Story | Connie Li Photography | Air Canada
Getting a good night’s sleep on a plane? Most seasoned travellers would say that’s wishful thinking.
On every long-haul flight, there are the familiar frustrations: drifting in and out of sleep, waking with a stiff neck, dry skin and a lingering sense of fatigue. Some blame the seat. Others point to engine noise or crying babies. Many simply give up on sleeping altogether.
Air Canada hopes to make that wish a little more achievable with a new collection of bedding and amenities launching on international flights this August. Rather than simply making the cabin feel more luxurious, the airline has focused on minimizing the small disruptions that prevent passengers from sleeping well. At a recent launch event at the Park Hyatt Toronto, eliteGen had the opportunity to experience Air Canada’s newly upgraded bedding and amenity products ahead of their official rollout.
According to Canadian sleep educator Alanna McGinn, founder of Good Night’s Sleep, the real problem runs much deeper.
Each night, we cycle through five or six stages of sleep, she explains, with Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep being one of the most restorative. During this stage, the brain processes memories while the body repairs itself. However, every time we wake up, the cycle begins again, making it difficult to return directly to REM sleep. In other words, quality sleep is not simply about how long we sleep, but how uninterrupted that sleep remains.
And few environments interrupt sleep more than an aircraft cabin.
At 35,000 feet, reduced cabin pressure lowers blood oxygen levels and raises heart rate, making sleep lighter and more fragmented. Add engine noise, cabin lighting, unfamiliar surroundings and the stress that often accompanies travel, and cortisol levels rise while melatonin production is suppressed—making deep, restorative sleep even harder to achieve.
Recognizing these challenges, Air Canada has approached its new onboard bedding and amenity collection from a different perspective.
The first priorities are light and noise.
McGinn considers darkness and noise reduction to be two of the most important ingredients for sleeping during a flight. To support that goal, Air Canada’s redesigned Signature Class amenity kit includes a newly developed eye mask and premium 3M earplugs.
Created in partnership with Canadian hospitality company Hunter Amenities, the eye mask underwent 54 prototype iterations before arriving at its final design. Its contoured shape avoids placing pressure directly on the eyes, while an adjustable strap allows natural eye movement during REM sleep. The wider headband also helps eliminate the pressure marks many travellers are accustomed to waking up with. Together with high-performance earplugs, the kit creates a quieter, darker environment that makes uninterrupted sleep more achievable.
Temperature is another factor travellers rarely consider.
As we prepare to fall asleep, our core body temperature naturally drops. If we become too cold during the night, the body shifts its attention from sleeping to regulating temperature. With that in mind, Air Canada’s product development team spent three years studying how bedding could better support thermoregulation, even building a full-scale mock aircraft cabin at its Montreal headquarters, where prototypes were tested over eighteen months before the final fabrics, colours and construction were selected.
The new 145gsm Signature Class duvet combines breathable fabrics with two distinct finishes: silky sateen on one side and crisp percale on the other, allowing passengers to choose the feel they prefer at home. A redesigned pillow incorporates an airflow structure for improved breathability and support, while soft striped cabin socks made from 70 per cent cotton provide additional warmth for the feet. In Premium Economy and Economy Class, a new six-foot Polar Fleece blanket finally solves a surprisingly common problem—no longer having to choose between covering your shoulders or your feet.
Dryness is another enemy of quality sleep at altitude.
Indoor humidity is typically between 40 and 60 per cent, yet aircraft cabins often fall to just 10 to 20 per cent. To help combat dehydration, Air Canada’s new Signature Class amenity kits now include two skincare essentials from female-founded Canadian wellness brand Sahajan. Lip Karma lip balm, formulated with castor and argan oils, helps lock in moisture, while The Hand Remedy hand cream quickly soothes dry skin without leaving a greasy residue, reinforcing the skin’s natural barrier throughout a long-haul journey.
McGinn encourages travellers to build what she calls a “sleep toolkit” before every trip—an eye mask, earplugs, familiar skincare products and even a comforting scent that recreates the rituals of bedtime at home. In many ways, Air Canada’s latest onboard experience brings those elements together in one thoughtfully designed package.
An aircraft cabin will never replace the comfort of your own bedroom, and no duvet can eliminate jet lag. But by reducing the small interruptions caused by light, noise, temperature and dry cabin air, perhaps travellers can arrive having done more than simply sleep—they can arrive genuinely rested.
