5 things to do immediately after a long flight

Ever taken one of the longest flights in the world? Here are some of the longest:

• Newark to Singapore 18+ hours
• Dallas-Fort Worth to Melbourne 17+ hours
• New York (JFK) to Auckland 17+ hours

If spending 18 hours on a plane sounds like torture for the mind and the body, you’re right.

Even if you are taking an 8-hour flight rather than 18, that’s a long time to be sitting still. There’s a reason travelers feel groggy and stiff after a long flight. Spending hours in a small space at high altitudes in dry air takes a toll on the body. According to doctors, long flights cause havoc on your stomach, impact your sleep patterns, and dehydrate your body. 

Still, it can be worth it to see and live, even for a while, in another part of the world. So, let’s say you are taking a long flight soon. Do you know what to do immediately afterward to recover and restore yourself? 

Hopefully, you planned a very slow day for your first day on the ground after that long flight. And on that very slow day, here are the most important post-flight tasks to do in the proper order.

1. Take a gentle walk outside

Even if you stretched and got up to move around every hour or so on your flight, your body has been essentially still for nearly all of the flight time. 

When sitting for long periods of time, all of your body’s primary muscles—quads, hamstrings, calf, and hip adductors—get tight. Those muscles are also used when walking, which is why walking is so good for you. 

If you landed in daylight, drop off your bags and change your shoes, then head to the nearest park, beach, or green open space. Start with some gentle leg swings and foot rolls to get the blood flowing again, then start walking! It doesn’t have to be a fast walk (unless you want to), but it should be steady and coincide with deep breathing for at least a half hour.

The fresh air will wake you up and help fight off jet lag. Walking outdoors lowers your heart rate and blood pressure and releases endorphins that can improve your mood. It can also reduce water retention that can build up in your lower extremities on a long flight.

Pro tip: If you landed at night and/or don’t want to walk outside yet (I get it), try walking on the treadmill for a half-hour. 

Bonus: After your half-hour walk, get a post-flight massage focused on the legs to flush water retention and promote blood flow.

2. Rejuvenate your skin

With luck, you were careful about drinking clean, fresh water regularly on your long flight. Low humidity on flights can dry out your skin and make it feel tight. It can even worsen skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis. The recirculating air can potentially clog pores, causing problems for travelers with acne-prone skin. 

The higher altitudes also expose your skin to UV rays, which airplane windows can’t completely block.

The end result is dry, flaky, dull skin, puffy eyes, and dark circles—not the best look for anyone.

Skin care is profoundly personal, and you should use the products that work best for you. Just make sure you are using tried-and-true products that your skin is familiar with.

Some simple things that will help, however, are washing your face soon after your flight and sipping water. A damp, cool washcloth folded and laid over the eyes for 20 minutes can also reduce puffiness.

3. Enjoy a light, fresh meal

Jet lag can make you feel hungrier than usual—your body is trying to compensate for how awful it feels. Eating the best and freshest foods after a long flight can have a significantly positive impact on how you feel while helping you rehydrate and feel refreshed.

Light foods that are rich in protein and antioxidants and have a high water content are best. So, a light meal with fresh fruit, protein, healthy carbs, and vegetables is an easy win. Follow it up with a cup of peppermint or chamomile tea to banish bloating, and take a probiotic to help your body start digesting food again.

Sugary or highly processed foods may initially fill you up and soothe your cravings, but they’ll leave you feeling sluggish and bloated, exacerbating jet lag and grogginess.

4. Skip the alcohol

Your body is already dehydrated after a long flight, even if you were diligent about sipping water throughout. Alcohol is dehydrating, and it can affect your sleep.  It can also increase problems with digestion, which you really want to get back on track as soon as possible after landing.

At least for the first night, skip the alcohol until your body has had a chance to reset and recover some of its lost water content. Drink more water than you normally do for the first 24 hours on the ground. It will reduce puffiness and bloating and increase blood flow. 

Pro tip: Be strategic with your caffeine intake too. Caffeine has a mild diuretic effect, which can aid digestion, but you don’t want it to keep you awake when you should be sleeping.

5. Sleep strategically

Getting enough sleep is critical to how well your day will go on any day of the week. It’s especially important when you want to feel your best and have the most energy and focus so you can enjoy All The Things.

Depending on how long your flight was, whether you were able to sleep on the plane, and what time of day you landed, you are probably feeling sleepy after that long flight. 

Toss that, you’re probably feeling very sleepy.

If you land and it’s daytime, try to stay awake until dusk. This will give you time for that long walk, a massage, and a light meal. Your goal in doing this is to reset your body to the new time zone so you can wake up the next day refreshed and ready to start your adventure. 

If you land and it’s dark or getting dark, you may have trouble sleeping. If you are having trouble falling or staying asleep, the doctors at Johns Hopkins University recommend taking a low dose of nonprescription melatonin before bed.

Plan to start your first day early with lots of water and walking to get your body back on track. Jet lag hates water, fresh air, sunshine, and exercise, so implementing those immediately, or as soon as reasonably possible, will get you back on track quickly after a long flight.

Pro tip: Get a 20- to 40-minute power nap your first full day after a long flight, especially if you had trouble sleeping the night before.

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