Is it acceptable to take your shoes off on a plane?

On flights of any length, removing shoes is reasonable and widely done, particularly on overnight and long-haul routes where feet swell measurably from cabin pressure and immobility. The line most etiquette guidance and most fellow passengers draw is at socks: keep them on. Bare feet in a confined shared space is where objection becomes near-universal, and propping bare feet against a bulkhead, an armrest, or the seat in front is the version that reliably generates viral complaint.

The practical case for keeping something on your feet is stronger than the etiquette case. Aircraft lavatory floors are frequently wet, and the liquid is generally not water, since turbulence and confined space produce predictable results. Walking there in socks means bringing that back to your seat and eventually into your bag and home. Keep a pair of slip-on shoes or dedicated travel slippers accessible for any trip down the aisle.

Two related considerations. Compression socks have genuine evidence behind them for long flights, reducing swelling and lowering the risk of deep vein thrombosis, which rises with immobility and duration, so socks are doing more than covering your feet. And in an emergency evacuation, footwear matters: the FAA and cabin crews advise having shoes on for takeoff and landing, since evacuation slides and debris are unforgiving of bare feet, and high heels are asked to be removed because they puncture slides. So the defensible position is shoes on for the risky phases, off with socks in cruise, and something on your feet any time you leave your seat.