17 Hours in Economy — And I’d Do It Again

Spoiler: It was more than survivable. It was transformative.

One of the most frequent questions I get lately is:

“How bad was the 17-hour flight to Singapore?”

And the honest answer?
It wasn’t bad at all.
In fact… I’d do it again. Even in economy.

Singapore Airlines really impressed us with their service, cleanliness, and comfort. The cabin temperature was just right, the staff were gracious, and even the food was better than expected. On the way there, we flew economy. On the way home, we flew premium economy. And while the larger seats were certainly nice, economy had one major feature we missed afterward: the cup holder. (It’s the little things.)

The truth is, we mostly slept. I brought more activities than I needed — a lesson for next time. All I really needed was my iPhone: books, games, movies, music. Done.

Some small things made a big difference:

• Neck pillow: Total game-changer for me (my kids didn’t use theirs, but I was grateful for mine). I used the TRTL Travel Pillow; it was a solid choice.
• Footless compression socks: Zero swelling, even after 17 hours. I wore them from the moment we got to the airport and they kept me totally comfortable. (I bought CAMBIVO’s three pack on Amazon - worth every penny).
• AirPods: The noise cancellation was everything. Crying baby? Airsick seatmate? Plane hum? Gone. I drifted off to sleep to the sound of my playlist. (Apple for the Win!)

Even my tall teenage son — whose legs touched the seat in front of him — said he’d do it again. He had a seatmate fully reclined into his space, but the flight attendants were attentive, the headrest was adjustable, and the journey was still worth it. Bonus: when his knee (an old injury) started to ache, the crew brought him a pain reliever. A few minutes later, he was good to go!

And then there is the meals. Surprisingly solid. My son liked the economy food better than what we had in premium. My daughter and I pre-ordered the fruit platter on the economy flight — it was fresh, perfectly ripe, and honestly better than what we buy at home.

The 17 hours melted away, most of them spent peacefully asleep.

Before we boarded, I told my kids:
“If you can survive this flight, you can do anything.”
And now we laugh, because it became so much more than just a flight.
It was a stretch. A moment of surrender. And a lesson in trust.

Because here’s the real secret:
The beauty on the other side of the flight — the food, the culture, the people, the joy of exploring Singapore together —
that’s where quantum joy lives.

It’s not just about getting through the challenge.
It’s about realizing that magic isn’t far away.
It might just be one long-haul flight — and a little trust — away.

So if the flight is holding you back — don’t let it.
You can survive it. You can even enjoy it.
And you just might come home changed.

So I’d say - the destination, the experience, the moments — worth every minute in the sky.