I’ve Mastered the Long-Haul Flight Outfit—Here’s My Go-To Wear

After over a decade as a travel journalist, I’ve perfected my ideal airport attire down to a science. I refer to it as mytravel uniform—that cozy yet polished appearance I can rely on duringlong-haul flights, unanticipated delays, or close connections.

The successful combination includes: practical black pants, a white t-shirt, a light bomber jacket, and a pair ofwhite sneakers. My cozy combination hasnever let me down on extended trips— and I’ve had plenty of them to put the theory to the test. Just last year, I traveled over 77,000 miles for work, including a 13-hour long-haul flight to Vietnam and an 11-hour trip to Hawaii, all without ever reaching the sweatpants stage. If you’re looking to dress for extended travel days like the experts do, keep reading to discover the reliable airport outfit that keeps me comfortable from takeoff to landing and beyond.

Supportive, comfortable sneakersare the fundamental components of my travel outfit. I switch between several different styles, but regardless of the pair, they are always sneakers that I can quickly move around the airport in and that I can wear with socks if I need to remove my shoes at the security checkpoint. A podiatrist recently suggested I try a pair of shoes from Allbirds due to their light weight and comfort. In addition to my water-resistantAllbirds Wool Runner Mizzles, which I wear torainy destinations like Ireland, I love the Allbirds Canvas Pipersince the timeless style complements any outfit, whether it’s casual wear or summer dresses.

I also love my fashionable Vejas when I need a versatile white sneaker, the New Balance 327 sneakers when I need acushioned walking shoe, and Kiziks, as they provide all the support of a sneaker but don’t require lacing—perfect forslipping on and offat the airport security checkpoint.

Canvas Piper sneaker

$90.00, Allbirds

V-10 sneaker

$170.00, Anthropologie

327 sneaker

$100.00, New Balance

Samba OG sneakers

$.00, Adidas (women’s sizes)

Irvine Slip-on sneaker

$100.00, Amazon

A simple pair of black pants serves as a neutral foundation for my comfortable airport attire, matching almost any outfit I choose and remaining free from stains or wrinkles even after long journeys. My preferred travel pants are the Aday Turn It Up pants for several reasons: They offer the comfort of pajamas but have a refined fit, making them suitable for dining out after arriving; additionally, they resist wrinkling, which is a major advantage after spending hours on a plane.

And while I previously swore off wearing sweatpantsor athletic wear to airports (call me old-fashioned!) some particularlysleek joggershave influenced me and are now part of my playlist for long flights—particularly Cozy Earth CityScape sweatpants and the exceptionally soft Vuori Performance jogger, both of which pair well with a bomber jacket.

Turn It Up Pants

$170.00, Aday

CityScape sweatpants

$165.00, Cozy Earth

Lightweight women’s joggers

$39.00, Amazon

Performance Jogger

$94.00, Nordstrom

AirEssentials wide leg pant

$110.00, Nordstrom

Probably the most frequently worn and adaptable piece in my closet is aplain white tee. I adore the flattering style of this slim-fitting one from Abercrombie; it pairs well with everything in mycapsule wardrobe—under a blazer, jacket, or by itself withjeans,joggers, or skirts, and can be easily styled up or down. Bonus: It also serves as a base layer for open-front styles.cardigansand button-downs. Another excellent t-shirt I’ve tested is the Aday Made It T-shirt, which is wrinkle-resistant, flexible, and offersUV protection. For a simple, square-shaped style, Everlane is the choice.

Essential baby T-shirt

$29.00, Abercrombie & Fitch

Energy T-shirt

$58.00, Nordstrom

Box-cut T-shirt

$30.00, Everlane

Made It T-shirt

$95.00, Aday

Scoop-neck sleeveless shirt

$19.00, Amazon

I enjoy wearing men’s jackets while traveling—they are more comfortable and have a perfect loose fit. For example, I “borrowed” this one from my husband and have no plans to return it. It’s spacious yet flattering and lightweight, but still keeps me warm under the strong airplane air conditioning; also, it has a water-repellent finish and can be packed relatively small in acarry-on. The bomber design appears more sophisticated than a regular hoodie, yet remains stylish and cozy for extended periods. If you prefer a classic approach, you’ll find the oversized Lululemon bomber jacket or the athletic, water-resistant Athleta Jetset Bomber to be excellent choices.

Rossland Dry Wax Bomber

$155.00, Marine Layer

Hem-Cinch bomber jacket

$149.00, Lululemon

Jetset Bomber

$159.00, Athleta

Afterglow varsity jacket

$228.00, Alo Yoga

Classic Bomber Jacket

$40.00, Amazon

I can’t recall a flight in the past five years during which Ididn’thave my AwayLarger Carry-On and Everywhere Tote. I’m acarry-on only traveler, which means I never check my bag if I can avoid it, and with these two bags, it’s simple. The Bigger Carry-On allows me to pack up to two weeks’ worth of clothes, is easy to roll through the airport, and is the maximum size permitted in most airplane overhead bins (and if it doesn’t fit on smaller regional planes, they will gate check it at no cost). I have the originalhard-shell version, but a Softside Bigger Carry-Onis also available, that’s your thing. Plus, the Everywhere Tote is thebest trusty personal itemTo go with it, since it contains everything I need, including my 13-inch laptop. I also appreciate the convenient strap that easily goes over the handle to keep it attached to the carry-on, along with a zipper that ensures all my items stay organized when it’s placed under the airplane seat.

The Bigger Carry-on

$295.00, Away

Everywhere Tote

$155.00, Away

Expandable Carry-On

$325.00, Monos

The Carry-On Roller

$268.00, Nordstrom

Medium Metro Tote Deluxe

$275.00, Nordstrom

The Foldie Travel bag

$60.00, Amazon

After a flight lasting more than 13 hours fromHo Chi Minh City to LondonOne of my legs was swollen and uncomfortable last year, so I promised myself to always wearcompression socksOn long flights, with 5-20 mmHg of pressure, Comrad’s socks are excellent for enhancing blood flow and reducing discomfort and swelling that often happens during extended travel. They have performed exceptionally well so far. After flying while pregnant last year, I realized compression socks became even more essential for my airport attire, both for comfort and safety, so I included the moisture-removing Swiftwick compression socks in my collection. The compression was just right—more effective and snugger than some other options I’ve tried, yet thin enough to be comfortable.

Knee-High Compression Socks

$34.00, Amazon

Everyday Compression socks

$30.00, Bombas

Compression socks

$14.00, Amazon

Compression socks

$11.00, Amazon

Aspire crew socks

$20.00, Swiftwick

This piece has been revised to include additional details since its initial release.