The Best Jeans for Long Flights

Caroline Morse Teel is the Managing Editor for SmarterTravel Media. Follow her on Instagram @TravelWithCaroline.

Caroline joined Boston-based SmarterTravel in 2011 after living in Ireland, London, and Manhattan. She's traveled to all seven continents, jumped out of planes, and bungeed off bridges in the pursuit of a good story. She loves exploring off-the-beaten path destinations, anything outdoorsy, and all things adventure.

Her stories have also appeared online at USA Today, Business Insider, Huffington Post, Yahoo, Boston.com, TripAdvisor, Buzzfeed, Jetsetter, Oyster, Airfarewatchdog, and others.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "Earplugs. A good pair has saved my sleep and sanity many times!"

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Travel Motto: "Don't be boring."

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E-mail her at cteel@smartertravel.com.

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Jeans are a necessity for most trips, but they take up a lot of space in a suitcase, so most travelers wind up wearing them on the plane—which means the denim must be comfortable enough to sleep sitting up in. Upon arrival, the jeans must maintain their shape through multiple wears, all while looking stylish and pulled together. That’s a big challenge for a simple pair of pants, but fortunately, we’ve found options that fit the bill.

From denim that’s guaranteed to always fit to fleece-lined skinnies, these are the best jeans for travel.

Mott & Bow Slim Grand Jeans

Ever pull a new pair of jeans out of the package and they reek of chemicals? That won’t happen with Mott & Bow’s Slim Grand Jeans, which are made from a premium 100 percent organic cotton fabric that doesn’t use any chemicals.

These jeans are so cleanly made that they’re hypoallergenic, making them a great choice for travelers with sensitive skin. The heavyweight fabric offers the right amount of stretch to be comfortable without being saggy.

Hue Denim Jeggings

When you want to wear leggings but still look pulled together, wear Hue’s Denim Jeggings, which look like jeans but offer all the comfort of leggings. The pull-on pants add to the jeans illusion with functional back pockets, faux front pockets, a faux fly, and brushed gold hardware.

Made from a soft cotton, polyester, and spandex blend, these leggings are perfect for long flights.

L.L. Bean Fleece-Lined Jeans

Headed to a cold-weather destination? L.L Bean’s Fleece-Lined Jeans will keep you warm (and looking good) with a thin but cozy fleece interior. The jeans look like regular jeans on the outside, featuring a high-rise and straight-leg design.

The premium stretch denim utilizes the trademarked S Gene technology, which helps the fabric retain its shape through every wear.

Mott & Bow Slim Boyfriend Ridge Jeans

Looking for the perfect amount of stretch in your jeans? Mott & Bow details the exact “stretch factor” on every pair of jeans on its website to help you choose. The Slim Boyfriend Ridge Jeans are among the brand’s stretchiest, with 23 percent elasticity.

The modern fit style is slim without being too skinny and comes in various washes to suit every style.

1822 Denim Butter Bootcut Jeans

Jeans by 1822 Denim are made from a fabric so soft that it’s called “butter.” The ultra-stretchy Butter Slim Fit Bootcut Jeans feel more like jeggings than traditional denim.

Five pockets are built into the jeans, making them great for travel.

Spanx Straight Leg Jeans

If you hate the feeling of a waistband digging in, opt for Spanx’s Straight Leg Jeans, which have a stretchy elastic band in lieu of a button or zippers. The front pockets are fake, but the back pockets are functional.

These normal-looking jeans are equipped with hidden “core-shaping and rear-lifting” technology.

Levi Strauss Pull-On Skinny Jeans

For a cheaper pair of pull-on jeans, check out Levi Strauss. The brand’s pull-on skinny jeans can be found for under $20 and come in a wide variety of lengths, sizes, and colors.

The jeans feature built-in shapewear, along with functional pockets.

Everlane The Original Cheeky Jean

Everlane’s The Original Cheeky Jean is beloved by travelers. Made from an organic cotton and stretch yarn blend, these sustainable jeans are made without chemicals or microplastics, and they utilize recycled materials for the trim.

If you prefer high-rise jeans, these pants are perfect as they have a rise of nearly 12 inches.

The Fever High Waist Stash Pocket Jeans

Foil pickpockets with The Fever’s High Waist Stash Pocket Jeans, which boast two snap-closed flap pockets that can conceal your valuables. Made from soft and stretchy denim, these pants are designed to move with you instead of restricting.

Good American Always Fits Jeans

If you’ve ever experienced “jet bloat” while flying, you’ll appreciate Good American’s Always Fits line of jeans. The Always Fits jeans are so stretchy that they’re guaranteed to adapt up to four sizes for the perfect fit, even if you’re on a round-the-world trip.

These are some of the best jeans for plus-size travelers, offering options from size 00 to 32 Plus.

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