Before hopping on a plane to head to Rome for my recent Mediterranean cruise, I knew how airports worked, I knew how to get through TSA. Even before I became a travel advisor, I had survived more than my share of delayed flights, tight connections, and questionable airport meals.
But flying overseas felt different.
There is something about crossing an ocean that makes a trip feel much more intimidating. I found myself wondering about all the little things I had never had to think about before. Would customs be confusing? How would I be able to sleep? Would I forget something important? Would I make my connection in Atlanta?
Looking back, most of the things I worried about were much easier than I expected. A few things surprised me, a few things made me laugh, and a memorable seatmate gave the flight attendants a little extra excitement.
Since I help people plan overseas cruises, I understand the anxiety about getting to Europe. The flight itself can feel like the biggest hurdle. So, I thought I’d share my experience flying from Southwest Florida to Rome for my first European adventure, along with the things I learned along the way.
Choosing My Flight to Europe
My trip started with a flight from Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) to Atlanta, followed by an overnight flight to Rome.
I chose Delta for a couple of reasons. First, I have a history with the airline. Before moving to Florida, I lived in Georgia for four years, which meant Atlanta was my home airport and Delta was my default airline. When you live somewhere with a major airline hub, you tend to develop some loyalty.
That said, I didn’t choose Delta purely out of habit. I did my research before booking. Delta consistently receives strong marks for international travel, and the schedule worked best for my itinerary. There were other highly rated airlines, but a convenient flight schedule and an easier connection were important factors for me.
One thing I appreciated right away at RSW was that my luggage checked all the way through to Rome. That might seem like a small detail, but when you are preparing for your first international trip, you want to eliminate unnecessary complications.
Some of my travel companions were flying different routes and had to collect their luggage during connections before checking it again. The thought of navigating another airport, finding the right baggage claim, and worrying about making another flight was stressful enough just hearing about it.
I’m all about convenience, and not dealing with that extra pressure was a big win.
The Airport Experience Was a Nothingburger
One of my biggest questions before the trip was whether flying internationally would feel dramatically different once I got to the airport.
The answer was no.
Security at RSW was exactly what I was used to. TSA was the same process I had experienced for domestic flights, and boarding was familiar. The biggest difference was simply knowing I was going to be traveling for a full day.
Choosing the Right Seat for a Long Flight
When my husband and I travel together, we often choose aisle seats across from each other. It gives us both a little more freedom to get up without bothering the other person. Plus we’re both tall and we can use all the extra room we can get.
For this flight, though, I was traveling without him, and I decided to choose a window seat. And I’m glad I did.
I am not someone who sleeps particularly well on airplanes. Sitting upright for hours is not exactly my ideal sleeping environment, but the window gave me something to lean against and made the flight feel a little more comfortable. Plus, I love to take peeks out the window. Whenever I noticed on our in-flight map that we were flying over a coastline or land, I had to see where we were. I’m not sure why, but it’s kind of comforting.
The downside of a window seat on an overnight flight is that bathroom trips require a little more planning. Everyone around you is trying to sleep, and you don’t want to be waking people up by climbing over them every hour.
Thankfully, the gentleman next to me got up fairly often.
Unfortunately, that was probably the only advantage of sitting next to him.
The Empty Middle Seat That Wasn’t Meant to Be
A day or two before my flight, I checked the seating chart online out of morbid curiosity, and I was thrilled to see that the middle seat in my row was still empty.
If you have ever flown economy on a flight of any length you know how exciting that little bit of extra space can be. An empty middle seat feels like winning the airplane lottery.
I knew better than to get too attached to that empty seat, but I secretly hoped it would stay that way.
Of course, it did not.
Enter Phil Spector.
That was the nickname I gave my seatmate in my texts to my friends. The same hair, leisure suit style, and generally weird and creepy atmosphere. It’s like he was a character who wandered onto the plane from a completely different story.
He arrived acting like he had started his vacation a little early. I couldn’t quite tell if he was drunk, high, or maybe both. Once he settled in, he started ordering those tiny bottles of alcohol a that airplanes are famous for.
Now, I’m not judging anyone for enjoying a drink on a flight. I enjoy a cocktail or three myself, and I rarely board an airplane without a pint of “magic airplane sleepy juice” (beer) beforehand. FYI, my go-to in the Atlanta airport is Gordon-Biersch Brewery. Good food, good beer.
and one of the nice things about international flights on Delta is that alcoholic beverages are included. I had a lovely Buffalo Trace Bourbon Cream early in the flight and probably would have enjoyed another if my neighbor hadn’t been demanding so much attention from the flight attendants.
But alcohol wasn’t his only vice. He took his shoes off immediately, which is always a risky move on an airplane. I have no problem with people taking their shoes off on a long flight, but please wear socks. At least his feet weren’t stinky.
The flight attendants eventually stopped serving him alcohol a few hours into the flight. He was never aggressive or disruptive. He was simply strange. Like I said, Phil Spector.
Once he stopped drinking, he got a little more twitchy, but overall he was mostly just mildly annoying. To be fair, I would still take him over a screaming baby.
To their credit, the flight attendants handled the situation professionally, and I appreciated the apologetic looks they occasionally gave me while they were dealing with him. Those people are absolute saints.
Staying Hydrated on a Long Flight
Normally, I’m a pretty heavy caffeine drinker. I don’t drink coffee, but I chug plenty of soda and tea during the day. For this flight, though, I knew I wanted to stay hydrated and hopefully get some sleep, so I made a conscious effort to drink water instead. A lot of water.
And somehow, I still felt dehydrated. As we all know, airplane cabins are very good at making you feel like a leathery prune.
The good news was that I was probably doing the right thing. The downside was that all that water eventually caught up with me, and the window seat bathroom dilemma became very real.
Sleeping on an Overnight Flight
I tried. Really. Normally, I’m a good sleeper. Yeah, I snore (sorry not sorry). But I’ve never met a nap I didn’t like.
Unfortunately, I just don’t sleep well on airplanes. I have trouble getting comfortable enough to fall asleep sitting upright, and my body does not seem to understand that an airplane seat counts as a bed.
I took melatonin before the flight, and while it didn’t knock me out, it did help me relax. My sleep pattern was pretty predictable: I would close my eyes, fall asleep for maybe 30 minutes, wake up, watch something, and then try again later.
Thankfully, there was plenty to keep me entertained during my too-many-hours of wakefulness.
And before you ask, yes, I reclined my seat in hopes of being comfortable enough to sleep. I know this is a controversial topic, but on an overnight international flight, almost everyone was reclined. My back has been through surgery and more physical therapy sessions than I care to remember, and reclining was not optional for me. Thankfully, everyone seemed be on the same page.
The Food Was Fine. Mostly.
Let’s face it. Nobody books an international flight for the food. Dinner came fairly early after takeoff. It was probably an hour or two into the flight, but I wasn’t especially hungry yet. We had a couple items to choose from, and I picked some kind of chipotle chicken and rice. It was edible, but not something I would describe as “good.”
The lemon blondie dessert, however, was surprisingly yummy. Chalk that up as a win.
Breakfast before we landed was another story. We were served some sort of breakfast calzone, and it was extremely rubbery. I ate it mostly because I wasn’t sure when my next opportunity for food would be. At least it came with some yogurt.
My advice? Pack snacks. I enjoyed my GORP more than anything else (except of course, the Bourbon Cream) Think of airplane meals as a convenience rather than something to look forward to.
Wi-Fi and Entertainment Matter More Than You Expect
Remember when airplanes had a handful of tiny screens and everyone watched whatever movie the airline chose? I feel like that’s a not-so-distant past reality. Thankfully, entertainment tech on planes has come a long way in the last decade.
Delta’s international flights offer seatback entertainment with movies, television shows, music, and podcasts. They also had Paramount+ content available, although it was not the full streaming service. (I was a little disappointed because I had been saving the newest season of Criminal Minds for the flight, and it wasn’t available.)
Fortunately, I still found plenty to watch. I mostly watched animated movies because they were easy to follow when I was tired. Inside Out 2 and The Wild Robot were perfect airplane choices.
One important note: Wi-Fi availability before your flight.
Delta was in the process of adding Wi-Fi to its international fleet when I traveled, and I was able to confirm ahead of time that my flight would have it. Some airlines don’t have it. Some airlines charge for it. I would have paid 10 bucks in a heartbeat.
Was it something I absolutely needed? Probably not. Was it worth having? Definitely!
Being able to text my husband, check in with family, and coordinate with my travel companions made the long flight feel much easier.
One funny story: About 30 minutes before landing, I looked out the window and realized we were flying over our cruise port in Civitavecchia. I immediately texted my friends, who were on a different flight that was scheduled to arrive in Rome around the same time as mine
They looked out their window and saw my plane. Then they sent me a photo of my airplane, taken from their airplane. It was completely ridiculous, and also one of my favorite little memories from the trip.
What I Packed in My Carry-On
For a long international flight, I wanted to make sure I had what I needed without carrying my entire bathroom cabinet through the airport.
Things I was glad I brought:
- Hand sanitizer
- Cleansing wipes
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Deodorant
- Moisturizer
- Hairbrush
- Lip gloss and a little makeup for freshening up before landing
- Eye mask
- Charging cord
I also brought a travel pillow and blanket, but I won’t next time I fly “across the pond.”
Delta provided both in sealed packaging, and they were clean and comfortable. Carrying my own just added extra bulk through the airport. More chances to drop or lose something, more difficult to squeeze into airport bathroom stalls. More junk taking up my legroom.
One thing I wish I had packed was compression socks. I don’t have circulation issues, but after a long flight, I think they would have helped. I bought a cute pair after I got home for my next international flight.
What to Wear on a Long Flight
I had read enough articles about Europeans looking down on American athleisure attire that I decided not to wear leggings. Instead, I wore comfortable yoga pants that looked more like regular black pants. They were stretchy enough to be comfortable but still looked presentable when I arrived.
The most important thing was layers. I wore a t-shirt, a lightweight sweater, and a zip-up hoodie. Airplanes can get surprisingly cold, and I tend to run cold anyway, so having options made a huge difference.
Arriving in Rome: Customs Was Easier Than Expected
I’m no stranger to border crossings. Growing up near Detroit, I’ve crossed the U.S.-Canada border countless times. And of course I’ve gone through customs after cruises, but this felt different. I was in a country where I didn’t speak the language, carrying two weeks of luggage, and navigating a major international airport. As a result, I was weirdly nervous about arriving in Rome.
I shouldn’t have been worried. The signs were in both Italian and English, and I simply followed the directions to passport control. Sometimes I forget that we all managed to navigate the world just fine before the internet and need to just trust the process.
In this case, the process involved:
- Waiting in the appropriate passport line (the line for US/Canada/UK passports was separate from others)
- Scanning my passport at an e-gate
- Completing facial recognition
- Collecting my luggage
- Going through customs with an agent
A few minutes later, I had my passport stamped and was officially in Italy.
Jet Lag: Going to Europe Was Easier Than Coming Home
Flying east to Europe was much easier than I expected. Honestly, the hardest part was staying awake after we arrived. Everyone wanted to take a nap, but we knew that would make adjusting to the time difference harder.
So we pushed through until a reasonable bedtime.
One travel tip that I swear helped was changing my phone and watch to Rome time as soon as I boarded the plane. It sounds a little silly, but it helped me start thinking in terms of my destination instead of home. Have you ever set your clock 5-10 minutes early to trick yourself into not being late? Same theory. It’s dumb, but it works.
Coming back from Athens was a completely different story.
Flying west wrecked me. My flight left very early in the morning, which meant leaving for the airport around 4:00 a.m. Once I got home, I went straight to bed.
Then I made what was probably my biggest travel mistake: I went back to work the next day instead of taking an extra day to recover.
This is not a recommended strategy. Learn from my mistakes.
I wanted to die that day. Even working from home in my PJs was sheer misery. Honestly, It took several days before I felt completely normal again. So, lesson learned. If you can build in a recovery day after returning from Europe, do it. Your future self will thank you.
My Biggest Takeaways From My First Overseas Flight
If I were preparing for another long international flight, these are the things I would absolutely do again:
- Choose my seat carefully.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Dress in comfortable layers.
- Bring a few personal comfort items, but don’t overdo it.
- Check Wi-Fi and entertainment options before flying.
- Plan for jet lag, especially when returning home.
Fortunately, flying overseas was much less intimidating than I imagined. The flight is simply the first step in the adventure.
If you’re dreaming about your first overseas cruise, that’s where I can help. I don’t book airfare by itself, but I specialize in helping travelers choose and plan unforgettable overseas cruises, from Mediterranean adventures to European river cruises and beyond.
Your first trip across the ocean can feel overwhelming before you go. With the right planning and a little preparation, it can become the beginning of some of your favorite travel memories. Click here for our inquiry form.
