Nasal strips on a plane: dry air, sleep and ear pressure

Nasal strips are one of the easiest things to bring on a plane. They're small, dry and drug-free, they go through security without fuss, and they can make breathing through your nose feel easier when cabin air dries everything out. What they won't do is stop your ears from hurting on the way down, which is a separate problem with its own fixes.

How dry is the air on a plane?

Air on a plane is far drier than the air in most homes. A 2002 study measured conditions on 26 intercontinental flights and found a mean relative humidity of just 6%, ranging from 1% to 27%. A 2007 study by the same Swedish research group described humidity on intercontinental flights as low, at 10% to 20%.

For a sense of scale, the EPA advises against humidifying a home above 50%. So a long flight can mean hours of breathing air with a small fraction of the moisture you're used to in a bedroom.

That dryness is noticeable. In the 2007 study, crew on flights where a humidifier was switched on rated the cabin air as less dry and fresher than on flights where it was off, even though the humidifier raised relative humidity by only about 10% at the front of the cabin and 3% at the back. If your nose feels tight and dry a few hours into a flight, the air is a likely reason. Our article on dry nose at night covers the same feeling at home.

Do nasal strips help when flying?

Nasal strips can make it easier to breathe through your nose on a flight, but no study has tested them on planes. The case rests on what strips do on the ground.

That evidence is reasonable for something so simple. In a 2018 randomized, double-blind trial of people with chronic nighttime congestion, a clear strip did better than a placebo strip without springs on some sleep and symptom measures after a week. A 2016 meta-analysis found nasal dilators improve nasal breathing, while also finding they don't improve sleep apnea.

A strip works by lifting the sides of the nose so the front of the airway is a little wider. It doesn't add moisture, and it isn't a treatment for congestion from a cold. What it can do is make nose breathing feel easier while you doze in a seat, which is often the moment your mouth falls open. The best-known strip maker lists travel as one of the uses for its clear strip.

Can you take nasal strips through airport security?

Nasal strips are a dry adhesive product, so the TSA liquids rule doesn't cover them. That rule applies to liquids, aerosols, gels, creams and pastes, which have to be in containers of 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) or less and fit in a quart-sized bag in your carry-on. TSA's item list doesn't name nasal strips specifically, and it notes that the final decision on any item rests with the officer at the checkpoint, but there's nothing in a strip for the liquids rule to apply to.

If you also pack a saline spray, keep it to 3.4 ounces or less and put it in your liquids bag. TSA lists medications as an exemption to the liquids rule.

Pack strips in a pocket or the bag under the seat rather than a checked bag, so you can reach them when you want to sleep. Keep a few in the original wrappers, since each one is single use and you may want a fresh strip for the hotel on your first night. If you're crossing time zones, a strip can come in handy for an afternoon nap too, as long as you keep within the 12-hour limit each day. Bring enough for every night of the trip plus a few spares. Our travel sleep kit checklist has the full list.

Do nasal strips help with ear pressure?

Nasal strips don't fix ear pressure on a plane. Ear pain during a flight, known as ear barotrauma, comes from the eustachian tube, a narrow channel between the middle ear and the back of the nose. A 2015 evidence review in BMJ Clinical Evidence explains that the tube is usually closed and opens when you swallow or yawn. As the plane descends, the outside pressure rises and the tube has to open to let air into the middle ear, which gets harder as the pressure difference grows.

A strip widens the front of your nose. It doesn't reach the eustachian tube, so there's no reason to expect it to change ear pain, and no study has shown that it does.

The same review lists what makes ear pain more likely: the speed of descent, your own anatomy, inflamed nasal lining from colds or allergies, and whether you're awake or asleep. It found that 20% of adults and 40% of children on commercial flights had negative pressure in the middle ear after landing.

How do you protect your ears while sleeping on a plane?

The simplest way to protect your ears is to be awake for the descent. The 2015 review notes that being asleep makes barotrauma worse because you swallow much less. Set an alarm for about the time the descent begins, or ask your seat neighbor or a companion to wake you.

Once you're awake, swallow, yawn or sip water as the plane comes down. The review describes a Valsalva maneuver, blowing gently while keeping your mouth and nose closed, and reports that 46% of people with negative ear pressure after a flight equalized it this way. It also found some evidence for a nasal balloon device inflated through the nose during descent, though not from randomized trials.

Decongestants are a question for a pharmacist or doctor. The review found that oral pseudoephedrine may prevent ear pain in adults who have had it on previous flights, but that it can cause drowsiness, which could reduce swallowing. It found no good evidence that decongestant nose sprays prevent ear pain compared with placebo. Decongestant nose sprays are also meant for short-term use only, which we explain in decongestant spray rebound.

If you have a heavy cold or sinus infection, ask a doctor whether it's wise to fly. Nasal strips for a cold covers what strips can and can't do when you're congested.

How should you use a nasal strip on a long flight?

Put the strip on when you're ready to sleep, not at boarding. The best-known strip maker says its strips shouldn't be worn for more than 12 hours a day and that each one is single use, so on a 14-hour flight a strip applied at takeoff would run out before you land. More on timing is in how long you can wear a nasal strip.

A few steps help it stay on in a dry, cramped cabin:

1. Wash and dry your nose first. Strip makers say the adhesive won't hold well on wet, oily or moisturized skin, so skip face cream until after you take the strip off.
2. Place it just above the flare of your nostrils, on the soft part of the nose, and rub it in place.
3. Drink water through the flight, so your nose and mouth don't dry out as fast.
4. Take it off slowly. Strip makers suggest loosening it with warm water first, which you can do with a damp paper towel from the restroom.

A clear strip is the less noticeable choice in a crowded cabin. The maker says its clear strips use a non-porous material that's easier to remove and suits sensitive skin.

Can you use mouth tape on a flight?

You can use mouth tape on a flight if you already sleep comfortably with it at home and your nose is clear. Dry cabin air makes a dry mouth more likely, and tape keeps your lips together once you nod off. Put the strip on first, breathe through your nose for a minute with your lips closed, and only add tape if that feels easy. If your nose is blocked, use the strip alone.

Fold one corner of the tape so you can remove it in a second when the seat belt sign comes on or you need to be awake for landing. We don't recommend mouth tape for children. Our guide to mouth taping when traveling covers tape on planes and in hotel rooms in more detail.

Our pick (paid partner): TitanAir Nasal Strips

For flights, our pick is TitanAir Nasal Strips from Titan Recovery. This is our recommendation, not the result of testing or ranking products ourselves.

Titan says TitanAir strips are drug-free external nasal dilators with flexible spring-loaded bands, and that nothing is absorbed. Its application steps suit a travel day: clean and dry your nose, skip moisturizer, and place the strip just above the flare of your nostrils on the soft part of the nose. In the morning, or after landing, Titan says to loosen it with warm water and peel slowly from the ends inward.

Titan designed the strips to pair with its mouth tape, says they're third-party tested and certified PFAS-free, and backs them with a 30-night guarantee. They come in 30, 90, 180 or 360-night supplies with free US shipping.

Read next

• Mouth taping when traveling
• Travel sleep kit checklist
• How to apply nasal strips

* This content is for informational and educational purposes only and is not medical advice. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or health condition. Talk to a qualified healthcare provider about your health.