Long flights can be rough on your body.  I have tried a number of items to help me be more comfortable.  In the end, I have found that there are some essential items:  neck pillow, foot pillow, and a blanket.  If you have a bad back, you might also want to consider a lumbar pillow.  Below, I will describe a few products I have used, including some which did not work.

Three Different Neck Pillows

Neck Pillows

My wife and I have tried a number of neck pillows over the years.  The three neck pillow shown in the image above are the ones we currently use.

  • The inflatable neck pillow on the left is the second one I have purchased.  The first had an inner bladder which split at the seams.  Although it was comfortable, I just could not use it when the seams split as the plane climbed.  This one works well and has the chin snap, which I consider essential, to prevent my chin from sinking into my chest causing me to choke.  The only downside is that is is not extremely comfortable, but it does pack into a very small space.  Be careful not to fully inflate the pillow on the ground as it will expand as the plane reaches altitude – you can adjust for comfort once the plane is at its cruising altitude.
  • The soft neck pillow on the right is one that I found in an airport when I forgot to pack my inflatable neck pillow.  It is very soft and comfortable.  It also has a chin snap.  I really like this pillow and it is my choice for most trips.  The only downside is that it does not compress very well, so it takes up a lot of space in my bag when I don’t need it.Moose neck pillow from Amazon
  • The moose neck pillow in the middle has drawn the most comments.  This pillow travels everywhere with my wife.  She puts in on her neck at the gate and does not take it off until we have arrive and left the airplane.  Everyone comments on it.  More important, it is comfortable for her.  She does not need the chin snap since she does not have the same problem I have with choking when my chin drops.  We found this neck pillow in an airport on one of our trips.  Other animals were available, but we loved the moose.

There are many other types of neck pillows.  The key is to pick one that is comfortable for you, but also consider how it will pack.  If you choke when your chin falls to your chest, which is likely to happen on a flight, then get one with a chin snap to keep your chin from falling – this has been a salvation for me.

Foot Pillow

I have short legs.  This is good in that I am not bothered by the lack of legroom in the economy sections of many planes.  On the other hand, this is bad in that my feet sometimes dangle when flying and my legs get tired.  I found an inflatable foot pillow that works great to take the strain off my legs.  This inexpensive item packs small and can be inflated when and if I need it.  The only caution I have it to make sure you do not fully inflate it while on the ground as it will expand as the plane reaches cruising altitude – filling it too full can cause it to expand, as I know from experience with one of my inflatable neck pillows.  Usually, I do not fully inflate the foot pillow since I like the soft feel of a partially inflated pillow.

My wife who has longer legs uses a 12×6 throw pillow, which can also double for lumbar support.  Pick one that is compressible and has a soft covering.  The only downside is that this pillow will take space in your carry-on.

Blanket

Yes, some airlines will provide blankets.  However, many oPoncho Travel Blanket from Amazonf these are very thin and do not cover your body and legs.  We have found it better to take our own blankets.  My wife gets colder than me, so this is an important essential.  I am generally fine with just a sweater or jacket, which I always carry on long flights (I am partial to a sweatshirt with a hood).  We have accumulated some thin airline blankets over the years, but I think the one that works best on long flights is a poncho travel blanket I found on Amazon.  It packs small into its own zippered pouch and has arms to keep it from sliding off.  More important, it is 72″ long, which means it will cover a person from the neck to the toes.

Please let me know in the comments below if you have any special items you use when traveling to make your trip more comfortable.