Travelers Have Been Embracing This Weird Trend That Has Us Scratching Our Heads

How do you pass the time when you're on a flight? Many of us listen to music or watch a movie, some of us read a book, and others might get chatty with their travel partner. I've been a flight attendant for more than a decade, and I can confirm that the most common questions (and complaints) I get have to do with Wi-Fi and the inflight entertainment system. This is why I was overwhelmingly perplexed when I heard about people who choose to "rawdog" their flights. What exactly is rawdogging a flight? It's a new trend of travelers staying awake, but opting out of all forms of entertainment and service, including any beverages or food. In the most extreme version, you can't even use the bathroom.

Most things gain popularity for a reason, like these 5 growing travel trends to try in 2026 for a unique getaway, and the rawdogging trend originates from a positive place — those who want to practice mindfulness when traveling. "It can allow you to deepen your practice, by tuning into your breath, the sounds of the plane, or just your own heartbeat," Crystal Riley, wellness coach and founder of Wellness & Woo, told Forbes. "It's an opportunity to observe your inner landscape without judgment, which can lead to a deeper sense of calm and clarity."

While disconnecting in this way can have benefits, it's all about moderation, especially on a long-haul flight. True rawdogging may actually be causing its participants more harm than good. Read on to learn just how popular this viral travel trend is and why most experts don't recommend it, especially the extreme version of depriving yourself of food, water, and sleep.

There's been much debate online about rawdogging flights, although the behavior doesn't seem too widespread. According to the BBC, the trend is largely driven by young men. Some of them want to test or show off their self-control and mental strength, while others simply enjoy it as a form of meditation. Reddit user Patito7 recently wrote, "I am very busy and it feels very nice, even luxurious to just sit with my thoughts for a couple hours. I think it is just a different way to look at it." On the other side is Reddit user nonquitt who puts their opinion succinctly: "I'd truly rather die." 

Travel trends can be overrated, like this overhyped trend of "performative travel," and rawdogging definitely fits the bill. In my experience as a flight attendant, a distracted passenger is typically a happier one. Who would opt to take an unnecessary mental challenge during the already stressful process of flying? I'm not entirely sure, because I don't think I've ever noticed anyone rawdogging a flight in the wild — and I fly anywhere from one to three (or more) times per week!

My experience is that people want to bring more things with them in the cabin — not less. In fact, one of the biggest pieces of advice I hand out to travelers is to always be prepared, which includes bringing your own entertainment and even your own food. But as this travel trend grows and the online debate rages on, what do experts say about rawdogging a flight?

Rawdogging is the complete opposite of most passenger behavior. While that may be the point, there are at least a few reasons you should think twice before depriving yourself of basic mental stimulation in the air. It's probably harmless to sit quietly with your own thoughts for a short flight, but the bragging rights of rawdogging from coast to coast are likely not worth the risk it poses to your health. 

Fortune spoke with Gin Lalli, psychotherapist and author, who warned that "instead of making passengers feel zen, the lack of stimuli, hydration, and nutrition can have the opposite effect and cause heightened stress levels, dizziness, negative thought patterns, and anxiety." In addition to this, sleep deprivation, especially on a redeye flight, will be detrimental to maintaining your circadian rhythm. This will affect not just your sleeping patterns, but your overall wellness due to hormone disruption. It will also be harder to recover from jet lag, continuing to negatively impact you long after deplaning. 

Finally, while there is a disturbing reason you may want to avoid drinking coffee and tea on airplanes, that doesn't mean you should deprive yourself of water, which could increase your risk of blood clots. "The whole thing about the risk of long-haul flying is that you're at risk of dehydration," Dr. Gill Jenkins, who works as a medical escort in air ambulances, told the BBC. "If you're not moving you're at risk of deep vein thrombosis, which is compounded by dehydration." All in all, while taking a small mental reset is fine, the rawdogging trend has the potential to be problematic at best, and dangerous at worst.