Feel First Class While Wallowing in Coach…

Here's how you survive economy class with style!

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What REALLY makes an economy class trip feel a bit more like first class? I recently saw a list by a well-respected travel site that listed such radical moves like bringing bottled water, toiletries,and nice socks. Really? Exactly WHO is getting on a plane without water? This isn't some kind of revolutionary list of suggestions – anyone who’s been on a plane once will have figured this out within 20 minutes!

One of the first, but sad, rules of being a global traveler with a coffee can budget is to fly economy class. While standards can vary by airline, there is no denying that first class has it much nicer. But with a bit of foresight, you can enjoy a much more comfortable flight than your surrounding neighbours – maybe even just as nice as the muck-ity mucks in first class.

Look the part.

Be organized and look the part of a savvy traveler.  Be comfortable, be safe (chic flat shoes with good grips and cushy soles, no high heels), and make a bit of an effort. Clean jeans, cashmere sweater, and a beautiful wrap – no one gets a surprise bump to first class looking like Broomhilda! And if no upgrade is forthcoming (who were we kidding?) you can still feel like you are having a classy, polished experience.

Organize your carry on luggage so you can find everything with ease and not lose precious space by building a nest of your junk.  Loose coats, scarves, magazines, candy, and water bottles should be neatly corralled into a tote bag or backpack. 

Get the best seat.

If your flight lasts longer than a movie, consider choosing the best available seat using Seat Guru. You’ll learn the pros and cons of each seat on the airplane, and you can decide if it’s worth it to pay a little extra for, say, an emergency exit row seat that gives you an extra 6 inches of leg room. And if the emergency row is already spoken for, look carefully at the aircraft map. Towards the back of the plane, you'll often see rows of three seats taper down to two as the aircraft narrows. If you chose the first of these reduced rows, you'll often get a roomy gap between the exterior wall and where the third seat would have been (as seen in the shot above.)

See a better seat- ask for it! Volunteer for the emergency row, or ask early on if you can grab the 3 empty seats in the very back row to stretch out. On a flight from Lilongwe to London, I was stuck in the middle and I spied a free seat at the very front of economy – tons of leg room between my seat and the first class curtain. I grabbed it and it was so worth the mad dash!

Make a spa in the sky.

Bring deluxe toiletries that make SENSE for airlines and security. Instead of pre-moistened wipes filling up your 3-1-1 pack,  choose Olay’s dry all-in-one face cleanser cloths. They are so large I cut them into small pieces.

I also take along those tiny “pucks” that are compressed disposable wash cloths. Instead of messy lotion, I use a  solid moisture stick, like a coco-butter stick from the Body Shop, or a lavender stick from Deep Steep. Deeply moisturizing, soothing, and healing, plus TSA friendly!

Lighten up with dark coffee and chocolate.

Make your OWN coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. My husband and I always travel with Starbucks brand travel thermos - his is actually a French press and mug all in one. They are sturdy, never leak, and hold heat for hours.  Bring along a baggie of fresh ground coffee (maybe some dark peaberry from Kona?), some Godiva dark hot chocolate mix, or high-quality silk tea bags. Just ask the flight staff for some hot water and you will be rewarded with piping hot, fresh deliciousness. Be prepared for the looks of intense envy as everyone around you smells your incredible fresh brewed coffee. 

DIY gourmet grub

Bringing your own food is old advice - it’s what you bring that makes all the difference.  I love baked goods, and homemade blueberry oat muffins, chocolate hazelnut biscotti, and chocolate coconut “spider cookies” will be delicious additions to your flight. Other favourite treats include homemade peanut butter cookies with Nutella filling sandwiches. I use the 3-ingredient recipe on the PB jar, stick two together with a healthy dab of Nutella, and rolls the edges in a light coat of rainbow sprinkles. High protein, so easy, an absolute miracle on hour 18 of your trip to Maui!

If you prefer savory over sweet treats, try Asian noodle salad,  rosemary flatbread with deli turkey and Swiss cheese; cold roasted veggies in pita bread with goat cheese; nuts roasted with sugar, cinnamon, chili powder, and black pepper, tossed with craisins and dried apricots for amazing travel food. Bring along a few beautiful paper napkins – at this point, even the flight attendants will be begging for samples and you will feel nothing but pity for the poor souls in first class with their limp reheated chicken.

If you don't have time to prepare your snacks in advance, you needn't worry. I love GateGuru for researching food selection in different sections of the airport. Knowing your choices in advance allow you to grab better food on the run. 

Tiny Treats = Big Relaxation (on any airplane!)

Plan special treats to make the flight enjoyable no matter where you are seating. Here are my top suggestions for low cost, high quality treats, no matter how long or short your trip. 
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1. Try a new magazine. Instead of Time or Economist, try Smithsonian or Walrus. Instead of Cosmo or Elle, try British Vogue or W. 
2. Go to an independent bookstore and ask the staff to help you select a new paperback.
3.  Ask 5 friends to suggest a new song for you to download. 
4. Promise yourself a new lipstick, silk tie, or a fancy cocktail when you have to kill time changing flights. 
5. Visit Duty Free and apply the incredibly overpriced designer lotions, eye creams, and perfumes and walk away looking and smelling like a million bucks. You can go back to chap-stick when you go home!

I'd love to hear from you! How do you make the most of the economy experience?

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