“I used to take whatever came my way in terms of beverages. Yes, I’d love a wine! Another coffee – why not? These days, I’m pretty strict about what I drink and when. For instance, the only caffeine I have is during the final service of a long-haul flight (and only if it lands before 1pm, local time). I also skip water in the hour leading up to my planned nap time – I’m a window-seat devotee so I’ll do anything to avoid disrupting my sleep patterns or my snoozing seatmate.”

Bridget De Maine, Editor, Travel Insider

“Long-haul flights are generally when I let myself relax a bit: I won’t do my make-up; my clothing choices are based on comfort; and I dedicate space in my carry-on to as many snacks as I can fit. But one thing I always do to add a little glamour to the process is pack a hydrating sheet mask, which I’ll then pop on in the middle of the flight. It helps ensure my skin looks fresh when I land and makes me feel like I’m kicking off my holiday with some self-care.”

Christina Rae, Managing Editor, Travel Insider

“I’ve always viewed long-haul flight time as a chance to catch up on overdue work or missed emails. My main rookie error used to be giving myself a few hours to get comfy, decompress, have a meal and shift into travel mode before attempting a work task but I’d often find myself trying to finish the job through bleary eyes at the 11th (or 20th) hour. Nowadays, I open my laptop as soon as the aircraft reaches a safe altitude and get what I need done and out of the way. Finishing my to-do list up front means I can relax and get stuck into a good romcom or sleep, guilt-free.”   

Genevra Leek, Editor-in-Chief, Qantas magazine and Travel Insider

“I live for a long-haul flight – it’s the best opportunity to hunker down and burn through my epic (and often overwhelming) list of TV shows to binge, podcasts to catch up on, books, magazines and months of gathered clippings to read. My main tip would be to make sure you download as many episodes as you can in the various apps on your device before taking off – you never know when you’ll find yourself without wi-fi or have issues accessing content overseas. Armed with years’ worth of viewing and reading, the flight time will, er, fly.” 

Mark Brandon, Content and Partnerships Director

“I used to spend long-haul flights catching up on all the films I’d missed seeing at the cinema but in the interests of arriving refreshed, I tried the Timeshifter app a few years ago. Fast forward several trips and now I use it every time I catch an international flight. It describes itself as ‘The Jet Lag App’. Once you go through the settings (I select the caffeine and melatonin options) and enter your flight details, it generates a schedule that indicates when you should nap, get some sun, have a coffee and more. The suggestions aren’t always foolproof but if I stick to them as best as I can, I arrive at my destination ready to holiday.” 

Hana Jo, Head of Digital Production and Operations

“In the lead-up to visiting a new city, I go on a pin-saving spree on Google Maps – attractions, restaurants and hidden gems recommended by friends and colleagues. In my excitement I inevitably go overboard and save more spots than I can feasibly visit in the allotted time. So I use the forced downtime on the plane to create a detailed itinerary, based on proximity of pins to my accommodation and each other, in order to hit the ground running. No wi-fi? No worries. Download the area on Google Maps before you take off and you’ll still be able to view the streets and your saved pins while you’re offline.” 

Melanie Colwell, Senior Campaigns Editor

“I board the flight armed with downloaded games (Candy Crush forever!), face wipes and loads of moisturiser – La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5+ is effective against dryness because it’s very thick. But when the meals are cleared and the lights are low, I take melatonin and magnesium and drift off.” 

Natalie Reilly, Contributing Editor

“When I get on a plane, I like to remember that the experience has been designed to deliver the best flight possible. Rather than creating my own schedule of meals, movies and sleep times, I roll with whatever comes. Cabin crew offering snacks? Sure, thanks. Lights dimmed? Time to catch some shut-eye. No matter how many hours I’m in the air, I enjoy the experience more when I just take it as it comes.” 

Faith Campbell, Content Director

“I'm so dedicated to my daily skincare routine that I always carry out a version of it onboard. That means I use a cleanser, sheet mask and moisturising lip balm, plus spritz a face mist for hydration. There's no need to compromise on self-care when you’re flying –  I treat it as a pamper session before settling in for a movie. Have a lunch reservation shortly after you arrive? I make the most of my free time during the flight and get myself presentable about an hour before landing – it’s one less thing to worry about once I’m on the ground.” 

Anneliese Beard, Digital and Social Producer

“I always have the best of intentions to sleep as much as possible on a long-haul flight but the combination of excitement, access to movies I never have time to watch at home and being on toddler duty means I never do. Rather than starting my holiday annoyed at my failed attempts to get some shut-eye, I’ve let go of that expectation and instead embrace the time to read, catch up on shows and write. Knowing this, I also plan a relaxed first day of the trip. Who needs the extra stress? We’re on holiday!”

Lizza Gebilagin, Associate Content Director

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