I took a 13-hour flight from the US to New Zealand. Here are 11 small things I did to help make the trip easier.

Frequent bathroom breaks aren’t ideal on a flight, but being dehydrated is even worse. 

According to the Cleveland Clinic, the atmosphere in airplane cabins makes it even quicker for people to get dehydrated. There are lower humidity levels, which can lead to dry throats and eyes. 

Passengers need to drink more water both before and during the flight. The Aerospace Medical Association recommends travelers drink 8 ounces of water each hour they’re on a plane.

While I wasn’t able to drink 104 ounces of water on the flights, I made sure I boarded my long-haul flights hydrated. When I’m dehydrated, I have lower energy levels and don’t feel like myself. 

Since both flights departed in the evening, I had plenty of time during the day to drink water. I also made sure I packed my reusable water bottle to fill up both at the airport and before boarding the flight. 

The knowledge that I would be confined to an airplane seat and tight aisles for the next 13 hours was a daunting realization leading up to my flight.

So, before boarding, I attempted to get all my energy out.

Before heading to the airport, I either took a long walk or went for a run. Once I arrived, I continued as many simple exercises as possible.

In Los Angeles, for instance, I tracked down an empty airport hallway and did some stretches. At Auckland’s airport, I took long laps around the terminal.

I boarded both my long-haul flights feeling tired, which also helped make falling asleep easier. 

The role of flight attendants is often overlooked. Beyond pouring drinks and making sure passengers have their seat belts buckled, they perform behind-the-scenes safety checks, navigate stressful situations, and think on the fly when things go wrong.

The bare minimum I can do as a passenger is to let them know I appreciate their work. 

For my long-haul flights, I thanked my flight attendants before the plane even lifted off the ground. I also took the time to learn names and have quick chats. 

By the time we took off, the flight attendants felt more like friends. Later, when I wanted a glass of water and a snack, I didn’t feel guilty approaching them since we were on a first-name basis by this point.

I have friends who pack gift bags or bars of chocolate for flight attendants at the beginning of their flights. On my next flight, I think I’ll follow their example and throw some candy in my purse to thank my flight attendants for their hard work. 

I haven’t found a single pair of headphones that I can comfortably wear for more than a few hours. 

With that in mind, I knew I couldn’t wear either my Airpods or my over-the-ear headphones for 13 hours straight. 

So, I made sure my backpack had enough room for both. When I got to my seat, I was also surprised that business-class travelers received a pair of nice, over-the-ear corded headphones for the seat’s TV.

Between the three pairs of headphones, I could listen to movies, music, and podcasts for hours without achy ears. 

Since I knew I wanted to attempt to sleep for the majority of my long-haul flight, I made sure to pack an eye mask that was comfortable.

Air New Zealand gave each business-class passenger an eye mask, but I thought my personal one, which I found had more padding and was more comfortable, was worth the space in my backpack. 

The eye mask helped block out light, so between that and my noise-canceling headphones, I nearly forgot I was on a flight. 

I always have the naive hope to be productive on a flight. The reality is that rarely happens. The lead-up to a flight typically involves last-minute packing and lengthy security lines. When I’m seated on a plane, I’m ready to relax. 

The pressure to accomplish work felt more intense on a 13-hour flight that was part of a business trip. I’d feel like I wasted an entire day if I disembarked the plane without checking anything off my growing to-do list. 

So, I did a little work in the airport lounge. Once the seatbelt signs were lifted and I was allowed to pull out my laptop and tray table on the plane, I spent about two hours working. 

I didn’t work for very long, but by checking a few things off my to-do list, I felt zero guilt falling asleep a few hours later. 

Thirteen-plus hours on a plane can be hard on the body, so I was shocked when I disembarked both Air New Zealand flights feeling refreshed and energized.

Yes, having a lie-flat bed for a nap helped, but I also prepared more for these long-haul flights than I prepared for shorter flights.

So, whether my next flight is across the world or the country, in business class or coach, I’ll make sure I have multiple headphones packed and a few chocolate bars for my flight attendants.