Overnight flight
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Anonymous
| Tell me about your overnight fight. Going to travel to Europe with my two kids 10 and 13. I’m a very light sleeper who can’t sleep sitting up and my son is also. What do you all suggest, is there a way to fly and sleep laying down other then buying business class? |
Anonymous
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We did premium economy which reclines a bit more and bought some expensive pillows. They give you eye shades. You can buy noise cancelling headphones with ocean sounds.
Take melatonin and consider adding original formula Benadryl and/or a glass of red wine. |
Anonymous
| Just accept that nobody will probably sleep. Get through day one on adrenaline and push through to that evening. |
Anonymous
This. I don't even think the more expensive seats are going to allow you to sleep. My son is always too excited to sleep so we just do what PP said. |
Anonymous
| I did it last month. Never again. I will take the daytime flight to London and travel on from there the next time I go to Europe. |
Anonymous
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I sleep fitfully on planes, as does DS. I wouldn't shell out extra though, I'd just deal with it. Try melatonin, waking up early the day of the flight so that you're tired earlier, and a pillow. Some may use a sleep aid or a glass or two of wine.
One night of bad sleep isn't the end of the world. See if you can check into your destination early and take a nap, then go to bed early that first night. |
Anonymous
| We take the overnight to London twice a year. Get at least premium economy and just know that you won't get a ton of sleep. DS (10) probably sleeps the best out of all of us. Then once we get to London we power through until about 6pm before relaxing in bed. We don't have jet lag. |
Anonymous
Your son, especially if he’s the 10 year old, maybe can lay down a bit on you or your spouse, but otherwise I would either try to upgrade if you can at all afford it/use points or resign yourself to a sleepless night and rough first couple of days. |
Anonymous
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Where in Europe and what time do you leave?
Those details matter but honestly regardless you are likely just not going to sleep much. There is no real way to sleep “lying down” in an economy seat. Get whatever sleep you can and then power through until a reasonable if slightly early bedtime. I feel like it helps me mentally to set my watch/phone to my destination time zone before take off but who knows. I will be honest I absolutely hate that overnight flight esp to somewhere like London. It’s just jot long enough to get any real sleep. You will get a few hours at best. Blech. |
Anonymous
| It sucks, but it's one night and just power through. I don't sleep on planes either. Last summer we had 24 hours of air travel (with layovers) through Asia and I slept about 2 hours total. My kids took melatonin and slept fairly well, but sadly it didn't do much for me. |
Anonymous
| Look at is not really over night. Really on 4-5 hours where there is opportunity to sleep. Watch 2 movies, eat and you are there. Late night hangout with 180 random friends. |
Anonymous
Where on a plane would you expect to be able to lie down if not in business class? The aisle? Maybe ask the crew if you can use the crew bunks? 
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Anonymous
| I don't try to sleep - just watch movies or a whole TV series. A lot of flights to Europe leave in the 5-7pm time frame. By the time I would actually go to be we're only a few hours away from landing. |
Anonymous
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I travel a lot to Europe for work and even in business calss it's not amazing sleep-wise. It's 8-9 hours to Frankfurt or Amsterdam, and with all the hubbub with meals and takeoff/landing, there's really only about 4 hours when the cabin is both dark and quiet.
Just suck it up and assume the arrival day will be a bit messed up, or do the morning all-day London flight. |
Anonymous
| I often take Tylenol PM. |