Tips for Surviving Long-Haul Flights (as a Standby Traveler)

Looking for tips for surviving a long-haul flight as a standby traveler? Read on!

Traveling internationally as a non-revenue (non-rev) passenger can be an exciting and unpredictable experience. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of logging into the employee travel site and searching for which international flights have the most availability and deciding on-the-spot where in the world you’ll take your vacation.

However, the allure of flying across the globe for next to nothing comes with its own set of challenges and strategies. From securing the best possible seat to managing jet lag and ensuring comfort on 10+ hour flights, being well-prepared can make all the difference. Drawing from my own experiences, this guide offers practical tips and insights to help non-rev travelers navigate the complexities of long-haul flights with ease and confidence.

1. How to Get the Best Seat When You Don't Have a Choice

Understanding Airline Seating Policies for Non-Rev Travelers:

As a non-revenue traveler, you must understand that you are not guaranteed a seat, and last-minute changes are common. Always have multiple backup plans, including the possibility of changing your destination. The perks can be extraordinary, such as snagging a business or first-class seat for almost nothing—just the cost of taxes. This can be a game-changer for long-haul travel. I always dress to be presentable, ready to accept a seat in business class if the opportunity arises.

Strategies for Securing a Better Seat:

Checking in exactly 24 hours ahead of time is crucial. We usually log into the airline portal on two devices to optimize our chances, as sometimes a millisecond can make the difference between getting a seat in business or economy. Additionally, be aware of your airline’s policy on upgrades for paying customers with airline status. For international travel, upgrades aren’t free as they are for domestic, but many people opt to upgrade from economy to premium economy at check-in. I've seen international flights go from 12 open business class seats to just 2 within two hours before departure due to customers upgrading. For example, American Airlines offers business class upgrades that range from $350 to $2,000, depending on the route and fare class, and are subject to availability.

Woo the Grumpy Gate Agent!

Building rapport with gate agents is also vital. Gate agents can either be your best friend or worst enemy. We've had gate agents give us fantastic seats and others who, due to lack of knowledge, assign us suboptimal seats. Knowing what will make you comfortable for a long flight is essential, so be prepared to accept seats that might not be together if it means more comfort. It's a long flight, and sitting together should be a lower priority than being comfortable.

Know the Layout

I always check the aircraft type and the seat layout on Seat Guru to see if there are any seats I might want to refuse if given the option by the gate agent. Sometimes, even flying standby, you have a choice, and it’s best to know ahead of time what your first, second, and third choices will be if asked.

Know the plane ahead of time by using airline apps and websites for seat tracking. For instance, SeatGuru can help you look up the seat configuration of your flight. While we dream of getting a free seat in first or business class, many times we end up in economy. Knowing which seats to avoid if given a choice can make a big difference. Some seats offer more legroom, like bulkhead and exit row seats, but their armrests often don’t lift due to tray table storage. If the flight is empty enough to get a whole row, you might want to lay down across the seats to sleep. However, if you’d rather have more legroom while watching shows, bulkhead seats might be better, though they usually lack entertainment screens and you’ll have to rely on personal devices for in-flight entertainment.

2. Packing & Staying Organized in Flight

As a non-rev traveler, I never check a bag on an outbound trip. Checked bags often get separated from you and are a hassle if you’re using a lot of public transport on your trip. I usually travel with a roller bag and a backpack, with the latter going under the seat in front of me or in the overhead bin if I get a bulkhead seat. Pack your backpack so that everything you need for the flight is consolidated in an easy-to-reach place. I learned this the hard way on a recent long-haul flight in coach. My over-ear headphones, jet lag pills, glasses, charging cords, and compression socks were all in different compartments of my backpack, making it almost impossible to dig around in my bag with almost no legroom. Consolidate all the items you’ll need for the flight into a smaller zippered pouch inside your under-seat bag to avoid this hassle. Items I like to have within easy reach include:

• Over-ear noise-canceling Bluetooth headphones with an aux cord

• Charging cables for my devices

• Phone and tablet

• Compression socks

• Comfy black pants (like joggers)

• Glasses and a contacts case with extra contacts

• Jet lag pills and ibuprofen

• Lip balm

• Concealer/makeup for touch-ups

• An inflatable neck pillow

For our 10-hour trip back from Japan, I packed a thin pair of black joggers and changed into them after boarding. Non-rev travelers are expected to dress professionally when presenting themselves to the gate at boarding. I like to wear a professional yet comfortable fitted black cotton tee, a blazer or nice leather jacket, dark jeans, and clean white sneakers. Once on the plane, usually after the meal service, I swap my jeans for joggers and compression socks, and switch from contacts to glasses.

 3. ALWAYS Wear Your Seatbelt

Safety Reasons for Keeping Your Seatbelt Fastened:

No matter your seating or sleeping arrangement on a long-haul flight, always wear your seatbelt whenever you're seated. Sudden turbulence can happen anytime. The “fasten seatbelt” sign being off means it’s safe to get up and go to the bathroom, but you should always buckle up when seated.

Staying Comfortable While Belted:

Adjust your seatbelt for comfort and use a travel pillow or blanket to make it more bearable. If you’re in coach, consider bringing an inflatable neck pillow, as sleeping while sitting upright can be tough. If you really need to sleep, consider buying a business class seat. As a non-rev traveler, I’m fortunate to occasionally snag a business class seat on our home airline.

4. Tips for Managing Jet Lag

The key to managing jet lag is aligning your body clock with your destination’s time zone. Here's my personal approach:

Before our Japan trip, I looked up the 12-hour time difference. Since Japan is ahead, I decided to stay up late the night before (until around midnight) and woke up early the next morning at 4:30 a.m. for a workout. It got my heart pumping and made me feel awake, helping me start to adjust my body clock.

On the plane, about an hour into the flight, we were served a meal. Then, I tried to sleep when it was nighttime in Japan. Sleeping in coach, where you can barely recline your seat, is something of a lost cause you’ll just have to accept. I usually am only able to lightly nap for an hour or two at a time. But even if you can't fully sleep, just resting with your eyes closed and doing some deep breathing can be quite restorative. Keeping bright lights away from your eyes when you need to be sleeping (even if you don’t actually sleep), helps trick your body into changing it’s circadian rhythm.

We arrived in Japan in the afternoon, checked into our hotel, and fought the urge to nap. Instead, we explored the city, had dinner, and went to bed around 8 p.m. Eating a meal that aligns with your new time zone is one of the keys to resetting your internal clock. To help me sleep, I took melatonin and Benadryl. Benadryl can be dehydrating, so I made sure to drink plenty of water. The next morning, I woke up around 5 AM feeling rested and ready to start the trip.

For the return journey, I managed to get a premium economy seat, which was much more comfortable and allowed me to get in some longer naps for the 10-hour flight home. I followed the same sleep strategies and had no trouble falling asleep at a normal bedtime when we got home.

By adjusting your schedule before and during your flight, using sleep aids if necessary, and staying hydrated, you can minimize jet lag and make the most of your trip.

5. Tips for Sleeping & Staying Sane on a Long Haul Flight

Let's face it, if you’re flying long haul in economy class, getting meaningful sleep can be tough. Seats in economy don’t recline much, unlike those in premium economy or business class. While some passengers bring bulky travel pillows or even full-size pillows from home, I find this impractical. Instead, manage your expectations and plan for the reality of limited sleep. I bring an inflatable travel pillow that packs small, but even that doesn't guarantee comfort. Embrace the situation and focus on making the best of it.
Here are my tips for being more comfortable:

• Eye Mask: Essential for blocking out light, especially if your neighbor keeps their reading light on.

• Noise-Canceling Headphones: I bring two pairs—AirPods and over-the-ear headphones, both with noise-canceling features. Make sure they’re charged and pack the charging cords and an auxiliary cable for the in-flight entertainment system.

• Downloaded Content: Download shows or movies from Netflix, Amazon Prime, or other streaming services onto an iPad. This ensures you have entertainment even if the in-flight options aren’t great or Wi-Fi isn’t available.

  Pro tip: If you and your travel companion have AirPods Pro, you can share audio from an iPad to watch the same movie or show together. This made our 13.5-hour flight to Japan more enjoyable as we watched "Midnight Mass" on Netflix.
  By preparing with compact entertainment options and managing your sleep expectations, you can make long haul flights in economy more bearable.

6. Bring Your Own Food

If you’re lucky to snag a business class seat, your meal can be huge, like in this photo. Most times, we aren’t this fortunate, and have to be prepared.

Meals on long-haul flights typically include a dinner and a breakfast, with longer flights adding a mid-flight snack. Airlines often offer two meal options, like beef and chicken or fish, but vegetarian or vegan meals will need to be requested beforehand.

On our flight home from Japan, I overheard an upset passenger who didn’t get a vegetarian meal because they hadn't specified their preference before the flight. The flight attendant explained that passengers are emailed a few days before the flight to select their meal preferences, so make sure to look out for that email if you’re a paying passenger.

Even if you specify your meal choice, catering mistakes can happen. It's not the flight crew's fault if your meal isn't available—they might try to find an alternative, like an unused vegetarian meal from business class, but there's no guarantee. 

Standby travelers can't communicate meal preferences to the flight crew in advance. To avoid going hungry, don’t rely solely on in-flight meals. Bring snacks and water to ensure you're not left hungry or thirsty, especially since meal quality and quantity can vary greatly. In business class, the servings are generous, but in coach, they can be pretty light. We like to stock up on protein bars and snacks from airport convenience stores after security. This way, we're always prepared, no matter the flight class or meal service.

Final Thoughts on Long Haul Non-Rev Travel

Long haul non-rev travel can be an incredible experience, especially if you get lucky and score a seat in business or first class, only paying taxes. I've been fortunate to snag business class seats on a few international flights, which would otherwise be out of reach. However, most of the time, you'll find yourself in economy class. The key mindset for non-rev travel is appreciating that you're traveling internationally for a fraction of the cost. This allows my husband and me to take multiple big trips each year that others might save for years to afford.

Flexibility is essential. Always be prepared to change your destination if the outbound flights don’t work out. For returning home, consider standby tickets on airlines other than your employer's —otherwise known as ZED agreements. These tickets are not free but much cheaper than full fare and can be a lifesaver when your home airline is fully booked, or doesn’t offer service to your desired destination. Research alternative options ahead of time, including how to list on their staff travel website and understanding their policies and dress codes. For example, some Middle Eastern airlines have strict dress codes, so pack a few dressy (and modest) outfits just in case.

Non-rev travel is an amazing perk of working for an airline, and while it can be nerve-wracking worrying about flight loads, our philosophy is to always try. Show up at the airport and be prepared for last-minute changes. You never know what amazing experiences await!