The next time you hit the skies, consider packing these things to do on a long flight to help you fight boredom.
There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it, long flights are booooring. And truthfully, there’s little you can do to ease the pain of being stuck in a stiff plane seat with little leg room, sandwiched between strangers.
But there are a couple ways you can make the whole ordeal less painful.
First, packing the best long haul flight essentials in your carry-on is of the utmost importance for maximum comfort.
And second, bringing along fun things to do ensures you have multiple ways to stay entertained and pass the time.
Now, I’ll admit, the things you can do on a plane are pretty limited. However, this list shares some ways I’ve found to help me pass the time plus recommendations that others swear by.
Without further ado, here are some plane-worthy things to do on a long flight.
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20 Fun Things to Do on a Long Flight To Fight Boredom
1. Knit or Crochet
Knitting and crocheting have become trendy hobbies for creatives, and it’s a great way to pass the time on a flight.
Thanks to its compact nature, requiring only needles or a hook, and a skein of yarn, it’s perfect for those tiny plane seats. And if you don’t know how to knit or crochet, what better time to learn! Be sure to download patterns, tutorials, and guides for offline use.
Pro tips: use nail clippers in place of scissors if needed and pack only wooden knitting needles to avoid any trouble at security.
2. Do Your Preferred Craft
Although space is limited, long flights can mean mostly uninterrupted crafting time!
Just be thoughtful to your neighbors and avoid anything messy, noisy, smelly (like glue), or otherwise disruptive to your fellow passengers.
Some crafts that may work for your flight include:
- Embroidery
- Make a hand-drawn bullet journal
- Friendship bracelets, lanyards, etc.
- Origami
- Small macrame project like ornaments, coasters, potted plant holders
Check flight security rules for where you’re flying to ensure you don’t bring anything that might get taken. In the US, blades and scissors larger than 4 inches aren’t allowed in your carry-on. In some places, scissors aren’t allowed at all. I had my travel scissors confiscated at security in Australia.
3. Create Digital Designs
Another way to get creative is to create digital art or designs, whether prints, illustrations, collages, etc.
Many people also enjoy creating practical downloads for personal use or to sell, like to-do lists, journal prompts, calendars, and more.
Remember to download or have ready any images, photos, etc., you’ll want for your designs!
Some places you can create digital designs offline on your device of choice include:
4. Take an Offline Course
I find the best time to learn something new is when I’m forced to sit still for many hours. Wouldn’t you agree?
There are many excellent platforms where you can take free or paid courses to learn various things, from coding, marketing, UX design, and other professional skills.
- Teachable
- Coursera
- Udemy
- Thinkific
- Google Professional Certificates, available on Coursera
5. Learn a New Language
While on your long flight, consider learning a new language or even practicing the language of where you’re headed!
Many language platforms have an app and allow for offline lessons, although you may need to be a subscriber or pay for premium service in order to do so.
Some language learning platforms:
6. Play Video Games
Admittedly, I’m not a pro when it comes to video games. But my partner always brings his Nintendo Switch on our long-haul flights, and it’s one of his favorite ways to pass the time.
So, if you’re a gamer, why not bring along a good hoard of video games whether on your phone, iPad, computer, Switch, etc, to get you busy?
For my non-gamers, some of phone games that eat up a lot of time include:
- Puzzle games: Crossword, Sudoku, Candy Crush
- Adventure games: Don’t Starve, Playdead’s Inside, Animal Crossing
Please note that more in-depth smartphone games may have a free trial but require purchase for complete access.
Also, games can eat up your phone battery quickly, so be sure to bring a charging cable to plug into your seat and external battery for after you land if you need more power.
7. Play Physical Games
Travel-sized board games and card games are easy to bring along and fit nicely in most carry-ons.
Obviously, anything big and with many pieces is not ideal in a cramped space, but there are a few good options that’ll keep you busy.
I recommend:
- Standard cards
- Uno cards, Monopoly Deal, Phase 10
- Classic games like magnetic chess, checkers, Connect 4
- Mini-sized board games like Scrabble, Scattergories
8. Treat Yourself to Some Self Care
One way to look at the time you need to spend on a flight is an opportunity to enjoy some uninterrupted me-time. And what better way to relish me-time than with a bit of self-care?
Some ideas for airplane self-care:
- Manicure with self-adhesive color (please, no stinky nail polish)
- Face care with a jade roller or gua sha
- Skincare with face masks, eye masks, etc.
- Meditation
- Intentional journaling
9. Pull Out Your Adult Coloring Book
There’s something peaceful about coloring as an adult. While I don’t do it all the time, I like that it helps me slow down, get creative (without any drawing talent), and switch off my brain.
It’s meditative in a way that doesn’t require much effort. And as it only requires a coloring book and a handful of pens/markers, it’s perfect to pack for a long plane ride!
Some of my favorite adult coloring book supplies and travel sized-recommendations:
- Secret Garden by Johanna Basford
- Mini adult coloring books like The Mindfulness Coloring or Arteza Florals and Mandalas
- Paper Mate Flair Pens
10. Bring a Sketchbook
If you have a talent or passion for sketching, bringing a sketchbook might interest you!
Given the size of airplane tray tables, you’re limited to a smaller-sized sketchbook. Still, it’s an opportunity to get creative.
12. Read A New Book
This is not a groundbreaking recommendation, but traveling with a good book is a surefire way to fight off boredom.
And even if you don’t love reading, sometimes being left with limited options can push you to a new story you’ll love.
I never go anywhere these days without my Kindle, which makes it easier than ever to travel with multiple books in a compact, lightweight device.
12. Listen to a Podcast or an Audiobook
Not a reader? I recommend downloading some podcasts and/or audiobooks to listen to. I used to think I wouldn’t like listening to someone talk to me, but I’ve really come to enjoy them.
Both podcasts and audiobooks allow me to listen and be entertained while freeing up my eyes and hands to do something like color or knit. I recommend bringing along a good pair of wireless, noise cancelling headphones so you can focus without outside distractions.
You can download countless genres of podcasts to listen offline from the free version of Spotify or anywhere you get your podcasts.
LibriVox is also a great place to listen to audiobooks of classic novels that are in the public domain, which means you get access to them for free!
13. Binge Your Fave Movie or TV Series
Another no-brainer is coming with all your favorite and bingable movie and TV favorites! Or even coming prepared with a new, never-before-seen series to watch. And the best way to binge is with this handy, or rather hands-free, smartphone airplane mount.
Now, we all have different tastes, and this will undoubtedly expose me as a millennial, but these are excellent options for binge-watching:
- Harry Potter
- Lord of the Rings
- Parks n Rec
- The Office
- Game of Thrones
14. Discover New Music
You don’t need me to tell you to come prepared with downloaded music.
But have you considered exploring new artists and genres? Spotify is a fun place to find new artists via their curated and themed playlists, which you can download before the flight if you have premium.
15. Write a Story or in a Journal
Sitting on a long flight also offers an opportunity to write! Maybe you’ve had a fictional story, poem, or creative work floating around your noggin’.
Or maybe something closer to your chest, like journaling! In any case, I recommend bringing along a pen and paper or downloading the Google Docs app for when inspiration strikes.
16. Edit Photos
I’ve always loved dabbling in photography since I was a kid. And with the advent of technology, my love has grown to include editing photos, too. It’s one of my favorite ways to get creative, and so long as you have a smartphone, it is essentially a free hobby.
And as a blogger with a minor Instagram addiction, I have many photos to edit pretty regularly.
But I’ve found editing my photos to print for my home, post on social media, or publish on the blog keeps me focused and happily busy when stuck on a long flight.
Some of the best photo editing apps include:
17. Delete Photos
Admittedly, deleting duplicate and unnecessary photos is less of a fun activity and more of an organizational task. Still, it’s likely one you’ve been putting off, and there’s no better time to take care of it than when stuck on a plane!
And don’t forget to go through your screenshots album. If you’re anything like me, you’ll have hundreds of useless screenshots you’ve forgotten about 😂
18. Organize Your Phone
On the topic of organization, why not take a moment to go through your phone to delete unused apps, emails if you can, and any other files.
Sometimes I even like to mix up and organize the layout of my home screen when I’ve got time to kill.
19. Do Schoolwork
Obviously, this only applies to students, but as someone who has been working on a master’s degree for the past few years, plane time is great for homework.
20. Get Some Work Done
If you’re not a student, chances are you work professionally!
If you have a project or some tasks to complete while you’re traveling, consider bringing it along to work on from your assigned seat.