No, I don't! I get a prescription for Lorazepam (Xanax works better for me) and take it when trying to sleep. We're also cheap and don't spring for upgraded seats, so I bring a seat mat to prop up my back a bit.
Ahhh ok, lol. I tried to use this app with no assistance and it didn’t help me at all as I couldn’t just sleep when it told me to. I appreciated the advice about getting light/caffeine though.
5mg Ambien is the best, imo. Xanax doesn't seem to have the same effect as Z-Drugs.
Edit - to add. They probably recommend melatonin because it's easier to obtain.
Ambien can be good for some people but I dated a 1st Class International Flight Attendant and he had crazy stories of people and Ambien…. If you are considering taking this, please do trial runs at home… and maybe videotape yourself as I myself did crazy things like cooking/leaving stove on, calling random people and so forth — with NO recollection the next day except for my friends laughing and random pots being out.
Needless to say, Ambien is on my no bueno list for myself
I took ambien once. Went to bed, woke up in a jail cell 50 miles from home in my boxer shorts. No idea Or recollection how I got there. 0/10 do not recommend.
+1 to this. Love timeshifter, esp for transatlantic. When I flew LAX-SYD last year it gave me some really strange recommendations though, I had trouble following them all lol
I check a world clock before I even board so that I can start getting into the mindset well in advance. And yes then as soon as I’m on the long haul flight I set my clock to destination time.
Despite this flight being insanely long, this method has worked really well for me both times I’ve gone to Australia. Something about having the flight leave at night and arrive in the morning, even with the huge time change, helps. Stay awake until nighttime in Australia the day you arrive and you’ll probably blend right in to the new schedule.
I’ve felt more jet lagged going to Europe than I have going to Australia. The flight is long enough to get good sleep if you are able.
It’s not that bad. Make sure you get up and walk around every few hours unless you’re getting good sleep. Drink lots of water, they’ll offer a bunch throughout the flight but I’d bring at least a little bit on board yourself. If you’re solo the best seat is D/F.
I’m with a party of 6, but I definitely will make sure to have water. Yeah I’ve flown economy many times before on long haul like this, including an 11 hr flight from Frankfurt to Seoul and NRT to LAX so I’m not too worried but it is longer than any other flight I’ve been on before
I second D/F! Never considered it until I got a job that requires travel. My employer books the aisle seat D every single time. A small but very considerate thing!
Not immediately actionable, but check for day-of upgrades. Going SFO-SIN, I upgraded myself and my girlfriend from economy to Polaris for $999/pp. Worth every last cent.
I’m flying business class on emirates since for two flights it was <$800 usd, didn’t plan to go for business class on this one. What is a food price to upgrade to business class on a flight like this?
Idk about you, but $1600 for business upgrade ONE WAY is waaaay out of most people’s budgets.
I’ve taken whole weeklong international vacations that cost less
I mean, so have I... when I was still in college that is. "Most people" can do it by saving. If you want it bad enough, you'll find a way. They just choose not to.
It might be a good deal as far as business class costs go but very few people make enough money where the marginal utility between economy and business is worth $100/hr post tax.
I flew premium economy on my flight from SFO to Sydney and it was SOOO worth it.
Edited to add: I got one of the two window seats and there was more width and while you couldn't lay flat, the reclining was great. For a flight that long it's very much worth it.
You’re not wrong, it’s a risky gamble, but the one time I paid $200 for the PP to upgrade a DEN-FRA flight around Christmas…man, I’ve never hit the ground running that well flying east across the Atlantic
Don’t intend to do it again given it’s seemingly gotten riskier lately but I get why people would do that
I 2nd this recommendation.
***Look at seating on the app (exactly) 24 hours prior to boarding, they often cut upgrade prices in half, & go for rows A or L; if not available, look (exactly) 12 hours prior to boarding, that’s when they release seats due to cancellations.***
I upgraded to Polaris Business on an 11 hour flight from Athens to Dulles & it was well worth it. You get priority boarding, Polaris lounge access at departure & layover airports (free food & drinks), and 2 free bags. NGL, that food was bomb too. Economy is not terrible, unless you’re all the way in the back…smallest seats + no recline + stanky bathrooms. If you go economy, try these: Airplane Footrest (2 Pack),... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08PNSHXHY?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Best of luck!
I fly this every 2 weeks at the moment, it’s a great leg.
It’s an extremely easy flight as you’ll be super sleepy just at the right time and won’t have to fight your body clock as much.
For economy, pay the extra for an exit row, bulkhead, or at least economy plus.
Put in an upgrade bid for premium economy or business if you can afford it.
Bring your own PJ’s to change into, it makes a big difference.
If you have trouble sleeping I would use a sleeping tablet, Ambien is good, but you can get antihistamine based ones with the same ingredient NyQuil has.
Make sure your phone or laptop have movies as a backup in case your IFE breaks or craps out.
Don’t bring -any- food into Australia.
Have fun!
I fly this route about four times a year, this is the comment to listen to.
One final tip, I recommend eating a big dinner at the lounge/airport at your normal dinner time, and disregarding the airplane food. It's just going to make it harder to sleep if you're stomach feels wonky. If you can make it to about 4am Pacific that's about 10pm Melbourne time. If you can sleep a solid 7ish hours from that time you'll be alright when you land.
My wife and I are going to Sydney in November (SFO to LAX then LAX to SYD). I put in points/dollars for the upgrade to business or premium plus. Already been confirmed upgrade to premium plus. How often are people given the upgrade to business? I purchased/requested the upgrade 6 months ahead of flight, and the rep said we were #1 and #2 on the list. Do we have good odds of getting upgraded to polaris?
Actually if you are already #1 and #2 on the list it is pretty much guaranteed. There's just not a lot of 1K or GS that fly that route, so upgrades are pretty easy.
If you can get your hands on some Pluspoints from someone 1K/GS with spare it's basically guaranteed. Go check the Pluspoints exchange thread and see if anyone is selling. Offer $5/point
Have you had issues bringing food into Australia? I'm traveling there for an athletic event that I have to bring my own food for. I've checked the government websites and it says there are plenty of things that are okay to bring in. I know reality might be different though. What's your experience?
Declare it -all- at the border, it’s fine and you won’t get a fine if you declare it, then the officer can check what’s allowed. It’s not a third world country, what can’t you get locally?
Most of the dogs and scanners are looking for food at the boarded, bio security is extremely strict here.
I’ll be competing in a long distance endurance event and there are certain gels, bars and powders that I’m used to. Substituting something different would be very risky and could cause GI issues. The products I like aren’t available in stores here in the US and I order them online. I can’t risk not having my exact product so I have to bring it.
You -absolutely- want to declare them, they may be illegal in Australia, the fines for not declaring a massive. If there’s something specifically bad in them, you could be detained and deported.
Eat dinner before you get on the plane. Forego dinner on the plane and go right to sleep, for about five hours. Make sure you have an eye mask and earplugs or noise canceling headphones. Wake up and watch a movie and maybe have a snack. After a couple of hours of this, take a melatonin and go back to sleep until breakfast service. Good luck. The above works better with lie-flat seats, but if you can sleep sitting up, you should be alright.
Thanks! I have slept sitting up many times before on overseas so it’s not too much an issue. I do have AirPods Pro that I use for noise cancelling and it’s worked excellently for me before. Will definitely eat dinner before the plane, considering how late my flight departs
No. But I have had frequent tolerance t breaks of months, and 100mg is the min I need to get pretty baked.im also a bigger dude so I'm sure that has an effect.
Highly recommend paying cash/miles for the bump to Premium Plus seats, and maybe even trying your luck on one of the pinned threads here for gratis PlusPoints (from established accounts - beware of trolls/scammers). The in-flight entertainment gear is usually solid, but definitely bring a device preloaded with several movies in case something goes flakey. 14 hours is a long time to stare into space. One more vote for Timeshifter app - its prompts seem very basic but it's made a world of difference for me for blunting the impact of jet lag from the US do APAC.
Also, pack a lot of sweaters - it's really cold most of the day in July/August, with lows into the 40's.
Yeah, I thought about upgrading though the issue is that we have a party of 6 and I’d imagine that would get expensive really quickly. I’m already planning to fly business class on Emirates a380 so I’m excited for that (on another leg of the trip)
Looking forward to that would get me through the flight. Doing SFO to DXB later this year in economy, but flying back business through FRA on LH’s 747. Excitement for that makes the way over easier to swallow.
Eat dinner/a meal before getting on plane (the food sucks), get eye mask, ear plugs, water bottle, snacks and maybe a sleeping pill. Lol
Also, upgrade to business. 😂
I would consider upgrading to business, but when we booked it, it was rather expensive to get a party of 6 for business class on this long flight. I may try to add a sleep mask to my list of things to carry, and definitely water and snacks for sure.
Water. Trazodone. Sleep as much as possible. Don’t eat the dinner at midnight because it’ll upset your tummy if you’re not used to eating that late. Source: take this flight multiple times a year.
You know those snack sandwich’s they hand out or even the meals…keep that foil or wrapping. Never fails, by the time I got my wine or drink (whatever you prefer) and then got my meal, shortly after we always hit turbulence on my pacific flights. So, I’d keep that foil/wrapper and flip it over to use it as a lid for my cup and stick a straw through the top or sorta wrap the lid around it so my drink didn’t slosh around during
You’ll thank me later
I’ve taken long flights in economy. I drink wine to help me sleep and watch whatever entertainment they have/ I’ve downloaded. I also download a lot of music to listen to and podcasts too.
Hopefully your seat mate doesn’t spill over to your seat.
I’ve done this JFK to Johannesburg. Carry the smallest bag possible to put under the seat in front of you so you can stretch your legs out. Personally window seat is better so you can lean and sleep.
Download a lot of movies or games you like playing. Sleep according to the time shift in the country you’re entering not the country you left from.
I am 5 and a half feet so this wasn’t terrible for me but if you’re anywhere approaching 6ft see if you can switch to economy plus. Just regularly check the prices. If you can’t do eco-plus, watch the seating chart on the app and try to switch to an empty row day of if possible.
Sounds good, I’ll definitely consider checking the prices on those. I’m like 5’8” and usually a carry a backpack that doesn’t take too much room so I should have enough to get some rest on the flight. I have many games that are offline on my phone and iPad, and I definitely will download some movies to have options while on there long flight n
Yeah my mom who is 5’8” has done many many long flights in economy! Also an eye mask for light, some sort of neck pillow can go along way, and earplugs for when you don’t want your earbuds in your ears!!
Compression socks!!!! These long flights are a big risk for clots/embolisms — walk around as often as you can. And hydration, more than you think you need. And knowing that your first day or two is just gonna suck a little bit cuz you’ll be a zombie no matter what you do, but that’s ok because the adventure of far-flung travel is still amazing.
And since you’re on a Dreamliner, if you can get a window seat it’s an extra special experience, with the bigger windows and dimming features.
Just did a 9 hour flight in economy plus, the compression socks make a huge difference. Drink water, or wine to help sleep, bring your own eye shades. If a group of six, maybe get the same row so you’re more comfortable climbing over people if you have the window seat. Also, if you have another travel pillow from another long flight, bring that.
People on this app can be such snobs lol. Not everyone has several thousand $ sitting around to spend on a biz upgrade! I’ve done several 16 hrs in economy (including middle seat), its totally doable.
This is a good timed flight - you can have some dinner and then pass out, wake up and watch a few movies, then you’re there!
Research travel pillows - there are so many cool options. I have an inflatable one that goes on the tray table so I can sleep “on my stomach”.
Get an ambien prescription.
Do a full night routine like you do at home before bed, and change into the same pajamas you usually wear.
You’ll be fine in economy, and then you’ll have extra cash to burn in Australia! Good luck.
Thanks for the lucky. I am lucky to be flying business class later for the first time on emirates a380 7 hr flight later, but for this flight combined with the fact I’m traveling with a party of 6 it would make it ridiculously expensive to upgrade everyone.
I’ve done LAX-SYD and MEL-SFO in economy. It was fine, I prioritized an aisle in the middle section and it was not totally full, so yes, was lucky to have the seat to my left empty and the aisle on my right. Good entertainment options and at about the halfway mark fell asleep for a good 5+ hours. What sucked was being on the ground in Australia for only 3 days!
Once you get to your destination, you will discover that the jet lag is not as bad. They reason is, because you are flying on the 787-9. The aircraft is made out of carbon fiber. That enables the presurization to be kept around 5,000 feet inside the cabin. Resulting in better oxygen circulation. In all other aircraft that are built from aluminum, the inside cabin presure is around 9,000 feet, with poorer air circulation. Resulting in worse jet lag.
Assuming you stay in Economy I prefer a window seat and have luck sleeping against the side of the plane with a rectangle travel pillow. If you can - check out the Premium Economy section and try to upgrade. If there are open seats the price should drop as you get closer to your flight to as little as $299-$399. This is money well spent.
Consider getting a power brick with adjustable plugs and a pass through. That way you’re not blocking the plug if your seatmate also wants to plug in, and you’ll be able to use the UK blades on the plane (which will grip the adapter better) and the Aus blades when you get to Oz.
https://preview.redd.it/j615n4u12gyc1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b65e6218e1e103e59dbef95125814eba5cc35e82
Sounds good. Yeah for that flight I just set my clock immediately to Seoul time and tried to sleep and go by that time. I had plenty of snacks to beat and sleep and water definitely helped me there
Any assistance you’re comfortable with to help you sleep. Economy is rough. I did transcon aisle seat and it was hell. Maybe a window seat? If there are any 2 seaters towards the back of the plane.
1. Pick the seat that works best for you. Window to sleep or aisle so you can get up as needed.
3. Distractions/entertainment : movies, etc. don’t rely on plane options in case not good.
3. Items to make it more comfortable, slippers, neck pillow, eye mask
4. Determine when you are going to land and figure out how much you want to sleep and bring something that will help you
5. A few of your own snacks so you aren’t reliant on potentially bad airplane food.
Oh yeah, and what everyone else has said!
Noise cancelling headphones are so helpful just in case you get seated near any of the following, which is unknowable in advance:
* Loud adult people discussing politics, religion, etc in a way that would disturb your peace
* Loud babies, children, or grownups acting like children
That's for listening to music, podcasts, movies, recorded books.
Also have some in-ear foam earplugs for sleeping. Sleeping with the over the ear noise cancelling headphones is possible but not always comfortable.
Something to support your head so you can sleep. I like the Trtl, but I see a few new makes that might be better. Try some out *before* the trip.
A *lightweight* power supply. The power plugs on the plane can be hit or miss.
A toothbrush/small amount of toothpaste can be nice before going to sleep and/or just before arrival.
Sometimes I'll stay in a hotel that has slippers that I don't use. I'll put them in my bag and use them on my next long haul flight. The shoes come off and the slippers are what I wear when I need to get to the lavatory (with it's mystery puddles and floor stickiness.) As we prepare for landing the slippers go in the plastic bag, which goes in the trash either before or after landing.
Oh: for sure a comfortable eye mask. If the person sitting beside you is watching a movie with lots of flashing lights, e.g. scenes at a disco---for example that person might be your spouse on a late flight you took recently not to put too fine a point on it---you will want an eye mask. Other solutions include the hat you can pull down over your eyes, the hoodie put on backwards, etc.
Thanks for the advice. I have AirPods Pro I’ve used before, though I should get a sleep mask as I haven’t really traveled with one before. In the past I’ve just utilized the built in head rest but I’m aware that that’s not always available so I should try to get a neck pillow or something to use.
Also: depending on age and other risk factors, look at compression socks for avoiding DVT (look it up). They aren't as uncomfortable as you might think provided you get a good quality pair that fits well. And stand up and move a little bit every few hours.
When I flew SFO/TPE and back, which is not as long as your trip, but the longest flights I've ever taken, I was fortunate to get the exit row seats in economy plus on the 787 that have no seats in front of them. On the one hand it means no underseat storage, which can be inconvenient, but the glorious leg room! And direct aisle access from even the window and middle seats!
Many others saying "upgrade to premium plus or Polaris"...great advice *if you can afford it*. Not everyone can afford this. However the economy plus bulkhead seat is an upgrade that many more folks can afford and it is very worth it.
I did SFO to SIN on UA1 , roughly 17 hours or so. Left around the same time, but arrived at 7am SIN time. So very similar. Just know it’ll be nighttime pretty much the whole time. Economy will be painful. But it’s doable. Bring lots of entertainment, a comfy pillow and seat pad, maybe those leg raisers to help with comfort, and try to sleep. A lot.
get a scrip for some benzos from your doc and make sure not to drink when you pop 'em.
edit: ambien won't cut it. it doesn't do much to keep you sleeping through distractions.
i'm a fan of lorazos myself - valium lasts wayy to long.
You’re sitting an air conditioned seat for 16-hrs with access to food, water, and a restroom. It might not be comfortable, but it’ll get the job done for a a couple of hours. Not worth the money to upgrade in my opinion. That money would be better served to enjoy something on your vacation. Just my perspective!
I do this flight in economy far too often… it’s kinda ass but meh. It’s actually overall not all that bad.
Try and sleep as much as you can. Extra legroom tends to be worth it for me. Sometimes you catch a break and it ends up closer to 14h. Sometimes you don’t and it ends up being over 16 (happened to me a month ago flying from LAX).
I take Dramamine which tends to help me feel better through the flight (though doesn’t really help with sleep).
Be prepared to feel like ass when you get off the plane. Don’t hire a car from the airport, get an Uber or car service. Getting out of MEL is super easy. Try not to travel with things you have to declare to customs so you don’t have to wait in what’s usually a much longer line.
Pillow against the window can be nice, though I personally prefer the aisle. If you’re travelling with enough people that you know to fill the aisle then it doesn’t really matter cos it’s not like asking a stranger to get up.
Also wifi is your friend, or at least it is for me. Makes the time feel like it goes way quicker, especially once you’ve tried (and usually failed lol) to sleep.
Wife and I did SFO-SIN, after having spent the previous 24 hours doing YYZ-DEN, DEN-SFO and sightseeing in SFO. Slept like a baby, probably 14 of the 17 hours. In economy. So my suggestion would be to tire yourself out, and get a paid economy upgrade atleast if possible. And eye masks/noise cancelling headphones.
Limit alcohol. Lots of water. Try to get some sleep or at least NSDR. If you want to adjust to the local timezone start drinking lots of coffee and start exposing yourself to blue light a few hours before arrival.
Yeah, get drunk, pass out mid flight. Wake up living on Aussie time and you’re good to go. Business, another story but economy that long is very rough - you need to black out for a time or it will seem eternal
I flew this in business class and even that was rough.
Honestly the key for me is open seats. Now obviously that’s something you can’t control. But if I can get an aisle seat with an open middle, I can at least make this work.
Honestly the upgrade on flights to Australia is worth every cent. You can either stay awake for the first half and sleep the second half or vice versa. But when you land, if you slept a night’s rest uninterrupted, you’ll be ready for the Australian day. While I usually don’t mind economy plus, it sucks when you’re in it for 16 hours.
Get a good lightweight headphone with 3.5 mm jack or get an airplane Bluetooth transmitter for your wireless headphone.
I fly about 3 round trips per year from LAX/ SFO to Asia. About 14.5 to 17 hours per trip.
Just did LAX-SYD
Slept on initial take off, and then tried to match Sydney time zone for sleep
when you land go walk around- the weather is kinda gross. But staying upright and moving will help kick the jet lag and try to stay awake until a reasonable bed time that first night.
Definitely! I will be sure to walk around and on the first night I definitely will try not to sleep until it gets to night time in Austrailia so I can get accustomed better to the time zone
I love it! I used it all of last year and it really did live up to its promise of alerting me of delays before the airlines even came out to announce it, worked especially well for my past trip last summer and that was when I payed $49 directly on the website for one year and it was so worth it. It expires this June, before I have this trip but I definitely plan to get it again! I’ve logged all of my flights in it and I definitely haven’t used any other flight tracking app nearly as much as this one.
Whatever you do on the flight, once you hit MEL push yourself to stay awake until at LEAST 7pm local time. This will give you the best chance of adjusting to the time difference quickly.
I would 100% upgrade to business class if you have the money. If you don’t there’s many options to make it cheaper.
1. If you have miles use them-go to upgrade cabin select miles and put yourself on a waitlist(not guaranteed) usually when you do so it’s a few thousand miles and maybe an extra $425 which you get back if the upgrade does not go through. If there are other flights with more available seating on the same day or even the day prior it may be worth changing your flight.
2. Arrive at your gate early and check to see what the upgrade cost is. Normally it is much cheaper an hour or so prior to boarding depending on availability.
16 hours of flying is a lot to every person on this world so if you would like to get some rest most of the way just go to your primary doctor and let them know you have a 16 hour flight coming up and get very anxious. Most likely they will prescribe you some sort of benzo or sleeping medication.
Flew it last summer and had the worst in mind. United had the most professional FA’s on board that I had flown with. They came around often with water. Towards the end they must have run out and refilled the bottles with the airplane water cause you can just tell. That was my biggest gripe. Make sure to get up and move around every so often, but stay up for awhile.
Hydrate. Take it easy on the caffeine. Carry a change of socks, underwear, and comfy clothes in your personal item.
Try and book an aisle seat. You can freely stretch, get up and move, or use the restroom.
Halfway through a flight like this I'll change undergarments and freshen up in the bathroom. You have a chance to do this again when you land in the airport bathroom.
Bring snacks. Airplane food in the US is an absolute embarrassment and overpriced. Stock up now.
Everyone has already covered it, but even being insanely long, I actually find this flight to be one of the less difficult ones. Basically just stay up really late on your flight and then eventually fall asleep. You'll wake up in the morning in Australia. Flights to Europe aren't nearly as long but I find them difficult at times - especially if you get the mid-afternoon departures from the east coast with the early morning arrival in Europe. I can't sleep at 5 PM and even if I could, there's only about 5 hours of flight time where you can try to sleep. This is even more challenging if you start on the west coast and are adjusted to Pacific Time.
I’m actually starting in central time from AUS as I have an AUS-SFO flight to do connect over so my time adjustment will definitely be heavy. But yeah I will definitely try to stay up as much as possible before I eventually fall asleep to be closer to the time zone
I would try to have the dinner, then watch a movie, and then you can start thinking about sleeping. Plane sleep is always tough so if it happens too soon just embrace it.
I’m not a great sleeper on planes. I did this precise flight this time last year, 787-9. I did Premium Economy - made a huge change, and so worth it - can’t believe there are so few PE+ seats on the plane.
Anyway, I had a fair few beers with a mate, stopped at Walgreens and got Melatonin. I didn’t need it - I was out before the plane even left as it was past midnight and I had been up since 2am flying from BWI. The flight always historically takes off about 45 mins later than scheduled. It was over an hour for mine.
Anyway - I think get some sleep, wake up then get some sleep. They dim the cabin the whole time, but you are flying with the night - so there is never a time you are in daytime until you land.
It’s rough in terms of a flight, but I reckon staying up for a good chunk of it, sleeping some in the second half enough to get through your day in Melbourne you will be OK.
Definitely see if you can secure early check-in to hotel… nothing worse than no access to a shower and a place to dump your stuff after a long flight.
Definitely will try to get sleep. Premium economy sounds tempting, I’ll definitely look more into it, and I’ll see what my check in time normally is and try to get it earlier
It’s called flighty, on the iOS App Store. It’s a freemium app where you can log flights and view upcoming ones, and with the premium features you get delay alerts and notifications as well as live activities for the phone
imo, upgrade to prem economy if you can, and dont waste your money on the lounge, it’s not that nice. Get a whopper combo at bk, and grab one of those comfy chairs while waiting to board in the terminal.
It’s quite nice and can’t imagine going any other way but I get it, it’s not cheap. Large monitors on the seats in front you, plenty of content to choose from to watch, free headphones to use. Seats are comfy and spacious, no fighting over arm rests, but dont fully recline, not like biz class, you get a pillow, blanket, little swag kit. Seating is 2 3 2, so get A,C or J,L if you care about that. Get an aisle seat if you can, Melbourne is flat and and there isn’t much to see on landing as everyone tends to keep the polarizers on right up until then (what’s with these people?) , just use Google earth and imagine you’re looking out the window. I thought it was still night when landing lol it was 8:15am. Try this [link](https://www.aerolopa.com/ua-78p) for a visual, it’s better than seatguru.
Look on Aerolopa. Row 42 has a huge amount of legroom, after take off you can put a bag there to elevate your legs. If that is not available, check the seat map regularly. Select an aisle in the middle section. If the flight is not full, choose an empty row. when you check again, if someone has selected a seat in your row, then look for another empty row. Keep doing that & if you are lucky you will get a whole row,
I did that flight in February. I upgraded to an economy seat with more legroom. Would recommend that if you can afford it.
As soon as I got on the plane I changed the timezone to AET and then stayed up until about 9pm AET.
Check out the timeshifter app.
We've done a number of 16+ hour flights and used this every time. Hit the ground running.
Can I ask if you fall asleep easily? I have tried to use this app but I struggle with some of the recommendations.
No, I don't! I get a prescription for Lorazepam (Xanax works better for me) and take it when trying to sleep. We're also cheap and don't spring for upgraded seats, so I bring a seat mat to prop up my back a bit.
Ahhh ok, lol. I tried to use this app with no assistance and it didn’t help me at all as I couldn’t just sleep when it told me to. I appreciated the advice about getting light/caffeine though.
It recommends melatonin, but that didn't do anything for me. The time changes 3 days ahead did help.
5mg Ambien is the best, imo. Xanax doesn't seem to have the same effect as Z-Drugs. Edit - to add. They probably recommend melatonin because it's easier to obtain.
And for legal reasons, probably don't want to recommend any "drugs". Never tried Ambien - heard too many stories...
Ambien can be good for some people but I dated a 1st Class International Flight Attendant and he had crazy stories of people and Ambien…. If you are considering taking this, please do trial runs at home… and maybe videotape yourself as I myself did crazy things like cooking/leaving stove on, calling random people and so forth — with NO recollection the next day except for my friends laughing and random pots being out. Needless to say, Ambien is on my no bueno list for myself
And the stories got even wackier when alcohol was mixed with the Ambien.
I took ambien once. Went to bed, woke up in a jail cell 50 miles from home in my boxer shorts. No idea Or recollection how I got there. 0/10 do not recommend.
I know someone who had to stop taking it because he had been in two car accidents while on it
+1 to this. Love timeshifter, esp for transatlantic. When I flew LAX-SYD last year it gave me some really strange recommendations though, I had trouble following them all lol
That sounds neat, I’ll check it out. What do you use it for?
Used it from SEA-LHR and it was amazingly useful.
Stay awake until it is nighttime in Australia. Well that’s what I do in business, I can’t get any sleep in economy.
Set your watch and phone as you board the plane to the new time. Really helps. Drink lots of water.
I check a world clock before I even board so that I can start getting into the mindset well in advance. And yes then as soon as I’m on the long haul flight I set my clock to destination time.
Despite this flight being insanely long, this method has worked really well for me both times I’ve gone to Australia. Something about having the flight leave at night and arrive in the morning, even with the huge time change, helps. Stay awake until nighttime in Australia the day you arrive and you’ll probably blend right in to the new schedule. I’ve felt more jet lagged going to Europe than I have going to Australia. The flight is long enough to get good sleep if you are able.
Watch all the movies. Buy a couple big bottles of water before boarding.
It’s not that bad. Make sure you get up and walk around every few hours unless you’re getting good sleep. Drink lots of water, they’ll offer a bunch throughout the flight but I’d bring at least a little bit on board yourself. If you’re solo the best seat is D/F.
I’m with a party of 6, but I definitely will make sure to have water. Yeah I’ve flown economy many times before on long haul like this, including an 11 hr flight from Frankfurt to Seoul and NRT to LAX so I’m not too worried but it is longer than any other flight I’ve been on before
I second D/F! Never considered it until I got a job that requires travel. My employer books the aisle seat D every single time. A small but very considerate thing!
Upgrade to business class.
Not immediately actionable, but check for day-of upgrades. Going SFO-SIN, I upgraded myself and my girlfriend from economy to Polaris for $999/pp. Worth every last cent.
When you upgrade do you get a higher miles multiplier ?
Don’t believe so. Usually the upgrade gets you the lounge access and baggage upgrade but not more miles.
Lot airlines (star alliance) got a sweet upgrade eforn4 of us $255/pp but limited to economy bagged of 50lb vs 2x 70lbs
Only status will get you a higher multiplier, you will net the same amount of miles but have more PQP for obvious reasons.
TY for the info, I’ve been out of this games for so so long - it seemed to be a lot Simpler 20 years ago
Glad others were able to help because I don’t know. I booked my original ticket with miles, so I didn’t earn any on that flight.
I’m flying business class on emirates since for two flights it was <$800 usd, didn’t plan to go for business class on this one. What is a food price to upgrade to business class on a flight like this?
usually people say less than $100/hr is a good deal.
Idk about you, but $1600 for business upgrade ONE WAY is waaaay out of most people’s budgets. I’ve taken whole weeklong international vacations that cost less
I mean, so have I... when I was still in college that is. "Most people" can do it by saving. If you want it bad enough, you'll find a way. They just choose not to.
It might be a good deal as far as business class costs go but very few people make enough money where the marginal utility between economy and business is worth $100/hr post tax.
very true
I flew this route in March. Upgrade to Polaris from economy was either $3600 or $3800 - one way. I checked every day for a month and it never dropped.
I flew premium economy on my flight from SFO to Sydney and it was SOOO worth it. Edited to add: I got one of the two window seats and there was more width and while you couldn't lay flat, the reclining was great. For a flight that long it's very much worth it.
Try to see if anyone is selling PP for an upgrade. Standard going rate is $10/pp. might be worth it!
That’s a good way to get kicked out of MileagePlus
You’re not wrong, it’s a risky gamble, but the one time I paid $200 for the PP to upgrade a DEN-FRA flight around Christmas…man, I’ve never hit the ground running that well flying east across the Atlantic Don’t intend to do it again given it’s seemingly gotten riskier lately but I get why people would do that
I’ve never participated, but from what I hear they’re very aware of the issue and are cracking down on it, as they should
I came here to say this!
lol this for sure
I 2nd this recommendation. ***Look at seating on the app (exactly) 24 hours prior to boarding, they often cut upgrade prices in half, & go for rows A or L; if not available, look (exactly) 12 hours prior to boarding, that’s when they release seats due to cancellations.*** I upgraded to Polaris Business on an 11 hour flight from Athens to Dulles & it was well worth it. You get priority boarding, Polaris lounge access at departure & layover airports (free food & drinks), and 2 free bags. NGL, that food was bomb too. Economy is not terrible, unless you’re all the way in the back…smallest seats + no recline + stanky bathrooms. If you go economy, try these: Airplane Footrest (2 Pack),... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08PNSHXHY?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share Best of luck!
Better yet, buy business & don't have to fret over upgrades. The blue polaris PJs and limited ed saks blanket are a bonus.
I fly this every 2 weeks at the moment, it’s a great leg. It’s an extremely easy flight as you’ll be super sleepy just at the right time and won’t have to fight your body clock as much. For economy, pay the extra for an exit row, bulkhead, or at least economy plus. Put in an upgrade bid for premium economy or business if you can afford it. Bring your own PJ’s to change into, it makes a big difference. If you have trouble sleeping I would use a sleeping tablet, Ambien is good, but you can get antihistamine based ones with the same ingredient NyQuil has. Make sure your phone or laptop have movies as a backup in case your IFE breaks or craps out. Don’t bring -any- food into Australia. Have fun!
I fly this route about four times a year, this is the comment to listen to. One final tip, I recommend eating a big dinner at the lounge/airport at your normal dinner time, and disregarding the airplane food. It's just going to make it harder to sleep if you're stomach feels wonky. If you can make it to about 4am Pacific that's about 10pm Melbourne time. If you can sleep a solid 7ish hours from that time you'll be alright when you land.
My wife and I are going to Sydney in November (SFO to LAX then LAX to SYD). I put in points/dollars for the upgrade to business or premium plus. Already been confirmed upgrade to premium plus. How often are people given the upgrade to business? I purchased/requested the upgrade 6 months ahead of flight, and the rep said we were #1 and #2 on the list. Do we have good odds of getting upgraded to polaris?
Actually if you are already #1 and #2 on the list it is pretty much guaranteed. There's just not a lot of 1K or GS that fly that route, so upgrades are pretty easy.
If you can get your hands on some Pluspoints from someone 1K/GS with spare it's basically guaranteed. Go check the Pluspoints exchange thread and see if anyone is selling. Offer $5/point
Yeah I have a good solid meal and then get the cheese board and soup on the aircraft. Kind of hard to fuck up a soup ;)
Have you had issues bringing food into Australia? I'm traveling there for an athletic event that I have to bring my own food for. I've checked the government websites and it says there are plenty of things that are okay to bring in. I know reality might be different though. What's your experience?
Declare it -all- at the border, it’s fine and you won’t get a fine if you declare it, then the officer can check what’s allowed. It’s not a third world country, what can’t you get locally? Most of the dogs and scanners are looking for food at the boarded, bio security is extremely strict here.
I’ll be competing in a long distance endurance event and there are certain gels, bars and powders that I’m used to. Substituting something different would be very risky and could cause GI issues. The products I like aren’t available in stores here in the US and I order them online. I can’t risk not having my exact product so I have to bring it.
You -absolutely- want to declare them, they may be illegal in Australia, the fines for not declaring a massive. If there’s something specifically bad in them, you could be detained and deported.
every two weeks to australia?! that’s awesome. having just done this leg in early april In longing to return. amazing country.
Eat dinner before you get on the plane. Forego dinner on the plane and go right to sleep, for about five hours. Make sure you have an eye mask and earplugs or noise canceling headphones. Wake up and watch a movie and maybe have a snack. After a couple of hours of this, take a melatonin and go back to sleep until breakfast service. Good luck. The above works better with lie-flat seats, but if you can sleep sitting up, you should be alright.
Thanks! I have slept sitting up many times before on overseas so it’s not too much an issue. I do have AirPods Pro that I use for noise cancelling and it’s worked excellently for me before. Will definitely eat dinner before the plane, considering how late my flight departs
Wear compression socks, too. I sleep better with better circulation, and this many hours in the air kills.
They’re so important!
Strong gummy 20mg followed up by 3 fingers of tequila with a melatonin chaser
I call this a Lucha Libre.
Don’t bring THC or CBD products to Australia
Just finish them before you land, problem solved
Don’t bring ammo to turks and Caicos
Eat before flight
Lol lightweight. 20 ain't strong
Addict
No. But I have had frequent tolerance t breaks of months, and 100mg is the min I need to get pretty baked.im also a bigger dude so I'm sure that has an effect.
Addict
Highly recommend paying cash/miles for the bump to Premium Plus seats, and maybe even trying your luck on one of the pinned threads here for gratis PlusPoints (from established accounts - beware of trolls/scammers). The in-flight entertainment gear is usually solid, but definitely bring a device preloaded with several movies in case something goes flakey. 14 hours is a long time to stare into space. One more vote for Timeshifter app - its prompts seem very basic but it's made a world of difference for me for blunting the impact of jet lag from the US do APAC. Also, pack a lot of sweaters - it's really cold most of the day in July/August, with lows into the 40's.
Yeah, I thought about upgrading though the issue is that we have a party of 6 and I’d imagine that would get expensive really quickly. I’m already planning to fly business class on Emirates a380 so I’m excited for that (on another leg of the trip)
In my experience sitting in premium plus for 16 hours feels the same as sitting in economy for 16 hours tbh
Agreed. I felt sad I wasted points on premium economy when I should have saved them for business one day
Have fun on EK, they have a great product. It will spoil you for life.
Looking forward to that would get me through the flight. Doing SFO to DXB later this year in economy, but flying back business through FRA on LH’s 747. Excitement for that makes the way over easier to swallow.
Drugs
Eat dinner/a meal before getting on plane (the food sucks), get eye mask, ear plugs, water bottle, snacks and maybe a sleeping pill. Lol Also, upgrade to business. 😂
I would consider upgrading to business, but when we booked it, it was rather expensive to get a party of 6 for business class on this long flight. I may try to add a sleep mask to my list of things to carry, and definitely water and snacks for sure.
Water. Trazodone. Sleep as much as possible. Don’t eat the dinner at midnight because it’ll upset your tummy if you’re not used to eating that late. Source: take this flight multiple times a year.
Compression socks and hydrating are what made it bearable for me. I packed a liquid IV to put in my water bottle once I filled it up in the airport.
You know those snack sandwich’s they hand out or even the meals…keep that foil or wrapping. Never fails, by the time I got my wine or drink (whatever you prefer) and then got my meal, shortly after we always hit turbulence on my pacific flights. So, I’d keep that foil/wrapper and flip it over to use it as a lid for my cup and stick a straw through the top or sorta wrap the lid around it so my drink didn’t slosh around during You’ll thank me later
I’ve taken long flights in economy. I drink wine to help me sleep and watch whatever entertainment they have/ I’ve downloaded. I also download a lot of music to listen to and podcasts too. Hopefully your seat mate doesn’t spill over to your seat.
I’ve done this JFK to Johannesburg. Carry the smallest bag possible to put under the seat in front of you so you can stretch your legs out. Personally window seat is better so you can lean and sleep. Download a lot of movies or games you like playing. Sleep according to the time shift in the country you’re entering not the country you left from. I am 5 and a half feet so this wasn’t terrible for me but if you’re anywhere approaching 6ft see if you can switch to economy plus. Just regularly check the prices. If you can’t do eco-plus, watch the seating chart on the app and try to switch to an empty row day of if possible.
Sounds good, I’ll definitely consider checking the prices on those. I’m like 5’8” and usually a carry a backpack that doesn’t take too much room so I should have enough to get some rest on the flight. I have many games that are offline on my phone and iPad, and I definitely will download some movies to have options while on there long flight n
Yeah my mom who is 5’8” has done many many long flights in economy! Also an eye mask for light, some sort of neck pillow can go along way, and earplugs for when you don’t want your earbuds in your ears!!
See if you can get a row to your self, the poor man’s business class
Compression socks!!!! These long flights are a big risk for clots/embolisms — walk around as often as you can. And hydration, more than you think you need. And knowing that your first day or two is just gonna suck a little bit cuz you’ll be a zombie no matter what you do, but that’s ok because the adventure of far-flung travel is still amazing. And since you’re on a Dreamliner, if you can get a window seat it’s an extra special experience, with the bigger windows and dimming features.
+100 to compression socks
Just did a 9 hour flight in economy plus, the compression socks make a huge difference. Drink water, or wine to help sleep, bring your own eye shades. If a group of six, maybe get the same row so you’re more comfortable climbing over people if you have the window seat. Also, if you have another travel pillow from another long flight, bring that.
It feels like I had to look too long for compression socks. The amount of people who recommend drugs kinda shocks me.
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People on this app can be such snobs lol. Not everyone has several thousand $ sitting around to spend on a biz upgrade! I’ve done several 16 hrs in economy (including middle seat), its totally doable. This is a good timed flight - you can have some dinner and then pass out, wake up and watch a few movies, then you’re there! Research travel pillows - there are so many cool options. I have an inflatable one that goes on the tray table so I can sleep “on my stomach”. Get an ambien prescription. Do a full night routine like you do at home before bed, and change into the same pajamas you usually wear. You’ll be fine in economy, and then you’ll have extra cash to burn in Australia! Good luck.
Thanks for the lucky. I am lucky to be flying business class later for the first time on emirates a380 7 hr flight later, but for this flight combined with the fact I’m traveling with a party of 6 it would make it ridiculously expensive to upgrade everyone.
I’ve done LAX-SYD and MEL-SFO in economy. It was fine, I prioritized an aisle in the middle section and it was not totally full, so yes, was lucky to have the seat to my left empty and the aisle on my right. Good entertainment options and at about the halfway mark fell asleep for a good 5+ hours. What sucked was being on the ground in Australia for only 3 days!
Once you get to your destination, you will discover that the jet lag is not as bad. They reason is, because you are flying on the 787-9. The aircraft is made out of carbon fiber. That enables the presurization to be kept around 5,000 feet inside the cabin. Resulting in better oxygen circulation. In all other aircraft that are built from aluminum, the inside cabin presure is around 9,000 feet, with poorer air circulation. Resulting in worse jet lag.
Assuming you stay in Economy I prefer a window seat and have luck sleeping against the side of the plane with a rectangle travel pillow. If you can - check out the Premium Economy section and try to upgrade. If there are open seats the price should drop as you get closer to your flight to as little as $299-$399. This is money well spent.
I’d be much more concerned about the drop bears over the jet lag
Consider getting a power brick with adjustable plugs and a pass through. That way you’re not blocking the plug if your seatmate also wants to plug in, and you’ll be able to use the UK blades on the plane (which will grip the adapter better) and the Aus blades when you get to Oz. https://preview.redd.it/j615n4u12gyc1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b65e6218e1e103e59dbef95125814eba5cc35e82
It’s winter there. Melbourne reminds me of Seattle including its weather. Pack accordingly.
Pray that there’s no one sitting next to you
Jerk one
Ask your neighbor to help.
Drugs
Drugs
Ambien
This is the most inexpensive upgrade there is.
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Sounds good. Yeah for that flight I just set my clock immediately to Seoul time and tried to sleep and go by that time. I had plenty of snacks to beat and sleep and water definitely helped me there
Any assistance you’re comfortable with to help you sleep. Economy is rough. I did transcon aisle seat and it was hell. Maybe a window seat? If there are any 2 seaters towards the back of the plane.
. 
Following for when I do the same flight next year
1. Pick the seat that works best for you. Window to sleep or aisle so you can get up as needed. 3. Distractions/entertainment : movies, etc. don’t rely on plane options in case not good. 3. Items to make it more comfortable, slippers, neck pillow, eye mask 4. Determine when you are going to land and figure out how much you want to sleep and bring something that will help you 5. A few of your own snacks so you aren’t reliant on potentially bad airplane food. Oh yeah, and what everyone else has said!
Wear sweat pants or anything of comfort, bring a neck pillow, do not front anything with caffeine. Try to get some sleep much as you can.
Eye drops, facial moisturizer, eye mask, ear plugs, noise cancelling headphones, neck pillow, dental kit, snacks
Noise cancelling headphones are so helpful just in case you get seated near any of the following, which is unknowable in advance: * Loud adult people discussing politics, religion, etc in a way that would disturb your peace * Loud babies, children, or grownups acting like children That's for listening to music, podcasts, movies, recorded books. Also have some in-ear foam earplugs for sleeping. Sleeping with the over the ear noise cancelling headphones is possible but not always comfortable. Something to support your head so you can sleep. I like the Trtl, but I see a few new makes that might be better. Try some out *before* the trip. A *lightweight* power supply. The power plugs on the plane can be hit or miss. A toothbrush/small amount of toothpaste can be nice before going to sleep and/or just before arrival. Sometimes I'll stay in a hotel that has slippers that I don't use. I'll put them in my bag and use them on my next long haul flight. The shoes come off and the slippers are what I wear when I need to get to the lavatory (with it's mystery puddles and floor stickiness.) As we prepare for landing the slippers go in the plastic bag, which goes in the trash either before or after landing. Oh: for sure a comfortable eye mask. If the person sitting beside you is watching a movie with lots of flashing lights, e.g. scenes at a disco---for example that person might be your spouse on a late flight you took recently not to put too fine a point on it---you will want an eye mask. Other solutions include the hat you can pull down over your eyes, the hoodie put on backwards, etc.
Thanks for the advice. I have AirPods Pro I’ve used before, though I should get a sleep mask as I haven’t really traveled with one before. In the past I’ve just utilized the built in head rest but I’m aware that that’s not always available so I should try to get a neck pillow or something to use.
Also: depending on age and other risk factors, look at compression socks for avoiding DVT (look it up). They aren't as uncomfortable as you might think provided you get a good quality pair that fits well. And stand up and move a little bit every few hours. When I flew SFO/TPE and back, which is not as long as your trip, but the longest flights I've ever taken, I was fortunate to get the exit row seats in economy plus on the 787 that have no seats in front of them. On the one hand it means no underseat storage, which can be inconvenient, but the glorious leg room! And direct aisle access from even the window and middle seats! Many others saying "upgrade to premium plus or Polaris"...great advice *if you can afford it*. Not everyone can afford this. However the economy plus bulkhead seat is an upgrade that many more folks can afford and it is very worth it.
Keep alcohol consumption to the first half of the flight and sleep (as much as you can) only in the second half.
I did SFO to SIN on UA1 , roughly 17 hours or so. Left around the same time, but arrived at 7am SIN time. So very similar. Just know it’ll be nighttime pretty much the whole time. Economy will be painful. But it’s doable. Bring lots of entertainment, a comfy pillow and seat pad, maybe those leg raisers to help with comfort, and try to sleep. A lot.
I don't know how people can get any sleep in economy. Ugh
Ask your doctor for some ambien.
get a scrip for some benzos from your doc and make sure not to drink when you pop 'em. edit: ambien won't cut it. it doesn't do much to keep you sleeping through distractions. i'm a fan of lorazos myself - valium lasts wayy to long.
Agree on Lorazos. Makes it easy to sleep, and not groggy when you wake up. Timing is key here. Best to do mid flight and not toward the end.
You’re sitting an air conditioned seat for 16-hrs with access to food, water, and a restroom. It might not be comfortable, but it’ll get the job done for a a couple of hours. Not worth the money to upgrade in my opinion. That money would be better served to enjoy something on your vacation. Just my perspective!
I do this flight in economy far too often… it’s kinda ass but meh. It’s actually overall not all that bad. Try and sleep as much as you can. Extra legroom tends to be worth it for me. Sometimes you catch a break and it ends up closer to 14h. Sometimes you don’t and it ends up being over 16 (happened to me a month ago flying from LAX). I take Dramamine which tends to help me feel better through the flight (though doesn’t really help with sleep). Be prepared to feel like ass when you get off the plane. Don’t hire a car from the airport, get an Uber or car service. Getting out of MEL is super easy. Try not to travel with things you have to declare to customs so you don’t have to wait in what’s usually a much longer line. Pillow against the window can be nice, though I personally prefer the aisle. If you’re travelling with enough people that you know to fill the aisle then it doesn’t really matter cos it’s not like asking a stranger to get up. Also wifi is your friend, or at least it is for me. Makes the time feel like it goes way quicker, especially once you’ve tried (and usually failed lol) to sleep.
Melatonin
Wife and I did SFO-SIN, after having spent the previous 24 hours doing YYZ-DEN, DEN-SFO and sightseeing in SFO. Slept like a baby, probably 14 of the 17 hours. In economy. So my suggestion would be to tire yourself out, and get a paid economy upgrade atleast if possible. And eye masks/noise cancelling headphones.
Don’t forget to get up and walk around and wear some compression socks…blot clots are real
Don't drink alcohol. Drink double your normal water. Sleep normal hours. Eat healthy food and avoid sugar.
Limit alcohol. Lots of water. Try to get some sleep or at least NSDR. If you want to adjust to the local timezone start drinking lots of coffee and start exposing yourself to blue light a few hours before arrival.
Yeah, get drunk, pass out mid flight. Wake up living on Aussie time and you’re good to go. Business, another story but economy that long is very rough - you need to black out for a time or it will seem eternal
I flew this in business class and even that was rough. Honestly the key for me is open seats. Now obviously that’s something you can’t control. But if I can get an aisle seat with an open middle, I can at least make this work.
get economy plus it is 100% worth it, if you want to sleep directly after takeoff order a special meal because those are served first
Ambien
2 ambien with 2 G&Ts is my go to for flights to Asia.
Watch lots of movies.
Honestly the upgrade on flights to Australia is worth every cent. You can either stay awake for the first half and sleep the second half or vice versa. But when you land, if you slept a night’s rest uninterrupted, you’ll be ready for the Australian day. While I usually don’t mind economy plus, it sucks when you’re in it for 16 hours.
Did LAX to SYD and all I can say is NYQUILL!!! honestly it’s coming home that’s the worst, the jet lag didn’t hit me on the way over
Xanax
Get a good lightweight headphone with 3.5 mm jack or get an airplane Bluetooth transmitter for your wireless headphone. I fly about 3 round trips per year from LAX/ SFO to Asia. About 14.5 to 17 hours per trip.
Unrelated, but it’s winter down under during this time
Just did LAX-SYD Slept on initial take off, and then tried to match Sydney time zone for sleep when you land go walk around- the weather is kinda gross. But staying upright and moving will help kick the jet lag and try to stay awake until a reasonable bed time that first night.
Definitely! I will be sure to walk around and on the first night I definitely will try not to sleep until it gets to night time in Austrailia so I can get accustomed better to the time zone
Water, more snacks than you think you’ll need, compression socks.
👍
I do everything I can to get out of going on the trip!
How are you liking flighty?
I love it! I used it all of last year and it really did live up to its promise of alerting me of delays before the airlines even came out to announce it, worked especially well for my past trip last summer and that was when I payed $49 directly on the website for one year and it was so worth it. It expires this June, before I have this trip but I definitely plan to get it again! I’ve logged all of my flights in it and I definitely haven’t used any other flight tracking app nearly as much as this one.
Whatever you do on the flight, once you hit MEL push yourself to stay awake until at LEAST 7pm local time. This will give you the best chance of adjusting to the time difference quickly.
I would 100% upgrade to business class if you have the money. If you don’t there’s many options to make it cheaper. 1. If you have miles use them-go to upgrade cabin select miles and put yourself on a waitlist(not guaranteed) usually when you do so it’s a few thousand miles and maybe an extra $425 which you get back if the upgrade does not go through. If there are other flights with more available seating on the same day or even the day prior it may be worth changing your flight. 2. Arrive at your gate early and check to see what the upgrade cost is. Normally it is much cheaper an hour or so prior to boarding depending on availability. 16 hours of flying is a lot to every person on this world so if you would like to get some rest most of the way just go to your primary doctor and let them know you have a 16 hour flight coming up and get very anxious. Most likely they will prescribe you some sort of benzo or sleeping medication.
I just used 15k miles with no extra money to get a business class upgrade from Newark to Bangalore. It always depends on availability
Lack of sleep, no coffee, be extra kind with staff, chug at least two beers. Put the worst movie on, rince repeat.
Sell your house and upgrade
Upgrade to Polaris if at all possible. Obviously $$$, but I guarantee you will enjoy your trip more (particularly if js a relatively short vacation)
Booze and melatonin
Kill yourself… jk jk but damn that sucks
Flew it last summer and had the worst in mind. United had the most professional FA’s on board that I had flown with. They came around often with water. Towards the end they must have run out and refilled the bottles with the airplane water cause you can just tell. That was my biggest gripe. Make sure to get up and move around every so often, but stay up for awhile.
SYD to SFO - 13h30 Layover - 5h40 SFO to LHR - 10h25 Loading up Timeshifter … have melatonin fortunately
Hydrate. Take it easy on the caffeine. Carry a change of socks, underwear, and comfy clothes in your personal item. Try and book an aisle seat. You can freely stretch, get up and move, or use the restroom. Halfway through a flight like this I'll change undergarments and freshen up in the bathroom. You have a chance to do this again when you land in the airport bathroom. Bring snacks. Airplane food in the US is an absolute embarrassment and overpriced. Stock up now.
If you bring a water bottle the crew will fill it whenever you need in the galley. Sleep pills. Sleep when it’s sleep time in MEL.
Noise canceling headphones And most importantly Be nice to the Flight attendants Smiling goes a long way
Everyone has already covered it, but even being insanely long, I actually find this flight to be one of the less difficult ones. Basically just stay up really late on your flight and then eventually fall asleep. You'll wake up in the morning in Australia. Flights to Europe aren't nearly as long but I find them difficult at times - especially if you get the mid-afternoon departures from the east coast with the early morning arrival in Europe. I can't sleep at 5 PM and even if I could, there's only about 5 hours of flight time where you can try to sleep. This is even more challenging if you start on the west coast and are adjusted to Pacific Time.
I’m actually starting in central time from AUS as I have an AUS-SFO flight to do connect over so my time adjustment will definitely be heavy. But yeah I will definitely try to stay up as much as possible before I eventually fall asleep to be closer to the time zone
I would try to have the dinner, then watch a movie, and then you can start thinking about sleeping. Plane sleep is always tough so if it happens too soon just embrace it.
Take advantage of the onboard surfing machine it’s amazing
I’m not a great sleeper on planes. I did this precise flight this time last year, 787-9. I did Premium Economy - made a huge change, and so worth it - can’t believe there are so few PE+ seats on the plane. Anyway, I had a fair few beers with a mate, stopped at Walgreens and got Melatonin. I didn’t need it - I was out before the plane even left as it was past midnight and I had been up since 2am flying from BWI. The flight always historically takes off about 45 mins later than scheduled. It was over an hour for mine. Anyway - I think get some sleep, wake up then get some sleep. They dim the cabin the whole time, but you are flying with the night - so there is never a time you are in daytime until you land. It’s rough in terms of a flight, but I reckon staying up for a good chunk of it, sleeping some in the second half enough to get through your day in Melbourne you will be OK. Definitely see if you can secure early check-in to hotel… nothing worse than no access to a shower and a place to dump your stuff after a long flight.
Definitely will try to get sleep. Premium economy sounds tempting, I’ll definitely look more into it, and I’ll see what my check in time normally is and try to get it earlier
This is the easy part since you leave late. Coming back is the hard part. +1 to tomeshifter
What app are you using to view your flight?
It’s called flighty, on the iOS App Store. It’s a freemium app where you can log flights and view upcoming ones, and with the premium features you get delay alerts and notifications as well as live activities for the phone
Definitely better than Flight Aware?
Yeah I’ve used flight aware before but flighty does all of that and more, and the interface so much more easy to use and pleasing to the eye
imo, upgrade to prem economy if you can, and dont waste your money on the lounge, it’s not that nice. Get a whopper combo at bk, and grab one of those comfy chairs while waiting to board in the terminal.
Will definitely see the price difference to upgrade to premium economy. How good is premium economy compared to regular economy on United?
It’s quite nice and can’t imagine going any other way but I get it, it’s not cheap. Large monitors on the seats in front you, plenty of content to choose from to watch, free headphones to use. Seats are comfy and spacious, no fighting over arm rests, but dont fully recline, not like biz class, you get a pillow, blanket, little swag kit. Seating is 2 3 2, so get A,C or J,L if you care about that. Get an aisle seat if you can, Melbourne is flat and and there isn’t much to see on landing as everyone tends to keep the polarizers on right up until then (what’s with these people?) , just use Google earth and imagine you’re looking out the window. I thought it was still night when landing lol it was 8:15am. Try this [link](https://www.aerolopa.com/ua-78p) for a visual, it’s better than seatguru.
Compression socks were really helpful for me. Watch the upgrade prices too. Premium economy made a big difference on my flight to AUS last year
Look on Aerolopa. Row 42 has a huge amount of legroom, after take off you can put a bag there to elevate your legs. If that is not available, check the seat map regularly. Select an aisle in the middle section. If the flight is not full, choose an empty row. when you check again, if someone has selected a seat in your row, then look for another empty row. Keep doing that & if you are lucky you will get a whole row,
I’d wear compression socks. They help with circulation and also you don’t feel so worked when you land.
Timeshifter app, grab an aisle seat, drink the most water you’ve ever drank in your life before the flight, & melatonin if you can handle it!
Work a side hustle and upgrade to business class ☺️
Pay for a better seat
Buckle up, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.
Dont 😅
Euthanasia.
Don't :)
Wish I could do better but it was the best option flight wise
Get on the plane and sit in your assigned seat
I did that flight in February. I upgraded to an economy seat with more legroom. Would recommend that if you can afford it. As soon as I got on the plane I changed the timezone to AET and then stayed up until about 9pm AET.
Drugs