Top Apps to Keep You Entertained During Long-Haul Flights

Long-haul flights don’t beat you with boredom so much as they sand you down with tiny irritations: a buffering wheel, a dead link, a “no connection” alert that lands like a punchline over the ocean. The fix is not to bring more apps, but to bring those that behave when your phone is in airplane mode and the cabin Wi-Fi is either pricey, patchy, or proudly non-existent.

Think of your phone like a carry-on, not a lifeline. You pack it deliberately: something to watch, something to hear, something to read, and one or two low-effort games that don’t demand signal. Do that, and time stops being a blank corridor and becomes a set of rooms you can walk through.

The gate-lounge ritual that saves your whole flight

Your entertainment lives or dies in the last half hour before boarding. Update apps while you still have stable internet, then flip on “download over Wi-Fi” settings wherever you see them. Netflix supports offline downloads, and its Smart Downloads features can automatically download upcoming episodes or suggested titles so you’re not making choices with one eye on the boarding announcement. (Availability varies by plan.)

Two other moves matter more than people admit: clear enough storage for what you’re taking and bring a charging plan that isn’t just hope. A cable you trust, a power bank that meets airline regulations, and a pair of wired earbuds as a backup can help maintain the mood when Bluetooth decides to malfunction.

Streaming that survives airplane mode

If you want a simple formula for a long flight, it’s this: one series you can binge, one film you’ve “meant to watch,” and one comfort rewatch that doesn’t ask much from your brain. On Netflix, downloads can expire after a certain period, and some titles have limits on the number of times they can be downloaded per year. Therefore, it’s smart to check your library close to departure, rather than a week in advance.

If you’re trying to maximise storage, look for download-quality settings in your streaming apps. Dropping the quality a notch can be the difference between carrying three films or eight. And if you’re traveling with a tablet, remember that a bigger screen doesn’t just “look nicer”; it reduces the fatigue that hits around hour six.

Soundtracks at 35,000 feet

Audio is the quiet hero of long-haul travel. It’s gentler on your battery, forgiving on a small screen, and it fills the cabin hum with something that feels like choice. Spotify’s offline rules are clear: Premium can download music and podcasts (the free version can download podcasts only), with a stated limit of 10,000 tracks on each of up to five devices, and you need to go online at least once every 30 days to keep downloads active.

Apple Music is similarly straightforward: add music to your library, download it, and you’re set for offline listening.

Podcasts scale with your energy. When you’re sharp, go for tactics breakdowns (Premier League, UEFA Champions League), NBA storytelling, or music deep-dives. When you’re fading, choose calm narratives, language practice, or history shows that don’t punish you for drifting in and out.

Games that don’t need Wi-Fi

Long flights reward games that are quick to launch, hard to exhaust, and light on data: chess, word puzzles, offline crosswords, simple builders, and story-driven indie titles. Download a couple before you leave and open them once on the ground, so you’re not learning controls while wedged elbow-to-elbow with a meal tray.

For travellers who follow sports or betting markets, platforms like MelBet are often checked right after landing, once connectivity is restored. Having a basic familiarity with the app’s layout or features beforehand can save time and make that first online moment more efficient. It also helps you focus on current fixtures and updates instead of navigating menus from scratch. One practical note for Android users: if you’re considering a download apk option, it can be a useful way to install offline or demo versions of apps related to betting and casino platforms for example, to explore interfaces, rules, or practice modes without relying on a live connection.

Reading without the doomscroll

The phone is a terrible place for open internet, and a surprisingly good place for intentional reading, if you set it up that way. E-book apps (including Kindle) shine on flights because a downloaded book doesn’t care whether you’re above the Alps or the Sahara.

For magazines, Pocketmags explicitly supports offline reading once an issue has been downloaded, which is perfect for that mid-flight moment when you want something bite-sized instead of another episode.

And a reality check for habitual “read-it-later” travellers: Mozilla shut Pocket down in July 2025, so it’s not the dependable tool it once was. If you want the same habit today, pick a current alternative and test it offline before you fly.

Offline maps, library apps, and small miracles

Entertainment is easier when travel itself is calmer. Offline maps help when you land somewhere with weak roaming or an airport Wi-Fi login loop; Google has long supported downloading map areas for offline use, with limits like no real-time traffic and the need to refresh maps periodically.

For readers who like “free and long,” Libby (by OverDrive) is a strong travel companion because it supports downloading ebooks and audiobooks for offline use, and it clearly labels what’s downloaded versus what will stream.

Touchdown mode

Sports fandom travels badly and brilliantly at the same time: you can be eight time zones away and still care about a Premier League kick-off or a late NFL score. The trick is to split it into two phases.

Phase one is offline prep: download previews, tactics explainers, and podcasts so you’ve got context even if the cabin Wi-Fi collapses. Phase two is the moment you land and your phone wakes back up, because that’s when live scores, streaming, and sports betting markets make sense again, with current information. On MelBet, that first burst of connectivity is typically when people check fixtures, compare odds, and follow match-day chatter; if you’re tracking a specific community feed, a quick glance at MelBet Facebook Somalia can help you see what’s being discussed locally before you head for baggage claim.

The last 20 minutes

Not every app is “entertainment,” but some are what keep the entertainment enjoyable. A sleep timer, a meditation track, a stretching routine, a notes app for capturing what you watched or the book you want next can stop a long flight from leaking into the first day of your trip.

Download what you need, test it once in airplane mode, and give yourself three options at any moment: something to watch, something to listen to, and something to read. That’s not over-preparing. It’s just making the hours behave.

Image credit, Dreamstime