17 Things to Do on a Plane for a Better Flight

No matter how much you love traveling, flying can be boring if you have nothing to bide your time with. And unfortunately, you can’t always bank on the on-board entertainment as it’s doesn’t always have the best options. Plus, some carriers don’t even offer it. That being said, it’s good to have a variety of things to do on a plane in case the on-board entertainment sucks or you grow bored of doing one activity.

On this list, you’ll find my favorite ways to pass time on a flight. From binge watching a series to an in-flight pampering session there’s a little something of everything.

17 Things to Do on a Plane for a Better Flight

Things to Do on A Plane Without Wifi

Listen to an Audio Book 

If you don’t want to lug around the extra weight of a physical book, download a couple of audiobooks to listen to. 

Edit Photos

Whether you’re a content creator or an Instagram enthusiast, editing photos is a great way to spend time while on a long-haul flight. 

Write

If you are a blogger, why not get some writing done while you fly. Depending on the length of your flight you could easily get a couple of posts written making it a super productive thing to do on a plane. 

Read More: 19 Travel Blog Post Ideas for Awesome and Interesting Content

Binge Watch a Series

Did you know that you can download series for offline viewing? Apps like Prime Video, Hulu, and Netflix allow you to download content that can be watched with no connection. Find a series that you’ve been wanting to watch and download it to watch during your flight. 

Meditate

If you’re an anxious traveler, try meditating while on the plane. Apps like Calm and Headspace have some great options you can utilize while flying. Even if you aren’t an anxious traveler, a little meditation never hurts anyone. 

Read a Book

Reading a book is one of the classic things to do on a long flight. You can go old school with a paperback or get yourself an Amazon Kindle. 

Listen to Music

Is there a new album that just came out that you haven’t had a chance to listen to yet? Save it to your offline library and give it a listen start to finish. 

Do some in-flight pampering

Pack some eye patches and a face mask in your carry on bag for some in-flight pampering. I personally love the Skyn Iceland Eye Patches and Summer Fridays Jetlag Face Mask. Oh, and you can’t forget the Laniege Lip Sleeping Mask.  

Read More: Long Haul Flight Essentials

Listen to a Podcast

Podcasts are a great way to pass time while on a long-haul flight. Whether it’s a 7 part true crime series or Oprah’s Super Soul podcast, download some episodes to listen to while you fly. Some of my favorites are Crime Junkie and Crimelines.

Watch a movie and its sequels 

While one movie may not be enough to get you through your flight, a movie and its sequels might. Think Lord of The Rings, Harry Potter, the Marvel movies, stuff that can easily keep you occupied over several hours. Again check your apps to see which ones allow you to download content for offline viewing. 

Play Some Games

Using either your phone or the in-flight entertainment system, keep yourself entertained with a couple of games. I personally enjoy doing crossword puzzles on my phone to pass the time while flying. 

Work on Videos 

This is one of the more niche things to do on a plane, but if you are a YouTuber why not work on some editing while you fly. You can also work on creating graphics for your videos like thumbnails and overlays. 

Read More: Travel Vlogging Equipment – What You Need to get Started

Journal

Just jot down your thoughts and feelings, or start a travel journal detailing your expectations and/or experiences. If you opt to do a travel journal, here’s some travel journal prompts for you: 

• What are your expectations of this destination or experience?
• What are you most looking forward to?
• What was the first thing you noticed/felt when you reached your destination?
• What was the best thing you tasted?
• If you could experience one thing for the first time again, what would it be?

Things to Do on a Plane With Wifi

Browse Pinterest 

Scrolling through Pinterest can be a fun way to spend your time while flying. Look for some destination travel tips, pin some outfit ideas or whatever else tickles your fancy.

Scroll Through Instagram and TikTok

Nothing passes time like scrolling through Instagram and TikTok. With on-board wifi, you can spend your flight viewing all the pics, reels, and tiktoks you want.

Follow me on Instagram

Respond to Emails

Do I recommend responding to emails while on vacation? No. However, doing so while spending hours on a flight makes the most sense. Handle business before and after you land, rather than during your time in your destination. 

Read Blogs

Whether you’re looking for some destination inspiration or just catching up with your favorite blogger, reading blog posts is a nice way to pass some time. 

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