Is a 16-hour flight keeping you from taking a trip to Africa?

Is the thought of a 16-hour flight preventing you from taking an African family vacation? If so, there are a variety of ways to deal with the long flight and actually enjoy it (or at least not think it’s so bad!).

South African Airways and Delta are our preferred airline when it comes to flying from the United States to Africa.  You can fly on direct flights to Johannesburg everyday from New York’s JFK Airport, Atlanta, and Washington D.C.’s Dulles Airport.

See below for 8 ways to deal with the long-haul flight to Africa with kids:

Bring headphones for the in-flight movies: Each seat gets its own in-flight television screen; therefore, you can select what you want to watch, when you want to watch it. Each flight offers a wide variety of movies and television shows to choose from, plus, the flight back offers different movies, so you’ll never have different options for each of your flights. In addition to movies and television shows, games are offered on each television screen.

You can even use your headphones to cancel out any bickering between the kids—just saying . . .

Pack an iPad: If the kids aren’t busy playing with the games on their in-flight screen, they might find entertainment in playing a game or watching one of their favorite movies on their iPad. On long flights, an iPad can be a lifesaver—trust me, I’ve been there!

Dress comfortably: Make sure to dress in non-restrictive clothes that you’ll feel comfortable in. I usually don’t recommend wearing jeans because they can be restrictive. If possible, wear shorts, leggings, or comfortable khaki pants. There are blankets and socks provided on the aircrafts, as well, so you’ll have no problem keeping warm.

Pack a neck pillow: We all know the scrawny little pillows your provided with in-flight, so make sure to bring your own neck pillow to ensure optimal comfort. I can’t tell you how many times my little pillow slipped through the side of my seat and was difficult to adjust.

Stretch throughout the flight: Sitting in one place for too long can create stiff muscles and agitation. Get up every few hours and walk around or hang out near the restrooms with the kids so that they can stretch out, too.

Try to sleep when the lights are turned off: After several hours in flight, the crew will turn off the main cabin lights so that travelers can sleep. You’ll even be provided an eye mask that might help you dose off quicker and stay asleep long. And if you family is all seated together, why not cozy up and get comfortable! It always helps me sleep to lean on my husband.

Book seats together: When you book seats together you can easily play games, talk, and rest on each other.

Bring snacks: Although you are provided with two meals on your flight, you kids might be picky eaters and would rather a granola bar, nuts, or dried fruit. Bring plenty of snacks to keep them happy! And try not to bring snacks with a whole lot of sugar in them, this can cause a jolt in energy and that’s the last thing you want to deal with on a 16-hour flight!

For a limited time only, receive $5.00 off our African recipe book, a Taste of Africa!