Embarking on a flight as a first-time flyer is an incredibly exciting (albeit potentially daunting) experience, especially if you’re traveling on a long haul flight for the first time.
As you’ll likely be feeling myriad emotions before you take off, it’s a good idea to be as prepared as possible and get an idea of what flying for the first time will be like.
Things like getting to the airport well in advance so you’re not worried about missing your flight, ensuring that you’ve got all your necessary travel documents and paying attention to the safety instructions are all vital tips to bear in mind when you’re a first-time flyer.
Below, you’ll find more top tips for first-time flyers to make your experience as comfortable, easy and as stress-free as possible.
Bring some form of entertainment
Whether your first flight is 2 hours or 12 hours long, equipping yourself with some form of entertainment or distraction is a sure-fire way to ensure that the flight goes by as quickly as possible.
Depending on how long the flight is and which airline you’re flying with, your seat might come with in-flight entertainment such as a TV and movies to watch throughout the duration of your flight. You can usually check whether the airline offers these features before you fly, but it might be a good idea to bring your own forms of entertainment as well such as magazines, books or downloaded podcasts, music or movies on your phone, tablet or laptop.
Wear something comfortable
Ensuring that you’re as comfortable as possible when flying is something you should strive for every single time you fly, not just on your first ever flight.
Wearing comfortable socks and shoes and bringing a cosy jumper on your flight are all things you can do to make sure you’re as comfortable and relaxed as possible throughout the duration of your flight.
Pack sleeping tablets if you might be a nervous first-time flyer
If you’re a first-time flyer, you might not actually know whether you’ll be a nervous flyer yet or not, but if you think you might be, it can be a good idea to pack some sleeping tablets with you to ensure that you’ll be able to get a bit of shut-eye on the flight.
Ensure that the sleeping tablets are prescribed specifically to you and if you’re not able to get official sleeping tablets, you could try some herbal remedies instead which might help calm your nerves on the flight.
Prepare for motion sickness
As well as feeling nervous when flying for the first time, you might also be prone to getting motion sickness while flying, especially during take-off and landing.
This is very common, even amongst the most frequent flyers and you can help combat the feeling of motion sickness while flying by bringing motion sickness medication with you on the flight.
Stay hydrated
Staying hydrated throughout your flight is another top tip to bear in mind if you’re a first-time flyer.
Airplanes can start to feel incredibly hot and stuffy after being in the air for some time and even though it might be annoying to need the toilet constantly, it’s important that you stay as hydrated as possible during your flight so that you don’t start to feel unwell.
Bring your own snacks
While many airlines offer food and drink throughout the flight, plane food can often be a bit hit and miss so if you’re embarking on a long haul flight, it can be a good idea to equip yourself with plenty of snacks so that you don’t go hungry while flying.
You can usually order food on most long haul flights, but if you’re prone to getting an upset stomach (which is something that you definitely don’t want to experience while flying!), your safest bet is to pack your own snacks. Not only will you be protecting your stomach, but you’ll also likely be saving a lot of money as plane food can be incredibly expensive.
Pack a simple toiletries bag
Packing a simple toiletries bag that consists of things like a toothbrush, hairbrush and a mini deodorant can do wonders for your personal hygiene while flying, especially if it’s a long haul flight.
You’ll arrive at your destination feeling much cleaner and much more fresh and it’ll also help to add a bit of routine to your flight experience as well.
