Make economy feel less like economy.
This page is for economy passengers who refuse to spend six hours hunched over a phone held in one hand. The four flight hacks below were chosen from Travel + Leisure editor picks under fifteen dollars and from products that keep showing up in travel videos, then matched to what each Amazon link sells.
The slots are a Best Overall phone mount that hooks onto the tray table latch, a Best Value folding phone and tablet stand, a Trending foot hammock and a Premium Bluetooth transmitter for using your own earbuds with the seatback screen. The one thing to check before buying any flight hacks: airline rules. Some carriers limit accessories attached to the seat, and flight attendants can ask you to remove a hammock or mount at any time. Buy items that come off in seconds and you will never have a problem.
We compared every pick on what it improves, attaches to seat, packed size, works without seatback screen, setup time and price tier, so you can choose in under two minutes.
Best for: Economy flyers who stream downloaded shows on airlines without seatback screens
Best for: Minimalist travelers and tablet users on any flight, train or bus
Best for: Shorter travelers and anyone with a sore lower back on transcontinental economy flights
Best for: International and long-haul flyers who own wireless earbuds or noise-cancelling headphones
Who each pick is for, its main selling point, the reason you might skip it and the price.
| Pick | Product | Best for | Main selling point | Potential drawback | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Overall | Perilogics Airplane Phone Holder | Economy flyers who stream downloaded shows on airlines without seatback screens | The Perilogics Airplane Phone Holder clamps onto the tray table latch or folds into a desk stand, holding your phone at eye level so you can watch downloaded shows without craning your neck for hours. | Some airlines restrict accessories attached to the seat | About $14 |
| Best Value | Flight Flap Phone Holder | Minimalist travelers and tablet users on any flight, train or bus | The Flight Flap Phone Holder is a nearly flat folding stand that props your phone or tablet on a tray table or hangs it from the seatback pocket, weighing almost nothing and costing about the same as an airport coffee. | Competes with your meal for tray table space | About $12 |
| Trending Now | Basic Concepts Foot Hammock | Shorter travelers and anyone with a sore lower back on transcontinental economy flights | The Basic Concepts Foot Hammock loops around the tray table arm and gives your feet a padded sling, taking pressure off your lower back and letting shorter passengers finally touch something other than air. | Some airlines restrict items hung from the seat in front | About $15 |
| Go Premium | Twelve South AirFly Pro | International and long-haul flyers who own wireless earbuds or noise-cancelling headphones | The Twelve South AirFly Pro plugs into the seatback headphone jack and sends in-flight entertainment to your own wireless earbuds, so you can ditch the free airline headset and use the noise cancelling you already own. | Useless on aircraft without a seatback headphone jack | About $40 |
Watch out: Some airlines may restrict accessories attached to the seat.
Straight answers to what travelers ask most about flight hacks.
Most US airlines tolerate small accessories that do not damage the seat or block an exit, but policies differ and crew have final say. A foot hammock or mount must come off immediately if asked. Check your airline's website before a long flight.
Phone mounts that clip to the tray table latch fit most economy seats but not every design. Foot hammocks need a tray arm to hang from. Bluetooth transmitters only help where the seatback screen has a headphone jack. Check the listing and your aircraft type.
Start with a phone holder: it is the cheapest, lightest and works on nearly every flight, including those with no seatback screen. Add a foot hammock if you fly long-haul and a Bluetooth transmitter if you use wireless earbuds with seatback entertainment.