It might sound over the top, but we’re sticking to our statement: choosing the right hairstyle can make or break your experience on a long-haul flight.
From ponytails that we thought were practical but actually just pulled on our roots to loose down-dos we wore for comfort only for the recycled plane air to relieve our locks of all their moisture.
If you’re sick of disembarking with unruly locks that take days to get under control, or tired of trying to sleep on the plane with bobby pins digging into your scalp, you’re in the right place.
Below are our go-to low-maintenance hairstyles (and simple preflight hair care tips) to ensure you arrive at your destination with well-maintained, well-hydrated tresses.
How Does Flying Affect Your Hair?
Before we move on to the styles, let’s talk about what happens to your hair on a flight.
You might have heard that the air on a plane is recycled, but what does that mean and how does it affect our hair? Well, depending on the aircraft, cabin air at any given time is around 50% fresh air from outside brought in through a vent system, and 50% recycled air from within the cabin itself.
This air has lower humidity than regular outside air meaning it not only sucks out the water from your locks, there is less moisture for your hair to grab onto. This results in stressed out, dried out tresses that are prone to damage, and oh-so-much frizz.
On the flip side, some find their hair actually feels greasier after a long haul flight. As your hair starts to dry out, your scalp overcompensates and produces excess oil. Upon arrival, this can result in heavy, greasy roots that feel flat and lifeless, so what can we do about it?
How To Care For Your Hair Before And During Your Flight
The last thing you want is to arrive at your dream vacation destination with dried-out locks and heaps of frizz that refuses to be tamed. Prepare your hair before your flight and stop that from happening by following these simple tips.
You’ll arrive with fresh, silky smooth tresses ready for a low-maintenance trip.
- Apply a hair serum – this will protect your mane from the stale recycled air on the plane and work to fight against moisture loss
- Brush your hair on the flight – by evenly distributing the natural oils from your scalp throughout your hair, you’re less likely to experience dry, brittle ends. This is a general hair care tip but it can work wonders on long haul flights.
- Take a silk pillowcase – fancy, we know. But nylon seat covers are a friend to no one, especially not your hair. Use yours to cover your in-flight or personal neck pillow, or simply pop it between your hair and the seat to prevent friction.
- Use earbuds – if you listen to music or watch back-to-back movies on the plane, opt for earbuds instead of over-ear headphones when possible. This will stop any excess friction against your hair – especially important in these drier conditions.
How To Keep Hair Fresh On A Long Flight
We’re not saying you’ll reach your destination with a salon-quality blowout. However, there’s plenty you can do to keep your hair feeling clean and soft after countless hours in the clouds.
Dry Shampoo – whilst you can’t spray dry shampoo on the plane itself, you can use it before boarding to preempt oily hair on a long flight. Work it into the roots to absorb any excess oil for fresher hair when you land.
Leave your hair alone – sitting in one seat for hours on end makes this tricky, but if you can resist the urge to keep touching and playing with your hair, your locks will thank you for it. It’ll prevent any dirt or bacteria from transferring from your fingers into your hair and stop your locks from becoming quite so oily.
Go easy on styling products – if you usually douse your hair in various mousses, oils, and serums, hold off before a flight. As your hair trys to fight against the dry plane air by over-producing oil on your scalp, too many products will only make the issue worse and leave your hair feeling overloaded.
Leave washing your hair as late as you can – stepping onto the plane with the cleanest locks possible gives your hair a fighting chance on the other side. Two and three day hair tends to be oilier and can feel thick with grease after a lengthy flight.
Hairstyles To Avoid When Flying
Knowing the best hairstyles for long flights is just as important as knowing the wrong ones. Avoid these hairstyles to stay comfortable and keep your hair in check for landing.
Mid Height Buns/Ponytails – they’ll press into your scalp and against the chair, very uncomfortable.
High ponytail – we find the weight of this hairstyle starts to feel tight and pulls on our scalp after a few hours.
French or Dutch Braids – with the hair pulled and styled in multiple directions, these more intricate braids, like a high pony, can start to give you a headache.
Claw Clip Hairstyles – we love claw clips in any other situation, but the tight grip and rock hard plastic means they’re a no go on the plane.
Another question we come across a lot is, can you wear hairpins on a plane? You can, and we know they’re useful for securing bangs and flyaways. However, we don’t recommend them on long haul flights.
One, if/when you want to grab some shut eye, you can bet they’ll find a way to dig into your scalp. Two, Bobby pins can be tight and put unnecessary stress on your hair. Not ideal over a long period of time.
Instead, we suggest using a silk headband to keep your hair away from your face. It’s kinder on your mane as a whole and will be so much more comfortable – plus it won’t set off the metal detector!
Best Hairstyles For Long Haul Flights
#1. Low Ponytail
A simple low ponytail is the simplest yet undoubtedly one the best plane hairstyles to wear on long travel days. It keeps your hair off your face, which is always a bonus, but doesn’t tug or pull on your hair like a high pony can.
Use a brush or comb to sleek your hair back if you want or more polished look, or, simply use your fingertips to sweep your locks into position before securing. Speaking of which…
We highly recommend silk hair ties or silk scrunchies for travel days. They won’t leave a mark in your hair when you eventually decide to take them out, they also won’t drag or pull on the hair which is so important when wearing it up for longer periods of time.
#2. Low Braid
To keep your hair even more secure and stop it from rubbing against the seat during your flight (hello frizz), consider a low braid. Create a low ponytail first and braid that or go straight for the braid and secure it only at the bottom with a silk hair tie.
We love this style for long haul flights when your want to forget about your hair for the duration. It also means you’ll have the cutest crimped hair when you disembark and take it out!
#3. Low Bun
Whereas a mid-height bun will push against the seat and into your head, a low bun will keep all of your hair out of the way and sit comfortably at the base of your head.
Once again, we recommend a silk tie or scrunchie for minimal stress on your hair whilst in the air.
#4. Half Up Half Down Bun
Love wearing your hair down but want it out of your eyes as you relax on the flight? This half up half down bun is the best of both worlds.
We suggest a low bun worn at the nape of your neck or a high bun secured at the height of a top knot. This will keep it clear of the headrest for optimum comfort levels.
#5. High Bun
This one’s all about how you fasten it. Using a tight hair band means you’ll get an hour tops out of this style. Using a silk scrunchie however? You can leave it comfortably in place from take-off to touch-down.
This style also ticks every box in terms of preserving your freshly-washed locks. It’s out of your face, comfortable to sleep in, and takes away the temptation to keep repeatedly touching or restyling your hair.
#6. Silk Headband
If you really can’t stand the thought of having your hair tied up for so long, by all means wear it down. Just keep a silk headband handy to sweep it away from your eyes and face when eating, drinking, and sleeping.
Also beneficial if you plan on applying any skincare products on the flight.