Written from firsthand experience with a deviated septum and checked against clinical sources. We make Ventriq Nasal Strips, so we are always upfront that a strip relieves symptoms rather than fixing the structural problem. Read our methodology or our editorial policy.
Our number one pick for flying and long flights: the Ventriq Sleep Nasal Strips. It is flat, weighs nothing, goes through security without a second look and holds the nasal valve open while you try to sleep sitting upright.
Yes, a nasal strip can make breathing through your nose more comfortable on a long flight, especially if you want to sleep in the seat. Cabin air is very dry and the cabin is pressurised to the equivalent of a fairly high altitude, so a nose that is a little narrow on the ground often feels blocked by the second hour in the air. A strip lifts the outer walls of the nostrils and widens the nasal valve, which makes it easier to keep breathing through your nose instead of your mouth. It is drug free, it is not a liquid, so it sails through airport security, and it weighs nothing in your bag. What it will not do is unblock your ears, treat a cold or fix a deviated septum. Our number one pick is Ventriq Sleep, the strip I make and the one I use.
Why Your Nose Feels Worse on a Plane
Three things stack up against your nose once the doors close.
- Dry air. Cabin humidity on a long flight usually sits well below 20 percent, far drier than most homes. A dry nasal lining feels stuffy and irritated, and the mucus that normally keeps things moving thickens up.
- Lower cabin pressure. Airliners are typically pressurised to the equivalent of somewhere between 6,000 and 8,000 feet. That is comfortable for most people, but the drop in pressure, plus the dry air, can leave the lining of the nose feeling fuller than usual.
- Sleeping upright. Your head lolls, your jaw drops and you start breathing through your mouth. Add the natural nasal cycle, where one side of the nose swells while the other opens, and a nose with a narrow side can feel almost completely shut.
Mouth breathing for hours in that dry air is why so many people land with a sore throat, a dry mouth and the feeling they barely slept. A strip works on one specific part of the problem: the nasal valve, the narrowest point of the airway just inside the nostrils. Keep that open and nose breathing gets easier, which is the whole point.
Why I Pack Strips Every Time I Fly
I played rugby for more than ten years, and my nose took enough hits that it was probably broken more than once. The result is a deviated septum. An ENT specialist referred me to a Consultant Otolaryngologist at a private hospital in Dublin, who recommended septorhinoplasty. I put the surgery off so I could keep playing, and I built Ventriq because I wanted a drug free way to breathe through my nose at night.
A bent septum means one side of my nose already has less room than it should. On a flight, the dry air and the upright position take that narrow side and close it down. Without a strip I end up mouth breathing, waking every time my head drops and getting off the plane feeling worse than when I got on. With one on, I still do not sleep like I do at home, nobody does in economy, but I stay on my nose and I get proper stretches of rest. If the deviated septum side of this sounds familiar, read how to sleep better with a deviated septum.
The Best Nasal Strips for Flying, Ranked
1. Ventriq Sleep Nasal Strips: our number one pick
Ventriq Sleep is the one I make and the one I wear on every long flight. It is built for a full night, so a seven or eight hour sector is well within what the adhesive is designed to handle. It sits on the outside of the nose, so there is nothing to clean or lose down the side of the seat, and it contains no medication. The strips are individually flat and take up no room in a wash bag or a jacket pocket. It comes in one size. Thirty strips cost EUR 20, which works out at about EUR 0.67 each.
2. Breathe Right Extra Strength
Breathe Right is the strip most people know, and the Extra Strength version has a firmer band than the Original. Its big advantage for travellers is availability: you will find it in plenty of airport pharmacies, so if you forget your own strips it is a perfectly reasonable fallback. It works the same way as any external strip. We compare the two side by side in Ventriq vs Breathe Right.
3. Internal dilators such as Mute or AIRMAX
This is where I want to be fair. If you are self conscious about wearing a strip across your nose in a packed cabin, an internal dilator is the more discreet option. It sits inside the nostrils and nobody in the next seat will notice it. They are reusable, which suits frequent flyers. The trade offs are that some people find them uncomfortable over a long stretch, they need cleaning, and they come in sizes, so it is worth trying one at home before relying on it on a twelve hour flight. Our guide to internal vs external nasal dilators covers the differences.
4. Ventriq Sport for the hike or session after you land
Ventriq Sport is not really a flying strip. It has a firmer band and adhesive designed to hold through sweat. If your trip is a training camp, a race abroad or a walking holiday, pack a few alongside the Sleep strips for the active part of the trip.
| Option | Discreet in the cabin? | Fine through security? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ventriq Sleep | Visible, low profile | Yes, not a liquid | Sleeping on long flights |
| Breathe Right Extra Strength | Visible | Yes, not a liquid | Forgot your own, easy airport pickup |
| Mute or AIRMAX internal dilator | Yes, hidden inside the nose | Yes | Frequent flyers who want discretion |
| Ventriq Sport | Visible | Yes, not a liquid | Training or hiking once you land |
How to Get the Most From a Strip on a Flight
- Put it on after the meal service. Eating and drinking with a strip on is fine, but you will be wiping your face. Apply it when the lights go down and you are settling in.
- Clean and dry the skin first. Plane air is dry, but your skin often is not, especially after moisturiser or a face wipe. Wipe the outside of the nose and make sure it is completely dry, or the adhesive will lift.
- Place it on the soft part of the nose. Just above the flare of the nostrils, below the hard bridge. Too high and it barely moves anything.
- Drink water as you go. It will not change cabin humidity, but staying hydrated helps your whole system cope with the dry air. Go easy on alcohol, which tends to make congestion worse.
- Support your head. A neck pillow that stops your chin dropping onto your chest makes it much easier to keep your mouth closed and stay on your nose.
- Pack spares in your hand luggage. On a long haul trip with a connection, you may want a fresh strip for the second leg.
For more on sleeping better generally, see the best nasal strips for sleeping. If the person beside you is the one keeping you awake, our guide on whether nasal strips stop snoring explains when a strip helps and when it does not.
What a Strip Will Not Do at Altitude
This matters, so I want to be plain about it. A nasal strip only widens the front of the nose. It does nothing for your ears and it does nothing for your sinuses.
- It will not equalise your ears. Ear pressure on descent is about the Eustachian tubes, which sit at the back of the nose and connect to the middle ear. A strip does not reach them. Swallowing, yawning and chewing during descent are the usual tricks.
- It will not treat a cold or sinus infection. Flying with a heavy cold can make ear and sinus pain on descent much worse. If you have a bad cold or sinus problem before a flight, speak to a pharmacist or GP about whether it is safe to fly and what you can take.
- It is not a replacement for a decongestant if you need one. Some people use a decongestant spray before a flight. That is a conversation for your pharmacist, especially as most are only meant for a few days at a time. We compare strips and sprays in nasal strips vs nasal sprays.
Think of the strip as comfort for the airway you have, not a fix for anything going on further back.
The Bottom Line
Dry cabin air and sleeping upright push most people onto their mouths, and a narrow nose makes it worse. A strip will not touch your ears or your sinuses, but it keeps the nasal valve open so you can stay on your nose for longer stretches of the flight. Ventriq Sleep is our number one pick because it lasts a full night, packs flat and needs nothing but a dry nose. If discretion matters more to you, an internal dilator is a fair alternative.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do nasal strips help on long flights?
They can. Dry cabin air and sleeping upright make many people breathe through their mouth. A nasal strip widens the nasal valve, which makes it easier to keep breathing through your nose while you rest. It does not treat congestion caused by a cold or allergy.
Can I take nasal strips through airport security?
Yes. Nasal strips are not a liquid, gel or aerosol, so they do not count towards your liquids allowance and can go in your hand luggage like any other small item.
Will a nasal strip stop my ears hurting when the plane lands?
No. Ear pressure on descent depends on the Eustachian tubes at the back of the nose, which a strip does not reach. Swallowing, yawning and chewing during descent help. If you fly with a cold and are worried about your ears, speak to a pharmacist or GP before the flight.
How long does a nasal strip last on a plane?
A strip designed for overnight use, such as Ventriq Sleep, is built to hold for a full night, so most long flights are well within that. On a trip with a connection, pack a spare for the second leg.
What is the best nasal strip for flying?
Our number one pick is Ventriq Sleep, the strip we make. It lasts a full night, packs flat and contains no medication. Breathe Right Extra Strength is easy to find in airport pharmacies, and an internal dilator such as Mute is the more discreet option.
Are nasal strips noticeable to other passengers?
An external strip is visible across the bridge of the nose, though most people are asleep or watching a film and will not give it a second look. If that bothers you, an internal dilator sits inside the nostrils and cannot be seen.
Board with a plan for your nose this time. Try Ventriq Sleep Nasal Strips on your next long flight and see how much easier it is to stay on your nose until landing.
