When I was younger I was TERRIFIED of flying, so I always wanted an early morning flight to get it out of the way. I would be too nervous to eat before flying, so a night flight was the worst because it would be an entire day of me starving myself. Fast forward to today and I actually quite enjoy flying, and if I can I always pick an early morning flight. I like to get the travel part of a day started ASAP, it’s not like you can achieve much in the morning before a flight, and the sooner you leave the sooner you can start your holiday! I know not everyone feels the same though, so here’s my comprehensive guide – how to survive an early morning flight.
Stay near the airport.
Obviously this isn’t always practical, but the key to getting through early morning flights is getting enough sleep. Booking an airport hotel is always a good idea, or even just bunking with a friend in the local area. Better yet, book flights from your closest airport so you can get the maximum amount of sleep from the comfort of your own bed.
Plan a nap.
Whether it’s a few hours kip on the plane, snoozing through your airport transfer, or a few hours dozing by the pool when you arrive, making time for a nap will help make a 3am start more bearable.
Coffee, coffee, coffee.
This one goes without saying right? The first thing I do, before I even begin the cursory browse of duty free is get a big coffee in my hand. To the point where I get the right arse now if the airport I’m flying from doesn’t have a Starbucks!
Eat, eat, eat.
With an early start it can be tempting to skip over breakfast until a more socially acceptable time of day, but trust me on this. I always try and get a good full english but just a pastry and juice will go a long way to making you feel more human. I also try and carry a few snacks too to keep me going on the plane, especially if I’m flying with a budget airline and I’m not going to get fed!
Emergen-C.
My ultimate travel companion, I go nowhere without a few sachets of Emergen-C. It helps perk you up in the morning, but will also help keep any plane germs at bay too!
Give your eyes a helping hand.
Early mornings are hardest on your eyes, so give them all the help they can get. I always travel with eye drops to revive tired eyes, Sephora Green Tea Eye Masks to perk up the under eyes and I wear my glasses while I travel too, just to make sure they’re not under too much strain!
Hydrate!
The most important thing to do is stay hydrated. Your body needs more water than normal when flying, so keep a bottle of water to hand, and try not to drink any more coffee after that first strong cup to perk you up.
What are your tips for surviving an early morning flight?