How to Make Flying More Comfortable After 50: Our Tips From 85+ Countries

Since taking my first flight more than 60 years ago, I’ve flown way more than a million miles. Kris and I have flown on dozens of world airlines and flown in everything from a bumpy bush plane in Africa to the lovely lie-flat beds on Air France from Paris. We’ve suffered the worst of the ultra-discount airlines as well as enjoyed the perks of the first-class upgrades we used to get with our elite status on Delta.

We’ve been to more than 85 countries in the last 16 years, and all of them have been reached by air – one way or another. So, I guess you could say we’re experienced – which is a nice way of saying old.

That experience has taught us how to make flying as easy as it can be for travelers over 50, who don’t fold into today’s narrow seats as easily as we once did. Most U.S. airlines have squeezed legroom so much that, even though I’m only 5’8″ (1.72 m), I can’t bend over to pick something up off the floor.

Legroom isn’t even the worst of it. The recent surge in the number of people traveling, the increasing weather-related delays, the chaotic introduction of Europe’s new Entry/Exit System (EES), and the periodic U.S. government shutdowns affecting TSA all have contributed to what could generously be called a challenge to the frequent traveler.

While most of these things are out of a passenger’s control, there are strategies you can use to maximize your chance of getting where you’re going on time and somewhat comfortably.

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Our Eight Pre-Flight Tips to Make Your Trip Easier and More Comfortable

1. Book Directly with Your Airline

Even when we use search engines like Google Flights or Skyscanner to find the best airlines, airfares, and times for our travel, we always book the flights directly with the airline. Passengers who’ve booked directly are often given preference when flight delays or cancellations require re-booking.

Also, if there are any refunds or compensation due to a delayed or cancelled flight, there’s no argument about whether that’s coming direct to you, or going to Expedia or Travelocity.

If you participate in frequent flyer programs, all the better. You can keep your frequent flyer numbers and Known Traveler numbers saved in the airline booking system, knowing that the essential info will show up on your boarding pass.

2. Leave a Day Early

If you have a tour or a cruise starting at your destination, it only makes sense to leave a day early. That leaves you a whole day to deal with any maintenance or weather delays. Also, there’s always the chance your checked baggage is delayed, too. And, even if you and your bags arrive on time, an extra hotel night in a lovely destination city such as Barcelona is cheap insurance.

3. Take the First Flight of the Day

If your flight is delayed or cancelled, your best chance of still arriving the same day is getting rebooked on a later flight. An early flight leaves the most later flights for rebooking. The obvious corollary to this tip is to book with an airline that has more than one flight daily to your destination, if possible. That’s often not possible on international flights, so that’s when you want to fly a day early, as in tip 2.

4. Avoid Connections if Possible, Especially Tight Ones

Unless you have time to spare, fly nonstop. Often, it can be cheaper to change planes midway, and we admit we’ve done that to save some money. This is especially true if there is immigration control at your connection stop. A couple of huge planes landing at a foreign airport at the same time can cause long delays in getting through immigration, and that might just be enough to make you miss your connecting flight. Another possible way to get around that problem is to make your connection in the U.S. if you can get a nonstop flight from another U.S. airport to your foreign destination.

5. Use Apps to Stay Informed of Changes

Preload your airline’s app onto your phone in order to stay up to the minute on flight status, gate changes, and baggage claim. We also rely on the great TripIt app, which has sometimes actually notified us of delays or gate changes faster than the Delta app.

6. Get Travel Insurance

Although many credit cards these days include some small travel delay insurance, don’t rely on those minimal benefits if disaster strikes and you completely miss your cruise. Buy separate travel insurance. (Keep in mind that separate travel insurance should include medical coverage as well as trip interruption. We’ve recovered over $1400 in medical expenses in past years.)

Here’s our detailed post on what you should look for in travel insurance.

7. Check Your ID and Entry Requirements

Be sure you have a REAL ID or bring your passport. Enforcement for domestic flights began May 7, 2025, and since February 1, 2026, travelers without a compliant ID pay a $45 fee for TSA ConfirmID, which comes with longer waits and no guarantee of clearing security.

For Europe’s Entry/Exit System (EES), allow extra time at your first Schengen entry while your fingerprints and photo are registered. This will go quicker once you’re in the system.

Your best delay proofing is to arrive at the airport earlier than you think you need to, which is also a good argument for TSA PreCheck.

8. Get Global Entry with TSA PreCheck

Finally, the best way to get through security with minimum hassle is with TSA PreCheck, which we get as part of our Global Entry status. Here’s how to get the Global Entry status to get you into the U.S. and through the TSA lines a lot more quickly. If you’re traveling internationally, Global Entry is an absolute must to ease your reentry into the U.S.

Making the Flight Itself More Comfortable

Get More Legroom If You Can

When it comes to legroom, more is better. Our top comfort tip is to upgrade to a premium seat: First Class, Business Class, or Comfort category whenever you can. That’s especially important on long-haul flights (or if you have long legs).

If you have status with an airline, you might be upgraded as one of your perks, but that’s becoming increasingly rare, especially on international flights. Often you can purchase an upgrade with points, and that might actually be the best use of those points. Exit rows might also offer more leg room. We know plenty of people who don’t like exit rows because of limitations in seat reclining, more complicated in-flight entertainment screen and eating trays, and lack of under-seat storage space. But we’ll trade those inconveniences to keep Kris from growing claustrophobic.

Here’s another tip which we just used for a long flight to Rome. When we booked months earlier, there were no exit row seats available, and the only adjacent seats were aisle and middle. But, we checked seating again just three days before the flight, and unsold comfort class seats that had been an extra $400 when we booked were now on sale for $75. Win!

As for preferred seats, I always take the aisle seat. The ideal situation on international flights is planes that have two seats on one side of the aisle, where I can take the aisle and Kris can take the window seat. The window seat has the advantage of giving you a wall to lean on if you want to sleep. (And sleeping on an overnight flight is the best way to get a jump on defeating jet lag.)

Of course, if you are thinking of ultra comfort and convenience, you can check out jet finder to explore how much it costs to charter a private jet.

What to Wear on the Plane

Shoes

We both agree that comfort starts from the ground up. But let’s face it: we are usually wearing the shoes we don’t want to pack. I’m not particular; I only want a shoe that is easy to get on and off. I take them off immediately when I’m seated on the plane. I either slip them on to use the plane’s bathroom or, lately, use a small, flat pair of slippers that I copped from a nice hotel.

Kris looks for shoes that can handle the inevitable swelling that happens with long flights, like these clever Pandere Globetrotter shoes that adjust every which way. They are easy to get on and off, and plenty comfortable and supportive for long walks through airports with heavy backpacks. (Check out her post about essential travel shoes for women.)

Kris, who’s barely 5’ 1”, also likes to use bulky hiking boots, too large to pack, for a footrest inflight. Open them wide and stuff the laces inside so that you can slip them on to use the bathroom.

Socks

You may not think of socks as a comfort item, but I have two pairs that are my preferred flight companions. First, for shorter flights, I always plan to wear these Falke light trekking socks. As the name suggests, they’re light. I like that Falke socks’ elastic is good, but never binds. And, Falke socks are made for left and right feet. Yes, the socks are fitted to each foot. They’re expensive, but simply the most comfortable socks. Give them a try.

On long-haul flights, when pulmonary embolisms or deep vein thrombosis (blood clots) become a risk, I wear compression socks, the long CEP Compression over-the-calf style. Although they’re compression socks, they are extremely comfortable. Kris, too, endorses compression socks for health reasons and to alleviate the soreness of restless legs.

​Kris has taken to compression socks from Vim & Vigr. The company, based in Montana, was founded by health professionals, and their merino wool “Go Explore” style was designed in consultation with our friend and veteran traveler Sherry Ott. (Read her backstory about the episode that convinced her to wear compression socks when traveling!) We love the odorless, breathable merino wool fabric and that sock sizes account for both shoe size and calf circumference. Groundbreaking! Buy the socks here.

Pants

For pants, I usually wear my Kuhl light weight pants. I wear these pants about 50 percent of the time anyway when traveling, but they’re even more useful for flying. They’re light. They breathe. They have lots of pockets. But most important for flying: they have stretchy elastic bands in the waist. So when you’re sitting and fidgeting, they expand and move with you. Like the Falke socks, they don’t pinch.

Kris advises: Don’t wear jeans and don’t wear anything that will show your plumber’s puff when you bend and reach under the seat. Ick. You could wear sweatpants, but you’ll regret it later when you want to look smart hailing a cab or checking into a hotel. You are not a college kid on spring break, after all.

For the past few years, Kris has relied on sporty and versatile versions of Athleta pants for her travel days, whether by plane, train or automobile. Look for styles with zipper or hidden pockets. She wants easy but secure pocket access to her ID and one credit card so that she doesn’t have to go digging in case of airport or airline purchases.

With recent changes in Athleta’s inventory, and for city travel rather than wilderness hikes, Kris has embraced Unbound Merino’s Travel Pants. Both the regular and the ‘easy’ travel pants look polished, don’t wrinkle, and are super comfy. Look for more on our favorite Unbound clothing here.

Especially for long flights, Kris has adopted ‘flight leggings’ by Urban Undercover. They preclude the need for compression socks, have a good size hidden pocket in the waistband, and despite the name, look more like dress pants than yoga wear.

Underwear

Under those pants, I wear ExOfficio Men’s Give-N-Go Boxers. They’re light. They wick moisture. They dry quickly, and they’re flat out comfortable. (They have other models than just the plain boxers, if you’re one of those guys.) Also, when you get where you are going, you can rinse them out and wear them tomorrow. In fact, you can travel with two or three pairs of these and it’s all you need.

Thanks for asking, dear readers: Kris does not wear boxers, but is also a fan of ExOfficio. She may pack some scantier styles, but for travel days, the Give-N-Go Bikini Brief is perfect. For women, just be sure to wear a pair that doesn’t bind. The consensus among experienced travelers: thong variations just aren’t that comfortable for the long haul.

Your basic, everyday bra, sports bra or cami is going to be most comfortable for hours of flying. For trekking (and the inevitable dressing and undressing in semi-public places) Kris suggests wearing a light sports bra.

Do toss an extra pair of underwear in your carry-on. Kris’s packing theory is, since panties are so small, just toss in twice as many, stuffed in a small packing cube.

Shirts

For t-shirts, I favor the Unbound Merino Wool tee. In general, my life has been so much more comfortable since discovering Unbound Merino wool clothing. Comfortable. Odor resistant. And, like the ExOfficio underwear, you can rinse them out. They dry quickly and you can wear them tomorrow.

Both of us wear long-sleeved button shirts for travel. They look respectable, layer well, and sleeves can be rolled up or down for temperature control. I currently prefer Clothing Arts pickpocket-resistant shirts. I like the fabrics and styling (a little more sophisticated and a little less camping wear). I’ve got two Clothing Arts shirts, one light colored and one dark. They’re lightweight, have “hidden” zipped pockets, and fit nicely. They’re a bit pricey – $100 on the Clothing Arts site – but, like the underwear, you can get by with packing two of them. They wash out and dry overnight hanging in your hotel room. (P.S. if you buy Clothing Arts via the link in this paragraph, you get $15 off your first purchase.)

Kris is most comfortable in button-up shirts like Columbia’s Tamiami Long-Sleeve Shirt, or similar. These look smart and work in any climate and for any mode of travel. Long sleeves and collar protect in case of drafts; roll-up sleeves with fasteners offer comfort for hot spells; stretch fabric means no binding under the arms. And, best of all, these shirts drape well with no wrinkles so that you can look fairly ‘put-together’ when you walk out into public. No tucking in shirttails. That would be silly.

One of the essential elements of the pants and shirts I’ve mentioned is the abundance of pockets. When you carry all the stuff I do all the time, those pockets come in handy. Kris eschews all but one pocket, and waits patiently while I try to remember which pocket has the claim ticket. Her advice: get in the habit of using the same pocket(s) for the same items all the time. It’s easy to take inventory of your belongings as you board and disembark.

Accessories

Kris always travels with a lightweight scarf. Unfortunately, the one pictured above disappeared in the Delhi airport. But never fear, there are plenty in her arsenal. On flights, the scarf serves as a wrap for warmth, or sometimes as an eye shade or neck support. Otherwise, it’s a simple way to change the look of those two shirts.

In addition to a scarf, Kris got in the habit of carrying a bandana when hiking across Spain. That, or a neck gaiter, serves as a splint, bandage, mop, hat, eye shield, face mask, sunscreen, water filter, handkerchief, and pretty much whatever else you want it to be.

Jewelry: Leave the good stuff at home. Though Kris doesn’t carry much jewelry, she makes sure to wear earrings in flight that won’t catch, poke, snag, fall out, or otherwise be of concern.

Glasses: Even though contact lenses are an option, Kris wears glasses, not contacts, when flying. She favors the more comfortable plastic frames, which also have a slight tint. Keep an extra soft case to stash eyewear when you are ready to doze off to prevent bent frames. (Avoid, at all costs, putting personal items into the pocket in front of your seat. Yuck!)

Outerwear

For guys, outerwear might substitute for a purse to stash those accessories. Consider buying a Scottevest. The Scottevest features dozens of internal pockets specifically designed as the easy way to carry all your electronics, glasses, passport, wallet, and whatever else you like to have at hand. An added bonus of using the Scottevest is that you can take it off at security, drop it in the bin, and retrieve it on the other side. A whole lot easier than digging around in your briefcase or carry-on to re-equip after going through security.

For an extra layer, Kris wears a nano puff jacket which doubles as a sweater. (In summer or to hot destinations, she may fly with a light sweater but still packs the nano jacket.) Her Mountain Hardwear brand is no longer available, but look for variations by REI, Patagonia, or Cotopaxi. It’s light, washable, zip-up, and doubles as a pillow when in its stuff bag. It easily fits in her carry-on or even in her purse, always at hand. This is lighter and more compact than sweaters, sweats, or polar fleece, and can be layered with anything without a lot of tugging.

Things We Carry On With Us

Whether or not we check bags or carry everything on, we know flying is a whole lot easier when we’re organized and can easily access the essential items we want to use in flight. First, what do we take onboard?

Electronics and Essentials

For air travel, we add our passports, MacBook Air computers, plug-in Bluetooth transmitter to use the wireless ear buds on the plane, our Kindles, and sometimes even a real book that isn’t on Kindle. On our iPhones we have our boarding passes, airline and TripIt apps, The New York Times (with puzzles), The New Yorker and music.

Neck Pillow and Eye Shades

For a long time, I resisted getting one of those neck pillows that you see so many people with. But we recently discovered Trtl neck pillows, which we both have and love. As for eye shades, these are super comfortable.

Reusable Water Bottle

We both carry an empty reusable water bottle through security and fill it on the other side. Drinking lots of water is a great way to counteract the effects of dry air and dehydration on longer flights. Just be sure the water bottle is empty when you head to the airport, and also when you are transferring internationally through customs, because you’ll go through security again.

Between her purse and carry-on, Kris adds a face mask and hand sanitizer to this list, plus lip balm, eye drops, hand lotion, and a tiny travel toothpaste, all packed together in a little pouch. Another pouch keeps all the earbuds, headphones, and power cords and blocks handy.

Organization

As for the nasty liquids restrictions, Kris uses a 1-quart, durable, zip-up travel ditty bag, but rarely has enough liquids to even bother pulling it out. Toothpaste, lotion, toner, shampoo and conditioner are about it, minimized by using soap and shampoo bars versus liquids.

Kris advises, if you are checking, to keep only medicines, contact lenses, and minimal toiletries for inflight use in the carry-on. Pack the rest and save yourself carrying that weight through the airport. Or relegate it to the overhead bin bag you won’t access while flying. Pack in your carry-on only those things you want during flights and layovers.

So in her carry-on, she carries any medicine, cash, papers, jewelry, all the cords and chargers, camera, laptop, accessories noted above, and maybe a change of underwear and an extra sweater or under layer. What she DOESN’T carry on board are any traveling tools (pens, knife, corkscrew, scissors), no manicure set, and no back-up supplies of OTC meds or toiletries. (Try not to take any back-ups at all; they probably have stores where you are going.)

A Good Small Carry-on Bag

Just as with pockets, consistent organization of your carry-on bag is important to safe, hassle-free and comfortable travel. This is especially true if you’re in basic economy class or on budget airlines that limit you to one “personal item” as your carry-on item.

My carry-on bag is now the Timbuk2 Classic Messenger Bag. It’s got a handy pocket under the flap that allows me easy access to everything I take out of my pockets at airport security in one spot. Once you pass security, it’s easy to reach into this small space and grab it all to go back into my pants pockets.

Kris is now carrying the Cotopaxi Batac 24-liter ultra lightweight backpack, which has a padded laptop sleeve, multiple pockets to stash small items, and plenty of room for everything you’ll need on a flight. Her purse or little daypack fits in, too, to consolidate to just the carry-on and the personal item at the gate.

Depending on our destination I sometimes also carry a separate serious camera bag, since I’ve got two mirrorless camera bodies, three or more lenses, a flash unit, a tripod, filters, memory cards, cables, and more. But that’s for another post.

Check out our stable of travel bags in this post covering the whole range, from roller bags to hiking daypacks. Currently, I am very happy with my Cotopaxi Allpa 35L backpack.

Staying Healthy on the Plane

To stay healthy, wipe all hard surfaces around your seat with antiseptic wipes, including air vents, emergency info cards, seat belt buckle, tray tables and armrests. Avoid those nasty seat pockets. Drink all the water you can. Walk about periodically to keep circulation moving.

Frequently Asked Questions: Making Flying Easier and More Comfortable

How can I make flying easier and more comfortable after 50?

Most of the work happens before you get to the airport. Book directly with the airline, take the first flight of the day, avoid tight connections, and pay for extra legroom on long flights when you can. Then dress for comfort in stretchy, layered clothing and easy-off shoes, and keep medications and in-flight essentials organized in one small bag.

How can I avoid missing a cruise or tour because of a flight delay?

Fly in at least a day early. That gives you a full day of cushion for weather or mechanical delays and for checked bags that arrive late. Booking directly with the airline, taking the first flight of the day, and flying nonstop also improve your odds, because an early cancellation still leaves later flights for rebooking.

Do I need travel insurance if my credit card includes travel delay coverage?

Credit card travel protections are usually limited and may not cover the full cost of a missed cruise, a trip interruption, or medical care abroad. A separate travel insurance policy that includes both trip interruption and medical coverage offers much broader protection. Frequent travelers can save money with an annual plan instead of buying coverage for each trip.

Do I need a REAL ID to fly within the United States?

Yes. Since May 7, 2025, adults need a REAL ID compliant driver’s license or another accepted ID, such as a passport, to fly domestically. Since February 1, 2026, travelers without one can pay a $45 fee for TSA ConfirmID identity verification, but it means longer waits and is not guaranteed to get you through security.

What is Europe’s Entry/Exit System (EES) and how does it affect my trip?

The EES is the European Union’s electronic border system for non-EU travelers entering the Schengen area. It replaces passport stamps with a digital record, so on your first entry you will have your fingerprints and photo taken at the border. Allow extra time on that first arrival; later entries should go faster once you are registered.

Is Global Entry worth it?

If you travel internationally, Global Entry is well worth it. The $120 application fee covers five years and includes TSA PreCheck, so you move faster through U.S. airport security as well as through customs when you return from abroad.

How can I get more legroom on a flight?

Upgrading to premium economy, comfort, or business class is the surest way, and paying with airline points is often a good use of them. Exit rows are another option. It also pays to check the seat map again a few days before departure, when airlines sometimes discount unsold premium seats to a fraction of their original price.

What should I wear on a long flight?

Wear pants with a stretch or elastic waist, a breathable shirt you can layer, and a light jacket or scarf for a chilly cabin. Choose shoes that slip on and off easily and have room for swollen feet, and consider compression socks on long-haul flights to reduce swelling. Skip jeans and anything tight that binds when you sit for hours.