A prize trip from your small town home to Europe may sound exciting, but the 10 hour flight that you have to endure to get there is far from winning the lottery. Sitting stiffly in a cramped chair in freezing air conditioning, nauseating movement and the constant popping in your ears is enough to make anyone to never want to step on another plane. Thankfully, there are many tricks that you can employ to make your plane stay a bit more homely. There are 3 major components that are key to having a comfortable trip: relaxation, health, and making your surroundings comfy.

When you first arrive on to the plane, fill your surroundings with things that make you feel at home. A stuffed animal, music, a favorite blanket, but make sure it doesn’t take up a lot of space to not offend your neighbors.

“I like to listen to music on my iPod and snuggle with my blankie,” said Melanie Everson.

A lot of people experience the sensation of their ears “popping” during take-off. To prevent the popping, chewing gum will rid your ears of the cabin pressure. Once you are in the air, drinks will be passed around and water is usually the best selection. It will keep you hydrated. If you get motion sickness easily, this would be a good time to ask the flight attendant for motion sickness relievers.

“I like watching movies on flights,” said by Melanie Everson.

Most airlines have built in movie players now so watching movies will help to pass time and help you fall asleep. But after every movie, be sure to stand up, walk around, and move around to help circulation. If you do not move around, at the end of the flight your muscles will be painfully cramped. One essential to bring is petroleum jelly. You should apply this to lips and the inside of your nose lining to prevent dehydration in these places. The inside of an airplane is very drying so staying moisturized and hydrated is very important.

No matter who you are or where you live, eventually you will have to go on a plane ride. Remember that not only comfort is important, but also your health. If you follow all of my tips, then you are on your way to a comfy and breezy flight. Pretty soon, you might even forget that you are 10,000 feet up off of the ground!