6 Tips for Staying Energized and Positive During Long Flights
Long flights can be challenging, but with the right strategies, they can become enjoyable experiences. This article presents expert-backed tips to help travelers stay energized and positive during extended air travel. From pre-flight preparation to in-flight rituals, these insights will transform the way you approach long-haul journeys.
- Prepare Your Body and Mind for Flight
- Implement Pre-Flight and In-Flight Rituals
- Reframe Flights as Intentional Offline Time
- Use a Two-Switch Kit for Hibernation
- Sleep Strategically on Long Flights
- Embrace Flight as Part of Luxury Experience
Prepare Your Body and Mind for Flight
Whether it's a short-haul or a long-haul journey, flights can take a toll on your body and mind, especially if you're not intentional about how you prep and care for yourself in the air.
Here are my go-to tips for feeling your best when flying:
1. Hydration is non-negotiable
Airplane cabins are incredibly dehydrating. I always carry a refillable water bottle and make it a rule to drink water consistently throughout the flight, even if it means more bathroom trips. Avoid alcohol and too much caffeine, which dry you out even more. I also pack an electrolyte tablet to pop into my water mid-flight for an extra hydration boost.
2. Pack a mini wellness kit
This is like a "soft life survival pack." Mine includes:
* A hydrating face mist
* Lip balm and hand cream
* Herbal tea bags (I just ask for hot water on the flight)
* Essential oils or roll-ons for stress or nausea
* A good eye mask and noise-canceling headphones
Small comforts like this go a long way in keeping you grounded and refreshed.
3. Move your body, even in small ways
Blood circulation slows down during flights, especially long ones. I make it a point to stretch my legs, roll my ankles, and walk the aisle every couple of hours. Even doing gentle seated stretches or deep breathing helps reduce tension and sluggishness.
4. Don't rely on airplane food
Pack snacks that energize you like fruit slices, protein bars, trail mix, or a light sandwich. I also bring ginger chews for motion sickness and something light to settle my stomach. Eating well can make a huge difference in how you feel when you land.
5. Refresh before landing
Before descent, I do a quick refresh in the bathroom: facial wipe, lip balm, a bit of face mist, and sometimes brushing my teeth or reapplying deodorant. It sounds small, but it helps you land feeling more like yourself, especially if you're heading straight into a meeting, a new city, or a long transit.
6. Set your intention
Flights can be chaotic, but they're also powerful transition spaces. I use takeoff as a moment to breathe, reflect, and reset. Whether I'm traveling for work or joy, I ask myself, "How do I want to feel when I arrive?" That one question helps guide how I care for myself mid-flight.
So whether you're flying budget or business, these tiny rituals help you arrive physically intact, and mentally and emotionally ready to take on what's next.
Implement Pre-Flight and In-Flight Rituals
Flying a couple to the Teotihuacan pyramids for a surprise proposal, I had just 40 minutes to help them shake off jet lag and feel present—so I handed them noise-canceling headsets, chilled electrolytes, and a breathing routine I learned from my startup burnout days.
As the founder of MexicoHelicopter.com, I've flown hundreds of guests after long international flights. What I've learned is that the difference between arriving exhausted versus energized isn't just about sleep—it's about rituals. My go-to combo starts before the flight: magnesium glycinate the night before, walking laps at the airport, and asking for a window seat to better control light and reduce fatigue. During the flight, I stick to water with sea salt, skip alcohol, and wear compression socks. Once we land, daylight exposure and grounding (yes, even barefoot on grass near the hangar) work wonders.
One little-known trick? A handheld massage gun. I keep one in the terminal to release tension before passengers board our helicopters—it's become a hit with executives arriving from Tokyo or São Paulo.
Long flights don't have to leave you drained. With the right routine, you can arrive ready to take off again.
Reframe Flights as Intentional Offline Time
Honestly, the biggest game-changer for me was learning to treat a flight as intentional offline time, not just transportation. Once I reframed it as a reset rather than a chore, everything shifted.
I have a little routine now:
• I drink tons of water before I board (hydration starts early)
• I skip airplane meals unless I really need them—they usually drain my energy
• I pack things that create a bubble: noise-canceling headphones, a silk eye mask, and a hoodie
• And I always bring something analog—a book, a sketchpad, or even just a journal
I also try to move around and stretch every couple of hours. It doesn't have to be dramatic—just rolling your ankles, standing up, walking the aisle.
But most importantly: don't pack your flight with pressure. Don't force productivity. If your body wants to rest, let it. That mindset alone helps me land feeling 10 times better.
Use a Two-Switch Kit for Hibernation
I bring my "two-switch kit": compression socks and noise-canceling earbuds—because once I put those on, my brain gets the signal that it's time to hibernate, not hustle. I don't check email, don't watch movies, and don't even try to be productive. I treat the flight like a forced power-down, not a productivity contest.
The real trick? I schedule something easy and energizing within an hour of landing—like a walk near the hotel or a phone call with someone who makes me laugh. That gives my body a reason to bounce back quickly instead of slogging through jet lag.
Sleep Strategically on Long Flights
If it's a long flight, I usually try to sleep! However, I don't try to sleep all the way until landing. I typically aim to wake up during the last hour or at least 30 minutes of the flight, so that I can be fully awake and energized by the time we land. I always pack a few energy-boosting snacks in my carry-on, which helps, and I try to get up to use the bathroom one last time before descending, if for no other reason than to stretch my legs walking down the aisle. So, I guess my tip would be to sleep to give yourself energy - but sleep strategically so that you feel energized when you get off the flight.
Embrace Flight as Part of Luxury Experience
When it comes to staying upbeat and energized during a long flight, the real secret is starting before you ever even step foot on the plane. I regard the flight as just as important as any other section of the luxury experience—not to be endured, but to be enjoyed, an opportunity to sustain the calm and control that you've taken so much trouble to gain. That's deciding on flights with a purpose, choosing sleep over another article about optimizing life, finding your own personal way of traveling that corresponds to your natural rhythm. Whether that's a trusty serenity playlist or hydrating facial mist, or a set of travel sheets in crisp linen that communicate "you time," rituals count.
But energy is not merely the product of comfort — it is rooted in mindset. The most seasoned travelers reimagine delays or inconveniences as part of the story rather than as interruptions. They advocate for what they require and take steps to be prepared: a pre-boarding snack, light movement during the journey, and a plan for re-entry. The psychology of luxury travel is based upon anticipation and a sense of agency — when passengers feel in control of their experience, their mood and energy respond in kind.
