How to keep yourself entertained on long flights

Long flights to Bangkok or Orlando can soon turn into an ordeal if you fail to keep yourself busy. Airlines do their best with in-flight entertainment but nothing beats a little preparation and forward planning. The key to an enjoyable flight is staying alert and have fun. Plan a variety of activities that you can genuinely look forward to. You will need activities to tax your mind as well as activities to help you relax.

 

Invest in some decent headphones, which will vastly improve sound quality and block out background noise. Quality headphones will sit more comfortably than the cheap earphones provided by airlines. Many people find it easier to sleep if quietly familiar music is blocking out the annoying sounds of the plane and the conversation of other passengers. Take a variety of different music to suit different moods.

 

Podcasts can be downloaded onto your iPod or your laptop. Listening to spoken word programmes is a great way to pass time. You could listen to a music podcast from a top DJ or download a selection of podcasts from the BBC. You will find everything from news and current affairs to documentaries, interviews, sport, comedy or classic programmes like Just a Minute and Dessert Island Discs. You could catch up with The Archers as you head for Las Vegas.

 

A long haul flight to Tokyo is not the time to take risks or start on something heavy. Choose something you know you enjoy and get into the book before you leave home. Your favourite magazines will save you getting bored by the in-flight magazine. Audio books are a particularly good way to relax. You can close your eyes while you are entertained. E-readers like Kindle mean you can travel with a wide variety of reading material. Battery life is equivalent to several flights to Australia.

 

Most scheduled airlines provide in-cabin TV screens and seat-back entertainment systems. You will normally find a mix of TV programmes, cartoons, documentaries and full-length films. A couple of long films will occupy half your flight to India.

 

It sounds dull, but doing some meaningful work is one of the most constructive ways to pass time. Make sure you have things prepared before you leave. A long flight to Rio de Janeiro is a good time to clean-up your computer or reorganise your photos. Smaller notebook laptops are easier to manage on fold-down tables and have much longer battery life.

 

A small games consul can provide hours of in-flight entertainment. Play cards with a partner or invest in the scaled-down versions of games like Scrabble and Monopoly. You can even find games to help you with your language learning.

 

Researching your destination is one of the most absorbing ways to pass time. Guide books, maps and audio books should keep you busy on your way to Moscow or New York. Test your memory by learning from the phrasebook or improving your language skills. A cheap flight to Beijing is a good time to brush up on your Mandarin. The best guide to your destination may be sitting next to you. You can’t beat a good chat for passing the time.