Spray Afrin nasal decongestant spray twice into each nostril one hour prior to flying. Begin taking a decongestant, like Sudafed, one hour before the flight. Both of these medications can be purchased over-the-counter in a drug store.
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Breathing in the steam from a hot drink or drinking 5-10 cups of water will help restore the moisture in your nose and will relieve the symptoms of a blocked nose. Mints and menthol chewing gum can also help relieve your blocked nose. Use a nasal spray which contains a decongestant half an hour before flying.
A second intervention is topical Afrin nasal spray. Afrin is sold over the counter and contains Oxymetazoline, a chemical which causes blood vessels to constrict and will ultimately reduce swelling to help keep your sinuses and Eustachian tubes open.
While on the flight, the two most common methods of easing pain (especially during takeoff and landing) include chewing something (like gum or gummy bears) and swallowing water. The jaw movement can help temporarily relieve pressure buildup in your sinuses, which happens due to the change in cabin pressure.
As a general rule, flying with a sinus infection and a congested nose is not advised. Changes in cabin air pressure affect the air inside and outside of your head. As a result, clogged sinuses, which prevent you from equalizing pressure differences, can be excruciatingly painful.
With the right preparation, your in-flight experience can be allergy-free and clear for landing before you leave the ground. So, to help keep the friendly skies friendly, be sure to use your favorite FLONASE allergy relief nasal spray the morning of your flight.
You can pack over-the-counter liquid medicines such as cough syrup in your 3-1-1 bag. The TSAs 3-1-1 rule refers to the regulation that all liquids should be in a 3.4-ounce or less container (3), with all container's in one quart-sized plastic bag (1) and a limit of one bag per passenger (1).
If you suffer from allergies, consider a non-sedating antihistamine instead, such as loratadine (Claritin®) or fexofenadine (Allegra). Claritin and Allegra do not have wait times (after the initial ground trial).
Use saline nasal spray before and after the flight. The plane air is so dry and that dries out your mucus membranes, which reduces your resistance to infection, but keeping these membranes moist with saline spray may help.