Podiatrists say these are the worst shoes to wear on a long flight or road trip — here’s what they wear instead

You’ve asked your AI chatbot to create a day-by-day packing list for your trip, but there’s one item you may have forgotten to plan for: what shoes you’ll wear on travel days. I admit that I’m guilty of simply wearing the bulkiest shoe I want to bring to save space in my suitcase. Sometimes that means a sneaker or hiking shoe, but other times it’s a less-than-comfortable tall boot with a heel. After talking with Mohammad Usman, a foot and ankle surgeon and medical director at Michigan Avenue Podiatry Clinic in Chicago, and Mikel D. Daniels, podiatrist and president and chief medical officer at WeTreatFeet Podiatry, I need to rethink that strategy.

“In my practice, I have a lot of patients asking for tips when traveling. One thing I always tell them is that traveling, especially going through an airport, can be one of the most tiring things you do to your body,” says Usman. “You’re rushing through terminals, walking long distances, sometimes even running to catch a flight. So preparing ahead of time is important, especially if you already have foot problems.”

So which shoes should stay in your suitcase, and which should you actually wear trekking through the airport or driving cross-country? Here’s what Usman and Daniels recommend.

The worst shoes for a long flight or road trip

• Tight or restrictive shoes, like boots or dress shoes. This is Daniels’s No. 1: “The shoes I advise against most are anything tight or restrictive. That includes narrow dress shoes and boots that are already snug before you leave the house.” Besides not always being the easiest to walk long distances in (aka running across the terminal to catch your flight), he explains, “When you sit for hours, your feet and ankles can swell. A shoe that felt fine when you left can start pressing against your toes or the top of your foot before you land.”

• Flip-flops and slides. Daniels saves flip-flops for the pool and beach. Slides may feel fine once you’re seated, but neither holds your heel in place, so your toes end up doing a lot of the work to keep the shoe on your foot. “They may feel convenient when you’re sitting down. That doesn’t make them my first choice for a long walk between terminals,” says Daniels.

• Thin, flimsy flats. Usman’s test for any shoe: “If it folds like a hot dog, it’s probably not giving you much support.” That’s why he doesn’t recommend thin flats or slides for walking long distances, especially if you have plantar fasciitis.

• High heels. This one probably doesn’t come as a surprise. Daniels says to “leave high heels in the suitcase,” because “you still have to walk through the airport and manage your luggage.”

The travel shoe mistakes everyone makes

Forgetting your feet will swell, or sizing up in length instead of width. “People judge the fit before they leave and assume it will feel the same after several hours of sitting. That is where trouble starts,” says Daniels. Prolonged sitting can cause fluid to collect in the lower legs and feet, he explains, and the resulting swelling can make the shoe hurt. That doesn’t mean you need to go up a size or buy a shoe your foot slides around in. “Choose the correct width and make sure there is room across the forefoot. If the shoe is already squeezing your foot at home, I would not make it your travel shoe,” he says.

Wearing new shoes for the first time on travel day. When asked about rocker shoes specifically, Usman cautioned that because they can change the way you walk, it’s important to test them before making them your go-to travel shoe. “I usually tell patients to start wearing them a week or two before traveling. Wear them around the house first, then take them on shorter walks to see how your feet respond,” he says. That’s good advice for any type of shoe. Even if you know a style works for you, many shoes need a break-in period, and the last thing you want is a blister on the first day of your trip.

Continuing to walk once a shoe starts rubbing. “In my practice, [this] is how a manageable irritation can become a wound. If your shoe starts hurting during a trip, stop and look at your foot. Don’t wait until you get to the hotel,” says Daniels.

What to look for in a travel shoe

Daniels and Usman’s recommendations were mostly for air travel, since you have to consider both walking through the airport and time spent sitting. For long road trips, Daniels’s advice is simpler: “If I’m driving, I want a secure shoe that doesn’t slip around when I move between the pedals.”

Here are the main things they say to look for in a travel shoe:

Laces or adjustable straps. “I like shoes with laces or adjustable straps, especially for travel,” says Usman. “Your feet can swell throughout the day, so being able to loosen your shoes when you’re sitting and tighten them when you’re walking makes a difference.” Daniels adds, “A material with more give is also important.”

Wide base. “The one thing I would watch for is stability,” says Usman. Many people like max-cushioned shoes for comfort on hard airport floors but don’t always factor in stability, he cautions. “Some of these shoes have so much soft cushioning that the foot can feel unstable, so I generally prefer one with a wider base.”

Roomy toebox. “I want a travel shoe that holds the foot securely but leaves room across the toes,” says Daniels. That lines up with his earlier note that one of the worst shoes to wear is one that cramps your feet.

Slip-resistant sole. While it’s not a must, Usman says a slip-resistant sole can be helpful in airports with slippery floors (no one wants to break a wrist or twist an ankle right before a weeklong beach vacation).

If you have bunions, Usman recommends “a shoe with extra width and depth in the toe box. I also prefer a somewhat stiffer sole, so your big toe joint doesn’t have to bend as much when you’re walking.” He says a rocker sole can also help take some of the pressure off the big toe joint.

For plantar fasciitis, “I recommend good arch support, a firm heel counter and preferably a removable insole so you can use your own orthotics. If you have orthotics, they should be in your shoes on travel day, not sitting in your closet at home,” Usman says.

You may want to pack a separate pair for the plane or rest stop

Depending on how long your flight is, Usman says it may make sense to switch shoes once you’re on the plane, especially if you have bunions or plantar fasciitis. “[For bunions,] I tell patients to wear a good supportive shoe when they’re walking through the airport, but once they get to their seat, they can change into something that gives the bunion more room. Even a comfortable slipper or a soft fabric shoe can help,” he says.

For plantar fasciitis, he suggests switching to a supportive recovery slide for the plane and hotel, and says he particularly likes Oofos. Daniels, on the other hand, keeps it simple: “I don’t have a separate flight routine or a special shoe that I change into once I board.”

What podiatrists actually wear and recommend

Supportive running shoes

When asked about the best shoes for long travel days, Daniels and Usman both recommended Brooks running shoes.

Wallet-friendly alternatives: 

If you don’t want to shell out $100 or more on a pair of walking or running shoes, the Skechers Arch Fit shoes, including many in its Go Walk line, are a good place to start. Dozens of Arch Fit styles carry the American Podiatric Medical Association’s Seal of Acceptance, meaning they’ve been reviewed by the organization’s podiatrists and found to promote foot health.

While it doesn’t carry the APMA seal, Skechers D’Lites is a popular option that checks several of the podiatrists’ boxes: It has adjustable laces and a wide, stable base, and comes in wide widths.

Urban-to-trail hybrids 

If you’ll be going straight from the airport to walking around, or simply don’t want to pack more than one or two pairs for your trip, a lifestyle-trail hybrid can be a good way to go.

Wallet-friendly alternatives

While the shoe itself doesn’t carry the APMA seal, the Skechers Arch Fit Hillcrest 2.0, which features the brand’s podiatrist-certified Arch Fit insole, is a good option if you want a more rugged utility shoe you can still walk around a city in. For a lighter Merrell, try the Nova 4. Think of it more as a road-to-trail running shoe than a lifestyle-hiker hybrid.

Sandals that hold your heel 

If you’re headed somewhere warm, sweating it out in sneakers may not sound ideal. The good news: The right walking sandal can work for airports and sightseeing. “My preference is an athletic sandal with a back strap and a supportive footbed,” says Daniels. “I want the shoe to stay with the foot without the toes having to work to hold it on.”

When to see a doctor

Both podiatrists flagged the same warning sign: swelling, pain, redness or warmth in one calf or leg after a long trip, which can be a sign of a blood clot. “This is something you really don’t want to ignore and should get checked right away,” says Usman. Chest pain or shortness of breath, especially along with leg symptoms, is an emergency, so call 911.

If you have diabetes, Usman recommends checking your feet every night while traveling. “A small blister, cut or color change might not seem like a big deal, but for someone with diabetes, especially if they have neuropathy or circulation problems, it can become a serious issue.”

Meet our experts

• Mohammad Usman, DPM, foot and ankle surgeon, medical director at Michigan Avenue Podiatry Clinic in Chicago

• Mikel D. Daniels, DPM, MBA, FACFAS, FAPWCA, FASPS, WCC, president, chief medical officer and managing member at WeTreatFeet Podiatry and WeTreatFeet MSO, LLC, member of the American College of Healthcare Executives

Our health content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional on questions about your health.