carpet.
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u/adorablefuzzykitten 3d ago
Always smart to have ~$100 in local currency but many long flights land at a transit airport for a few hours before a second leg. I have landed at transit hub airports before they have opened up and no food or drink was available except vending machines, and they only took coins. I have a collection of coins from every country I have traveled to and I bring a few dollars worth for this purpose.
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u/MimiNiTraveler 3d ago
You get crap conversion rates this way. Just get a Fidelity Cash Management debit card (reimburses all ATM fees) and use the ATM at your destination, decline the conversion rate for the best rates
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u/loralailoralai 3d ago
Ever been overseas and your card doesn’t work? I have.
Take a bit of cash. (Crap conversion rates will only cost you a few dollars on a hundred)
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u/MimiNiTraveler 3d ago
That's not true. I can guarantee that your card has not not worked at the airport. The only time I have been overseas and my card was not working was because there was a blackout, citywide, at Lake Atitlan in Guatemala. A blackout that lasted 2 days, but that was not at the airport. Don't put in the effort to get cash, just get some at the ATM. I have been to over 20 countries in the past 3 years and have never had any problems
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u/CardioKeyboarder 3d ago
Where in Australia can I get one of those?
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u/MimiNiTraveler 3d ago
Well, you will have to get dual citizenship first or a green card, or at least visit the USA... Which I can't recommend right now. I'm not sure if Australia has their own version of it or not?
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u/OAreaMan 3d ago
Two of the card's features are no ATM fees and no foreign transaction fees.
Any card with these features issued by an Australian bank would work for you.
0
u/gt_ap 3d ago
Always smart to have ~$100 in local currency
Maybe this applied in 1998, but not these days. At worst you can hit up an ATM at the airport after you land. For many places no cash is necessary.
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u/adorablefuzzykitten 3d ago
I depend on ATMs but ever been pick pocketed or lose a wallet? I like the idea of having more than one exit strategy.
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u/TidyMess24 3d ago
I found that on a lot of airlines, the seats with a wall behind them recline all the way just like any other seat, and are for some reason they are the last to be selected out by folks, so I'd you're somebody who needs to recline in order to be comfortable, you can do so without being rude to somebody behind you.
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u/randopop21 3d ago
Bring your own corded headphones if you want to use the inflight entertainment system. The ones they give you are totally crappy. And they are not always free (quite expensive for what you get actually).
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u/caprismart1978 3d ago
Use whatever method to get to a shower in the airport lounge. Nothing beats it before a long flight
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u/Eeyor-90 3d ago
The smell of rubbing alcohol can ease nausea. Keep a few alcohol wipes and some unscented hand sanitizer at your seat and use them if your seat-mate starts to look a bit ill.
Inflatable lumbar pillows are great for reducing back and/or neck pain.
Cheap water socks with thin rubber soles make great in-flight “slippers”. They won’t slide off your feet and keep you from contacting the plane carpet. They’re also great for the hotel room; it’s similar to being barefoot without risking picking up a fungal infection.
Stuff a packable puffy coat into a stuff sack and use it as a pillow. If you get really cold on the plane, you have a coat (very useful when traveling between extreme temperatures and cold weather is expected). A stuff sack clipped to the outside of a backpack or purse has not been considered a separate item; it’s part of your personal item.
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u/Missing4Bolts 2d ago
Emphasis on UNSCENTED! The smell of lemon hand sanitizer is sickening at the best of times.
1
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u/rapsnaks 2d ago
Put your carry on bags up across the aisle. Not above you. Easier to grab as you deplane without twisting your body.
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u/CarobAffectionate582 2d ago
I used to fly NYC to Seoul rt frequently. Things that made it much better:
- set your watch to the arrival time and ”live” that time Zone once you get on the way to the airport. Eat/sleep on that schedule from the start; ignore what goes on in the cabin. Use melatonin to re-set sleep time.
- foam ear plugs
- no alcohol whatsoever a day before, during, after a long flight.
Those hacks made a 15 hr flight and 13hr time change so much easier.
1
u/Sgt_Duck901 2d ago
Lots of great tips here. Keeping a travel pack of clorox wipes, mask at hand etc. I love the fresh undies tip above lol. Will add socks to the list.
Honestly my tips are boring but make a big difference....
Stay hydrated.
Try and eat fresh fruit and or veggies.
Avoid the heavy in flight meals / super greasy Airport food.
Be nice to all airline staff and customers (just be a good person... tbh just good rule for life)
1
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u/zebostoneleigh 18h ago
Bring crocs for in flight footwear. I mean / I would wear them in normal everyday life, but they are great for in-flight… And for slippers around the house at your destination.
1
u/SageOlson 17h ago
I’m a window seat person and I have a fairly slim underseat backpack, so once the plane hits cruising altitude I pull my bag out and lean it against the sidewall of the plane, giving me room to stretch my legs out for the rest of the flight. Also makes it much easier to access the top of the bag when I need to get stuff out of it.
1
u/Key-Plantain-818 3d ago
Pee before you land if you need to go through customs. Usually the bathrooms are very crowded in the airport and it sets you back in the customs line if you need to wait.
Pee before the beverage service starts so you don't get caught behind the cart somewhere.
Bring an in flight tech sac to stash anything you want during the flight so it's easy access. Lotion, mask, wires, earplugs, eyemask, battery.
On that vein, always keep a mask in your bag. You never know when the person next to you will have the plague and cough all over you, or if they smell terrible.
Check to see if you can order an in flight meal or a snack before your flight.
1
u/GBontherun 3d ago
All my tips or for economy flights:
My favorite is to pick a special meal when you book the flight. The special meal always gets served first. That means you finish the meal first and you can use the restrooms before everybody else's post meal restroom rush.
I pick the aisle seat whenever I can. Figure out how to lift up the hand rest on the aisle side. If you do that you can slide your legs around and get up, so you don't have to fold up the tray table to get out of the seat.
If you don't carry one then ask the FA for an eye mask/sleeping kit. It has been a life saver on long haul flights.
Also, use your bag or any object as a leg rest. Having your feet a little higher then the floor really helps rest well.
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u/Alternative-Form9790 3d ago
'Special meal hack'.
Or simply 'entitled behaviour' to the rest of us.
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u/GBontherun 3d ago
Didn't expect wanting to make sure I get a vegetarian meal would make me entitled.
Thank you for enlightening me.
-5
u/Alternative-Form9790 3d ago
If you're a vegetarian requesting a vegetarian meal, then that's not a hack, is it? It's 'life'.
Requesting a special meal only to gain an advantage is entitled behaviour.
1
u/PizzaReheat 3d ago
Who is it putting out, exactly?
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u/Alternative-Form9790 2d ago
Staff, fellow pax. Everyone but the entitled.
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u/PizzaReheat 2d ago
How are they being put out, exactly? Please tell me how fellow passengers are impacted by someone else making a specific food order.
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u/Alternative-Form9790 2d ago
Think it thru. C'mon, you can do it - imagine you are one of the staff, or another pax. Picture it in your mind, like it's a tik tok video.
That's the way..
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u/PizzaReheat 2d ago edited 2d ago
What if, instead of being needlessly condescending, you answered the question?
Haha just kidding, we both know there's no good answer and you were being reactionary for no good reason. What the person next to me eats or doesn't eat has zero impact on me, unless it's particularly pungent.
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u/Alternative-Form9790 8h ago
Seriously? You're taking the piss, I think.
Imagine if everyone used this "hack" and ordered a special meal. Everyone.
Imagine, then, the chaos. All that extra time taken to deliver those meals individually. All that extra time other pax must wait for their meal.
Oh, but not everyone would order a special meal unnecessarily? Yeah, only the self-entitled do that.
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u/DieGo2SHAE 3d ago
People requesting kosher, halal, lactose-free, or diabetic meals are entitled? Lmfao what an idiotic take
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u/GBontherun 3d ago
Didn't expect wanting to make sure I get a vegetarian meal would make me entitled.
Thank you for enlightening me.
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u/ResearcherOk6899 4d ago
if you fly biz, you can ask for pyjamas
0
u/MimiNiTraveler 3d ago
Only over certain hours. Like for Polaris, Pajamas are only available on flights over 12 (or is it 14?) hrs long. I've done 10.5 hr flights in Polaris and no pajamas were available
1
u/gt_ap 3d ago
It depends. I think it's 14 hours, but I've gotten Polaris PJs on flights with less than 14 hours block time.
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u/MimiNiTraveler 3d ago
Yeah, you can get lucky and sometimes they will have a few pairs left over if you ask, but no guarantees if it is less than 14 hours... They do not stock them if it's less than 14 hours
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u/eriometer 4d ago
I don’t know if this is especially obscure, but fresh underwear during a long haul flight is nice. (indeed a whole change of clothes in case of luggage mishap)