How to Upgrade Your Long Haul Economy Flights to A Luxury Experience
I hate travelling.
For someone who travels as much as I do, this is quite unfortunate. Let me clarify: I enjoy “being in places,” but I really dislike the “travelling” itself. Transiting through crowded places with public transportation, especially long haul flights, is torture for me.
There are things that make it a bit more tolerable, though, such as travelling with good people. But since I transit alone most of the time, I have to find other ways to turn it a better experience.
As an economist by training who hasn’t yet discovered a way to make unlimited money, I’ve always travelled in Economy because I always think about the opportunity cost of the 200% extra £££.
So today, I will share my little secret that has turned long haul Economy class flying into a much more pleasant experience.
I am not affiliated with any of the products and businesses. If you do find better products or have recommendations of your own, feel free to contact me, and I’d be happy to try them out!
A Luxurious Comfort Pouch
What’s inside:
A silk eye mask: The silk material feels fabulously luxurious on the skin and makes a world of difference compared to the standard eye masks you might find in stores or even in airline's first-class cabins. The one I bought is not on the market anymore but it looks fairly similar to this.
Steaming aromatic eye mask: This lavender or rose steaming eye mask provides calm and tranquility above the clouds, as well as the much-needed moisture to the eyes in the dry cabin air. The one I like is from KAO from Japan, and my favourites are Lavender or Roses.
Ear plugs: The quality makes a difference too. Good ones are softer and more comfortable in the ears, and block out more noise compared to the cheaper ear plugs available in stores or supplied by airlines. It's worth doing some research to find the good ones. The ones I bought are not listed anymore but they look like normal foam ear plugs like these.
Facial moisturising mask: Skin dries out a lot on an airplane. A facial moisturising mask can turn the dry cabin into a spa room. Give yourself that beauty treatment and feel fresh and well-nurtured when you step off the aircraft! I use Mediheal N.M.F Aquaring Mask.
Wet wipes: Clean anything! The table tray, your hands before and after eating, your face before and after the facial mask treatment… I use Boots cucumber wipes or you can use any baby wipes.
Lip balm: So simple, but a must-have. Save those dry lips!
Face moisturising cream: Lock in the moisture after the facial mask! I love my little travel sized tub from Lancôme but I actually refilled it with a cream from the bodyshop!
Toothbrush and mini toothpaste: It’s handy and makes me feel more refreshed after eating on the plane. There are also travel-sized toothbrushes that make it more compact.
Single-use eye drop: This was essential when I was wearing contact lenses as my eyes get really dry, so this would be a lifesaver. Now it’s more like a nice to have.
The latest addition - heat patch: I suffer from lower back pain for more than a decade, and it usually gets worse sitting for long hours. I tried this on my last long haul flight after my osteopath recommended it, and it provided such nice relief for my back pain! Well worth adding to the comfort pouch.
Other Essentials Outside of the Pouch:
Neck pillow: The quality of a neck pillow makes a big difference. A good neck pillow, compared to those of mediocre quality, offers substantial neck support with minimal discomfort. I have the Ostrichpillow Go.
Noise-cancelling headphones: No need for an explanation on this one. Save yourself from that crying baby! I use Apple AirPods Pro. I used to use Bose QuietComfort and their noise cancelling was very good, but I personally find it uncomfortable wearing those over ear headphones for a long time.
Snack box: Take care of your own dietary preferences. I really appreciate high-quality fresh fruits. There’s nothing more uplifting than the smell of a fresh orange above the clouds! Or a box of well-washed red seedless grapes. I put them in a Tupperware or reusable takeaway box (I use Lock&Lock, which not only prevents them from being crushed but also serves as a practical container at my destination. I also like savoury snacks, so a packet of beef jerky or some roasted pecans and cashews (I usually buy raw ones and roast them at home) really picks me up when I feel peckish.
Entertainment: I generally try to rest when I can. But sometimes, I simply cannot sleep and so need some distraction to kill time. I don’t generally consume the inflight “small screen entertainment” as most of them are so old and looking at the screen for two minutes already strains my eyes. I prefer intellectual stimulation, so my choice of entertainment usually includes podcasts, audiobooks, writing, or editing videos. When I am productive and in a flow state, time passes so fast. If I really want to watch something, downloading it to my iPad and watching it with the noise-cancelling headphones provides a much better experience than the inflight entertainment and headphones.
Luxury Travel in its Essence
The general theme here is that I like well-designed, good-quality products, and I like to look after myself according to the priority of my needs and preferences. Isn’t that the main characteristic of “luxury travel” anyway? The essence of luxury travel isn't in extravagant spending but in curating an experience that meets our unique needs and desires.
What are your must-haves for a comfortable journey? Share your tips and tricks in the comments below!
