Taking a long flight isn’t always the most comfortable thing. Not all of us can sit in front of the curtain with chairs that lay back & drinks that are served to use in actual stemware. And long gone are the days where the stewardess knew each guest by name. Now it is all about sticking as many people onto a plane as possible & getting them to their destination.

I have had some wonderful flights, & then I have had some just straight terrible flights, where my planes have been delayed, my luggage was lost, I was stuck on the tarmac for hours before taking off for a flight from London. I even had to sleep on the floor of JFK airport on Christmas once. Flying isn’t always pretty. But taking a cross country, or even international, flight in coach doesn’t have to be all that bad. Especially if you follow some of these hacks to make sure your trip runs as smoothly as you can control.

Know where to sit
I used to love sitting at a window seat. It meant that I could lean up against the window & fall asleep without the scare of waking up on the chest of the stranger in the seat next to me. Lately, however, my feelings have changed. I feel claustrophobic in the window seat & want to constantly stretch my legs. My new favorite seat: the isle. Now I am able to get up as often as I want, even if the person in the middle is fast asleep. Know where you are the most comfortable. You are going to be there for a while, & it isn’t always possible to switch seats.

Wear the right gear
I need to be comfortable when I get on a plane. I am a jeans come off type of girl the second I get into my house so nothing is different about sitting in a seat for five hours. I always wear some sort of yoga pants or leggings on long flights. For a while my legs would even go numb while I was on planes, that’s where the proper footwear comes into play. Yes it’s easier to wear your heavy boots when packing, but don’t. Find a way to get them in the suitcase. Wear sneakers so your feet are supported and your blood flow keeps going.

Stay fueled
It’s easy while you are just sitting there to snack on the airplane chips & just have some soda they give you. Don’t! Always, always, always take the water they pass out. If you aren’t going to drink it now, you will later! Flying dehydrates your body, & replenishing your H2O can be a big time mood changer. Also, grab a sandwich or salad at one of the airport eateries for during your flight. It’s not fun when you land on a fun trip or vacation & all you can think about is needed to eat. Be prepared.

Have all your necessities at an arm’s reach
That book you may want to start for the fifth time, your tablet that has your latest Netflix binge on, & even your comfy sweater to keep you warm when the person next to you raises their air to full blast. Keep all of that under the chair in front of you so that no matter what you want, you can always grab it easily. The worst is being stuck on a plane with nothing to do.