Bloating on a plane and on holiday: why, and what to pack

Planes bloat you because gas expands: as cabin pressure falls on the climb, any gas in your body swells by about 30%. Holidays add the rest: a changed routine, more sitting, bigger and later meals, more alcohol and fizzy drinks, and putting off the toilet somewhere unfamiliar. Most of that can be planned for.

Why do I bloat on a plane?

Because the air pressure around you drops. A passenger cabin is pressurised, but not to sea level: the cabin altitude in a commercial aircraft should not go above 8,000 feet in normal flight, and in practice sits between about 5,000 and 7,500 feet. The UK Civil Aviation Authority puts the effect plainly: as the plane climbs, any gas increases in volume by approximately 30%, and as it descends to land, the volume shrinks again.

That includes the gas in your gut. If you board with a stomach full of fizzy drink and an airport breakfast, there is more gas to expand. Sitting still for hours does not help either, since long periods sitting are one of the common causes of constipation.

What can I do on the flight itself?

Go easy on what adds gas, and move when you can. Fizzy drinks and beer are on the NHS list of drinks that make you fart, and fizzy drinks and alcohol are on its list of things to cut down on if you get bloated. Eating slowly with your mouth closed swallows less air, and so does leaving the chewing gum in your bag.

Exercise helps when you are already bloated, so get up and walk the aisle when the seatbelt sign is off. If the meal arrives late at night by your body clock, a smaller portion is kinder than clearing the tray.

Do I need to drink extra water on a flight?

No, not for dehydration’s sake. The air in the cabin is dry, with humidity of around 10 to 20% against 40 to 50% in a building, but the Civil Aviation Authority says that, contrary to a widely held belief, it does not dehydrate you. The extra fluid lost works out at around 150ml over an 8 hour flight, which your body makes up without trouble. What the dry air does is dry your lips and tongue, which makes you feel thirsty.

So drink to thirst, and make it water or another still drink rather than a fizzy one. Water does matter for the next part of the trip.

Why does a holiday make me bloated and constipated?

Because a holiday changes almost everything your bowels are used to. The common causes of constipation on the NHS list include changing your diet or daily routine, not drinking enough fluids, spending long periods sitting, and often ignoring the urge to go to the toilet. A travel day can tick every one, and constipation brings bloating with it.

The toilet part is the easiest to underrate. On the ward I learned to put off going. On holiday the reason is different, a shared bathroom or an unfamiliar one, but the effect is the same. The NHS advice is plain: do not delay when you feel the urge.

Then there is the food. A buffet breakfast, a long lunch and a late dinner add up to large meals at odd hours, and the NHS bloating advice is smaller meals more often and no large meals late at night. Fatty and spicy food, alcohol and caffeine are all listed as possible IBS triggers, and the NHS IBS advice is not to delay or skip meals either, which is harder than it sounds on a day of travel.

What should I pack?

Things that make your normal routine easier to keep.

If you need anything for bloating or constipation, ask a pharmacist before you go, so you are not choosing from an unfamiliar shelf abroad.

What if I get a stomach bug while I am away?

That is a different problem from bloating, and it usually settles: diarrhoea typically stops within 5 to 7 days and vomiting within 1 or 2. At home, the NHS says to call 111 if you keep being sick and cannot keep fluid down, have bloody diarrhoea, or have diarrhoea for more than 7 days or vomiting for more than 2 days. Abroad, get local medical help for the same signs.

When is holiday bloating not holiday bloating?

When it does not settle once you are home and back in your routine. Give your usual habits a chance to come back, and then go by the NHS lists. See a GP if “you feel bloated regularly” or “you have bloating and unintentional weight loss” or “you have bloating and also have blood in your poo”. Ask for an urgent GP appointment or call 111 if “you have bloating with vomiting (being sick), diarrhoea or constipation”, “you have bloating with a stomach ache” or “you have a swelling or lump in your tummy”.

What if my bloating started before the trip?

Then the holiday probably made it louder rather than causing it. Why am I bloated all the time is the place to start, and the bloating quiz takes about a minute. If mornings are the worst part, read bloated in the morning, and for the everyday version of the advice above, how to stop bloating.