My first long haul flight. Advice please?

[DiscoZombie]

Been abroad many times but never out of Europe

Off to America for 4 days in November

I'll have a small suitcase plus a carry on. What really do I need to pack aside from the obvious things like clothes and toiletries? Coming back we're flying overnight. I'm flying with friends. There are no children with us

Thank you

Always pack a basic full change of clothes in hand luggage. Incase you or someone else spill drink/ food/ vomit! ( I have seen someone vomit and hit some poor person about three rows in front on their leg!). Even just leggings

US Travel adaptor preferably one with a USB outlet in it.

I suspect I'm unusual but I always carry a squashable pair of slippers in my hand luggage on long haul flights. I wear trainers for travelling thru airports and I don't want to also wear them for an additional 8 to 10 hours on the plane. And you NEVER want to be barefoot or only in socks on a plane!

Download the mobile passport control app now. Makes clearing immigration quicker.

Pay for an upgrade if you're in economy. Tongue in cheek, but it makes a massive difference, especially when flying overnight back. Wear compression socks.

Where are you going? You'll be ok in the east coast for 4 days, but the jetlag will kill you if west coast. Dont plan any activities on arrival day or your first day home to allow jetlag recovery. And don't drink on the flight to avoid killer jetlag too.
Get some USD, people will want tips immediately (taxi, hotel porters) so get some before you go. Bring your drivers license, everyone gets ID checks and its better than bringing your passport everywhere.

If you’re only going for 4 days, can you just take cabin luggage (usually a small wheeled case and a hand bag for transatlantic carriers)? That will save you time, and avoid the stress of losing your luggage. Especially if using BA…😡

For the flight home, a really good neck pillow. I have a Trtl (great) and a British Pillow Company one (amazing). I also have noise cancelling headphones and a bandana that I use as an eye mask.

I have a great little travel adaptor that works worldwide and takes both a U.K. plug, and 2 types of USB.

You have your ESTA sorted already?

Thank you. We're off to Washington DC

ESTA already sorted. Travel insurance has been sorted

Exciting! A water bottle that you can refill after security is a good idea.

Charging cable. I have one that can charge three things at once, with a USB C or A adaptor at the other end, so you can use either type of power source. Invaluable. £7 from Amazon.

I would just take a carry on if you’re only going for 4 days. Make sure you wear comfy clothes for the flight. But nothing else you need for America that you didn’t in Europe apart from documents, right travel adapter etc.

You can go to the cabin crew kitchen area and get drinks and snacks when you want. Don’t wait for them to bring them round.

I’d be taking a higher case for shopping!

Such a good tip! I watched a server at spoons spill a try of beer on a women. She had to sit on a plane to texas stinking of beer!

Take a pashmina to use as a blanket.

First time I went to dc I made the mistake of going to bed the morning I got home - after a night flight like yours. Do not do that! Power through if you can, just go to bed earlier that night. My jet lag was off the charts and it took almost two weeks to get to any kind of normality. I came back on the Saturday night, arrived home about 10am on the Sunday and went to bed as I had work the next day so thought I’d be knackered. It really was rhe worst decision. I went again a few months later, same flight back, and managed to stay awake until the Sunday night. Went to work the next day and had no jet lag at all. You won’t have any jet lag going over there, it’ll be the flight home. It’s hard to actually sleep on a night flight, but try and get as much sleep as you can!

Trick to help jet lag is try to go to bed only 2hrs either size of normal, and wake the same.

So if you normally go to bed 10pm - try and not get in bed before 8pm

If you normally wake at 7am. Don’t sleep later than 9am. And if up in the night, try and stay in bed with dim lights and calm read until 5am.

Trtl neck thingy, foot hammock and my halo eye mask. Also big pashima to use as a blanket

Noise cancelling headphones 👍🏻

You should be given a pillow and a blanket but I still like to take my own neck pillow and pashmina.
You can check on the website in the weeks before you fly to find out what the meals will be but I still tend to take my own food as then I know I like it & can eat it when I want. It doesn’t matter if I am asleep when they bring the meal around or if service is delayed due to turbulence, I get my food. Same with water.
Similarly, whilst there will be entertainment, I always download something onto my phone.
Take noise cancelling headphones.

If you do take your own fresh food make sure you remember to eat it or throw it away on the plane. You can’t take meat, dairy, fruit and veg etc. into the USA.

To add to what PP have said about time differences, as soon as you get on the plane, set your watch to whatever time it is at your final destination. And then try and go by that time straightaway, ie stay awake/go to sleep. Same on the way back

I'm flying long haul Saturday albeit not my first time. However I think in terms of what would be awful for me ..so being sick, in pain, having the shits or cold. Therefore essentials in my hand bag are kwells, paracetamol, imodium and a cashmere pashmina.

I like my own things so ear pods, kindle and things to watch. Snacks and hygiene stuff so wipes are also a must. After that im good.

Oh flight socks.....a must