LONG flight...
 

I'll be taking my first trans Atlantic flight...heading to Venice. Any travel tips? I have three stops. I leave Sacramento, CA, stop in Chicago, then to Milan, then, finally, to Venice. I've not taking a trip this long since I was 8 years old (I'm 40). Any tips would be appreciated.

I feel your pain. I live in St. Louis and often have to do many stops, usually one on the east coast and one in Europe before I reach my destination, and I hate it!

My advice is to dress comfortably, drink lots of water and try to get some sleep. Easier said than done, I'm sure. I usually take Ambien, prescribed by my doctor only when I travel overseas, but most people have their own opinion on what works to help you sleep. Otherwise, just take it all in stride...I'm sure Venice will be more than worth the trouble.

Tracy

I agree - stay hydrated, wear comfy clothes. And definitely bring good reading material and/or music - anything to help the time fly by.

I always freeze a 20 ounce bottle of water, put it in a zip loc and carry it on with me. After 2 hours in the airport it will start defrosting then I have water when I get on the plane and don't have to wait for the beverage service. I carry trail mix for a snack. What I don't eat on the plane makes for late night snacks in hotels. I get up often and walk around. It helps keep me from hurting so bad the next day. If you are able to sleep that's great. If you have any back or knee problems the Therma Care heat wraps are great. I put one on my back on a trip to Florence, and it stayed warm for 10 hours.

Also be sure to get up and walk/stretch often.

And wear a light blouse but bring a sweater. Depending on the flight, it can be cold or very warm.

Bring a flashlight or booklight just in case. A friend of mine went to Buenos Aires. On the way back, the passenger lights on the plane didn't work, so she couldn't read the whole long flight. (And this was even in 1st class.)

oh missypie.. i never would have thought of that.. but that would drive me crazy if i couldnt read! thanks!

Good idea - flashlight/booklite will definitely be in my carry-on. I would go crazy if I had to sit for hours without reading.

Sleep as much as you can. Get up and walk when you can (but nowadays congregating in the aisles or near the galleys is prohibited - used to be able to stand/stretch and chat w/ folks at the back of the cabin)

Drink as much water as you can. Avoid caffeine (or cut back on it anyway). Have maybe one glass of wine w/ dinner or a mixed drink - but not too much since it can make dehydration and jet lag worse.

Which airline are you flying - some provide eyeshades but AA and several other US carriers don't. So take a pair - it really helps w/ the sleep. Also a good pair of headphone/earbuds is useful. The ones provided by the airlines are chintzy and on the domestic legs at least you have to pay for them.

Again - depending on which airline, you might want an inflatable neck pillow. AA and some others have adjustable neck rests that work well but many people prefer their own travel neck pillow.

>but nowadays congregating in the aisles or near the galleys is prohibited
Recently on my Condor - Flight to the US.
"Congregating near the galleys is prohibited because this flight crosses US airspace. Congregate as much as you like, we'll tell you when there are too many people standing :-)". Everybody smiled.. This seems to be linked only to flights to/from the US only.

Actually, that is kind of a short flight. Trying flying from Miami to Sydney VIA London, or South Africa. But anyway, bring water as most airlines still feed you on international flights. If you can't sleep, watch a movie. Read a good book, and if you are flying on a U.S. airline, bring those $5 bills so you can have wine with dinner.

You can always stand up in the isle by your seat. Try to get a seat next to the isle.

I bring slipper socks and a pashmina so that I can be cozy. I also keep my travel toothbrush and mini toothpaste in my purse so that I can feel human again every few hours.

Although I never do them at home, I love the NY Times crossword on flights to pass the time.

That's an unfortunately number of transfer airports, but on the bright side you'll get to walk around and have a change or scenery.

Depending on how much time you have on the layovers, I like to have a drink and something to eat and use a bathroom on the ground.

Make sure you have seat assignments on all flights. Window or aisle whichever you prefer (to avoid getting stuck in the center seat).

Pack an well though-out carry-on bag with: snacks, reading material, other diversions you enjoy (playing cards, crossword), extra change of clothes (if you are checking your suitcase). Also anything important or impossible to replace: money, passport, prescriptions meds, eye glasses, etc.

Wear comfortable clothing (layered to take on & off for warmth) and shoes that you can easily slip off and on.

I do not but some people like to take along their own slippers, travel pillow, lightweight blanket, ipod, DVD player, etc.

Oh - yes - I should have qualified my comment about "congregating". This mainly applies to US carriers.

esqlady: you are lucky you are starting from SMF (I wanted to for my trip to Paris in March but the fare out of SFO was 35% cheaper) since it is small and manageable. You can probably get your boarding passes for all 3 legs when you check in at SMF.

In my carryon/purse:Socks to slip on when I take my shoes off.(Hubby wears compression socks and I wear support hose. Legs and back love us) Little container(from previous flights) with small lotion, spray bottle of water (to spray on my face), comb,toothbrush, mouthwash, toothpaste,Olay moistened cleansers (the last 5 to be used just before landing). There is a theme here--MOISTURE. The plane is as dry as a desert. (Drier than the one I live in).Also two liters of water stowed somewhere, a book to read, eyemask, feather pillow,sound-deadening earphones for hubby. (Sound bothers him--light bothers me). Chewing gum and some snack food like nuts.

Echoing others--Dress comfy!

Vera

In my carry-on will be a couple of Sudoku magazines. I can pass many hours with these addictive puzzles.

Dell & Penny Press both make travel-friendly size mags 6x9.
Dell "Original Sudoku" easy to challenger
Penny Press "Easy Sudoku" fun to do if you're a beginner, or tired and don't want to work on the harder puzzles

I can't sleep on a plane & thankfully, I no longer smoke so that makes those long flights more tolerable without craving a cigarette.

Get on an FF program with your preferred airline & also a credit card that accrues miles so when you get enough you can upgrade to Business. I'm on AA's & have never flown coach to Europe since I've been traveling there for the past 15 years.

AA gives you a nice little kit with eye shades, socks, toothbrush, moisturizers, etc. but the main thing is it's much more comfortable even though now you have to pay an extra $250.00 each way. Well worth it to me.

Hope you have a wonderful trip!

..I think everything has been outlined..just 1 reiteration and 2 other suggestions- be sure you have a sweater as the cabin is cool and it is had to snoooze if chilled. I always have a glass (maybe 2) with dinner on the transatlantic leg (in lieu of wine, scotch will do)..when all else fails bring a copy of "War and Peace" to stay awake or Proust if you want to sleep.

I just checked AA--the same flight I booked yesterday in coach would cost me an extra $6,033 to fly business with restrictions. Yikes.

P.S. I should have said "would have cost me $6,033 more." If I was to try to upgrade after having purchased my ticket, it would cost even more, I imagine.

<b>Maire</b>

take a look at this....

<i>Date: 10May - Wednesday
Flight: AMERICAN AIRLINES 2309 McDonnell Douglas Super MD-80(S80) Booking Code: A
Departure: ORD Chicago 08:15 AM 2HR 25MIN
Arrival: DFW Dallas/ Fort Worth 10:40 AM
FrequentFlyer, AA
SEAT 3E <b>First</b> FF# :AA 1234567


Date: 10May - Wednesday
Flight: AMERICAN AIRLINES 61 Boeing 777(777) Booking Code: C
Departure: DFW Dallas/ Fort Worth 12:05 PM 13HR 10MIN
Arrival: NRT Tokyo 03:15 PM
FrequentFlyer, AA
SEAT 10D <b>Business</b> FF# :AA 1234567


Date: 16May - Tuesday
Flight: AMERICAN AIRLINES 176 Boeing 777(777) Booking Code: C
Departure: NRT Tokyo 12:25 PM 11HR 20MIN
Arrival: DFW Dallas/ Fort Worth 09:45 AM
FrequentFlyer, AA
SEAT 10D <b>Business</b> FF# :AA 1234567


Date: 16May - Tuesday
Flight: AMERICAN AIRLINES 2342 McDonnell Douglas Super MD-80(S80) Booking Code: A
Departure: DFW Dallas/ Fort Worth 11:15 AM 2HR 15MIN
Arrival: ORD Chicago 01:30 PM
FrequentFlyer, AA
SEAT 3E <b>First</b> FF# :AA 1234567




Receipt
PASSENGER TICKET NUMBER FARE TAXES TICKET TOTAL
FrequentFlyer, AA xxxxxxxxxxxxx 619.00 USD 84.20 703.20
Payment Type: AAdvantage Certificate
VISA ************1234

Total
703.20 USD</i>

This is not a joke. You just have to know how to play the game...:-)

Aaargh! I don't know how to play the game, and I don't have FF miles; our fares are $3,008 combined ($1174/$1834) in coach, of course.

Great fare for you! And I hope you enjoy your trip to Tokyo!!

P.S. Well, we do have FF miles with Delta, but that still didn't help.

AAFF, btw, do you have any hints of how to get upgraded at the airport, for free that is? If you just go to the check-in counter and ask, any luck of that working?

Maire, until AAFF responds I can tell you how one person on a flight from LHR to MIA was upgraded from coach to first class.

Her seatmate (she didn't know him) was being deported from the UK to Jamaica &amp; had stashed a razor blade in his Afro. When he got on the plane he slashed his wrists. The flight was delayed for quite a while as the blood is considered hazardous material.

The flight crew were furious because the government didn't notify them this guy was being deported.

Why wouldn't the razorblade have set off the metal detector?

Oh, wow, Carry, not a good way to get upgraded, that's for sure!

I don't know if it did &amp; they just used a wand on him but didn't check his head. They took him off the plane via outside steps &amp; he sat there while the police conversed among themselves &amp; an ambulance attendant wrapped his wrists.

Finally, they got the plane cleaned up &amp; we were allowed to reboard &amp; take off. He didn't have blood spurting everywhere but enough to delay his deportation &amp; I guess freak out the lady but they did escort her up to First.

Lots of good tips already, and I feel for you as I live in Seattle, and yes, it's a LONG flight...but one thing not mentioned that has helped me is a product called No Jet Lag. You can get it at health food stores--it's herbal, and I understand you can get it on the Internet, though I go to a health food store for it. I use it both ways and it seems to help.

I also take Ambien to sleep, but before you do this, make sure you test it at home--different people have different results (it kept DD UP all night!)

YEs, it's a LONG flight, but once you're in Venice, it will be worth it, believe me!

Have a great trip and report back to us.

AA-we travel alot and obviously I don't know how to &quot;play the game&quot; as we have never received a fare like that and in Business class...unheard of.

Care to let us in on the secret?

I remind myself I'm on vacation. Even schlepping thru airports, sleepless on planes in the middle of the night, beats sitting here at the office... that's for sure. Along with staying calm, taking deep breaths, remember you're on vacation &amp; this is supposed to be FUN!!! (Yes, even the plane ride. Heck it costs enough, might as well try to enjoy it!)

Very good advice from Fodor's posters. Be sure to wear a pair of support hose to prevent blood clots.

katie - Do you think that support hose with the feet cut out would provide the same blood clot resistance? I hate having my feet bound up in hose. thanks!

Thank you ALL for your wonderful input! I've, of course, printed this thread already. :)

AAFF, I, too, would like to know the tricks of getting upgraded. I just joined AAFF program as I booked my tickets so I haven't accrued any miles yet. I am taking my first transatlantic flight this July and would love to find a way to upgrade without getting a 2nd mortgage on my house to pay for it. Any ideas? Thanks!

Let me make one very important point very clear - you do have to fly a good deal, and flying one airline is the way to do it, but there is more...

and if you want to learn, pick the program you prefer and then read, read, read, and did I say read, as much as you can on www.flyertalk.com, your favorite airline forum. I joined the board back in 2001 and I have learned so much. That's why today I'm flying to Japan in business class for $700 R/T, but before you get all excited, you need to understand that this will not happen unless you do fly a good deal to begin with....

Good luck!

Thank you for your prompt reply. Have a great trip to Japan.

Thanks AA.