Skip to main content

Surviving my First Long-Haul Flight


Hello from the other side (literally). Apologies for not updating this blog for weeks as I'm currently in the US to visit my favorite person. This trip has a lot of firsts for me: my first trip to the US, my first long-haul flight, and many others. 

I love flying solo. I have been flying solo several times already so I wasn't uncomfortable at all. 

My flight was via Delta Airlines, with a layover at Narita International Airport in Tokyo. The flight time from Manila to Tokyo was almost 4.5 hours, while the flight from Tokyo to New York was more than 13 hours. 

My meal during my MNL-NRT flight

Since I haven't eaten breakfast when I left my apartment in Manila, I was too happy to indulge in Delta's inflight meals. My food during the MNL-NRT flight was sausage with potatoes and eggs, with bread, fruits, and flan. 

Touchdown Tokyo (airport)!

My 2.5-hour layover in Narita gave me enough time to have some ramen. Amazing. 

Tonkotsu Ramen at the airport. 

My NRT-JFK flight was a different story. The boyfie has reminded me several times that I shouldn't eat too much so I wouldn't feel bloated. So yeah, I tried my best not too eat too much the whole flight and spend more time watching tv shows and movies (because I couldn't sleep). 



Movie and coffee. :)
Beef with pasta, sashimi, and veggie salad

Though there are a lot of beverage selections, I limited myself to water and coffee (Delta serves Starbucks coffee so might as well drink as much as you can, hehe). 

13+ hours later, we finally landed in New York. I survived my first long-haul flight. YAY!

Here are some tips that can help you when you fly long-haul:

1. Set your watch to the time of your destination.

To minimize the jetlag, setting your clock to the time of your destination helps a lot. 

2. Drink lots of water

The flight will dehydrate you, so don't hesitate to ask your flight attendants for a water refill every time. However, drinking a ton of water means you have to go to the restroom frequently so...

3. Choose a good seat

I was unfortunate to be in the middle seat during my MNL-NRT flight, but I was lucky to score an exit seat for my NRT-JFK flight. The exit seat is where the emergency exits are located, so it has more legroom. Another good thing about my seat is that it's near the restrooms. 

4. Don't overindulge with food

Filling up will get you dehydrated more easily, so it's better to eat light and indulge when you land. 

5. Bring a neck pillow

The best advice from the boyfie. Yes, there will be a small pillow provided but you'd rather put that on your back. 

6. Don't forget to bring essentials. Only essentials. 

Flying long-haul will not only involve a lot of sitting but a lot of walking too because you'll be changing gates and walking through security checks. So it is recommended that you bring only what you need - gadgets, passport, hygienic needs (tissues, wipes, lip balm, etc), jacket, scarf, etc. 

7. Dress comfortably but decently

For international flights, I usually wear a shirt, jeggings, closed-toe shoes, and a jacket. Honestly,  you don't need to dress up during travel but you shouldn't look shabby either. 

Comments

Post a Comment