How to Survive Travel Days With Long Flights and Multiple Layovers

2025-09-19T20:29:14Z

Long-distance flights can feel endless, especially after a vacation or when you’re crammed in coach.
I traveled from Guam to NYC after visiting family in January 2020. The three-leg trip took 24 hours.
I’d taken the journey before, and this time, I found ways to make it more bearable.

I’ve done it six times. And I’ll do it over and over again.

I’ll keep spending up to 24 straight hours navigating airports and enduring long-haul flights while traveling between my home in NYC and Guam.

The three-leg trip is exhausting — especially since I fly economy. But it’s worth the hassle to see my extended family and explore the island my ancestors came from. I’ve also figured out how to make the journey a bit more bearable.

My most recent trip home from Guam in January 2020 was the most tolerable yet. Here’s how I got through it.

I downloaded entertainment on my iPad the night before my three-leg journey from Guam to NYC.

I arrived at the Guam International Airport around 5:45 a.m. for my 7:40 a.m. United Airlines flight to Honolulu, but I began preparing for my journey the night before.

That first flight was about eight hours long, and I’d learned from previous trips that United’s in-flight entertainment sometimes doesn’t work for hours at a time. So I downloaded books, movies, and entire seasons of TV shows on my iPad to make it feel like time was going by faster.

I arrived at the airport on Guam two hours before my flight.

Although the airport was small, long-haul journeys make me anxious, so arriving early eased some of my stress. It also allowed me to spend a final few minutes with some of my Guam-resident family members who met me at the airport to say goodbye.

I also booked a Premier Access ticket.

I dropped an additional $20 for Premier Access for the first leg of the trip, which gives United passengers access to a shorter check-in line and, in some airports, a shorter security line and priority boarding as well, according to the airline.

There was hardly a line for United’s Premier Access travelers on this particular January morning.

I made a conscious effort to stretch often during the flight.

About an hour into my flight to Hawaii, I decided it was time for a bathroom break and to stretch my legs. I reluctantly bugged the sleepers to my right so I could get up and found an ample open space by the bathrooms to stretch.

During the next flight, I was in a window seat with two sleeping passengers beside me, so I did some seated yoga poses in my chair.

On my first flight, the bathroom had some toiletries for passengers.

I left the bathroom feeling refreshed from the lotion and face mist provided by the airline. This was the only leg of my trip that offered these amenities, but I suggest always checking when you’re on a long flight.

I took advantage of the views when flying over Hawaii.

When I returned to my seat, I watched television on my iPad until I noticed the sun was setting. At around the same time, Hawaii’s islands came into view. I just sat and enjoyed the view.

It got darker as we approached the airport, and I was glad I was in the air for the entire sunset.

So I recommend booking a window seat if you know your flight will have stunning views.

I spent my three-hour layover in Hawaii moving my legs as much as possible.

When I got to Hawaii, I had to go through customs and then back through security, which took less than an hour.

My entire layover was almost three hours, so I had some time to kill. I decided to spend it on my feet since I was about to sit for hours.

I spent some time admiring the Cultural Gardens, which merge Chinese, Japanese, and Hawaiian cultures, according to the Official State of Hawaii.

Next, I browsed some of the airport stores and found a huge selection of souvenirs and fresh leis made from Hawaiian flowers.

I was among the last to board my next flight from Honolulu to Houston.

I let most passengers board before me since I was in no rush to get on the plane I was about to spend seven and a half hours on.

While I was waiting, I stretched my legs one last time.

The end of the trip was the easiest time to sleep.

I had a two-hour layover in Houston. After taking a long walk around the airport to get my blood flowing, I realized how absolutely exhausted I was from a whole day of traveling. I’d always dreamed of sleeping all the way through a flight so it feels like you arrived in the blink of an eye.

After boarding, I got cozy, closed my eyes, and hoped for the best. I woke up in New York three hours later, though it felt like just a few minutes. What a perfect way to end my trip.

So next time I’m dreading the 24-hour journey to Guam, I’ll remember that sleep gets easier by the last leg.

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