We’ve all been there—we need to use the bathroom on a plane, but we’re not sure when to go. Thankfully, flight attendants and travel professionals have a few thoughts on the best times to go.
Using the airplane bathroom can be complicated. Get the timing wrong, and you could be stuck in a line that runs past the galley, or you could be waiting in your seat for what seems like an eternity.
Of course, there are the obvious times when the lavatory is off-limits (during takeoff and landing, and when the seatbelt sign is on), but when is the best time to use the bathroom on a plane?
According to Sarah B., a flight attendant for a major international airline (who wished to keep her last name anonymous), there are two key windows to aim for: shortly after the first meal service is cleared, and just before the landing announcement.
“The best time to use the lavatory is right after we’ve cleared the first meal service or just before the landing announcement,” she says. “The moment they announce that you’re going to land soon, everyone runs to the toilets. They also run there right after eating, and they can get stuck behind the carts for clearing the meals, and it’s difficult for them to get back to their seats.”
The second meal usually happens about 60 to 90 minutes before landing, so if you wait until then, you’ll often be stuck in a long queue or risk not getting in before the seatbelt sign goes on for descent.
The strategy that she recommends is to go right after the first meal cleanup, when most people are still settling in, watching a movie, or falling asleep.
On board an airplane.
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That tracks with the general rhythm of a long-haul flight: meal service, lull, second meal, descent. That lull, when the cabin is dim, quiet, and relatively still, is prime bathroom time. It’s also when most people are preoccupied with their screen or napping, which means fewer elbows to dodge in the aisle.
Rani Cheema, a travel coach and consultant who regularly takes long-haul flights, has her bathroom timing down to a science—and it all begins before she even gets on the plane. “I’m using the bathroom as many times as possible before getting on the plane,” she says.
For those who tend to board early, she also suggests using the bathroom before the plane takes off. Once in the air, Cheema’s hydration plan continues to shape her strategy.
“I don’t drink a lot of liquid before my flight,” she says. “I drink a lot of liquid during my flight, so I don’t have to deal with the bathroom as soon as I get on.”
Her go-to loo time? When everyone’s asleep. Since most of Cheema’s flights are long-haul, she’s found a lull in the bathroom lines when people start falling asleep. She also pays close attention to location. “If there’s a bathroom that’s very viewable, like towards the front, that means I’m not going to that bathroom,” says Cheema. “I am probably going all the way to the back, because most likely people are looking forward at that bathroom and they can see the sign.”
When bathrooms inevitably start looking a little worse for wear, Cheema says she doesn’t hesitate to flag it—gently. However, she emphasizes that she always leads with kindness (and little treats) and finds that flight attendants have always been willing to help.
It’s good advice. The average airplane has about one bathroom for every 60 passengers. With that level of usage, timing becomes important.
So, if you’re aiming to avoid the lines and stress, go early and take advantage of the bathrooms while others are sleeping.