My Rx; Get a young, comley and ebullient seatmate.
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What to do in 20 hour flight
- Thread starter CarLuver
- Start date
The combination that often resulted in the death of claimants was alcohol, sedatives/hypnotics and opioids.
Alcohol and sedatives/hypnotics alone (for example whiskey and ambien) is not advised.
Thanks for all the replies .Don't drink so that is out. i don't get too nervous on domestic flights and can usually sleep . now the compression socks i am definately going to get .
For you folks more experieced with flying, how do i upgrade to biz? do i ask the cost at the counter?
For you folks more experieced with flying, how do i upgrade to biz? do i ask the cost at the counter?
edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
Of course, it is not advised. However, the oldest trick is when doing multiple time zones back and forth.
edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
Go on their website, access your ticket and see upgrade options. At the counter? Something tells me others would like to do the same, and if you don't travel internationally often, there will be people who probably have better mileage status.
We flew Delta and got comfort plus seating.
I don’t think I would go just standard. Your really packed in that way.
I would forget about depending on Wi-Fi, sure you might get it at some point but forget about it once you’re over the ocean and other countries and spotty at best. Good for domestic travel but we found it an exercise in futility.
The menu and movies on the airplane are plentiful and free
I would suggest Bose quiet comfort headphones. For me, they made all the difference in the world. Super comfortable you will barely hear a sound or rumble of the engines while you watch a movie or listen to music or just go to sleep. You can use the headphones simply for their noise canceling without even listening to music or a movie. It just makes everything quiet. Really amazing.
The Bose, quiet comfort headphones also come with the cable so you could plug it in directly behind your seat for sound. The headphones can use either direct connection with the cable or Bluetooth.
My wife had Bose quiet comfort earbuds, and she bought a converter that plugs into the back of the seat converts it to Bluetooth and that’s how her earbuds worked since earbuds obviously don’t have the capability to plug in with the cable.
Make sure to bring cords to plug your phones and accessories into the USB outlets on the seats or at the bottom of the seats many times both places.
Anyway, flying from the East Coast, our trip was about 30 to 33 hours long, including layovers
The longest flight was from Atlanta to South Korea and that was 14 hours nonstop straight.
Other flights were a combination of getting to Atlanta and from South Korea as we flew to the Philippines
If you have an iPhone, get a couple packs of Apple AirTags. We had a blast using them.
We had an AirTag inside each one of our suitcases, including a carry-ons, including our laptop cases and backpacks.
It was kind of cool at the different airports, opening up the app on our iPhone and we would see where our luggage was even inside the airport or on the tarmac.
Our return trip at the very last airport Atlanta to Myrtle Beach. One of our luggage didn’t show up on the carousel. Opened up the Find My app, and it showed that one luggage sitting on the Tarmac in Atlanta.
We found an employee at Delta. They already knew our name because it was already messaged to him that the luggage was left behind. My wife showed the Delta employee the luggage still sitting in Atlanta!
Do you know even the next day we knew when the delivery person was leaving the airport with our luggage to bring it to our house because the AirTag was showing us our luggage traveling with whoever was bringing it to our house. We even knew he stopped in McDonald’s for lunch.
Other than that, our luggage and transfers were incredibly smooth, and that was the only issue.
I’m not sure how good you are with technology but if you do have a current phone, you can use an eSIM to whatever country you are traveling to. You can get the eSIM and install it before you leave for your trip and once you arrive in the country that you’re going to you go into your settings and turn that one on
The eSIM provides data only and that is all we use anyway and much of my wife’s family. As long as you have data you download the app called Viber. Viber is free and you can call each other using your regular phone numbers on your cell as well as text, send pictures, etc. among each other
You could even set up groups if you’re with a bunch of people and everybody could talk together I should say text together
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Definitely bring your own supply of entertainment, or ways to amuse yourself.
Even if the in-flight system is good, which is far from guaranteed, the selection is still limited, and depending on the length of stay, won't be refreshed and thus stale on the return leg.
Use one of the seating chart sites to scope out what seat amenities your airline offers, and prepare accordingly. Things like charging cables, etc.
Ear plugs help reduce the aural fatigue from the noise in the cabin. Finding some way to elevate, or insulate your feet from the vibration of the cabin floor also helps reduce fatigue. A modern plane, like a 787 or A350, with higher cabin pressure and humidity does make a difference in providing a nicer environment.
Even if the in-flight system is good, which is far from guaranteed, the selection is still limited, and depending on the length of stay, won't be refreshed and thus stale on the return leg.
Use one of the seating chart sites to scope out what seat amenities your airline offers, and prepare accordingly. Things like charging cables, etc.
Ear plugs help reduce the aural fatigue from the noise in the cabin. Finding some way to elevate, or insulate your feet from the vibration of the cabin floor also helps reduce fatigue. A modern plane, like a 787 or A350, with higher cabin pressure and humidity does make a difference in providing a nicer environment.
If you get Youtube premium you can download like 40 videos. Last trip to Europe I watched all kinds of how to things I had previously downloaded. Movies bore me after a while.
Music is good too. I can sleep on a flight for a bit, but not too long. Music kind of puts me in a half sleep for a while.
Music is good too. I can sleep on a flight for a bit, but not too long. Music kind of puts me in a half sleep for a while.
Nick1994
$100 site donor 2024
I flew to the Philippines last November with United. Loved United, much better than American Airlines.
If you’ve got the $, upgrade to Premium Economy, or as United calls it “Economy Plus”. If you don’t want to spring for the full payment, the day before your flight you can check in early on the United App, see if there’s a seat available where someone cancelled last minute. I did that and it didn’t cost that much to upgrade for my return flight.
Movies are free with Economy Plus but I bring my iPad with my downloaded movies and shows on Netflix, Hulu, AppleTV etc.
I think they give you a little screen and earbuds in Economy though.
WiFi is $25-$30 I think.
If you’ve got the $, upgrade to Premium Economy, or as United calls it “Economy Plus”. If you don’t want to spring for the full payment, the day before your flight you can check in early on the United App, see if there’s a seat available where someone cancelled last minute. I did that and it didn’t cost that much to upgrade for my return flight.
Movies are free with Economy Plus but I bring my iPad with my downloaded movies and shows on Netflix, Hulu, AppleTV etc.
I think they give you a little screen and earbuds in Economy though.
WiFi is $25-$30 I think.
Here is my international SOP:
Buy a big water bottle after security. What they provide on the plane is never enough.
Bring 10x crystal light packets, fill water bottle, put 1 crystal light in.
Bring FOOD. Sure your international flight has 2-3 meals, but maybe you will hate it.
Others already said iPad, iPhone, two sets of noise cancelling earbuds, 2x USB battery packs, plenty of usb cables, and a few extras.
Small packet of face wipes.
Your choice of legal sleep aid or delta 8/9 (be mindful of your destination such as russian gulags)
Do whatever you can to help single mothers.
Get up and walk every few hours.
After you get off the plane, intentionally walk a good 2000 feet (much more if you can) to counter swelling.
Good luck with jet lag, I stay up as long as possible.
Have a good time.
Buy a big water bottle after security. What they provide on the plane is never enough.
Bring 10x crystal light packets, fill water bottle, put 1 crystal light in.
Bring FOOD. Sure your international flight has 2-3 meals, but maybe you will hate it.
Others already said iPad, iPhone, two sets of noise cancelling earbuds, 2x USB battery packs, plenty of usb cables, and a few extras.
Small packet of face wipes.
Your choice of legal sleep aid or delta 8/9 (be mindful of your destination such as russian gulags)
Do whatever you can to help single mothers.
Get up and walk every few hours.
After you get off the plane, intentionally walk a good 2000 feet (much more if you can) to counter swelling.
Good luck with jet lag, I stay up as long as possible.
Have a good time.
When I was in the AF we went to Europe (x2), SW Asia, Japan and some state side trips in a C 130, C 141, KC 135, KC 10 and C 17. Freezing cold and the most comfortable rack seats and the C 131 had a broken toilet. I slept most of the time with occasionally walking around the pallets. It's what we all did. The KC 10 was, by far, the best ride.
Looks like you’ve received some pretty good advice. If you don’t mind me asking, Asia covers a lot of area, where are you going? Holiday trip? Not counting Vietnam, over the years I’ve worked in the Philippines and Papua New Guinea and visited Japan and Hong Kong all places were great adventures.
GON
$150 Site Donor 2025
Very tough to purchase a paid upgrade to business. Unless one is flying across the Pacific off peak (Tuesday. Wednesday), more often than not all the business seats are sold out, and status flyers on the airline are waitlisted to purchase a upgrade. Non status passengers are at the bottom of the list to purchase an upgrade.
A few rules, on a code share, near impossible. A code share example is a bought a ticket on American Airlines, with a American Airlines flight number, from Los Angelos to Honk Kong. Flight is actually operated by Cathay Pacific, and there is no way to purchase a upgrade on Cathay Pacific with American ticket number. Same with Japan Airlines. Only exception that comes to mind going across the Pacific is Philippines airlines does offer upgrades with other airlines' ticket stock.
My recommendation--if you want to fly premium economy or business class across the IDL, shop around and buy a low-cost business class ticket.
Do some isometric exercises, some are possible within your seat. If nothing else, flex and hold different muscle groups for 10-15 seconds 5-6 times. Walk to and from the restroom often. Walk on toes, heels slightly elevated. You will be surprised how well this helps. Also, bring something to read of course.
Going to HK and maybe a quick trip over the border to szhenzen . going for 10 days. Pretty cheap prices now
If Shenzhen doesn't work out, consider a ferry to Macau (on the Cotai Water Jet). Where are you staying in HK? The Grand Hyatt there is beautiful, get a room with club level access.
It's easier for your body to make a longer day than it is to make a day shorter. [People completely isolated with no external time clues (like in a mine) will go into about 25 hour days.]
That makes traveling west easier on the body than traveling east.
You will adjust the easiest by lengthening your days.
That makes traveling west easier on the body than traveling east.
You will adjust the easiest by lengthening your days.
You don't have to completely avoid alcohol. Just go easy, maybe half of what you might otherwise drink.
One of my most amusing flights was sitting in front of 2 guys (the boss and an employee) flying to Ontario to pick up a new truck. They had way too much to drink (they brought some of their own on the flight). The employee was practically sobbing as he told his boss he'd been cheating him for years. And the boss was practically sobbing as he told the employee he had known all along. I've often wondered how day two went.
Don't be one of "those guys".
It costs like $500 to $1000 per hour for the upgrade to business class. It's awesome when my company pays for it. Coming out of my own pocket, it's not that awesome. LOL.
I suffer from horrible jet lag. I was in Japan for a week and barely slept. 12 hour time change does a number on me. I slept the entire flight home.
My first time to China was in an old 747 in coach. No seat back entertainment. Just a movie on the screen on the bulkhead with 1" x 1" pixels. The Air China FA cut me off after two glasses of wine and was aghast that I wanted a third glass, so that was no escape. I wouldn't mind one last work trip to Asia, but I think those days are behind me. I have one more month left on my 10 year China visa.
