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What should you eat and drink on a long flight?

Here, nutrition experts offer advice on how to eat so you'll have more energy.
  • Eat Lean Protein. Airline food offerings can be meager, so bring meals with you for the best options. ...
  • Drink Water. ...
  • Enjoy Fruits and Veggies. ...
  • Snack on Nuts. ...
  • Get Moving.




On a long-haul flight in 2026, your nutritional strategy should focus on hydration and easy digestion. The low humidity in the cabin (often below 10%) causes rapid dehydration, so you should aim to drink at least 8 ounces of water for every hour you are in the air. Avoid "diuretics" like excessive caffeine and alcohol, which can worsen jet lag and disrupt your sleep cycle. For food, choose light, magnesium-rich snacks like bananas, almonds, or leafy green salads, which can help prevent muscle cramps and regulate sleep. High-protein, low-salt options like turkey sandwiches or hummus with cucumbers are better than the highly processed, sodium-heavy meals often served on planes, which can cause bloating and "puffy" feet. To combat jet lag, some travelers find success eating serotonin-boosting foods like kiwi or cherries. A "pro-traveler" tip is to bring your own "bento box" of fresh fruits and veggies (avoiding strong-smelling foods like tuna or eggs out of courtesy to neighbors) and to avoid "gassy" foods like beans or carbonated sodas, as the drop in cabin pressure causes gas in your intestines to expand, leading to significant discomfort.

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What to avoid eating before or on a flight:
  • Salty or processed food. This is a great rule to follow anyway, but don't snack on a Hungry Jacks before the flight. ...
  • Cruciferous vegetables, or beans. ...
  • Caffeine and Alcohol. ...
  • Nuts (unsalted) ...
  • Fruit. ...
  • 'Umami' flavoured snacks. ...
  • Water, water, more water. ...
  • Moisturizer.


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Water is preferable to keep yourself from getting completely dried out. Also, unlike alcohol, drinking too much water has never been the cause of inflight fights or nastiness. One more quick point on alcohol: you can bring it in your carry-on (3.4 ounces or less), but you can't drink it while on the plane.

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  • Red Meat. Courtesy of Ethan Calabrese. ...
  • Coffee. Airplanes already dry up your body to begin with, so combined with the dehydrating properties in caffeine, you could easily develop a headache or become nauseous.
  • Alcohol. ...
  • Beans. ...
  • Apples. ...
  • Broccoli. ...
  • Carbonated Drinks. ...
  • Spicy Food.


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Eat Light. Contrary to popular belief, flying on an empty stomach doesn't help you combat air sickness. In fact, an empty stomach actually exacerbates symptoms. Eat a light meal such as crackers, fruit, and other light snacks.

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What drinks to avoid when flying? All drinks with sugar, caffeine, or alcohol should be avoided to limit dehydration, and water should be the only drink choice during flights.

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Toss a refillable water bottle into your carry-on bag. Don't be shy about asking the flight attendant to refill it once you've finished. 2. Bring along a few Pedialyte® Powder Packs, which have electrolytes and can keep you hydrated longer than water.

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It's a list of four things you definitely should NOT eat or drink right before hopping on a plane . . .
  • Salty foods. It's common for people to get dehydrated on planes, thanks to the dry air in the cabin. ...
  • Carbonated beverages. ...
  • Alcohol. ...
  • Coffee.


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So it's better to opt for light, easy meals before boarding, especially if you have a long commute,” advises celebrity dietician Nmami Agarwal. “Your meals before flights should avoid sugar, be moderate in protein, and be chock-full of slow burning complex carbohydrates”.

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Fresh fruit e.g. bananas, apples, berries – you may need to eat on the plane or discard before you disembark. Hommus & cut-up veggies – e.g. carrot, cucumber, tomatoes. Grainy crackers with natural peanut butter.

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“The decreased pressure environment diminishes the body's ability to absorb oxygen and it can produce light-headedness,” according to KLM. The dry air on the aircraft can also lead to a feeling of dehydration. If you are going to drink on a flight, make sure you have a glass of water for every alcoholic beverage.

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That's why some people turn to tomato juice. Because tomato juice typically has a tartness and added spices, making the juice taste more flavorful than most drinks when in the air.

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The Journal of American Medical Association recently published research out of Japan that showed the best way to prevent dehydration's effects on a flight is to drink an electrolyte drink.

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Drink enough water According to the World Health Organization (WHO), you should drink about 250 ml of water per hour of flight time, or more if you feel thirsty. Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and sugary drinks, as they can dehydrate you and disrupt your sleep cycle.

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“While plain water is best for staying hydrated, other drinks and foods can help, too,” says Theunissen. “Fruit and vegetable juices, milk and herbal teas add to the amount of water you get each day.” Consider bringing your own herbal tea bags while flying.

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Coffee. A lot of us like to grab a pick-me-up before a flight, but it's best to avoid doing so. Besides leaving you with coffee breath, a cup of joe not only can make you jittery and dehydrated but also can irritate your bladder, making you generally uncomfortable.

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You can bring a water bottle, or container of water in your carry on. As long as it's in a 100 ml (3.4 oz.) or smaller container. There are some exceptions for babies needing formula or breast milk, and people with medical needs. Empty water bottles are allowed.

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The bottom line is that every airline provides a free source of water, it just may not come from your preferred source; aka a bottle. Yes its totally fine..... Some of the budget airlines do this where they offer you tickets for a low price and charge for anything that's brought onboard.....

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If you don't shower after your flight you may end up depositing germs that aren't your own into your new space; particularly your bed. But showering with soap, and shampoo for the hair, removes any of the germs you may have picked up, as well as reduces the levels of your own that have grown over time.

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Drink Water
Water fills you up. It also keeps you better hydrated at high altitudes. Both will leave you feeling better when the plane lands. Avoid caffeine, as it dehydrates and may leave you unable to sleep during the flight.

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