Am I the only person who absolutely loves traveling but hates the process of actually getting there due to the sheer boredom of sitting in one small seat on a plane for multiple hours?
Dealing with the stress of the airport is enough to make me want to crawl into my carry-on until I arrive at my destination, and actually being in the air, ESPECIALLY on long international flights, can send me into a downward spiral that makes me second guess a long trip anywhere.
Personally, I have zero fears of flying. Still, the idea of being constricted to one seat surrounded by strangers and cramped into a plane (not to mention the odor of the motor and the headache that it causes) makes me resent the travel process entirely and has made destinations as beautiful as Australia off my list solely due to the length of the flight.
However, I do love travel and feel very privileged to have been able to travel as much as I have in my life, so I have tried to find tricks and new travel accessories to make the time more enjoyable.
So if you detest the process of traveling, know you’re not alone, and I am here to share some helpful tips and tricks I have picked up throughout the years of traveling.
Get to the Airport Early
There’s nothing worse than arriving at the airport 45 minutes before your flight leaves and rushing to get to your gate, so be sure to get to the airport 2-ish hours ahead of time to account for going through security and getting to where you need to be. PLUS, there is NOTHING WORSE than boarding a flight without airport snacks or, at the very least, a massive water bottle.
I learned that rushing isn’t just bad because of the stress but because boarding a flight parched and without water outside of what they serve on the plane just contributes to a very negative experience.
Wear Something Comfy
Listen, I want to look cute at the airport, but I prefer to prioritize comfort over fashion when I travel. Between zipping around the terminal trying to find your gate and being cooped up in a seat for hours, you’ll want to wear something comfortable on your next flight–trust me. And layers are essential, no matter what the temp is outside- you can bet that the plane will start to feel chilly, and nothing makes time go by slower than feeling cold for the entirety of the flight. Close-toed shoes are always a go-to for those reasons!
Keep Yourself Entertained
Most important on my list- provide yourself with multiple entertainment options. Have options for entertainment to keep you preoccupied even on the longest of flights! Treat each of these as a to-do list and give yourself a little schedule on your flight to make sure all your time is accounted for and spent entertained 😉
- Travel Playlists
- Throwback Playlists
- TV series and movies: Download series or movies you have been dying to watch or recommendations you haven’t gotten around to yet!
- Podcasts
- Card games (if traveling with a group and seated near in the same row)
- Catch up on work
- Pinterest it up- If you love decor, pretty aesthetic pictures, or just want some outfit inspo, you can do all of that for hours on Pinterest!
- Into Photography? Go through your photos, organize them into folders and albums, and edit pictures for future IG posts! If you are anything like me, this will take you well over an hour;)
- Journal – Whether it’s flight boredom or anxiety, journaling is always a great therapeutic technique to incorporate into your list of to-do’s on your next flight!
- Magazines: Okay, so I never buy magazines anymore, but the few times I do is when I am at the airport and see the latest PEOPLE edition. Just flipping through the pages and reading up on the latest celeb news spares me half an hour of flight time, fully entertained while listening to my favorite playlists!
Do you have any tips for making flights go by faster or more fun? Drop a comment below! I have even some tall girl travel tips to make flights easier as a tall girl!
