Jade Small

Jade Small

May 7, 2025

12 Smart Tricks to Survive Long Flights in Economy Class

Set Micro Goals to Break Up the Time

Female passenger holding a bottle of water next to her phone on the airplane tray table.
Credit: Shutterstock

Looking at the flight map and seeing “11 hours remaining” is soul-crushing. Break your time into chunks. Set little goals like “watch two episodes,” “read a few chapters,” “journal for 10 minutes,” or “nap until breakfast service.” Marking time this way makes the flight feel faster and more manageable. You can even build a simple schedule: movie → meal → walk → nap → audiobook → snack. These mini-milestones create structure and reduce boredom. You’ll land feeling like the time passed with purpose instead of endless sitting.