As the founder of a travel advisory and a long time travel blogger I am on the road a lot each year. I have taken loads of red eye flights to Europe in particular and sort of have my long flight outfits down to a science at this point.
Long haul flights of course come with long hours of feeling cramped and sometimes the anxieties of lost luggage, missed layovers or delayed flights so having your favorite travel essentials on hand and a reliable outfit that is comfortable yet versatile will help ease some of those stressors I’ve found.
This post is in partnership with Expedia. Thank you so much for your support of the brands I love working with!
Long Flight Outfits
I always aim for the perfect mix of looking put together and wearing comfortable clothes when I dress for long haul flights. As you begin your packing list for your long plane ride, consider not sacrificing your style for what you are planning to be wearing on a plane and having a look that will allow you to hit the ground running when you arrive to your destination.
And be sure to account for the whole journey. No one wants to be dealing with bodysuits or jumpsuits in an airplane bathroom, dealing with loads of buttons on a coat at airport security or having to remove additional pieces of clothing because of metal detectors. Or I am personally not traveling in flip flops should I need to be running for a connection and because they aren’t the most sanitary shoe to be wearing for long travel in my opinion. I also generally try and avoid having to wear jeans on overnight flights if I can help it.
This post is full of both outfit ideas for 30,000 feet and brands I personally love to wear on a long flight because they make both travel friendly clothes but are also pieces that can be worn with other travel outfits during my trips.
Now, read on for some long flight outfits and you can follow @meghandono and @enroutetoreverie for more travel tips throughout the year.
What to Wear on a Long Flight
Comfy Separates
Wearing comfortable clothes for long flights is of course essential. For extra long flights where I don’t need to hit the ground running upon arrival or can arrange to change looks, this is a go-to look for me to wear on long flights.
A comfy jogger and a cashmere hoodie or a merino wool sweater are ideal. I am almost always cold on planes so a cashmere hoodie like my favorite Jenni Kayne one is perfect for remaining warm and cozy.
Coatigan + Athleisure
A coatigan is a great topper for travel. It takes a bulkier layer out of your luggage and pairs well to dress up athleisure a bit.
Matching Lounge Set
An easy way to look put together and yet be at your most comfortable. The above lounge set is from Vuroi – one of my all time favorite athleisure brands. Related: Vuori Review.
Trouser + Sneakers
For warmer weather long flights to Europe I often opt for a light colored trouser and a little knit jacket. I layer a favorite tee under the knit jacket as well.
Knit Sweater Jacket + Trench + Trousers
This is the outfit I wore on a recent flight to London. My comfiest trousers, a knit sweater jacket I would go on to style differently later in the trip and my trench coat which was the largest coat I was bringing that trip so I wore it on the plane.
These J.Crew Trousers are my absolute favorite travel pants for long flights to Europe when I need to hit the ground running and my room won’t be ready for me to be able to change in.
Linen Set
For summer travels consider a comfy yet put together linen set. Easy, breezy separates that you can also wear as a cover up or casual poolside attire for the remainder of your trip if you’ll be near a beach or a pool.
For an extra layer, I always, always fly with my favorite cashmere travel wrap that I own in three colors. I use it as a blanket or a wrap or a scarf to keep warm and cozy.
A Travel Cardigan
What I have deemed a cardigan that’s great for comfy travel days aka The Travel Cardigan. Pair it with leggings or your most comfortable pair of jeans.
Athleisure + a Trench Coat
For Spring trips I am always bringing one of my favorite trench coats so you can easily pair this with a matching athleisure set, sneakers and top it off with a ball cap for an off duty street style vibe.
Comfy Leggings
While I generally am not one to be caught dead in yoga pants on a plane, every now and then I will make exceptions for a favorite comfy pair of leggings for a long plane ride.
T-Shirt Dress
For spring and summer travels where lots of layers aren’t required, consider a cute midi t-shirt dress that’s comfy yet versatile. This is a piece that is easy to dress up or dress down.
Joggers
A go-to comfy pant for me for domestic travel that involves longer flights are my Vuori Joggers. So soft and so comfy and when styled well they still manage to keep you looking put together.
If I know I can be casual when I land in a destination, this is a sort of look I travel in for long flights. It is often my go-to when traveling from New York to California.
Matching Half Zip Set
A matching set with a half zip is a great go-to for comfy style on a long flight. Varley and Spanx make some of my personal favorites.
For more budget friendly sets you can shop some at Amazon.
. . .
Of course you’ll also want to consider traveling with compression socks as an in flight travel essential. Compression socks help ease tired, achy feet but also help to fight deep vein thrombosis and blood clots that can occur when traveling for extra long distances in a pressurized cabin.
And if you’re a travel pillow fan, be sure you have it packed. I also personally always try and sleep on over night flights and can only have success doing so when I pack this eye mask. Even getting in a few hours of sleep on a long flight helps me fight jet lag when I arrive in my destination.
Planning for a Long Flight
As you begin to plan for your trip with a long flight, did you know that according to Expedia international airfare should be booked around 60 days out (and no more than 4 months out) for optimal availability and savings (around 10% on average)? In 2023, the sweet spot was closer to six months out but popular destinations like Japan, Australia, France, Italy and the UK, you should begin planning your international travel even further for some of the best pricing on hotels and airfare.
For airfare specifically, Expedia’s Price Tracking in-app feature uses historical data (analyzing the last 30 days) and predicted price trends (analyzing the next 60 days) for select flight routes, to determine the best time to book.
When you’re a One Key member (Expedia Group’s Loyalty Program across Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo), I recommend you download the Expedia app and Expedia will keep track of flight pricing and prompt you as a member to log back into the app to get the best deal on your chosen route. Tick the option that says “Watch prices” to get notifications when the price goes up or down.
Expedia also offers Price Drop Protection. Price Drop Protection lets Expedia travelers get an automatic refund if the price of your flight becomes cheaper on Expedia after you book. This feature is available for a nominal fee, or it is free for Gold and Platinum tier One Key members on the Expedia app. One Key is free to join and comes with plenty of perks to make it worthwhile.
Shop Travel Outfit Ideas
The above curation are from brands I love and shop personally. I hope you’ll find this post helpful as you plan for your next trip!
You May Also Like:
- What Shoes to Pack for Europe.
- 22 Long Flight Travel Essentials.
- Packing and Travel Hacks to Swear By.
This post contains affiliate links. Should you purchase something from an affiliate link, I may earn commission, at no cost to you. Thank you for your support of my work!
comments +