When preparing for a trip that includes a long flight (or train ride), it’s important to plan for your entertainment. It’s easy to underestimate just how bored you can get on a long flight. You’ll watch two movies, sleep and wake up, eat and still have hours of flying left. 

If it’s not boredom you are dealing with, it’s restlessness. Here are 10 ways to keep yourself occupied on long flights. 

1. Make Sure You Are Comfortable 

This is not exactly something to do, but being comfortable is absolutely important if you are to survive hours in the airplane. So pack anything that you absolutely need for your comfort. Some essentials include a neck pillow, comfortable shoes, compression socks or stockings to keep away leg cramps, and a lightweight travel blanket to keep you warm. 

The air in airplanes is dry, so we recommend also packing a nasal spray to make breathing easier. Don’t forget to also have drinking water. Carry an empty bottle and fill it after security. 

2. Take Advantage of Inflight Entertainment 

Most airlines offer a decent selection of movies, shows, games and audio content. So you have plenty of stuff to occupy your time during a long flight. 

Keep in mind that many inflight entertainment systems don't have Bluetooth connectivity. So either carry wired headphones or get the Flight Flute 3.0 travel bluetooth adapter and pair it with your wireless headphones or earbuds. 

3. Watch a Show on Your Phone or Tablet

Some people prefer carrying their own entertainment on their devices. A long flight is a great opportunity to binge watch a show or catch up on a few movies on your watch list. Make sure you download whatever you want to watch before you leave home. 

You’ll get tired holding your phone, so get a phone holder to mount your phone on the seat in front of you. Don’t forget to pack headphones and a power bank to keep everything charged. 

4. Listen to Music and Podcasts

Time can pass by surprisingly quickly when listening to a podcast. We recommend long podcasts that have 30+ minute episodes. True crime, politics, comedy, history, and science are some interesting topics to explore. 

As with movies, download several episodes from two or three podcasts before you leave home. 

Combine podcasts with some of your favorite music and you’ll easily survive an hours long flight. Just remember to charge your headphones and carry a power bank to recharge your devices on the flight (don’t depend on chargers in airplanes. They may not be present or they may not work). 

5. Read 

Pack a book or two, or a couple of magazines or comics and read them during your flight. If physical books are too bulky, get a kindle and download some books. 

Even if you don't read during the entire flight, it can be a great way to beat boredom for an hour or two. It also gives your eyes a break from the screen.

6. Write 

Trapped to your seat and with no distractions, a long flight is a great time to do some writing. Try your hand at fan fiction, complete that book you’ve been planning to finish, crank out a few blog posts for your website or do some journaling. 

You can carry a book and pen or type out on a computer. If you don't want to carry your laptop, you can get a small wireless keyboard and link it to your phone or tablet. 

7. Play Games (Both Digital and Physical)

An immersive game on your phone, tablet or laptop can easily eat up hours of your flight time. You can also carry a portable game player like the Nintendo Switch. 

Alternatively, pack a few physical games such as cards or solo board games. If you are traveling with someone, you have an even wider range of games to choose from such as chess, scrabble, crossword, puzzles and more.  

8. Work or Study 

Before you leave home, check which work projects you can do during your flight. This may require you to carry your laptop, so keep that in mind. You may also need an internet connection. 

A long flight is also a great time to study, practice your coding or work on a school project. But even if you are not in school, you can pick a random topic to study. Maybe it’s time you learnt about the fall of Rome or why black holes are so fascinating.   

You don't even need a screen. Print out a few pages of a topic, staple them and put them in your carry-on. 

9. Sleep

Many people struggle to sleep on long flights, but it’s an easy way to pass a few hours. To make it easier to sleep on your flight, avoid taking caffeine, stay hydrated and make sure you are warm and comfortable. 

Pack an eye mask and noise canceling headphones to help you go to sleep. Not only does sleeping help pass time, you’ll also feel more rested when you get to your destination. It can also help reduce the effect of jet lag. 

10. Pick a Hobby

Try crocheting, painting, coloring, drawing, knitting, origami or any other flight-friendly hobby. Even if you’ve never done it before, it’s the perfect time to start. Just make sure you pack TSA-approved items. For example, crocheting items need to be part of a set in a clear pack. 

Also check requirements for things like cutters, scissors and needles. You cannot carry some of this in your carry-on or they may need to be a specific size.