23 Easy Ways To Make Air Travel More Pleasant

Taking your comfort to new heights.

Zoë Burnett / BuzzFeed

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1. Dress comfortably but still maintain a professional look with dressy yoga pants.

betabrand.com

Promising review: "I am an attorney, and I love that I can wear these pants to work with a blouse and no one realizes I'm in yoga pants. The material is soft and has a finish that makes them look like proper suiting material." —Alexandra M.

Get them from Betabrand for $78 (available in 13 colors and sizes XS–XXL).

2. Silence the drone of the engines and sleep easier with noise-canceling earbuds.

bose.com

Promising review: "I need them to make the city go away sometimes. Incredibly, they do all of that and do it well (especially when used in conjunction with a white noise app). And unlike NC headphones, they are really comfortable to sleep in. Like I said, life changing." —BookishE

Get them from Amazon for $249 (available in two colors and for Android and iOS).

And if you're looking for new headphones, check out our picks for the best wireless headphones for every budget on BuzzFeed Reviews.

3. Pass the time with a cheap tablet loaded with all your movies and shows.

amazon.com

Promising review: "Much more flexibility than you get with an Apple product, at a much lower price than the industry standard Samsung, etc. Coming from using Apple products for so long, this thing is really convincing me that there are really viable options other than Apple, and especially for the price, it's a great introduction to a different platform. Not only that, it's genuinely a good product!" —Jake-OutsideTheEnvironment

Get it from Amazon for $90 (available in four colors and in 16GB or 32GB).

4. Catch up on your queue of novels with a Kindle.

amazon.com

Promising review: "Getting a Kindle to read with changed my life. For 50-plus years I read a book every two days or less. As my eyes got worse, for many reasons, I just had to quit. Reading a paperback was hard and after 10 minutes of reading I simply gave up. With a Kindle I can adjust the font style and size and read for hours a day." —JJCEO

Get it from Amazon for $119.

5. Block out your neighbors and keep your head warm from drafts with a hoodie pillow.

amazon.com

Promising review: "On a winter flight, I had the good fortune to sit next to a woman who had one of these on and as soon as I got home I ordered one. On the next flight I'm snuggled into the soft textured cushioned neck pillow and I'm out like a light." —BellaBella by the sea ~~~

Get it from Amazon for $20 (available in five colors).

6. Stop your feet from falling asleep and keep circulation going with some compression socks.

amazon.com

Promising review: "These are super fantastic!! The perfect amount of compression in the right places. First day I wore them my legs were so much better at the end of the day; best part is NO ankle swelling, and NO calf pain. I'm a very busy nurse with long hours and rarely getting a lunch break, so I gave these a try. My feet did not hurt inside my shoes and they were not hot like socks." —K nurse

Get them from Amazon for $25 (available in six colors and sizes 5–9).

7. Learn a new skill, or solve a Rubik's cube to pass the time.

amazon.com

Promising review: "This cube is awesome! So smooth and fast right out of the box! No need to lube it or break it in like the brand-name originals. Doesn't bind, and hasn't fallen apart like the other off-brands I've purchased." —Analise

Get it on Amazon for $18.

8. Use an anti-theft carry-on bag to give you some peace of mind.

amazon.com

Promising review: "I really like the anti-theft features and use them regularly, which for me, makes this the perfect 'around town' bag, whether I am traveling abroad, or just doing errands close to home. I especially appreciate the additional security feature of the shoulder strap that detaches for wrapping around a table leg at a restaurant, then reattaches, allowing you to focus on your meal instead of worrying if someone is going to steal your pack." —K. Johnson

Get it from Amazon for $80.

9. Condition your surroundings and do your nose a favor with a portable humidifier.

amazon.com

Promising review: "Outputs a surprisingly high amount of vapor. Works really well. I bought this to use on long-haul flights. Tried it on a flight last week — made a huge difference in how I felt during (and after) the flight." —Fred Segal

Get it from Amazon for $28.

10. Top off all your electronics with a portable battery for those times that you get a seat without a plug.

amazon.com

Promising review: "I have several external chargers, but this is the one I've come to use the most. The attached cables are super handy and really make the device — I never have to search for or fiddle with a cord. I carried this charger with me on a trip to Sydney. Great when I was out and about during the day and had enough power to ensure both my iPhone and Skyroam hotspot stayed powered." —Jengaworld

Get it from Amazon for $27.

11. Dress comfortably and keep a travel sweatshirt for those spontaneous naps in the terminal.

amazon.com

The hoodie's features include a built-in neck pillow, passport pockets, and built-in gloves, among others.

Promising review: "I wasn't sure about the jacket — especially the cost. However, I have spent too many days in cold airports. I decided to purchase the travel jacket and I am glad that I did. The back of the pillow is slim and makes for a very comfortable neck pillow. I took a great nap. The jacket is comfortable and warm. The pockets are very handy and don't weigh down the jacket." —Rice Diva

Get it from Amazon for $149 (available in two colors and sizes S–XXXL).

12. Keep your ears comfy and warm with some flat sleep headphones.

amazon.com

Promising review: "I used to sleep with a pair of earbuds connected to my iPhone, which has an amazing sleep application. While the earbuds would help me fall asleep and drown out all the noise, I'd never be able to sleep the entire night through because unfortunately, I mostly sleep on my side. Of course being a light sleeper, the tiniest discomfort of the earbuds pushing into my head would unfortunately wake me up. After exhaustive searching, there really was only one product on the market catered to me, and that was this product." —jro

Get them from Amazon for $40 (available in three colors and sizes XS–XL).

13. Stay hydrated when waiting for your flight with a collapsible water bottle.

amazon.com

Promising review: "This water bottle is seriously so cool. It rolls up so small it can be packed in just about anything. When I was on the airplane, it was convenient to fit in my stuff as it did not take up much space or weight. I filled it with water after going through TSA and I was able to fill it with tap water as I traveled through Europe. It conveniently latched onto the outside of my backpack if I wanted it to be more accessible or if I did not have space for it filled inside my pack." —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $11 (available in four colors and sizes 0.7 liters to 1.0 liters).

14. Freshen up your mouth in the bathroom before you land with some travel brushes.

amazon.com

Promising review: "We fly A LOT, on very long trips, from one continent to the other. Aside from having your toothbrush, these are nice when you run into the restroom and just want to freshen up a bit. They leave your mouth wanting more! Not because it feels dirty, but because cleanliness never felt as great as it does when you're rushing through the airport and want to make sure the coffee breath hasn't hit in." —Blunt Truth

Get a four-pack from Amazon for $4.

15. Make watching movies easier on your tray table with a tablet stand.

amazon.com

Promising review: "No more having to hold my phone while watching a video. I am going on a trip and got this in time to use on the plane to hold my phone while I sit there passing the many flight hours by watching stuff on my phone. Get this stand — you won't regret it." —Niki M.

Get it from Amazon for $9.

16. Slip some more flexible shoes on when you're at your seat.

amazon.com

Promising review: "They are great for airline travel. I put my shoes in the overhead bin and wear these soft slippers. It's easy to nap or sleep with these on a long flight. They keep my feet warm and have plasticized bottoms so I feel comfortable wearing them into the toilets. The little bag stores them quite nicely in between trips. It's also nice to have them for hotel use." —Mary NK

Get them from Amazon for $27 (available in women's sizes 5–9).

17. Reduce the pressure change on your ears by using some altitude ear plugs.

amazon.com

Promising review: "I have ear pressure whenever I fly. Decongestants help only a little. I've been using earplugs, starting with Earplanes, for years. I have found the Lewis N Clark earplugs to be far more comfortable, easier to insert, and as good or better at reducing pressure." —Paul W. Schroeder

Get them from Amazon for $8.

18. Wear layers and keep a light, packable jacket around for those cold connecting flight delays.

uniqlo.com

Promising review: "I purchased this coat last year and LOVE IT! It's super light. I can add a layer under it if needed. Love that I can shove it into a purse or bag when traveling and it's super light so you don't have to carry a heavy jacket around." —Mel

Get it from Uniqlo for $80 (available in six colors and sizes XXS–XXL).

19. Swap out your laces with stretchable ones so you can scoot by easier in the security check line.

amazon.com

Promising review: "Great product. Better than expected. I've always laced my sneakers loosely so I could slip them on and off. Now, I can have a snug sneaker fit and still slip my sneakers on and off. They look great too!" —urban kid

Get them from Amazon for $9 (available in nine colors).

20. Shut out all lingering light with a sleep mask for when your window partner won't put down the damn shade.

amazon.com

Promising review: "I traveled over a million air miles and could NEVER sleep on airplanes due to the light and noise. In the last year, I have started wearing noise-canceling headphones and this mask. I now sleep on almost every flight. It is wonderful!" —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $12.

21. Roll all your cables and electronics into a single organizer so you don't have to dig through your carry-on.

amazon.com

Promising review: "It will most definitely come in handy for travel and in an airplane rather than having to rummage through your carry-on to find something to occupy you during the trip. Just pop out the case, and you're ready to go!" —CraftyReader

Get it from Amazon for $17 (available in four colors and sizes S–M).

22. Nip jet lag in the bud by using some supplements to help regulate your sleep.

amazon.com

Promising review: "I have to admit I was skeptical. I tried this product on a recent overnight flight to Barcelona. For the first time EVER, I was able to remain awake all day and into the evening without being exhausted. We were at the start of our two-week European vacation, and I was able to adjust to the six-hour time difference without a hitch." —Bonnie Gallant

Get a pack of 32 from Amazon for $8.

23. Stop your skin from cracking in the dry air with a travel-friendly skin repair kit.

birchbox.com

The kit includes: complexion-boosting moisturizer, hydrating eye cream, soothing facial cleansing milk, quenching facial mist, an all-purpose skin salve, and lip balm.

Promising review: "I bought them for a long international flight, (airplanes always dry me out horribly), and it worked so well I didn't feel the need to reapply lotion to my face or skin every 30 minutes." —Sherry

Get a kit from Birchbox for $45.

Reviews here have been edited for length and/or clarity.

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