Done at least a dozen TPAC (trans Pacific) flights just this year, lots previous. Biggest tips are:

-upgrade to Business/first if possible. Premium economy almost a minimum for the legroom...depends on airline. Economy doable of course, just check into what in flight entertainment options are and stickup on books/tablet/etc. depending.

-I wear a surgical type mask. The one I use is sold all over Japan, has a little slot it in for a moistened pad...really keeps nose and throat from drying out aside from the germ protection. Probably best thing I've figured out to do.

-slippers. Take off shoes, wear them instead while in cabin. Many Asian airlines provide free for various classes. ANA gives to premium economy, for example. Most airlines do for business and up.

- nice noise canceling headphones. Bose QC15, while pricey, help me relax a lot more without the background noise for dozen+ hours. Don't bother with cheap noise cx headphones, better served with plain earplugs than poorly functional ones. That said, some audio technics branded ones have worked adequately for me, but Bose ( a brand I do not care for otherwise) makes very comfortable, effective ones. Bring extra batteries.

-RE: neck pillow. I don't care for. I bring a small regular pillow which suits me. Do what works for you.

-cleaning wipes. Bit of a germaphobe, but I bring a couple single sized wipes to sanitize the TV controller, tray, armrest, etc. I know exactly how much (little) sanitation goes on with most airlines, unfortunately. 30 seconds of prevention, along with common sense things like hand washing, go a long way to keeping a stressed immune system from traveling from going over the edge.

-drink lots of water or juice. Limit alcohol to 1-2 drinks (I do wine or champagne with meal).

-comfortable clothing, but within reason. Sweat pants and a tank top, while comfortable, do not inspire respect from crew and fellow passengers in my humble opinion/experience. In extremis, the guy in the comfortablr slacks and polo/dress shirt might be afforded a bit more courtesy than someone dressed as a slob. I still consider flying a luxury or sorts, and dress at least decently. That said, dress how YOU feel comfortable...nothing to tight probably a good idea for long haul.

-bring yourself a small treat or two, or three!!. Chocolate, cheese, whatever you like. Great to break out when delayed, tired, or just peckish between food service. Bring chewing gum, great way to "clean" mouth after sleeping or eating.

-fill out any requisite immigration paperwork early in flight before getting tired or during the rush while landing, taxiing, waiting in immigration, etc. FAs should be handing out.

-exofficio undergarments, or similar. Check amazon for them. Provide dryness and smell reduction for those 20 hour treks. Highly effective and comfortable.

Travel safely!

Ear plugs and an eye mask. Depending on your tolerance for ambient noise, you might even try ear plugs and noise-canceling headphones, although I find that my ears start to hurt after several solid hours with the headphones on.

I can recommend some sort of neck pillow - got stuck in coach on a 6 a.m. transcon over the summer and it kept my head in a fairly stable, comfortable position that enabled me to grab a few hours' sleep.

I'll also vouch for fitting in with your destination's time - try to go to bed no earlier than 9 p.m. the day of your arrival.

Just thought of another item: Listerine breath strips. If you put a few in your mouth and swish with a tiny amount of water, voila, mouthwash!

+1

I have no idea how I survived on long-hauls (or even red-eyes) before I discovered this. They weigh nothing and take up no room.

Travel in first or business

Indeed, now I prefer the 12+ hour flights, they actually allow you time to get a proper nights rest.

You asked about neck pillows. They are really dorky looking but who cares? I find they keep my neck stable and a little more comfortable. You can also do a search and find lots of info & reviews on Flyer Talk about neck pillows.

Bring a large, warm scarf-pashmina kind of thing. They fold up really small in your carry on and it is an extra layer of warmth around your shoulders.

I've heard that a window seat is best for sleeping so that you can lean your pillow and head against the cabin wall. I like the aisle seat because I hate feeling fenced in and want to be able to get up without distrurbing others. So take all that into consideration when booking your flight.

Don't drink coffee all day the day of your flight. I'll just have my 1 morning cup the day of a night time international flight. Also watch those other caffeine sources like some sodas, chocolate, etc.

Have a great flight!

If you're in Business or First, check ot see if the airport lounge club in Seoul has showers. If so, bring a change of clothes in your carry on and take a shower between flights if you have enough time.

Take a shower during layover. It feels like a million bucks.

Hi Folks,

I have been doing about 150K miles on UAL for a number of years now, and all I really have to show for it is a flat butt and some collected wisdom on the kinds of hacks that make it bearable. I've been meaning to write a blog post to share these ideas and finally got around to v.1.0 yesterday (http://johnee99.blogspot.com/2012/12...2012-best.html)

I am really curious as to what hacks this crowd uses. My basic premise is that for me, POWER and SLEEP are the two most important commodities to take care of with a busy travel schedule. Look forward to hearing your thoughts and I will update my blog post with the best ones!

If there is room, I find I get more and better sleep on the deck than in my seat.

Eh! Are we talking about a boat or something? I've never seen anyone sleeping on the floor of a plane, although I've seen a few people try. Cabin attendants normally quash that activity pretty quickly....

As long as you have a seat belt around some body part when the seat belt light comes on, FAs don't care. Never had a problem.

That would rate amongst the worst advice that I've ever read on FT.

A romp through some of your previous posts indicates that you usually travel in at least J, and you're disdainful of Y pax, beggars, and patrons of U.S. airline lounges. Are you sure you're not really Mitt Romney?

With all due respect, maybe you aren't the best person to be comparing the relative comfort of international Y seats vis a vis the deck.

I would normally be flattered that someone took the time to "romp" through my body of work on FT (I hesitate to use the word "stalk").

If you were serious in advising the OP to sleep on the floor of an aircraft I stand by my comment. It's a stupid and dangerous thing to do and any cc allowing someone to do so would be negligent.

I'll add a rider: after a random sampling of some of your own posts I've realised that FT is full of very bad advice.