Nov 18, 2017

The Best and Worst Shoes for Travel (Says a Flight Attendant)

by Aemilia Madden

Photo:

Getty Images

It's arguable that no one logs as many miles crisscrossing the world as flight attendants. Which means the rest of us can learn a thing or two from these experts about making travel as painless as possible. At the top of our list is comfortable travel shoes. Since we've lived through the hassles of TSA and the misery of swollen, cramped feet mid-flight, we're all ears when it comes to anything that might take the agony out of our travel.

To fill us in on what we need to know, we tapped flight attendant Danny Lam to share the tips he's picked up along the way. So what does a flight attendant wear to travel off-duty? "When I'm off-duty and traveling for leisure, comfort is key. For shorter, domestic flights, I'll usually wear my Nike trainers. The Roshe Two, in particular, are super comfortable," he notes. "For longer, international flights, I'll also pack a pair of slides to change into because it's nice for some wiggle room for your toes."

For Lam, fit is a crucial part of picking the right footwear. "Anything that is constricting is a no-go for me. Because of the altitude change, lots of swelling can occur in your ankle and feet, so you want to have something on the looser side," he says. "I would avoid anything with lots of laces or [that] takes a small army to put on/off." So whether you'll soon find yourself on a long-haul flight or a short and sweet trip home, make sure you're armed with the right footwear.

Read on to shop shoes to help you survive travel comfortably and in style!