Whether you’re going on a 12-hour haul or short hop, air traveling can get boring. But with some preparation and creativity, passengers can turn even the dullest flight into an enjoyable experience. There are entertaining things to do on a plane that you can engage in to keep you busy from take-off to landing. From relaxation involvements to activities to make you laugh, any traveler can find some enjoyable things to do on a long flight and make the trip remarkable.
27 Exciting Activities You Can Enjoy While Flying to Never Experience Boredom
Get ready to make your forthcoming flight the greatest one ever with some of the most fun things to do on a flight. Below are some fun things to do on a plane to make your trip more entertaining.
1) Watch Free In-Flight Movies and TV Shows
Most airlines these days offer free in-flight entertainment packed with popular movies, must-see TV shows, news, sports, and music options. Create a playlist for your flight, or check out the new movie releases you haven’t watched yet. Just don’t forget your headphones.
2) Read an Engaging Book
Now’s the perfect time to start that page-turner book sitting on your nightstand. Reading makes the flight fly by and is a productive way to pass the travel time. Lose yourself in a thrilling fiction story or learn something new with non-fiction.
3) Play Simple Games With Plane Items
Use what’s already on the plane for some impromptu fun. Try stacking the plastic cups to see how high you can go before they fall. Flick a rolled-up straw wrapper football-style at your neighbor’s hands. Or balance your plastic knife perfectly on your fingertip.
4) Enjoy Plane Views Out the Window
From classic cloud formations to stunning vistas below, plane windows offer unique views you can’t glimpse anywhere else. Gaze out the window to observe interesting terrain and guess what cities or landmarks you fly over. It’s endlessly fascinating.
5) Chat With Your Seatmate
Strike up a friendly chat with your plane neighbors. Swap stories, share travel advice for your destination, or play the question game, taking turns asking each other exciting queries. You may make a new friend.
6) Take Photos and Videos Out the Plane Window
Capture incredible aerial shots with your phone or camera. Experiment with angles, zoom, and scenery to get prized pics and videos. Try time-lapses of planes taking off and landing or clouds rolling by. Post the best ones later.
7) Listen to a Catchy Playlist
Music sets the mood. Download playlists or podcasts in advance so you have plenty of listening material. Upbeat tunes make ordinary moments more fun. Kick back with your favorite feel-good songs.
8) Write Postcards to Mail Later
Be old-school and write postcards to family and friends back home. Describe what you see out the plane window, adventures you’ll have at your destination, or memories from your trip so far. Stick them in the mail when you land.
9) Plan Dream Vacations
Flights inspire travel dreams. Flip through destination magazines and brochures from the seat pocket, dreaming up your next vacation. Jot down places that catch your eye, then research them later when you get home.
10) Craft Airplane Origami
Make paper planes and other fun folded paper creations with spare boarding passes, food wrappers, or paper from an in-flight magazine. Have contests throwing the planes into airsickness bags placed down the aisle.
11) Stretch and Move Around
Sitting for hours leads to stiffness. Bend, twist, and stretch right in your seat to keep joints mobile. Take occasional strolls up and down the aisle, too. Just avoid it during drink service so you don’t spill.
12) Play Classic Travel Games
The airplane cabin sets the scene for airport favorites like 20 Questions, I Spy, Would You Rather, and more. These games are entertaining and easy for all ages, and no supplies are needed.
13) Snuggle in Cozy Clothes and Socks
Dress for comfort to instantly make your seat more enjoyable. Pack a large scarf to use as a blanket, quick-dry slipper socks, a soft cardigan, and an eye mask for sleeping. Creating a mobile nest beats plane stiffness.
14) Catch up on Social Media
Can’t remember the last time you scrolled through social media? Now’s the moment. Scroll your feeds, post updates, upload fun plane photos, or watch short videos. Wi-Fi permitting, interact with friends and family back home.
15) Enjoy Tasty Plane Snacks
Airplane food has improved lately, but you can also pack your snacks. Try bite-sized finger diets that are flavorful but not messy. These could include crackers, squeezed applesauce pouches, dried fruits, nuts, and more. Wash it down with soda or juice.
16) Take an Electronic Detox
Sometimes, it’s rejuvenating to disconnect from devices altogether. Power down for a set chunk of time, focusing inward instead of outward. Doze, daydream the flight away, chat with seatmates, gaze out the window, or read.
17) Give Yourself a Mini Spa Treatment
Apply lotions and masks from airline amenity kits, give yourself a neck or shoulder massage, and wrap your feet in cushy socks. You will get the ultimate mid-air treat.
18) Learn Useful Flight Tips From the Crew
Chat with airline attendants to get insider info that improves your in-flight experience. Ask about routing flight paths, turbulence avoidance, airport navigation, crew routines, and interesting plane specs. They have amazing stories and advice.
19) Watch the World Go By
Find comfort in observing the world below. On take-off, pick out cars moving like ants on highways, microscopic people going about their days, and patchwork urban plots. Descending, trace rivers and coastlines, spotlighting incredible geography.
20) Make Funny Faces with Fellow Passengers
Want to give someone a giggle? Discreetly make silly faces at passengers across the aisle when they glance your way. Cross your eyes, puff out your cheeks, or wiggle your ears for surprise grins. But don’t let them catch you in the act.
21) Use Your Flight Time Wisely
Can’t shake work emails? Utilize flight Wi-Fi to crank out tasks so you can unplug on vacation. Or learn a new skill through games, apps, and online tutorials. Knock out personal to-dos like bill-pay, too.
22) Meditate and Visualize
Relax, pressing pause on rushing thoughts. Close your eyes, visualizing dreamy locales, maybe where you’re jetting off to or somewhere on your bucket list. Focus on breathing, letting tension melt away. These relaxation techniques make flights peaceful.
23) Belt out Tunes With Headset Microphones
In-flight entertainment systems often have music channels with lyrics showing on monitors. Pop on the headsets, select a well-loved song, and sing out loud. Terribly or pitch perfectly. You might entertain strangers.
24) Strike up Conversations About Shared Interests
Look for clues to spark friendly banter. Bond over customized team logo gear, mutual destinations, a popular book being read, and hitting it off with kids and pets. Discovering commonalities makes flights fly faster.
25) Sleep So Time Disappears
Snoozing makes flights zip by in a flash. But restless flyers struggle to sleep sitting up. Try neck pillows, blankets, eye masks, and noise-canceling headphones to get comfy. Wake up at your destination refreshed.
26) Follow the Flight Progress on Maps
Nerding out over the route details is fascinating for aviation buffs. Check flight progress screen apps that map the journey, and listen attentively to captain updates. Understanding navigation adds interest.
27) Plan Airport Escapades During Layovers
Clear customs, then dash out for motorcycle side food tours between flights, injecting exploring between airport waits. Or shower and freshen up in lounges offering hot meals, comfy chairs, and attentive service. Layovers let you briefly escape airports.
Essential Tips for a Comfortable and Enjoyable Flight
Numerous universal tricks can enhance your enjoyment and comfort during a flight, regardless of some boredom. These could entail:
- Pack Strategically
Carefully choose what to bring on board to maximize space and comfort. Prioritize essentials plus a few comfort items over non-necessities.
- Wear Loose, Soft Clothes
Flowy fabrics feel best for sitting in cramped spaces. Stretchy waistbands, fabrics that don’t bind, and layers for temperature changes are ideal.
- Bring Your Snacks
Airplane snacks get pricey. Save money by bringing your nutritious picks. A combination of proteins, fruits, veggies, and treats hits the spot.
- Ask to Switch Seats if Uncomfortable
Don’t suffer in silence if your seat has issues. Politely ask passengers or flight attendants about better vacant seats for more comfort.
- Request Assistance Readily
Speak up if you need help during the flight for health, kids, connections, food, entertainment, or baggage. The crew is there for you.
Why It’s Important to Stay Entertained on a Flight
Spending hours on a flight with minimal entertainment and inadequate space can be challenging for anyone. That’s why planning and finding ways to stay entertained during your travel are essential. Below are some reasons why it’s important to have some entertainment on a plane:
- Prevents Restlessness and Boredom
Having activities, games, and entertainment options ready ensures you avoid dull moments. Boredom makes flights feel endless.
- Passes the Time Quickly
The flight duration seems faster when you’re absorbed in a book, movie, conversation, or other amusement. Before you know it, you’ve landed.
- Reduces Stress
Immersing in positives like music, laughter, captivating stories, or scenery shifts focus away from travel stresses to more enjoyable things.
- Boosts Overall Experience
Choosing fun ways to engage makes the whole flight more pleasurable. You disembark happier versus just enduring it.
- Creates Positive Memories
Looking back later, you’ll recall the delight from activities, new friends, pretty views, and laughter versus the boring time dragging by.
Tips for Getting Restful Sleep on a Plane
Extensive flights can often be difficult and uncomfortable to get soothing sleep. However, getting restful sleep during a long flight is vital to arrive at your destination feeling ready and refreshed for your adventures. Below are some tricks for getting sufficient sleep on a flight:
- Strategically Choose Your Seat
Pick a seat that will be the quietest and darkest for uninterrupted rest. Consider proximity to lavatories, wings, and high-traffic areas.
- Invest in Quality Travel Accessories
Treat yourself to noise-canceling headphones, sleep masks, and supportive pillows or blankets explicitly designed for in-flight comfort.
- Refrain From Alcohol and Caffeine
Caffeinated alcoholic drinks can disrupt natural sleep rhythms. Stick to decaf and herbal teas or water to promote quality rest.
- Ask the Flight Crew for Help
Politely request extra pillows or blankets from the airline staff. Let them know you plan to sleep so they can accommodate you.
- Change Positions Frequently
Alter how you sit, recline, stretch out, or lean sideways to ease strain from remaining in one pose too long. Movement benefits sleep.
- Relax With Deep Breathing
Calm your mind, focusing on steady inhales through your nose and long exhales out your mouth. Soothing breathing permits more leisurely slumber.
Conclusion
Prepare properly, and even lengthy flights can be fun instead of tedious. Creatively fill time with activities entertaining everyone, from kids to seniors, friends to strangers, outgoing folks to introverts.
You can engage in some thrilling things to do on an airplane for inspiration, sparking nonstop amusement. Before you know it, you’ll land at your destination ready for adventure. What will you try first? In whatever case, do not limit yourself when it comes to in-flight entertainment.
