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How to Stay Hydrated on a Plane

How to Stay Hydrated on a Plane

Wondering how to stay hydrated on a plane? In this guide we will round up why it is important to stay hydrated on planes alongside out best tips and ways to stay hydrated on a long flight for your body, eyes, lips and skin. 

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Why Should you Worry about Staying Hydrated While Flying

Flying with morning sickness - traveling with morning sickness

One of the best ways to stay healthy on a plane and to feel like a human when you land is to stay hydrated while you’re flying but this is more difficult than you may imagine.

One of the reasons for this is that airplane air is actually drier than many of the world’s deserts. In fact did you know that the humidity on airplanes is usually less than 20%  and oftentimes can go as low as 10%. This is really low when you consider that in most houses humidity is usually kept around 30%. No wonder plane air can have an effect on your body. 

The affects of dehydration and the dry airplane air can include: 

  • dry scratchy and even bloodshot eyes.
  • dry skins
  • cracked lips 

not to mention other affects such as headaches which occur when the body gets dehydrated. And the recovery time of our bodies after a flight can take several days. 

To mitigate these responses, you can be proactive in the choices you make while flying and stay hydrated. With only a little preparation on your part you can have a much healthier, happier flight by keeping your body hydrated. 

It is even more important for people who are flying with morning sickness, pregnant or with children. But really this advice is applicable for anyone traveling on a plane. 

Next we will tell you the things we do to stay hydrated on long flights. 

How to Stay Hydrated on a Plane

Man on plane drinking water - How to Stay Hydrated on a Plane

How to Stay Hydrated on a Plane

Bring your own bottle of water

Although many airlines will provide water throughout the flight you can not always be guaranteed water at times that you want it. 

For instance if there is severe turbulence this will affect cabin service and limit your access to water. However if you have bought a reusable water bottle with you or have at least purchased a bottle of water after security at the airport you will ensure you have access to water throughout your flight.

If you have a reusable bottle you may find that  flight attendants will refill your water bottle on the plane if you ask them nicely, however make sure it’s full before you board.

It is recommend that you try to drink at least 8 ounces of water for every hour of the flight.

Sip Water 

Sipping water, instead of gulping it, will help you retain more of it and even little actions like this can really improve your hydration on long flights. 

Avoid Alcohol

It is a well known fact that drinking alcohol on planes can cause dehydration. Drinking alcohol on a plane does dehydrate you much faster than drinking on the ground. 

For this reason we recommend avoiding drinking alcohol on the flight or at very least drinking alcohol in small amounts and always having moderation. 

For more information on alcohol on airplanes check out our related posts:

Avoid Caffeine 

As well as alcohol causing dehydration, caffeine can also have a similar affect on the body. Therefore we recommend drinking excessive caffeine on planes, even if you are struggling with jet lag and trying to keep awake. 

Bring Squash or Cordial

If you are traveling with kids or someone who is not a big water drinker you may want to consider bringing some squash or cordial with you to make the water a bit more palatable and ensure everyone keeps drinking. 

If you decide to do this however just be sure that the liquid is less than 100ml so it isn’t confiscated at airport security. 

Click here to shop cordial

Bring veggie and Fruit snacks

Your choice of food can also greatly influence your hydration levels. For instance, consuming vast quantities of salt will dehydrate you both on land and in the air. 

It’s easy to pack dried fruit and nuts when you are looking at the best snacks for plane travel. However if you are looking for ways to boost your hydration then you could pack more water rich produce such as chopped cucumbers and carrots. The water content in these vegetables is large by comparison to other, and is a great way to give your hydration a little extra boost. 

How to keep skin hydrated on plane

And while when we think about hydration we usually think about water consumption. However it is also important to keep other parts of your body hydrated.

Apply a face mask or moisturizing lotion

As long as you aren’t encroaching on the space of your seatmate and you aren’t using heavily scented products, you should feel the freedom to treat yourself on the plane. 

If you’re embarrassed to put on a sheet mask, apply a little moisturizing lotion or essential oil.

Pack some liquid tears

One body part that is usually affected severely by the dryness of airplane air is your eyes. Packing some lubricant eye drops can be a real lifesaver on a plane. You usually just have to apply a few drops every few hours and your tired, dry eyes will thank you. However do be sure to check the instructions on the bottle before use. 

Top Tip: Just make sure your eye drops bottle is less than 100 ml (3.4 ounces) so it makes it past security.

Lip Balm

Another body part that is affected by the dry plane air is your lips. I usually find that a couple of hours into a long flight that my lips have started to get very dry and cracked, even when I am keeping myself hydrated by drinking plenty of water. 

Therefore I advise you to pack a lip balm with you to moisturise your lips frequently throughout the journey. 

FAQS about ways to stay hydrated on a long flight

Do you get dehydrated faster on a plane? 

It is true that you can get dehydrated faster on a plane than on the ground. That is because the air on planes is much drier and can cause quicker dehydration and can certainly wreak havoc on your skin and lips. 

Should you drink electrolytes before flying?

Some people do recommend drinking electrolytes before flying. Personally I have never done this and find that with adequate water and flowing the above tips I have always managed to stay hydrated without the need for electrolytes. 

Are you a frequent flyer? If so you will want to  check out our other plane travel posts such as:   

  • how to carbon offset your air travel.

Do you have any other tips for staying hydrated on planes? If so we would love to read them in the comments below.