5 tech tips that will make your long-haul flights more bearable

November 8, 2022

After a rough couple of years, we’re all itching to go somewhere. Wherever you’re headed, there are some things you should take care of first.

If you’re planning to leave for a long time, consider putting your cable and internet service on hold while away. It may sound like a pain, but it will save you money. Tap or click here for instructions on pausing the most popular services.

You know to turn off the stove, set the alarm, and ensure your pets are cared for. But what do you do once you’re up in the air? Let’s say you have a long flight ahead of you. Let’s say you have two! Here are some tips to ease the burden of those long-haul flights.

1. Cancel out the noise

Airplanes are full of noise. Between the sound of the jet engines and nearby chatterboxes, it may seem impossible to escape the din. This is where noise-canceling headphones come in.

Noise-canceling headphones use built-in microphones to listen to the sound in your environment. A processor analyzes the sound and creates a sort of anti-noise to “cancel” the disruptive noise.

A good pair of noise-canceling headphones can minimize the drone of the engines and screaming babies to help you relax or sleep. Tap or click here to check out the best noise-canceling headphones of 2022.

2. Download your music, movies and TV shows before boarding

In-flight Wi-Fi is expensive and painfully slow. Downloading your favorite content ahead of time means you don’t have to rely on the internet while flying.

Download TV shows and movies from Netflix

To download from Netflix, you’ll need the latest version of the app on your iPhone, iPad, Android phone or tablet, Amazon Fire tablet or Windows 10/11 computer. Note that not all titles are available for download. Here’s how to download available content:

Open the Netflix app and tap Downloads.
Select See What You Can Download, Find Something to Download, Find More to Download or Available for Download, depending on your device.
Select a TV show or movie.
From the description page, tap Download.
For TV shows, Download will appear next to each available episode.
You’ll also get a Download Season option if you’re on an Android.
Once you have your content, go to Downloads to find the title you want to watch.

Download music from Spotify

With Spotify Premium, you can download albums, playlists and podcasts. You can only download podcasts on the free version. Here’s how to get your content offline:

Open the Spotify app and go to what you want to download. Note: You can’t download individual songs, but you can put them in a playlist and download the playlist.
Tap the down arrow to download to Your Library. A green arrow indicates the download was successful.
To access your offline content, tap Home > Settings > Playback.
Switch Offline on.

3. Share the love

It’s nice to have all that entertainment in the air, but it’s even better to experience it with a friend or loved one. You can watch the same movie or listen to the same playlist using two Bluetooth headphones.

Here’s how to share content with AirPods or Beats headphones:

Connect your AirPods/Beats to your iOS device.
In the Control Center, Lock screen of the app you’re listening to, tap the AirPlay icon.
Tap Share Audio.
If the other person has AirPods, put them inside their case with the lid open near your device. If they have Beats wireless headphones, put them in pairing mode and hold them near your device.
When the second pair of headphones appears on your screen, tap Share Audio.

4. Get the airline app

Some airlines offer in-flight entertainment via their apps. You can also use these apps to access your boarding pass, change seats, track your luggage and more. Here are three examples:

5. Don’t forget the juice

Your phone, tablet or laptop is nothing but a pricey paperweight once the batteries die. You want to charge them before you board the flight and bring along some insurance to keep them going in the air.

Power banks come in all sizes and features to fit your needs. If you’re using a laptop, you’ll need something more substantial than you would for your smartphone. Tap or click here to check out the best portable chargers to keep your tech topped off no matter where you are.

Tags: Apple, Apple iPhone