The holy grail of airline travel is comfortable shoes. Make them of a size that folds into the palm of your hand, well that is simply genius. I have feet that do not fit into an average size (years of living in the Tropics and bare feet as a child will do that to you…). The majority of my travel packing efforts go into planning which shoes to take, a lesson learned early (my first big overseas trip I spent summer in New York hobbled by too tight shoes).

“Comfortable feet equals, well a comfortable holiday”

My on-board aircraft footwear are Nike in summer and ankle boots in winter. Not the most chic, however both are forgiving in the face of  inevitable swelling from hours with feet hanging down in an upright position (the day every aircraft seat has a foot rest will be a happy day indeed).

Carry-on baggage habitually contains a couple of spare pairs of shoes – as lost luggage – and therefore lost shoes, are a recurring nightmare. A pair of sandals and a pair of ballet flats (and the sneakers already on my feet), could easily see me through a few weeks away.

Foldable Ballet Flats

These handy addition to travel footwear are not designed for everyday wear, however not are all made equal and indeed some could get you by for outdoor use if required. I love to slip on a pair inflight (no more trips to the bathroom in socks), choose a neutral shade and they will suit most outfits.

Butterfly Twists  Like walking on a cloud. Slip these on after a long haul flight and there will be no hobbling to the luggage carousel. Generally an unstructured shoe doesn’t flatter my wide feet, giving the impression of an appendage better suited to a hobbit. However this style looks better than passable. Soft micro-suede uppers and comfortable cushioned memory foam insoles, all packaged in a small drawstring bag and available in a huge array of colours (I found them at David Jones, on sale priced from AUD $22.00).

Flipsters An Australian brand, I love the Coco Flats Nude+Nude, a neutral shade that will work for any wardrobe. A simple, stylish and sturdy style. The chic purse is neat and convenient. These would be my second favourite pair. From AUD$24.99.

Rollasole. These are a staple of my London based sister. I gave her a twirl in some of my other brand Foldable Ballet Shoes and her verdict is these are sturdier with a durable rubber sole.  The deluxe range are designed for every day wear.  Available to buy online through Amazon – or through vending machines in LA or Las Vegas! Loads and loads of colour choice (small, medium, large) AUD $17.00.

Sidekicks. Not as durable as the competition, they felt narrow on my foot. I would also definitely confine the use to indoors as a flimsy sole. That said, the price is favourable from AUD $10.00.

Scholl Party Feet. Felt the least comfortable of the options I trialled, very flimsy. Sitting at the budget end of the range, these are very occasional use Ballet Flats. However the price reflects this, so a handy option if they are going to be a ‘just in case’ slip-on. On sale at Priceline AUD $8.39.

What shoes do you wear in-flight?

Have you tried Foldable Ballet Flats as a ‘spare pair’ option?