In defense of wearing jeans on flights — it's not as bad as you think, here are 2 reasons why

20.08.2023 - 17:41 / insider.com

I know what you're thinking. 

Jeans? On a plane? What kind of person even considers that? Well, me, that's who. 

I'm a travel reporter based in the UK – over the years, I've been lucky enough to have visited nearly 40 countries. To do so, I've had to fly all sorts of distances, from short-haul flights to neighboring European countries to a 15+ hour journey from London to Osaka, Japan, which included a lengthy layover in Helsinki, Finland. 

Like most people, my flight preparation consists of packing, checking my boarding pass, making sure I have my passport, and taking an Uber to the airport with public transport. It also includes putting some thought into what I want to wear on the plane.

And sorry, not sorry, jeans are always an option. 

Before you judge me, let me put my support wearing jeans on a flight into context. 

Most times when I've worn a pair of jeans on a flight are when I've booked a short-haul flight. On these trips, which tend to be less than a week long, I always opt on a carry-on rather than a bulky suitcase because it requires paying baggage fees to check-in.

As we all know, carry-ons are on the small side so you have to pack efficiently to make the most of the space they allow. While leggings or sweatpants are typically more comfortable, I'd rather wear a pair of jeans on a flight that I know for certain that I'm going to wear at my destination rather than a garment of clothing I'm only going to wear traveling. 

Wearing jeans, which I consider the most versatile clothing item in my closet, also frees me up to pack more tops to pair them with as well as other clothes, accessories, shoes, and beauty products that I wouldn't have as much space for otherwise. 

I have pairs of jeans in my closet that have been there for years. Over time, and repeated laundry washes, my denim items have become softer and looser in all the right places. 

Because of that, I honestly believe that the jeans I have chosen to wear multiple times on different flights are as comfortable as any pair of leggings or sweatpants I own. 

But don't get me wrong, the jeans I opt to wear on a flight have to be a certain style, preferably something loose like a  boyfriend cut, which doesn't restrict circulation quite like skinny jeans. 

What's more, I feel cuter and more myself in jeans than athleisurewear, so why restrict myself to wearing jeans at my destination when I can do so at the airport and the flight as well?

If all of this is not enough to convince you, here's my advice for the worst case scenario, which hasn't happened to me yet. If you decide to wear jeans on a flight and experience any discomfort, go for the old fashioned trick of unbuttoning the top button.

Hidden beneath a sweater or a long shirt, no one