Protect Your Gut, Sleep Schedule, and Nervous System on Long-Distance Flights By Following These 7 Simple Rules BEFORE Booking
Use my tried-and-tested hacks to design bearable long-haul flights that won’t leave you wrecked (even in economy class)
How to Design Long-Haul Flights That Fly By…Even In Economy Class
I recently took a 17.5-hour flight from San Francisco to Singapore. No layovers or stops to refuel…just endless seconds strapped into a seat at the back of the plane.
This is exactly the kind of monster flight that I’d usually be using my points to fly in lie-flat business class (so I can stay properly nourished, hydrated, and rested for all those hours).
But I was low on points when booking a flight back to Southeast Asia from the US after the holidays. So I found a way to design the most painless flight itinerary possible, even in economy class.
And in the end? Zero hours of sleep lost, minimal tummy issues, and instant adjustment to the opposite time zone…
Compared to 1 lost night of sleep for most flights from the US West Coast. And 2 SLEEPLESS OVERNIGHT FLIGHTS in a row if I’d booked a ticket all the way from Miami!
In the end, I have zero regrets about spending the time and energy to design my own quirky sweet-spot flight to Asia instead of settling for the best of the worst.
So when the points from your last sign-up bonus are still pending, the flight itinerary options are looking dismal, and you don’t quite have enough for a fancy lie-flat seat for your upcoming long-haul journey…don’t despair.
Just make these simple choices while booking to DIY the least-sucky long-haul economy flight possible.
Disclaimer: This blog post may contain affiliate links, meaning I may get a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking the link…at zero extra cost to you. I only share things I genuinely love and believe in and think my audience would benefit from too. This is how I’m able to keep making free travel resources and guides for you. Learn more about my affiliate policy here.
Thanks for your continued support!
How I found created my sweet-spot flight to Asia
7 Simple Rules for Booking Long-Haul Flights That Don’t Wreck Your Nervous System…Even in Economy Class ✈️
Choose flights during waking hours.
A huge part of what made this behemoth flight more bearable was the early (but not too early) departure. While most long-haul flights to Southeast Asia from the US west coast leave in the early evening (which means starting a long-AF flight with bad-quality sleep), I found this one flight from San Francisco to Singapore that departs at 9:40am and arrives at 7pm…
Meaning I could get a good night of sleep the night before the flight, arrive at the flight refreshed, stay awake for a full 17.5-hour “day” on the plane, and then naturally be ready to get another full night of sleep after arriving in Singapore around 6pm.
No lost sleep = happier human.
You can use tools like the Google Flights Discover tab and flightconnections.com to research available flight routes.
Choose positioning flights
I don’t live in San Fran. But the options to fly on one flight ticket all the way from Miami were brutal, with 2 overnight flights in a row. And expensive! With limited options for booking with points.
By expanding my search to departures from anywhere on the US West Coast and being willing to buy a second cheap connecting flight to get me there (the “positioning flight”), I was able to find a long-haul flight that was not only a way better schedule but was also available for me to book for under $50USD using points.
Warning: This strategy isn’t without its risks…
Because your flights aren’t connected, you’ll need to check in again, re-check your bags, and potentially go through immigration, all before your second flight. And since they’re separate tickets, your second flight probably won’t be refunded or rescheduled if you miss it because your first flight’s delayed or cancelled.
That’s why it’s best to leave way more time than you think you’ll need between your “main flight” and your positioning flight.
Which brings me to my next point…
Choose to stay at airport hotels to break up long flights.
Flying out of San Francisco at 9:40am meant arriving the night before on a separate flight and sleeping in an airport hotel (because if sleep is the goal, we’re not sleeping in airports 🙅♀️).
And that’s ok! I’d rather be actually sleeping at an airport hotel than stressing about trying to sleep upright while surrounded by strangers. And if my first flight’s delayed, I might lose some sleep at the airport hotel between flights, but I’ll have plenty of time to still make it to my second flight.
My favorite airport hotels are onsite, but even the nearby ones with free shuttles will do.
Doing this kind of journey without losing ANY sleep and with minimal jet lag is priceless, and well worth the extra cost of a budget hotel night near the airport.
I pick my airport hotels using booking.com (because of its super-handy “airport shuttle” filter). I also search hotel reviews for “shuttle” to confirm whether the shuttle is reliable and will be in service during the hours I need it, and details on how to call the shuttle from the airport.
Choose to fly in a westerly direction instead of easterly (if feasible)
The jury is out as to whether this reduces jet lag, but I SWEAR I notice a difference when I fly easterly vs. westerly.
That’s part of why I skipped booking a flight from Miami all the way to Southeast Asia (most of which travel easterly)…
Instead, I found that sweet-spot flight that traveled westerly to Asia from San Francisco, and then got myself to San Fran on that separate (also westerly) positioning flight from Miami.
Choose flights with quality airlines that will keep you fed, hydrated, and happy 🍲 🍱 🥤
Because 17.5 hours is a LONG time to be hangry or dehydrated, while stuck in a proverbial sardine can.
Singapore Airlines is probably my favorite airline to fly in ANY class, and it’s because their quality meals, humane service, and ample legroom make the trip feel shorter, even in economy.
And if you’re flying easterly instead, Turkish Airlines and Qatar have always done me right in economy.
Choose Airbus A380 for long haul flights when possible
These planes are famous for being super quiet and better pressurized than other planes, thereby reducing jet lag, so I look for flights that list the Airbus A380 as the aircraft.
When that’s not available, I do a quick google search of the aircraft to make sure it has an ok reputation before booking. (I also have a general distrust of Boeing planes and try to avoid them entirely when possible 😅)
Choose points as your payment method
It’s bad enough to have to endure these long flights for however-many hours in economy…also having to PAY FOR THEM?! No, thank you.
My flight from San Francisco was under $50USD and 47,000 Singapore Airlines Krisflyer miles (including a connection from Singapore to Bangkok) 🏆🏅🥇🙌
At the time I was running REALLY low on mile, so I ended up cobbling together the amount I needed from my various credit card accounts (mostly Chase and Amex, with the last few thousand from Capital One).
What if the long-haul flight’s already booked?
Try my go-to strategies for making even the most brutal flight more bearable…
Choose an aisle seat so you can guzzle water and pee as much as you want 💦
Pro tip: use the secret button to put up the armrest between you and the aisle for a little extra room (google how before takeoff). It’s totally ok to do this, and it works on most major airplanes but people are always so confused (and jealous 😬) when they see me do it.
Use a Sondur butt cushion 🍑
My parents gave me one of these for Christmas and it legit made such a difference because usually my back and hips are killing me by hour 6 in economy…but on this flight I went a solid 14 hours before feeling any pain in my back or hips.
Bring an eye mask and noise-canceling headphones for any chance of quality sleep 🎧
Because you can’t always control kids crying or the lady who keeps her light on all night to read.
If your flight’s barely a full night long (like an 8-ish hour flight to western Europe from the US East Coast), consider skipping meal service entirely to get in as much sleep as possible. As someone who has trouble sleeping in economy, I rarely attempt this…
But for anyone lucky enough to be able to sleep upright, skipping 3-4 hours of meal service can make the difference between a full night of sleep and feeling off for the whole trip.
