What to Wear on a Long Flight to Be Comfortable

Wondering what to wear on a long flight so you’re not miserable at 35,000 feet? Whether you’re heading overseas or cross-country, being stuck in the same seat for hours can quickly go from exciting to uncomfortable. But with the right outfit and a few smart airplane essentials, you can actually feel pretty great from takeoff to landing. In this post, I’m sharing my go-to tips for what to wear on a plane to stay comfy, cozy, and maybe even get some sleep midair.

What to Wear in Long Flight

My go-to long-haul flight outfit is pretty simple. This is one time when comfort is a priority, but that doesn’t mean you have to look frumpy. You can leave the pajama pants packed away and still survive a long flight in economy wearing comfortable clothes. Affiliate links are included in this post.

• Comfortable Pants
• Shirt with Cardigan or Hoodie
• Blanket Scarf or Travel Blanket
• Compression Socks
• Slip-On Shoes

My current favorite go-to long flight outfit is Eddie Bauer Departure Joggers, a white 32 Degrees bra tank, with a Aviator Nation hoodie or black Athleta cardigan. But my Athleta Brooklyn Heights High Rise Cargo Pants are quickly becoming my new favorite travel pants for shorter flights even though they’re wide-leg which I typically avoid for long flights.

Best Pants for Long Flights

First, let’s talk about pants. Wearing the right pair of travel pants for a long flight is important. You need a pair of pants that are comfortable, easy to move in, and preferably dark in case you have a spill or your suitcase or a door rubs you wrong.

Another big tip for what pants to wear on a long flight is to avoid wide legs. Try to only wear fitted leg pants like leggings or joggers. Yes, wide legs look nice and more fashionable, however, when you need to walk around the plane and lavatory you DO NOT want extra material to pool on the ground. Ick!

Also keep in mind that if you’re traveling light, you might want to wear a pair of pants that can serve double duty on your trip and be worn again. At the least, I try to wear my travel pants for both my outbound and return flight – I’ll just pack an extra top to wear for the trip home.

Lastly, I’ll mention that many travelers (like my husband) often like to wear jeans for long flights. I’ll never wear jeans for a long flight. You should always opt for athletic or travel pants as they are typically less restrictive and can dry easier than denim in case of a spill.

But if you are in love with your favorite denim, try to opt for jeans that aren’t tight when you’re sitting and avoid jeans with too many metal parts, including buttons on the back pockets.

Leggings

I love to wear solid black leggings for long flights. I can bend and move in them easily and many come with side pockets for storing my phone. They can be paired with some cute tops and/or cardigans and look more stylish than sweatpants while still staying comfortable. My absolute favorite pair of leggings for travel are these:

• Aerie pocket leggings, which my daughter got me hooked on. They have a cross-waistband style which feels nice or the traditional wide waistband. And the pairs I own aren’t see-through – although I only own black ones.

• Two higher end leggings that are widely loved by the travel community and come in various length options are Lululemon Align and Vuori AllTheFeels™ Leggings. The Align leggings come with a pocket version and have a higher waistband while the Viori only have a tiny card/house key pocket. Both are very soft and flexible for movement and comfort.

• If you’re looking for a little more compression to tighten up your lower body, Spanx makes great travel clothes, including smoothing full-length leggings that come in petite, regular, and tall sizes.

• Looking to purchase from a sustainable, size-inclusive company? Check out these popular leggings from Girlfriend Collective.

• Lastly, if you’re looking for wool leggings that stay odor-free and are thermoregulating, check out these Unbound Merino leggings.

Travel Pants

If you’re not a leggings person, you can find some great travel pants that work well. Look for soft, quick-drying fabrics, and soft or elastic waistbands.

• If you love the trendy scuba fabric, you will love the Spanx AirEssentials Tapered Pants. These are so soft and comfy! And the fabric is a bit thicker – which is great for me since I often get cold on planes. My only complaint about these is that they don’t have pockets?! A more affordable dupe with pockets are the ODODOS joggers from Amazon.
  
• These Columbia pants are my go to travel pants if you want to use the pants for other days of your trip. They’re great for city walking and have sun and rain protection so work well for day hikes as well.
  
• Lately, I’ve been hooked on wearing these Eddie Bauer Departure Joggers as they’re lightweight and very comfortable. They’re easy to rinse and re-wear on other days of the trip. I find them comparable to the very popular Athleta Brooklyn Jogger travel pants – the Eddie Bauer has a flat leg cuff while the Athleta has a gathered leg cuff.
  
• I’m also a big fan of prAna pants, and the Kanab Pants are great for traveling when you want to be comfortable on the plane but then go out in the same pants. They’re a little more structured like a hiking pant versus a legging or lounge pant. They have good stretch and lots of pockets so they’re great for traveling.

Wide Leg Pants

I’ve already mentioned above that I don’t think wide leg pants are great for long flights due to them dragging on the floor. However, I have been known to wear them myself because they look so nice, especially on long legs. My favorite wide leg pants for travel are:

• The ultimate wide leg travel pants are the Spanx AirEssentials Wide Leg pants. I have the AirEssentials jumpsuit and love the material but jumpsuits are definitely not travel-friendly! This is a thicker material but still feels very lightweight and soft.
  
• And another recent favorite wide leg travel pants are the Athleta Brooklyn Heights High Rise Cargo Pants. They are lightweight, non-wrinkle fabric with a stretchy elastic waistband. And the cargo pockets have snaps to help keep the fabric flat over the pocket.
  
• A happy medium for wide leg pants are these prAna Send Off Pants because they have drawcord hem so you can tighten them up for flights if you don’t want the leg fabric loose. They also have a nice stretchy waist – perfect for travel days!

What Shirts to Wear on a Long Flight

I love to wear soft t-shirts when I fly. My new favorite is the Banana Republic Timeless V-neck T-shirt, but I also really like tees from prAna and Target.

For a little more personality, look for cute graphic tees at Target and Old Navy that might fit a theme of your trip. Graphic tees can look really cute with a cardigan and leggings.

I’ve recently started wearing tops that have built-in bras for more comfort, like these Duluth Trading Built-In Bra Tank. SheBird also makes great clothes with built-in bra support, including this short-sleeve V-neck classic tee.

Merino wool tops are also very popular with travelers and can often be worn multiple days without smelling. I’m very sensitive to the texture of tops and most merino wool doesn’t work for me. However, if you like merino wool the one I like is the SmartWool Active Ultralite, and my friends like Unbound Merino (especially for men’s shirts).

Cardigan or Scarf is a Must

I often pair my leggings and t-shirt with a long cardigan that has pockets. My current favorite travel cardigan is the Athleta Pranayama Wrap. But if I’m going more casual, I’ll often wear my (splurge) cute Aviator Nation striped hoodie with my outfit. Men might want to bring a hoodie for an added layer.

My go-to travel outfit is a pair of black leggings or joggers with a white t-shirt and zip up hoodie. But keep in mind that white does show stains. If you’re prone to spills or traveling with little ones, you might want to wear dark tops or shirts with a print.

Another option is to pack / wear a blanket scarf on the flight. My absolute favorite is the super soft zestt Dreamsoft Travel Scarf! A cute blanket scarf will make your outfit look more put together. Plus, it can serve as a good travel item to wear during your trip. You can even get a travel scarf that has a hidden pocket for your passport and such.

The benefit of a travel scarf is that it can be used as a blanket as well. Some prefer to pack a travel blanket, like the super soft and functional one from Gravel, for long flights when they want to sleep. Often on long flights overseas, they’ll provide a blanket at your seat. However, I’m not always sure if those blankets are clean. Packing a blanket scarf or your own travel blanket is the best way to keep you warm and avoid germs. :)

Best Shoes to Wear on a Long Flight

Before we chat about shoes, consider packing a pair of compression socks. The most popular and loved brands are Bombas and Comrad socks, but they are 15-20 mmHg compression socks and can be hard to put on.

If you’re looking for socks a little less restrictive (but also not as effective) consider these Dr. Scholls compression socks. Compression socks are worn to help prevent blood clots and deep vein thrombosis when on long flights where you’re not moving often.

You might also pack a pair of cozy socks to layer over your compression socks to keep your feet warm on the flight if you suffer from poor circulation.

You’ll want to think through what comfortable shoes to wear for your flight. I highly recommend slip-on shoes, like these Dr. Scholl’s shoes (run large) or my new favorite Vionic Pismo Sneakers. I recommend slip-on shoes because they’ll feel better if your feet swell on the flight (a common thing) and it’s also convenient for getting through airport security.

If you are packing carry-on only, you’ll likely want to wear your bulkiest shoe for your flight, so consider a pair of foldable slippers to bring with you so you can take off your heavy shoes while you sleep on the long flight. Keep in mind you’ll want to keep your shoes on when going to the bathroom!

I also never recommend wearing sandals or flip-flops for a long flight. Unless you really overheat while flying, these types of shoes don’t provide enough coverage for a flight in my opinion.

Airplane Outfit Ideas

Long Haul Flight Tips to Stay Comfortable

Here are a few of my best travel tips for long flights, including what I think are the best seats when you’ll be sitting for a long time.

Choosing the Right Seat for a Long Plane Ride

The first tip has to do with seat choice, and I have a few thoughts on that. First, if you have long legs, consider splurging for an extra legroom premium seat if available.

Of course, if you’re playing the points game or flying on an airline that allows upgrading, one of the best things for comfort is to upgrade to first class. Check out my experience flying business class on TAP Portugal and JetBlue Mint.

Just be sure that the premium seat includes extra legroom, some premium seats do not have more room and only offer early boarding or forward seat location perks.

If you’re not splurging for premium seats, then check the seat map, and don’t be scared to pick a farther back row. People love to sit closer to the front, so those rows fill up faster. Sometimes on flights that aren’t full, you’ll find the back rows have a lot of empty middle seats, sometimes you’ll even see someone with an entirely empty row.

A few notes, keep in mind where bathrooms are located. Sometimes extra legroom seats are also near the lavatories and if you’re in an aisle seat on a big plane with middle plane lavatories you may have people next to you often, not to mention the smell and noise.

Also, note on large flights overseas, families with babies can often be seated at the front “bulkhead” rows in order to have access to a bassinet system for the baby to sleep. If you sit near a bassinet row be sure to pack some earplugs. A good idea actually for anyone flying as babies aren’t the only loud things on planes!

My final tip about seat choice is to choose a window seat if you like to sleep. I often choose aisle seats to prevent claustrophobic feelings, however, I never sleep well with people constantly bumping my shoulder or elbow or grabbing my seat back as they walk past. You’ll also have to get up to let any of your row-mates out to use the restroom, which could interrupt your sleep.

If you’re planning to sleep on the flight, check out my review for the best travel neck pillows for planes. If you’re traveling overnight, sleeping on the flight is a great way to help beat jet lag. The sooner you try to adjust to the new timezone, the better. Taking melatonin can be helpful to tell your body when you want to sleep.

Selecting a window seat allows you to lean against the wall/window and snooze away undisturbed. Window seats also have the perk of getting to look at and photograph any beautiful landscapes that you might fly over. However, aisle seats do have the advantage of easy access to the bathrooms and it allows you more freedom to move around for blood circulation.

Just be sure to use the restroom right when you board. After meal service can be a good time to use the lavatory too since people are often awake and tray tables aren’t full of meals and drinks.

Stay Hydrated

One thing you’ll notice on long flights is that the flight crew will often walk by with cups of water. There is a reason for that! The airplane cabin has very low humidity and you can quickly become dehydrated.

Dehydration can lead to skin discomfort, fatigue, muscle cramping, and headaches. So, when you see a flight attendant walk by with a tray or bottle of water, take a cup. Your body will thank you!

Another tip is to pack your own reusable water bottle and fill it up at the airport once you’ve cleared security. Liquid IV is a great option for adding flavor to water for those who don’t love drinking water. Many airports have water bottle filling stations near the drinking fountains. If you have lounge access, they often have chilled, flavored water in a dispenser.

Get Up and Move

First and foremost, obey the seat belt light. But if the pilot has given the all-clear to move about the cabin, feel free to take a bit of a walk. I like to regularly head to the bathroom just to stretch my legs and wash my hands.

There are a lot of germs on airplanes, so keeping your hands washed is a good idea, plus you’ll stretch those legs and that’ll help you stay comfortable on a long flight.

Long Flight Essentials

The other major tip for surviving a long flight is to pack a few essential travel items that will help you stay comfortable. I always pack a little bag of go-to comfort items for the flight and then have them easily accessible at my feet.

You’re going to want to pack things like:

• gum
• hand sanitizer
• lip balm
• disinfecting wipes
• eye drops
• ibuprofen
• headphones
• charging cables
• reading material
• downloaded movies/shows
• eye mask
• + more listed on my packing list

Hopefully, now you’re ready to relax on your next flight. Picking the perfect long-haul flight outfit, packing a few travel essentials in your carry-on, and knowing a few of my favorite flight tips should help you survive your next long flight.

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