18 Things To Do On A Plane To Pass The Time

Need ideas of things to do on a plane for your upcoming trip? Want to know how do you entertain yourself on a plane? Looking for things do do on a plane without wifi? Continue reading for my list of things to do on a plane to pass the time below.

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I love traveling. A big part of traveling is spending a bunch of time on a plane. Some of my bucket list travel destinations includes long hours on a plane. When I traveled to Bali, my longest leg was from JKF to Hong Kong. That flight was about 16 hours! If you want to read about my trip to Bali, you can check it out here.

For some people, the thought of being on an airplane for over 8 hours hinders them from traveling to their dream destinations. The key is to plan things to do on the plan so you don't die of boredom.

This post is all about things to do on a plane to pass the time.

How Do You Entertain Yourself On A Plane

Catch Up On Some Much Needed Rest

Yes, I plan to sleep when I'm on a plane. Yes, it's a cliché answer, but it's something to do LOL. It doesn't matter how long the flight is, I'm going to get some rest. Mainly because I get motion sickness and the medicine I take makes me sleepy. Plus if you plan to do a lot of exploring once you're on your trip, you're going to need all the rest you can get. Keep in mind what timezone you're traveling to so you're not too jet lagged. Grab you an eye mask and some noise cancelling headphones and you're good to go.

Read a Book

When I'm on a plane, I like to use the time to dive into a new book. Life responsibilities sometimes doesn't allow me time too read so I like to use time on a flight to read. You can also use this time to read about your travel destination. Feel free to connect with me on GoodReads here.

Organize & Clean up Your Phone

No time like the present to do a little phone organization and cleaning. It can be very tedious organizing your phone, but you have nothing but time while you're on a long flight.

• Delete those random pictures and videos you have on your phone to make room for all the new ones you're going to take while on vacation.
• Delete those apps you rarely or never use.
• After you delete apps you're not using, go ahead and organize them in folders. Categorizing my apps in folders help me find apps I need. I have a travel folder for any apps I use for traveling like my airline app to stay up to date with my flight, Uber, Google Translator, Currency Converter, etc.

Watch a Movie or Catch up on Your Favorite Show

Some airlines offer in-flight entertainment where they offer a selection of movies to watch. Or you can download some movies or TV shows from streaming platforms such as Netflix, Xfinity, Hulu, and Disney+. Make sure you download these movies before your flight. In-flight wifi isn't fast enough to download any files.

netflix recommendations

hulu recommendations

Listen To a Podcast

Podcasts are just as juicy as watching a TV show. There's a lot of various types of podcasts to listen to. You have crime shows, travel, finance, talk shows and more.

podcast recommendations

Play Games

You can either play in-flight games or download your own games. Playing games is a great way to pass the time on a plane.

Catch up on Work

Journaling

If journaling is your thing, write about your upcoming trip, what you're excited to do, gratitude, etc.

Meditation

If mindfulness is your thing, practicing your breath and focus is something you could do to pass the time on a plane. Ear plugs or noise cancelling headphones would be great to help you focus.

Exercise

Depending on the length of your flight, you could be sitting down for hours. Getting up and walking around for a bit would be helpful to keep the blood flowing and keep you from getting stiff. If you don't want to bother your seat mates, wearing some compression socks would also be a good idea.

Fill out your Arrival Card

If you're flying out of the country, you'll have to fill out a customs card. Flight attends will pass out the forms, so be sure to pack a pen in your carryon. You'll need the address to where you will be staying, flight number, and passport details.

Practice Learning a New Language

Learning a new language can be fun and interesting. If you're traveling to a new country, learning some key phrasing would help you communicate better with locals.

Stay Connected to Friends

Some airlines offer inflight wifi that will allow for messaging via email, Facebook messenger, iMessge, and WhatsApp. Talking to friends and family can help pass the time.

Make New Friends

Depending on who you're sitting next to, there might be an opportunity to start a conversation with the person next to you. Are they heading to their final destination? Are they celebrating a special occasion? You can talk about current events, movies, the weather, etc. I've kept in touch with people I've met on a plane.

Selfcare

If I'm on a long flight, doing my skincare routine is my go to. I like to keep myself feeling refreshed as possible since you can't shower. Keep your favorite products in your carryon so you can easily access them.

Finalize Your Travel Itinerary

Looking over travel itinerary could be a way to pass the time on a long flight even though my anxiety wouldn't let me be this last minute. Make note of places you want to see and restaurants to eat lunch/dinner. You can also double check your packing list to make sure you have everything you need. If you forgot something, then you'll have time to grab it when you land. Check out my travel medicine kit checklist here.

Be a Kid Again with an Adult Coloring Book

During the pandemic, I started doing things I never thought I'd do again, like coloring in a coloring book. Who knew coloring a pretty picture would be so relaxing. On your next flight, grab you some coloring pencils and book to pass the time.

Mini Travel Games

If you're traveling with friends, bring some mini travel games for you to play to pass the time. Or if you came solo, this would be a great to get to know your neighbor by playing a fun game with them.

Don't die of boredom and plan something to do to pass the time on your flight. This post was all about things to do on a plane to pass the time.