It’s no secret that air travel to the USA takes at least 10 hours, and that’s a long enough period of time to just sit on the plane and look at the clouds. And if you are flying with a European or American airline, then you definitely have a personal monitor with a huge media library of movies, music, TV programs, etc. But if you are flying with UIA, then instead of a monitor in front of you there is simply the back of the seat of the passenger who is sitting in front of you. I have already written about the difference between Ukrainian, European, and American flights in the article How to buy a plane ticket to the USA: nuances, tips, life hacks
In any case, whether you have a TV or not, here are a few recommendations on how to make your flight to the USA go quickly and unnoticed.
Sleep – 2 hours
I very rarely hear from tourists that they calmly packed their things a couple of days before the flight, did all their errands, and sat in the kitchen of their apartment, drank tea, and waited for a taxi. Usually, because of work, handing over tasks to another employee for the vacation period, a long list of necessary purchases before departure, and other concerns, people get ready for the trip at the very last moment, sleep little on the night before departure, and quickly finish all the things they started. Therefore, if you have done a lot in the last few days and are tired, give yourself a few hours of rest on the plane.
Reading – 2 hours
The most important thing here is to choose the right book. Remember any store in an airport in any country. What kind of literature do they usually sell there? It’s true that you can rarely find smart books on philosophy, management, or serious fiction there. But they sell a huge number of detective stories and light novels in such stores. So the main rule is to take a book that reads easily and grabs you from the first pages.
Movement – 30 minutes
To sit in one place for 10 hours is not an easy task! Therefore, don’t be shy—get up and walk! Just around the plane—back and forth—and stand a little near your seat. This way it will be physically much easier for you.
Meals – 30 minutes
On such long flights they usually feed you twice—one and a half to two hours after takeoff and two hours before landing. Do not refuse food at the beginning of the flight, because the next time you will be offered food only after 7 hours. And even if you are not hungry when they offer you food the second time, still do not refuse, because you do not know how much time you will have to spend in line at passport control.
Movies – 2 hours
If you have a personal TV with a huge number of movies or TV programs, then watching movies can take much more time, which is very good! But even if there is no TV, download in advance to your computer or tablet at least one light and engaging movie.
Games on a tablet or mobile phone, crosswords and puzzles, hobbies – 2 hours
How long has it been since time allowed you to fool around? Well, a long flight is a great chance to do that. Anything will do—a crossword, a mobile game, drawing in a notebook. The main thing is that the activity you choose is interesting and engaging for you.
Communication – 1 hour
If you are traveling with a friend, husband/wife, or a relative, 10 hours on a plane is a great chance to talk about everything that there is no time for in ordinary life. If you are flying with a person you see every day, you can discuss the most ordinary household issues or plan the upcoming vacation. If you are flying with a friend or relative you see less often, you can share your news, find out the news of all relatives and mutual friends, and so on. And in general, I am all for getting to know your neighbors! Because you never know who is sitting next to you. Perhaps getting to know your neighbor will be useful for you, or simply a pleasant event!
That’s all! 10 hours of flight flew by and you landed in the most unusual and beautiful city on Earth. But before wishing you an interesting and eventful vacation, I want to give a few more important tips.
Do not choose just one thing from the list above. I myself very often ignored this rule and chose to read for the entire flight, or to watch movies for the entire flight. Don’t do that! Because reading for 10 hours in a row is, at the very least, bad for your eyesight and tiring, even with the most interesting and twisted plot. And watching 5 movies in a row becomes boring already on the second or third movie.
For comfortable sleep, be sure to take a travel pillow with you, and if you have a light but at the same time warm blanket, take it too. On such a long flight, it is frankly not hot in the cabin, and sometimes it is cool for everyone. Therefore, a blanket will make your sleep more comfortable!
Continuing the previous point, I will add that even if you are flying in the warm season, wear closed shoes on the plane, take warm socks, a light sweater or a windbreaker. Because, I repeat once again, on the plane during such a long flight, it is quite cool.
Take lollipops, nuts, or dried fruits with you to have a snack as soon as you feel hungry. Once I almost fainted in the 5th hour of the flight, because the first meal had been eaten long ago, you had to wait a few more hours until the second one, and they did not offer anything for money on the plane (2012, a flight with Aerosvit).
When traveling by plane to the USA, be sure to take a pen with you, and also do not put your passport and your hotel details far away. During the flight, each passenger will be given declarations that will need to be filled out. To fill out such a declaration you will need a pen, your passport, and information about your hotel.
That’s all! Have comfortable and pleasant flights to the USA! And if you have seriously planned to visit this interesting and beautiful country in the near future, then go to our Travel Calendar and choose a tour to the USA in which you would like to take part!