For frequent flyers, the disruption caused by crossing multiple time zones – commonly known as jet lag – is an all-too-familiar foe. This temporary sleep disorder, a direct result of our internal body clocks falling out of sync with local time, can leave travellers battling fatigue, insomnia, and poor concentration for days after landing.
The CEO's In-Flight Sleep Strategy
Even corporate leaders, who spend a significant portion of their careers in the air, are not immune. Scott Kirby, the Chief Executive Officer of United Airlines, has developed a strict routine to ensure he arrives refreshed. His cardinal rule? Skip the in-flight meal service entirely.
Kirby aims for later long-haul departures that align with his usual bedtime, typically after 6pm or 7pm. Once airborne, he reclines his seat before dinner service begins, ensuring he is asleep before the cabin reaches 10,000 feet. "All the times I've gone to Europe, I’ve never once eaten a meal," Kirby told the Wall Street Journal. "My goal is to not hear the ding at 10,000 feet, because I’m already asleep."
This method allows him to log around seven hours of solid sleep on a flight without using sleep aids, closely matching his normal eight-and-a-half-hour nightly rest. For adjusting upon arrival, he advises staying awake until midnight on the first night. To reset fully when returning home, he recommends going to sleep at 5pm each evening.
Other Executive Travel Hacks
Other high-powered travellers have their own tailored techniques. Yvette Ostolaza, chair of law firm Sidley Austin, prepares by eating before boarding, staying hydrated, and avoiding checked luggage to conserve energy.
On the plane, she immediately switches her mindset to the destination time zone. She wears comfortable layers, blocks out light and noise, and instructs crew not to wake her. Her advice works in any cabin class: choose a quiet window seat. After landing, she avoids naps and might get a massage to encourage sleep, mentally manifesting that she won't experience jet lag.
For Spencer Rascoff, CEO of Match Group, the focus is on health and comfort. His carry-on includes sanitiser, hoodies, an eye mask, earplugs, and extra socks. He resets all clocks to destination time, avoids alcohol, and sleeps on the plane. A post-landing ritual of changing socks helps 'reset' his brain, and he finds small comforts like classic candy reduce travel stress.
Tarang Amin, CEO of e.l.f. Beauty, takes a more active approach. He starts with a workout and heavy hydration before flying, then immediately adopts the destination's time zone on board. He strictly adheres to that schedule for sleeping or staying awake, drinks plenty of water, and skips meals if it means more rest. After landing, he works out again, avoids naps, and powers through meetings, using a pre-bed massage to fully unwind.
While traditional advice like hydration and daylight exposure remains valid, these executive strategies highlight that a proactive, disciplined approach to in-flight routine and post-arrival schedule is key to minimising the disruptive effects of long-haul travel.
