By Alex Carrington, Travel Editor at 247 Packing List · Last updated: ·

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Long Haul Flight Packing List

A long haul flight of 10+ hours is a different experience to short hops — what's in your hand luggage determines your comfort, sleep quality and arrival condition. This list focuses purely on the flight itself, not the destination.

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🛒 Top picks for this trip

✅ Essentials Checklist

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⭐ Nice to Have

LawDepot

Child travel consent letter

Travelling internationally with a child but not both parents? Many airlines and border agencies ask for a notarised consent letter — create one online.

Create letter ›
CorneaCare

Artificial tears for the flight

Cabin air is drier than any room you've been in — dry, irritated eyes are one of the most common long-haul complaints.

Shop artificial tears ›
Magzter

Something to read on the flight

10,000+ magazines and newspapers offline-ready before you board — no wifi needed once you're in the air.

Start reading ›

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I sleep on a long haul flight?

Choose a window seat for the wall to lean against. Bring a good neck pillow, eye mask and ear plugs or noise-cancelling headphones. Avoid alcohol (dehydrates and reduces sleep quality despite feeling relaxing). Set your watch to destination time immediately and eat and sleep by it. Melatonin taken at your destination's bedtime helps significantly on eastward flights.

What are the liquid rules for hand luggage on flights?

In the UK and most countries, liquids in hand luggage must be in containers of 100ml or less, placed in a single transparent resealable bag of maximum 1 litre capacity. From October 2024, many UK airports have upgraded scanners allowing larger liquid volumes — check your specific departure airport. Medications, baby food and breast milk are exempt with documentation.

Should I wear compression socks on a long haul flight?

Yes — particularly for flights over 4 hours. Sitting still with bent knees reduces circulation in the legs, increasing DVT (deep vein thrombosis) risk. Compression socks counteract this. Combine with getting up to walk every 1–2 hours and doing seated leg exercises. If you have a history of blood clots, speak to your GP before flying.

Alex Carrington is the travel editor at 247 Packing List, building destination and trip-type packing guides from flight-delay experience, family trips and a lot of over-packed suitcases. Every list on this site is cross-checked against the destination's actual climate and airline baggage rules before publishing.