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"I bring my own travel-sized pillowcase—it's really nice cotton, and it just makes the coach experience a tiny bit better. I also take Susanne Kaufmann's moisturizing mist and hand cream, trying to use the time to at least get softer hands." —Yolanda Edwards, Creative Director
"Compression socks. Seriously. I'm talking up-and-beyond-the-knee granny hose, usually in cheap nylon-black, but I'm partial to pairs from Danish Endurance. Put them on just before you leave the house with ultra-lightweight, cheeky Paul Smith socks to cover TSA scrutiny and you're set. It'll feel awful at first, comfortable in-flight, and sublime when removed upon arrival. Hand wash and air dry for return journey." —David Jefferys, Editor, Service and Surveys
"Sony MDR 1000x headphones. They’re surprisingly comfortable, they have really good noise reduction, and—best of all—their batteries last forever. No better companion for all those movies I’ve loaded onto my iPad. (I’m not above wearing the headphones with noise reduction turned on even when I’m not actually watching movies. They’re that good." —Brad Rickman, Digital Director
"A jade roller! It always stays cold and feels so nice when you roll it over your face in-flight. Giving yourself a mini face massage helps with puffiness from cabin pressure." —Mara Balagtas, Associate Fashion Editor
"Before the last few long-haul flights I’ve taken I’ve asked friends from distinct points in my past (that I’m still close with) to make me Spotify playlists. My best friend from high school made me one (it had every song we listened to getting ready, concerts we went to, songs from keg parties—a huge range from R.E.M. to Heavy D to Nirvana). Another friend that I lived with NYC right after I graduated college made me another list. I listened to songs I hadn’t heard in decades. The playlists are hilarious and poignant and immediately put you in touch with a version of yourself you haven't inhabited in ages." —Rebecca Misner, Senior Lifestyle Editor
"I plow my way through many weeks' worth of New Yorkers and then leave them on the plane for others to enjoy, delete numerous emails from my laptop, and make personal and work to-do lists. I generally take big books that I have a hard time getting into during a regular week. I read nonfiction, which requires greater concentrated attention on longer flights." —Pilar Guzmán, Editor in Chief
"I bring four books. My brain and body won’t know until I’m in the seat what they want and what will sustain me through the entire flight. First, an old narrative/escapist favorite like Vineland. Then a newish non-fiction: The Invention of Nature. An ambitious bucket-list read for a challenge—next up is John Dos Passos’s U.S.A. Trilogy. And then short fiction in case my attention span is too start-and-stop: A Grace Paley Reader." —Phil Falino, Video Producer/Editor
"I keep a little bottle of light, delicious-smelling face mist on hand (right now I love Kerstin Florian Neroli Water and Fig + Yarrow Complexion Water). They make my skin feel slightly less blah, but I also spray them all over myself because they help counteract the stale, potato-chippy eau de airplane that lingers on my clothes—without being so cloying or heavy as to piss off my seatmates. And I always bring a tennis ball that I can wedge between my shoulders and the backrest to work out any kinks that develop from sitting for so long." —Andrea Whittle, Associate Editor
"I’m always sure to have an episode of Brideshead Revisited downloaded on my laptop—should those bumps get too uncomfortable something about the theme music always calms my jitters." —Louis Cheslaw, Editorial Assistant
"A book, a copy of The Economist, enough podcasts to last the whole flight, and a pen. The book, because my list is too long; The Economist because you can pick it up and put it down dozens of times in a flight; podcasts for falling asleep; and the pen to fill out customs forms and the occasional in-flight magazine sudoku puzzle." —Ryan Craggs, Contributing Digital Editor
"I binge on Pod Save America—last flight I listened to at least five in a row—or I’ll go deep on Fresh Air and dig up ones I somehow missed. I go crazy making to-do lists. I always have a Moleskine agenda with me, so I’ll set due dates for stuff I know I’ll have to do but always put off until it’s too late—like order Christmas cards. Or buy my son a Halloween costume. Or a reminder to bring the car to get inspected. I literally become my own personal assistant. Before I land, I dab RMS Beauty’s "un" cover-up under my eyes: The slight shimmer makes me look more awake than I am." —Lauren DeCarlo, Deputy Editor
Should You Take Sleeping Pills on a Flight?
"I bring W&P’s Hot Toddy Carry-on Cocktail Kit. It has everything you need for the perfect Hot Toddy (minus the alcohol—still have to buy that). But with ginger syrup, cinnamon sticks, lemon packets, and a fancy coaster, it’s almost like you’re at your favorite bar 30,000 feet in the air.” —Lara Kramer, Senior Manager, Audience Development
"I'm always freezing on a flight (and I know I’m not alone ) so I wouldn’t make it 12 hours without my oversized Roeckl wool blend scarf. It doubles as a blanket—handy, since airlines are stingy with their complementary comforts these days; I shove in my Klipsch earbuds, pull the scarf around me, and bury myself in whatever Meryl Streep or Marvel movie is available." —Laura Dannen Redman, Deputy Digital Director
"Whether it’s blocking out the wails of the fussy baby in 20A, or the impertinent neighbor who can’t take my 'I-don’t-feel-like-talking' hint, I rely on JBL’s insanely effective Everest Elite 700 headphones (God only knows what I’d do if they broke). They're Bluetooth enabled, the cushy ear pads and extendable frame are built for comfort, and the noise-cancelling feature eliminates both garden-variety background chatter and the brain-rattling roaring of the plane’s engine." —Betsy Blumenthal, Assistant Venues Editor
"I swear by Rain Rain. An app for Android and iOs, it has more than 70 high-quality sounds to help you sleep. As the name indicates, many are rain-themed—I'm a fan of "Rain on a Tent" and "Rain Downpour"—but there's much, much more to choose from, including the sounds of an ocean bonfire, a shih tzu snoring, blizzard wind, and a harbor storm. I'm also somewhat of an anxious flier, and this app helps me tune out and pretend I'm falling asleep in a tent upstate, rather than hurtling through the air." —Katherine LaGrave, Senior Digital Editor
"I always, always bring back-up entertainment just in case, usually whatever I can download from Netflix. I’m also a fan of R.B.I. Baseball 17, which is almost as mindless but way less repetitive than games like Subway Surf. And I have the Microsoft Universal Foldable Keyboard, which pairs to your phone over Bluetooth. We wrote about it as a hack for the laptop ban, which has since been lifted, but I still use it from time to time because it fits on an economy tray table a lot easier than a full laptop (i.e. there is still room for your drink). Good way to plow through emails in a hurry." —Paul Brady, Articles Editor
"When my entertainment system wasn’t working on the way back from Johannesburg this spring, I resorted to listening to hours and hours of Terry Gross on Fresh Air. Also a few TED Talks. Made me feel smarter." —Alex Postman, Features Director