If you are looking for a long-haul flight travel uniform, you have come to the right place.  Having taken multiple flights over 8 hours in the last nearly two decades, I understand what you need and what you don’t. Everything I’m sharing with you has been tested on very long flights, some over 14 hours long.  

(I want to clarify a common misconception about flight lengths. If someone is taking a 24-hour flight, they will not physically be up in the air for 24 hours. The longest flights are about 18 or 19 hours straight. And those do not even include regular economy.) So, let’s get into the clothes I wear when I’m traveling to places like South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan and more.

Comfy t-shirt

A comfy t-shirt is the base of your long-haul travel uniform. Choose something that is both cozy and soft.  Aim for a soft 100% cotton t-shirt if you are able to. It needs to be made of natural fibers, so that it is breathable. Synthetic fabrics hold onto sweat and smells. This is not what you want when you will be in close quarters with a lot of people for many hours. I have worn synthetics on long-haul flights. Trust me. You don’t want to.

I purchased the t-shirt in the photo at the Delta Museum in Atlanta. And appropriately, I wore it on a Delta flight from South Korea to New York, during Delta’s 100th anniversary last year.

Hooded sweatshirt

Many people bring their own blankets or rely on the blankets given to passengers to use during the flight.  Whether I have a blanket or not I’m going to need a cozy hooded sweatshirt.

The GAP and GAP Factory make nice high-quality hooded sweatshirts. I have had a few over the years.  There is a local Connecticut brand called The Two Oh Three that makes buttery soft sweatshirts. Check them out as well.

Stretchy flare leggings

In the past I would wear harem pants because they felt like pajamas.  Unfortunately, sometimes they would also look a lot like pajamas. My sister told me about flare leggings.  The flare leg keeps you from looking like you just stepped out of a yoga or Pilates studio.

The ones I currently wear are from Old Navy and they have held up really well with travel and everyday use. Stores like Aerie and Spanx sell similar ones as well.

Compression socks

These can be a lifesaver, literally. As someone who has dealt with DVT (Deep vein thrombosis) and pulmonary embolisms (blood clots in your lungs) in the past year, compression socks are really essential when I travel. Even before I had blood clots, compression socks were always part of my long-haul travel uniform.

I’ve had compression socks from various brands throughout the years. Hanes makes really cute compression socks.  Nike also makes them, as well as most sports brands.

Waterproof EVA slides

Your long-haul travel uniform would not be complete without comfortable shoes. For short flights I can wear sneakers. However, when it comes to flights over 5 hours, I need to really be comfortable.  This means being able to easily take my feet out of my shoes and put them up in my seat. Then I need something that I can easily put on to go to the bathroom, because you will never catch me in an airplane bathroom without shoes. 

Target offers a great dupe of the Birkenstock Arizona EVA slides. They are my go-to travel shoes. These slides are also great for just walking around your destination once you get there. If you’re looking for a wider color selection, definitely purchase the actual Birkenstock Arizona EVA slides.

Is there anything that you swear by when you travel on a long-haul flight and have made a part of your long-haul travel uniform? Let me know in the comments.