Should You Wear Sunscreen on a Plane? What Travelers Should Know

Should you wear sunscreen on a plane, even when you’ll spend most of the day inside an aircraft?

It’s a reasonable question.

You’re indoors, there’s a window between you and the sun, and on a long-haul flight you may spend hours with the cabin lights dimmed.

But being inside an airplane doesn’t necessarily mean zero UV exposure.

The answer also isn’t as simple as saying everyone needs to constantly reapply sunscreen throughout every flight.

Whether sun protection matters during your trip depends on factors such as daylight, your seat, the window shade and how much direct light you’re actually exposed to.

After almost five years of working short-, long- and ultra-long-haul flights, I don’t treat every flight exactly the same. I prefer to think about the actual conditions I’m going into.

Here’s what travelers should know.

Can UV Rays Pass Through Airplane Windows?

Aircraft windows can reduce UV exposure, but UV transmission isn’t identical across every aircraft or every type of window.

UV radiation is commonly divided into UVA and UVB.

UVB is strongly associated with sunburn, while UVA penetrates more deeply into the skin and contributes to premature skin aging and skin cancer risk.

Research on aircraft windshields has found that UVB is generally blocked very effectively, while UVA transmission can vary considerably depending on the material and type of windshield.

For example, FAA testing of eight aircraft windshields found less than 1% UVB transmission through the tested glass and plastic windshields, while UVA transmission varied much more widely. 

More recent research also shows why it’s difficult to make one universal statement about every aircraft window. A 2025 study measuring 15 Airbus A320/A321 aircraft found that the front cockpit windshields blocked UVA effectively, while some side and rear windshields allowed certain UVA wavelengths through. 

Those studies examined cockpit windshields, not every passenger window on every commercial aircraft.

So I wouldn’t use them to claim that a specific percentage of UVA reaches you in seat 25A.

The more useful takeaway is simpler:

Don’t assume that every aircraft window completely eliminates UV exposure.

Does Altitude Make a Difference?

UV radiation outside an aircraft can be more intense at cruising altitude than at ground level.

An older JAMA Dermatology study measured UVA in a general-aviation aircraft cockpit and found measurable UVA through the windshield at altitude. The researchers emphasized that aircraft windshields did not necessarily provide complete UVA protection. 

However, this finding is sometimes exaggerated online.

You may see dramatic comparisons between flying and tanning beds. Those measurements came from a particular aircraft, windshield, location and cockpit environment.

They should not be interpreted as proof that sitting anywhere on a commercial passenger flight is equivalent to using a tanning bed.

Aircraft design, window materials, sunlight direction, seat location and shade position can all change actual exposure.

For a traveler, practical sun protection is more useful than worrying about an exact UV dose.

Window Seat vs Aisle Seat

Your seat matters.

If you’re sitting next to an open window during a bright daytime flight and direct sunlight is reaching your face or arms for a long period, sun protection is more relevant than if you’re sitting away from the window in a dark cabin.

An aisle passenger with no direct sunlight reaching them is in a different situation from someone spending hours beside a bright window.

This is one reason I don’t think every passenger needs to treat every flight identically.

Instead, look at your actual exposure.

Does Closing the Window Shade Help?

Yes, it’s one of the simplest things you can do.

The American Academy of Dermatology specifically recommends seeking shade while traveling, including lowering airplane window shades, as part of sun protection during travel. 

If strong sunlight is coming through the window and you don’t need it open, lowering the shade reduces that direct exposure.

Of course, passengers don’t always have complete control over window shades. Crew instructions during takeoff and landing or aircraft-specific procedures may require shades to be positioned a certain way.

But during the parts of the flight when you’re allowed to adjust it, the shade is a simple additional tool.

What About a Night Flight?

A true night flight without meaningful daylight exposure is different from a daytime flight.

If it’s dark outside for the entire journey, the reason for applying sunscreen specifically because you’re sitting inside the aircraft is much less relevant.

But think about the whole trip, not only the time spent at cruising altitude.

You might leave home in daylight.

You might board before sunset.

Or you might take an overnight flight and land at 8 a.m., then spend another hour getting through the airport and traveling to your hotel.

That’s why I find daylight exposure more useful to think about than simply labeling a flight “day” or “night.”

This is similar to how I approach skincare with irregular schedules: the clock doesn’t always tell you what your skin is about to encounter.

Should You Apply Sunscreen Before a Daytime Flight?

For me, sunscreen is part of my pre-flight skincare when appropriate.

My usual preparation before makeup is fairly simple: calming care if my skin needs it, a hydrating serum or ampoule, moisturizer, sunscreen and then makeup.

I don’t add sunscreen because I believe the aircraft cabin itself is inherently dangerous.

I use it because my workday can include daylight exposure before boarding, inside the aircraft and after landing.

For travelers, the same practical approach works well.

If you’ll be outside on the way to the airport, sitting near an open aircraft window during daylight or spending time outdoors after landing, sunscreen can simply be part of your normal daytime sun protection.

The American Academy of Dermatology recommends broad-spectrum, water-resistant SPF 30 or higher on exposed skin as part of sun protection while traveling. 

Do You Need to Reapply Sunscreen During a Long-Haul Flight?

This is where I wouldn’t create a special “airplane rule.”

AAD’s general sun-protection guidance recommends reapplying sunscreen about every two hours when you’re exposed to the sun, as well as after swimming or sweating. 

But a long-haul passenger may spend part of the flight sleeping in a dark cabin with the window shade closed and very little UV exposure.

That’s obviously different from spending the same number of hours outdoors.

So rather than thinking:

Long flight = automatically reapply sunscreen constantly

think about your actual situation.

Are you beside an open window in direct daylight?

Are you going outside soon after landing?

Has it been hours since your original application?

Have you rubbed or wiped your face?

Those questions are more useful.

Personally, I don’t follow a special rule where I automatically reapply sunscreen every few hours solely because I’m on an airplane.

My in-flight skincare is generally much simpler.

What If Sunscreen Makes Your Skin Feel Dry or Heavy on a Flight?

You don’t need the heaviest sunscreen you can find just because you’re flying.

Aircraft cabins are low-humidity environments, so if your skin tends to feel dry while flying, think about your overall routine rather than relying on sunscreen to solve dryness.

I usually focus on hydration and moisturizer before makeup, then apply sunscreen as the sun-protection step.

If cabin dryness is the bigger problem for you, I cover that separately in Dry Skin After Flying: What to Do Before, During and After a Flight⁠.

The goal is to make sun protection fit comfortably into your routine, not turn it into another heavy layer your skin doesn’t tolerate well.

A Simple Way to Decide

Before a flight, ask yourself four questions.

Is this a daytime flight?

If yes, sun protection is more relevant.

Am I sitting near a window?

If direct sunlight is reaching you, consider that exposure.

Can I lower the window shade?

When permitted, closing it can reduce direct light exposure.

Will I be outside before or after the flight?

Don’t forget the airport journey, connections and destination.

You don’t need to become anxious about sunlight every time you board an aircraft.

You just need to remember that an airplane is not automatically a completely UV-free environment.

The Bottom Line

So, should you wear sunscreen on a plane?

If you’re traveling during daylight—especially if you’ll be near a window or exposed to sunlight before or after the flight—using sunscreen as part of your normal sun-protection routine is a sensible choice.

You can also use other forms of protection, including clothing and lowering the window shade when permitted.

A night flight with no meaningful daylight exposure is a different situation from sitting beside an open window on a bright daytime flight.

And you don’t need to invent an extreme in-flight skincare routine just because you’re flying.

After years of working on aircraft, I find it much more practical to look at where the light is coming from, what my skin will actually be exposed to and what happens before and after the flight.

Think about real UV exposure, not simply whether you’re on a plane.