12 Non-Obvious Ways to Survive Long Haul Flights in Economy

By Adam Groffman

From the US to Australia to Thailand and back to Germany again, I’ve been doing a lot of flying lately. As glamorous as this sounds, flying so far so frequently is anything but glamorous, especially when I’m flying in economy class. Here’s how I make the most of my experience and survive long-haul flights in economy:

1. Take your shoes off

I take my shoes off immediately after boarding and put on a pair of slippers. Yes, your foot odor will be noticeable, but only for the five minutes or so it takes for it to recirculate across the airplane cabin. Take your shoes off, deal with the short awkwardness, and you’ll be better off for it.

Pro tip: The slippers at Muji and Uniqlo are amazingly comfortable and compact. I also like the Adidas Duramo slide-ons.

2. Ask for a better seat assignment 10-15 minutes prior to boarding

Unlike domestic flights, international flights are rarely full. I’m often able to grab an empty row of seats to lounge on or at least get…