Successful cross country air travel is a matter of doing the best you can to ensure you’re comfortable. First of all, wearing comfortable clothes is important. You shouldn’t dress like a slob for a long air flight, but pants with an elastic waistband and a matching top are perfectly acceptable while still looking neat. Wear shoes that you can slip on and off easily with socks on. Your feet are likely to swell on a long flight so if this happens you can remove the socks and still get the shoes on without pain.
Another important factor in successful cross country air travel is staying hydrated. Bring your own bottled water on the plane so you have access to some whenever you need it. Air on planes is very dry and dehydration can cause nausea and other forms of discomfort. You may not be able to take bottled water from outside onto the plane due to security concerns, but you can buy it from the newsstands inside the secure area. Although it’s overpriced, it’s money well spent in this case because if you wait for a flight attendant to get you water, you may be waiting for a very long time. It’s also a good idea to bring along your own snacks like fresh fruit so you have something healthy to eat while you’re waiting. Avoid drinking caffeinated beverages and alcohol on long flights because both of these drinks will add to your dehydration.
Another tip for successful cross country air travel is to use lots of moisturizer. Again, the climate controlled air on the plane can make your skin dry and irritated, so slathering yourself with a thick moisturizer before the flight will make you feel better in the end.
Another tip for successful cross country air travel is to exercise during the flight by walking up and down the aisles and stretching. Sitting in one place for too long is not healthy and though the risk is small, it’s possible to develop blood clots in your legs. Taking an aspirin before the flight can greatly reduce the risk of this problem, so unless you have other health problems that are exacerbated by aspirin, this is a good idea too.
A final tip for successful cross country air travel is to alter your sleeping and waking schedules before flying so that jet lag doesn’t bother you too much. It’s more difficult on the system to fly east than west, so if you’re flying east, maybe travelling from San Francisco to New york, try going to bed a few hours early for at least a week before you fly. It may be difficult but if you can alter your schedule even slightly you’ll suffer much less and be able to enjoy your trip much more. If you’re flying in the other direction, try to book your trip back east for an overnight flight. You can sleep on the plane and be closer to a normal schedule when you get back.