How to Survive a Long-Haul Flight

Love or hate long flights, they're a necessity to get to the most far-flung destinations on the planet. Flying long-haul can be a dream with a little preparation and a few home comforts.

There are important and sometimes less obvious steps you can take to ensure the least torture possible on a long trip. Here are long flight tips for preventing boredom, dehydration, deep-vein thrombosis, sleep deprivation, and more:

1. Reserve a good seat

Think ahead and choose a good seat. "The best thing a flier can do to prepare for a long-haul flight is to give themselves the best seat possible,"said TripAdvisor's vice president for flights, Daniel Gellert.

If you can't afford business or first class, booking early is especially important. Opt for exit rows for more legroom. Stay away from the front of the plane as this is often where you'll find special provision for babies on international flights if you want to avoid crying children. Make sure you get an aisle seat if you like to move about the plane.

Check out Seatguru.com for detailed information on the aircraft's specifications and seating options for your particular flight.

2. Escapism

Fun things to do on a long flight include watching every movie, playing the games on your seatback TV, binging on your favorite shows, listening to music or podcasts or reading books. Make sure any movies, audiobooks or music are also downloaded on your digital devices.

3. Stow all carry-ons in the overhead bin

Resist the urge to keep your carry-on bag under the seat in front of you. Thirteen hours deep into the flight, all you want to do is to extend your legs fully. Prepare a small zip case to keep items at hand without having to get up and access the overhead locker all the time. This consists of earbud headphones, phone charger cord, small comfort items like body lotion, lip balm, wet wipes and face masks - plus a pen for filling out landing documents.

4. Drink plenty of water

Flying dehydrates you since aircraft cabins are often very dry places, and if you want to feel fresh when you arrive, you'll need to drink plenty of water. Bring a bottle of water onboard if you can. Avoid too much tea, coffee and alcohol.

5. Bring your flight gear

Go and lug around your neck pillows, sleep masks, earplugs, noise-canceling headphones, etc. These in-flight essentials will provide you comfort. The inconvenience of packing and carrying these around is dwarfed by the misery of 15 hours in flight with crying children, pilot announcements, engine noise, and a major crick in your neck.

6. Be health-conscious

Muscle activity is what keeps the blood flowing. Do stretch that two-minute toilet break into 20 minutes, and do basic DVT-prevention exercises, like pointing your toes to stretch your calves and drawing the letters of the alphabet with your foot to move your ankles.

Moving about the plane once in a while is much more conducive to getting some healthy rest than popping a sleeping pill.

Happy boarding.